US 11,722,985 B2
Object tracking and authentication using modular wall units
Travis J. McQueen, San Jose, CA (US); Clark Della Silva, San Francisco, CA (US); Scott G. Johnston, Los Gatos, CA (US); Wade R. Barnett, San Jose, CA (US); Christopher Merrill, San Francisco, CA (US); and Jay C. Couch, San Martin, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/362,432.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/716,635, filed on Aug. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0053689 A1, Feb. 13, 2020
Int. Cl. H04W 64/00 (2009.01); H04W 12/06 (2021.01); H04W 4/02 (2018.01); G01S 5/02 (2010.01); H01R 13/66 (2006.01); H04W 4/33 (2018.01); H04W 12/63 (2021.01)
CPC H04W 64/003 (2013.01) [G01S 5/0247 (2013.01); G01S 5/0289 (2013.01); H01R 13/6691 (2013.01); H04W 4/023 (2013.01); H04W 4/33 (2018.02); H04W 12/06 (2013.01); H04W 12/63 (2021.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a host unit installed in a support structure of a building, the host unit including:
a communication module, controlled by the one or more processors, and configured to send or receive communication data with at least one or more additional host units installed in the building,
wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
measure an attribute of the sent or received communication data; and
detect a presence of an object that at least partially obstructs a line-of-sight communication path between the host unit and at least one or more additional host units based on a temporary change in the measured attribute of the sent or received communication data between the host unit and the one or more additional host units,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a type of the detected object based on:
an amount of distortion or frequency content of the distortion in the communication data; and
a relative uniformity of the distortion or frequency content of the distortion.