Secure ranging measurement

1. A method, comprising:

generating, at a first communication device, a null data packet (NDP) for a range measurement signal exchange session between the first communication device and a second communication device, wherein generating the NDP includes:

generating a plurality of training fields to be used by the second communication device to determine a time of arrival of the NDP, wherein each training field corresponds to a respective orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) symbol;

wherein generating the plurality of training fields includes: i) setting signal samples corresponding to guard intervals between the OFDM symbols to zero, and ii) for each OFDM symbol, setting a plurality of frequency domain values corresponding to OFDM subcarriers of the OFDM symbol to complex number values; and

transmitting, by the first communication device, the NDP as part of the range measurement signal exchange session.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, at the first communication device, respective sequences for the plurality of training fields, wherein the selected sequences respectively specify frequency domain values for the respective OFDM symbols; and

transmitting, by the first communication device, respective indications of the sequences to the second communication device,

wherein generating the plurality of training fields further includes generating the OFDM symbols according to the selected sequences.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selected sequences are different sequences.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

transmitting the respective indications of the sequences to the second communication device comprises transmitting the respective sequences to the second communication device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

selecting the respective sequences for the plurality of training fields comprises:

selecting respective seed values for generating the respective sequences, wherein a length of each seed value is at most ½ of a length of the corresponding sequence;

transmitting the respective indications of the sequences to the second communication device comprises transmitting the respective seed values; and

generating the OFDM symbols according to the selected sequences includes generating, at the first communication device, the respective sequences using the respective seed values.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the respective sequences using the respective seed values includes, for each sequence:

providing the seed as an input to a forward error correction (FEC) encoder of the first communication device, wherein the FEC encoder implements an FEC code having a coding rate of at most ½; and

generating, using the FEC encoder, an output sequence based on the seed.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the respective sequences using the respective seed values includes, for each sequence:

providing the seed to a pseudorandom sequence generator circuit of the first communication device, wherein the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit comprises a linear feedback shift register circuit with a sequence of memory elements coupled in series; and

generating, using the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit, an output sequence based on the seed.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface device associated with a first communication device, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:

generate a null data packet (NDP) for a range measurement signal exchange session between the first communication device and a second communication device, wherein generating the NDP includes:

generating a plurality of training fields to be used by the second communication device to determine a time of arrival of the NDP, wherein each training field corresponds to a respective orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) symbol,

wherein the one or more ICs are further configured to: i) set signal samples corresponding to guard intervals between the OFDM symbols to zero, and ii) for each OFDM symbol, set a plurality of frequency domain values corresponding to OFDM subcarriers of the OFDM symbol to complex number values, and

wherein the one or more ICs are further configured to transmit the NDP as part of the range measurement signal exchange session.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more ICs are further configured to:

select respective sequences for the plurality of training fields, wherein the selected sequences respectively specify frequency domain values for the respective OFDM symbols;

transmit respective indications of the sequences to the second communication device; and

generate the OFDM symbols according to the selected sequences.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the selected sequences are different sequences.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the respective indications of the sequences are the respective sequences.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , the one or more ICs are further configured to:

select respective seed values for generating the respective sequences, wherein a length of each seed value is at most ½ of a length of the corresponding sequence;

transmit the respective seed values to the second communication device; and

generate the respective sequences using the respective seed values.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

the network interface device includes a forward error correction (FEC) encoder implemented on the one or more ICs, wherein the FEC encoder is configured to implement an FEC code having a coding rate of at most ½; and

the one or more ICs are configured to:

provide the seed as an input to the FEC encoder, and

use the FEC encoder to generate an output sequence based on the seed.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, in generating the respective sequences using the respective seed values, the one or more ICs are further configured to, for each sequence:

provide the seed to a pseudorandom sequence generator circuit of the first communication device, wherein the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit comprises a linear feedback shift register circuit with a sequence of memory elements coupled in series; and

generate, using the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit, an output sequence based on the seed.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first communication device, an indication of a sequence corresponding to a training field in a null data packet (NDP) in a range measurement exchange session with a second communication device, wherein the training field corresponds to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, wherein the sequence specifies frequency domain values for the OFDM symbol, and wherein the sequence includes complex number values;

determining, at the first communication device, a signal corresponding to the training field using the indication of the sequence that specifies the frequency domain values for the OFDM symbol corresponding to the training field;

generating, at the first communication device, a cross-correlation between a received signal and the signal corresponding to the training field;

detecting, at the first communication device, the training field in the received signal; and

using, at the first communication device, the detection of the training field in the received signal to determine a time of arrival at the first communication device of the NDP.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

receiving the indication of the sequence comprises receiving a seed value for generating the sequence, wherein a length of the seed value is at most ½ of a length of the sequence; and

