IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,903,938
Granted Patent B2
US 9,903,938 · App. 14/613,246 · Granted Feb 27, 2018

Radio and audio localization

Inventors: Miikka Tapani Vilermo (Siuro, FI); Lasse Juhani Laaksonen (Tampere, FI); Arto Juhani Lehtiniemi (Lempäälä, FI); Mikko Tapio Tammi (Tampere, FI)
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
G01S5/0284G01S5/0257G01S11/14G01S3/02G01S11/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,903,938
App. No.
14/613,246
Granted
Feb 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some example embodiments there is provided a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, at least one radio signal and at least one audio signal received via a microphone at the user equipment; and determining, by the user equipment, a distance between the user equipment and at least one other device by at least determining angle of arrival for the at least one radio signal and determining a time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Claims (37)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment, at least one radio signal and at least one audio signal received via a microphone at the user equipment; and

determining, by the user equipment, a distance between the user equipment and at least one other device by at least determining an angle of arrival for the at least one radio signal transmitted by the at least one other device and a time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone at the user equipment and a corresponding microphone of the at least one other device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radio signal is received at an antenna array.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on the determined angle of arrival information, at least one angle between the user equipment and the at least one other device.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

selecting at least one candidate distance between the user equipment and the at least one other device, wherein the at least one candidate distance represents an estimate determined from the at least one angle between the user equipment and the at least one other device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining at least one audio measured distance between the user equipment and the at least one other device based on at least the determined time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone at the user equipment and the corresponding microphone of the at least one other device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

normalizing the at least one audio measured distance to enable a comparison to at least one other audio measured distance.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the normalizing further comprises:

forming a first ratio of the at least one audio measured distance to a corresponding candidate distance and forming a second ratio of the at least one other audio measured distance to another corresponding candidate distance, wherein the corresponding candidate distance is a selected estimated distance, and wherein the another corresponding candidate distance is based on the corresponding candidate distance and the determined angle of arrival.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

comparing a magnitude of the first ratio to the second ratio to determine a best estimate of the distance.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive, by the apparatus, at least one radio signal and at least one audio signal received via a microphone at the apparatus; and

determine, by the apparatus, a distance between the apparatus and at least one other device, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the distance by at least determining an angle of arrival for the at least one radio signal transmitted by the at least one other device and a time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone at the user equipment and a corresponding microphone of the at least one other device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one radio signal is received at an antenna array.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

determine, based on the determined angle of arrival information, at least one angle between the apparatus and the at least one other device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

select at least one candidate distance between the apparatus and the at least one other device, wherein the at least one candidate distance represents an estimate determined from the at least one angle between the apparatus and the at least one other device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

determine at least one audio measured distance between the apparatus and the at least one other device based on at least the determined time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone at the user equipment and the corresponding microphone of the at least one other device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

normalize the at least one audio measured distance to enable a comparison to at least one other audio measured distance.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to normalize by at least: form a first ratio of the at least one audio measured distance to a corresponding candidate distance and form a second ratio of the at least one other audio measured distance to another corresponding candidate distance, wherein the corresponding candidate distance is a selected estimated distance, and wherein the another corresponding candidate distance is based on the corresponding candidate distance and the determined angle of arrival.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

compare a magnitude of the first ratio to the second ratio to determine a best estimate of the distance.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-program code, which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment, at least one radio signal and at least one audio signal received via a microphone at the user equipment; and

determining, by the user equipment, a distance between the user equipment and at least one other device by at least determining an angle of arrival for the at least one radio signal transmitted by the at least one other device and a time difference of arrival for the audio signal received via the microphone at the user equipment and a corresponding microphone of the at least one other device.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059352/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKETS SERVICES LLC
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 058983/0104 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 058363/0723 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 14, 2019
From: NOKIA USA INC.
To: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 048370/0682 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP, LLC
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 043967/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
To: NOKIA USA INC.
Reel/Frame 043879/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY; NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS BV; ALCATEL LUCENT SAS
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 043877/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2015
From: VILERMO, MIIKKA TAPANI; LEHTINIEMI, ARTO JUHANI; LAAKSONEN, LASSE JUHANI; TAMMI, MIKKO TAPIO
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 034881/0177 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160223640A1 · Aug 4, 2016