IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,422,537
Granted Patent B2
US 12,422,537 · App. 17/272,407 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Method and apparatus for detecting signal propagation type

Inventors: Zhuoqi Zeng (Shanghai, CN); Huajun Yu (Shanghai, CN); William Wang (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
G01S13/0209G01S7/41G01S13/58G01S13/89
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,422,537
App. No.
17/272,407
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting the type of signal propagation, the method comprising: calculating a plurality of similarity values when a location base station in an ultra-wideband location system currently receives a pulse response from a location tag, wherein each of the similarity values represents the degree of similarity between the currently received pulse response and one of a plurality of reference pulse responses, and the plurality of reference pulse responses are pulse responses from at least one location tag that were previously received by the location base station where the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the at least one location tag is a specific type of signal propagation; and determining, based on the plurality of similarity values, a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag. The method and apparatus can be used to detect the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag in the UWB location system.

Claims (27)

1. A method for detecting a type of signal propagation, the method comprising:

calculating a plurality of similarity values when a location base station in an ultra-wideband location system currently receives a pulse response from a location tag, wherein each of the similarity values represents the degree of similarity between the currently received pulse response and one of a plurality of reference pulse responses, and the plurality of reference pulse responses are pulse responses from at least one location tag that were previously received by the location base station where the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the at least one location tag is a specific type of signal propagation; and

determining, based on the plurality of similarity values, a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of similarity values is calculated where both the currently received pulse response and the plurality of reference pulse responses are regarded as probability density functions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of similarity values is calculated where both the currently received pulse response and the plurality of reference pulse responses are regarded as trajectories.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the specific type of signal propagation is one of line-of-sight propagation and non-line-of-sight propagation, and

the determining a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag comprises:

determining, if at least half of the plurality of similarity values are greater than a first threshold, that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the specific type of signal propagation, otherwise, determining that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the other one of the line-of-sight propagation and the non-line-of-sight propagation that is different from the specific type of signal propagation; or

determining, if the average value of the plurality of similarity values is greater than a second threshold, that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the specific type of signal propagation, otherwise, determining that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the other one of the line-of-sight propagation and the non-line-of-sight propagation that is different from the specific type of signal propagation.

5. An apparatus for detecting a type of signal propagation, the apparatus comprising:

processor configured to calculate a plurality of similarity values when a location base station in an ultra-wideband location system currently receives a pulse response from a location tag, wherein each of the similarity values represents the degree of similarity between the currently received pulse response and one of a plurality of reference pulse responses, and the plurality of reference pulse responses are pulse responses from at least one location tag that were previously received by the location base station where the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the at least one location tag is a specific type of signal propagation; and

the processor configured to determine, based on the plurality of similarity values, a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of similarity values is calculated where both the currently received pulse response and the plurality of reference pulse responses are regarded as probability density functions.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of similarity values is calculated where both the currently received pulse response and the plurality of reference pulse responses are regarded as trajectories.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein

the specific type of signal propagation is one of line-of-sight propagation and non-line-of-sight propagation, and the processor is configured to:

determine, if at least half of the plurality of similarity values are greater than a first threshold, that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the specific type of signal propagation, otherwise, determine that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the other one of the line-of-sight propagation and the non-line-of-sight propagation that is different from the specific type of signal propagation; or

determine, if the average value of the plurality of similarity values is greater than a second threshold, that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the specific type of signal propagation, otherwise, determine that the current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag is the other one of the line-of-sight propagation and the non-line-of-sight propagation that is different from the specific type of signal propagation.

9. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

calculate a plurality of similarity values when a location base station in an ultra-wideband location system currently receives a pulse response from a location tag, wherein each of the similarity values represents the degree of similarity between the currently received pulse response and one of a plurality of reference pulse responses, and the plurality of reference pulse responses are pulse responses from at least one location tag that were previously received by the location base station where the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the at least one location tag is a specific type of signal propagation; and

determine, based on the plurality of similarity values, a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to

calculate a plurality of similarity values when a location base station in an ultra-wideband location system currently receives a pulse response from a location tag, wherein each of the similarity values represents the degree of similarity between the currently received pulse response and one of a plurality of reference pulse responses, and the plurality of reference pulse responses are pulse responses from at least one location tag that were previously received by the location base station where the type of signal propagation between the location base station and the at least one location tag is a specific type of signal propagation; and

determine, based on the plurality of similarity values, a current type of signal propagation between the location base station and the location tag.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: ZENG, ZHUOQI; YU, HUAJUN; WANG, WILLIAM
To: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 055442/0307 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210318422A1 · Oct 14, 2021
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