the method further comprises generating, at the first communication device, the sequence using the seed value.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein generating the sequence using the seed value includes:

providing the seed as an input to a forward error correction (FEC) encoder of the first communication device, wherein the FEC encoder implements an FEC code having a coding rate of at most ½; and

generating, using the FEC encoder, an output sequence based on the seed.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein generating the sequence using the seed value includes:

providing the seed to a pseudorandom sequence generator circuit of the first communication device, wherein the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit comprises a linear feedback shift register circuit with a sequence of memory elements coupled in series; and

generating, using the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit, an output sequence based on the seed.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the NDP includes a plurality of training fields;

the training fields corresponds to respective OFDM symbols; and

the method further comprises:

receiving, at a first communication device, respective indications of respective sequences corresponding to the respective training fields in a null data packet (NDP) in a range measurement exchange session, wherein the respective sequences specify frequency domain values for the respective OFDM symbols, and wherein each sequence includes complex number values;

determining, at the first communication device, respective signals corresponding to the respective training fields using the respective indications of the respective sequences;

generating, at the first communication device, respective cross-correlations between the received signal and the respective signals corresponding to the respective training fields;

detecting, at the first communication device, the respective training fields in the received signal; and

using, at the first communication device, the respective detections of the respective training fields in the received signal to determine the time of arrival at the first communication device of the NDP.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the cross-correlation comprises:

zero-padding, at the first communication device, a time-domain signal corresponding to a duration of the OFDM symbol and a guard interval to generate a set of time-domain samples corresponding to a duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol; and

using, at the first communication device, the set of set of time-domain samples to generate the cross-correlation.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein generating the cross-correlation further comprises:

calculating, at the first communication device, a first discrete Fourier transform of the set of time-domain samples corresponding to the duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol;

calculating, at the first communication device, a second discrete Fourier transform of the signal corresponding to the training field zero-padded to a duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol; and

using, at the first communication device, the first discrete Fourier transform and the second discrete Fourier transform to generate the cross-correlation.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface device associated with a first communication device, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:

receive an indication of a sequence corresponding to a training field in a null data packet (NDP) in a range measurement exchange session with a second communication device, wherein the training field corresponds to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, wherein the sequence specifies frequency domain values for the OFDM symbol, and wherein the sequence includes complex number values,

determine a signal corresponding to the training field using the indication of the sequence that specifies the frequency domain values for the OFDM symbol corresponding to the training field,

generate a cross-correlation between a received signal and the signal corresponding to the training field,

detect the training field in the received signal, and

use the detection of the training field in the received signal to determine a time of arrival at the first communication device of the NDP.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein:

the indication of the sequence comprises a seed value for generating the sequence, wherein a length of the seed value is at most ½ of a length of the sequence; and

the network interface device includes a generator circuit, implemented on the one or more ICs, that is configured to generate the sequence using the seed value.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the generator circuit comprises a forward error correction (FEC) encoder that implements an FEC code having a coding rate of at most ½; and

the one or more ICs are configured to provide the seed to an input of the FEC encoder to generate an output sequence based on the seed.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the generator circuit comprises a pseudorandom sequence generator circuit that includes a linear feedback shift register circuit with a sequence of memory elements coupled in series; and

the one or more ICs are configured to provide the seed to an input of the pseudorandom sequence generator circuit to generate an output sequence based on the seed.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein:

the NDP includes a plurality of training fields;

the training fields corresponds to respective OFDM symbols; and

the one or more ICs are configured to:

receive respective indications of respective sequences corresponding to the respective training fields in a null data packet (NDP) in a range measurement exchange session, wherein the respective sequences specify frequency domain values for the respective OFDM symbols, and wherein each sequence includes complex number values,

determine respective signals corresponding to the respective training fields using the respective indications of the respective sequences,

generate respective cross-correlations between the received signal and the respective signals corresponding to the respective training fields,

detect the respective training fields in the received signal, and

use the respective detections of the respective training fields in the received signal to determine the time of arrival at the first communication device of the NDP.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein:

the network interface device includes a zero-padding circuit, implemented on the one or more ICs, configured to zero-pad a time-domain signal corresponding to a duration of the OFDM symbol and a guard interval to generate a set of time-domain samples corresponding to a duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol; and

the one or more ICs are configured to use the set of set of time-domain samples to generate the cross-correlation.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein:

the network interface device includes a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculator configured to:

calculate a first DFT of the set of time-domain samples corresponding to the duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol, and

calculate a second DFT of the signal corresponding to the training field zero-padded to a duration equal to twice the duration of the OFDM symbol; and

the one or more ICs are further configured to use the first DFT and the second DFT to generate the cross-correlation.