US 12,356,280 B2
Techniques for synchronizing ultra-wide band communications
Robert Golshan, San Francisco, CA (US); Adwait N. Dongare, Berkeley, CA (US); and Robert W. Brumley, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/647,822.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/239,240, filed on Aug. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0062363 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04W 72/12 (2023.01)
CPC H04W 4/023 (2013.01) [H04W 72/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for performing ranging by a mobile device with one or more electronic devices using communication circuitry implementing a wireless protocol, the method comprising performing by the mobile device:
storing a schedule for a plurality of communication exchanges, each communication exchange having a first time period for communicating ranging packets using the wireless protocol and a second time period for broadcasting advertising packets using the wireless protocol;
broadcasting the advertising packets during a selected number of available time slots of the second time period of a first communication exchange using the wireless protocol, the advertising packets including information about the schedule for the plurality of communication exchanges;
responsive to broadcasting an advertising packet during a selected time slot, entering a reduced power state for the communication circuitry until a subsequent advertising packet is sent during the second time period of a second communication exchange or a subsequent first time period for communicating the ranging packets as specified by the schedule;
exiting the reduced power state for the communication circuitry prior to the subsequent first time period; and
transmitting, via the wireless protocol, a ranging packet during the subsequent first time period according to the schedule.
 
9. A mobile device for performing ranging with one or more electronic devices using communication circuitry implementing a wireless protocol, comprising:
a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors in communication with the memory and configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
storing a schedule for a plurality of communication exchanges, each communication exchange having a first time period for communicating ranging packets using the wireless protocol and a second time period for broadcasting advertising packets using the wireless protocol;
broadcasting the advertising packets during a selected number of available time slots of the second time period of a first communication exchange using the wireless protocol, the advertising packets including information about the schedule for the plurality of communication exchanges;
responsive to broadcasting an advertising packet during a selected time slot, entering a reduced power state for the communication circuitry until a subsequent advertising packet is sent during the second time period of a second communication exchange or a subsequent first time period for communicating the ranging packets as specified by the schedule;
exiting the reduced power state for the communication circuitry prior to the subsequent first time period; and
transmitting, via the wireless protocol, a ranging packet during the subsequent first time period according to the schedule.
 
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations by a mobile device for performing ranging with one or more electronic devices using communication circuitry implementing a wireless protocol, the operations comprising:
storing a schedule for a plurality of communication exchanges, each communication exchange having a first time period for communicating ranging packets using the wireless protocol and a second time period for broadcasting advertising packets using the wireless protocol;
broadcasting the advertising packets during a selected number of available time slots of the second time period of a first communication exchange using the wireless protocol, the advertising packets including information about the schedule for the plurality of communication exchanges;
responsive to broadcasting an advertising packet during a selected time slot, entering a reduced power state for the communication circuitry until a subsequent advertising packet is sent during the second time period of a second communication exchange or a subsequent first time period for communicating the ranging packets as specified by the schedule;
exiting the reduced power state for the communication circuitry prior to the subsequent first time period; and
transmitting, via the wireless protocol, a ranging packet during the subsequent first time according to the schedule.