IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,279,176
Granted Patent B2
US 12,279,176 · App. 17/462,168 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Barrier detection to aid contact tracing

Inventors: Vidhur Raveendran (Del Mar, CA); laith Madain (San Diego, CA); Xiaoxin Zhang (Sunnyvale, CA); Ashok Bhatia (San Diego, CA); Vijayalakshmi Raveendran (Del Mar, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W4/021G01S11/06H04W4/023H04W4/029
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,279,176
App. No.
17/462,168
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques are provided for utilizing wireless devices for contact tracing, and more specifically for detecting a barrier between devices to enhance contact tracing applications. An example method for detecting a barrier between a first device and a second device includes determining, by the first device, a first range measurement with respect to the second device using a first positioning technique determining, by the first device, a second range measurement with respect to the second device using a second positioning technique that is different from the first positioning technique, and detecting the barrier between the first device and the second device based on the first range measurement and the second range measurement.

Claims (81)

1. A method for providing barrier detection information to a device, comprising:

receiving from the device an indication of a first range measurement based on a first positioning technique and an indication of a second range measurement based on a second positioning technique that is different from the first positioning technique;

determining a proximate barrier based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the first positioning technique and the range measurements are based on the second positioning technique; and

providing an indication of the proximate barrier to the device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first positioning technique is based on a round trip time measurement and the second positioning technique is based on a received signal strength indication measurement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first positioning technique is based on one or more millimeter wave signals transmitted from the device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first positioning technique is based on one or more ultrasonic signals transmitted from the device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the proximate barrier includes querying a data structure based on the indication of the first range measurement and the indication of the second range measurement.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a coarse location of the device, and determining the proximate barrier is based at least in part on the coarse location of the device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the coarse location is associated with an environment tag.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining date and time information, and determining the proximate barrier is based at least in part on the date and time information.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the indication of the proximate barrier to a contact tracing application.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing at least one of the indication of the first range measurement and the indication of the second range measurement to the contact tracing application.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing an identification value associated with the device to the contact tracing application.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing barrier classification information to the contact tracing application.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a range value.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a time-of-flight value.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a range value.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a signal strength value.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

at least one transceiver;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to:

receive an indication of a first range measurement based on a first positioning technique and an indication of a second range measurement based on a second positioning technique that is different from the first positioning technique;

determine a proximate barrier based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the first positioning technique and the range measurements are based on the second positioning technique; and

provide an indication of a proximate barrier to a device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first positioning technique is based on a round trip time measurement and the second positioning technique is based on a received signal strength indication measurement.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first positioning technique is based on one or more millimeter wave signals transmitted from the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first positioning technique is based on one or more ultrasonic signals transmitted from the device.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to query a data structure based on the indication of the first range measurement and the indication of the second range measurement.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a coarse location of the device, and determine the proximate barrier based at least in part on the coarse location of the device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the coarse location is associated with an environment tag.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine date and time information, and determine the proximate barrier based at least in part on the date and time information.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide the indication of the proximate barrier to a contact tracing application.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide at least one of the indication of the first range measurement and the indication of the second range measurement to the contact tracing application.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide an identification value associated with the device to the contact tracing application.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide barrier classification information to the contact tracing application.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide a duration of a contact event to the contact tracing application.

30. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a range value.

31. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a time-of-flight value.

32. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a range value.

33. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a signal strength value.

34. An apparatus for providing barrier detection information to a device, comprising:

means for receiving an indication of a first range measurement based on a first positioning technique and an indication of a second range measurement based on a second positioning technique that is different from the first positioning technique;

means for determining a proximate barrier based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the first positioning technique and the range measurements based on the second positioning technique; and

means for providing an indication of a proximate barrier to the device.

35. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to provide barrier detection information to a device, comprising:

code for receiving an indication of a first range measurement based on a first positioning technique and an indication of a second range measurement based on a second positioning technique that is different from the first positioning technique;

code for determining a proximate barrier based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the first positioning technique and the range measurements are based on the second positioning technique; and

code for providing an indication of a proximate barrier to the device.

36. A method for detecting a barrier with network assistance data, comprising:

obtaining a first range measurement based on a round trip time procedure;

obtaining a second range measurement based on a signal strength measurement;

providing an indication of the first range measurement and an indication of the second range measurement to a server; and

receiving an indication of a proximate barrier from the server, the proximate barrier being based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding ranges measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the round trip time procedure and the range measurements are based on the signal strength measurement.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a distance value.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a time-of-flight value.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a distance value.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a signal strength value.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

at least one transceiver;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to:

obtain a first range measurement based on a round trip time procedure;

obtain a second range measurement based on a signal strength measurement;

provide an indication of the first range measurement and an indication of the second range measurement to a server; and

receive an indication of a proximate barrier from the server, the proximate barrier being based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the round trip time procedure and the range measurements are based on the signal strength measurement.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a distance value.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the indication of the first range measurement includes a time-of-flight value.

44. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a distance value.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the indication of the second range measurement includes a signal strength value.

46. An apparatus for detecting a barrier with network assistance data, comprising:

means for obtaining a first range measurement based on a round trip time procedure;

means for obtaining a second range measurement based on a signal strength measurement;

means for providing an indication of the first range measurement and an indication of the second range measurement to a server; and

means for receiving an indication of a proximate barrier from the server, the proximate barrier being based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the round trip time procedure and the range measurements are based on the signal strength measurement.

47. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to detect a barrier using network assistance data, comprising:

code for obtaining a first range measurement based on a round trip time procedure;

code for obtaining a second range measurement based on a signal strength measurement;

code for providing an indication of the first range measurement and an indication of the second range measurement to a server; and

code for receiving an indication of a proximate barrier from the server, the proximate barrier being based at least in part on the indication of the first range measurement, the indication of the second range measurement, and a barrier probability based on a correlation of ranges and corresponding range measurements, wherein the ranges are based on the round trip time procedure and the range measurements are based on the signal strength measurement.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF INVENTOR XIAOXIN ZHANG'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058079 FRAME: 0664. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 27, 2023
From: RAVEENDRAN, VIDHUR; MADAIN, LAITH; ZHANG, XIAOXIN; BHATIA, ASHOK; RAVEENDRAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 062526/0109 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2021
From: RAVEENDRAN, VIDHUR; MADAIN, LAITH; ZHANG, XIAOXIA; BHATIA, ASHOK; RAVEENDRAN, VIJAYALAKSHMI
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 058079/0664 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63076295 · Sep 9, 2020
Related Publication 20220078575A1 · Mar 10, 2022
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