US 12,136,989 B2
Method and apparatus for user localization and tracking using radio signals reflected by reconfigurable smart surfaces
Haralabos Papadopoulos, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to NTT DOCOMO, INC., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by NTT DOCOMO, INC., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,602.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/144,385, filed on Feb. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0247480 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. H04B 7/155 (2006.01); H04B 7/0413 (2017.01); H04B 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 7/15507 (2013.01) [H04B 7/0413 (2013.01); H04B 7/0626 (2013.01); H04B 7/15535 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A system for estimating a location of a user terminal over a target coverage area by wireless signals transmitted by an access point and reflected by a reconfigurable surface panel, the system comprising:
an access point to transmit pilot signals;
a reconfigurable surface panel that reflects the transmitted pilot signals flexibly across the coverage area in a pattern varied over time, wherein the reconfigurable surface panel is placed so as to have an unobstructed view to a base station and the coverage area; and
a user terminal that receives reflections from the reconfigurable surface panel, extracts one or more features based on radio channel characteristics from the reflections, and estimates a location of the user terminal by a method based on comparing the extracted one or more features based on the radio channel characteristics to a database comprising pairs of locations and features based on one or more radio channel characteristics.