KR20240019537A - Method and apparatus for finding target electronic device using electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

This disclosure discloses a method of finding the location of another electronic device using an electronic device. The method of the present disclosure includes transmitting an initiation message to initiate UWB ranging, receiving a response message in response to the initiation message from a second electronic device through a first antenna and a second antenna on the first electronic device. Obtaining distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna, responses received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively. It may include obtaining direction information about the second electronic device using a message, and obtaining the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information.

Description

Method and device for finding a target electronic device using an electronic device {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINDING TARGET ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING ELECTRONIC DEVICE}

This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for finding a target electronic device using an electronic device.

As the prevalence of smart devices such as smart phones and tablets increases, the use of various second devices used with these smart devices is increasing. For example, the market for second devices such as digital pens is also increasing significantly.

Meanwhile, since the second device generally has a small size, it is frequently lost. In this case, a method for finding the second device using a smart device paired with the second device is required.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of a first electronic device may include transmitting an initiation message to initiate ultra wide band (UWB) ranging. The method of the first electronic device may include receiving a response message in response to the initiation message from the second electronic device through a first antenna and a second antenna on the first electronic device. The method of the first electronic device may include obtaining distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna. The method of the first electronic device may include obtaining direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively. The method of the first electronic device may include obtaining the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first electronic device may include a transceiver and at least one processor. The at least one processor may transmit an initiation message to initiate UWB ranging. The at least one processor may receive a response message in response to the initiation message from the second electronic device through the first antenna and the second antenna on the first electronic device. The at least one processor may obtain distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna. The at least one processor may obtain direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively. The at least one processor may obtain the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one computer program including instructions for performing a method of locating a device may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. A method for locating a device may include sending an initiation message to initiate UWB ranging. A method of locating a device may include receiving a response message in response to an initiation message from a second electronic device, via a first antenna and a second antenna on the first electronic device. A method of locating a device may include obtaining distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna. A method of locating a device may include obtaining direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively. A method of locating a device may include obtaining the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment.
Figure 2 shows an example of a situation in which a user searches for a second electronic device using a first electronic device, according to an embodiment.
Figure 3 shows a procedure for finding a second electronic device using a first electronic device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of a first electronic device finding a second electronic device according to an embodiment.
Figure 5 shows antenna arrangement of a first electronic device and a second electronic device according to an embodiment.
Figure 6 shows the configuration of a first electronic device according to an embodiment.
Figure 7 shows the configuration of a second electronic device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 8 illustrates a method for a first electronic device to obtain a distance to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 9 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device obtains a direction to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 10 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device obtains a direction to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 11 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device determines the exact location of a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 12 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device determines the exact location of a second electronic device using movement data, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 13 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device performs an optimization operation, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 14 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device performs a correction operation, according to an embodiment.
Figure 15 shows a method by which a first electronic device performs an AoA determination operation, according to an embodiment.
16A, 16B, and 16C show an example of a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D show an example of a UI displayed on a first electronic device to find a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
FIG. 18 illustrates a method of displaying the direction of a second electronic device to be found, according to an embodiment.
Figure 19 is a flowchart showing a method for a first electronic device to find a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.
Figure 20 is a device diagram of a first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 21 is a device diagram of a second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment 100, the electronic device 101 communicates with the electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199. It is possible to communicate with at least one of the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (e.g., a long-distance wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, an audio output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or may include an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178) may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 160). It can be.

The processor 120, for example, executes software (e.g., program 140) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can be controlled and various data processing or calculations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 120 stores commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in volatile memory 132. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 134. According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 123 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and a secondary processor 123, the secondary processor 123 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 121 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 121 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, co-processor 123 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 101 itself on which the artificial intelligence model is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 108). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. Data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program 140) and instructions related thereto. Memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or non-volatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 and may include, for example, an operating system 142, middleware 144, or application 146.

The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display module 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

The audio module 170 can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires sound through the input module 150, the sound output module 155, or an external electronic device (e.g., directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101). Sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (e.g., speaker or headphone).

The sensor module 176 detects the operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 176 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 190 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 190 operates independently of processor 120 (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 is a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., legacy It may communicate with an external electronic device 104 through a telecommunication network such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low latency). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (eg, mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 192 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, for example, beamforming, massive array multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 supports Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive signals or power to or from the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 is connected to the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. can be selected. Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes: a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band); And a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band. can do.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( (e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external electronic devices 102 or 104 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be of various types. Electronic devices include, for example, wireless audio devices (e.g., wireless earphones, earbuds, true wireless stereo (TWS), or earsets), portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, and portable multimedia devices. , may include portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliance devices. Electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described devices.

An embodiment of the present disclosure and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to that component in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g., first) component is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively.” When mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. can be used A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

One embodiment of the present disclosure is one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). It may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including these. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of a device (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, a method according to an embodiment disclosed in the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or through an application store (e.g. Play Store ^TM ) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

Below, various embodiments of finding a target electronic device or the location of a target electronic device using an electronic device will be described. In this disclosure, the electronic device used to find the target electronic device may be referred to as a first electronic device, and the target electronic device found by the first electronic device may be referred to as a second electronic device.

Meanwhile, the method for finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use at least one of the following features.

The method of finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use UWB communication (eg, UWB ranging). Therefore, compared to locating methods for devices that use other communication methods such as BLE or Wi-Fi, the accuracy of location estimation can be higher.

The method of locating a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use only two antennas on the first electronic device. In contrast, a typical locating method for a device using UWB uses three antennas or additionally uses another anchor device. Therefore, compared to this general method, the method of the present disclosure can save space in the first electronic device, reduce cost, and reduce implementation complexity. Additionally, the method of the present disclosure can eliminate dependency on additional anchor devices.

The method for finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure uses data from an accelerometer and a gyroscope to resolve the ambiguity of the angle of arrival (AoA) caused by using only two antennas on the first electronic device. It can be used as auxiliary data. Therefore, when using the method of the present disclosure, an accurate location can be determined even if only two antennas are used.

The method of locating a device (or device location) of the present disclosure uses only one antenna on a second electronic device and may not require attachment of an additional appliance to perform the method of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the method of the present disclosure can be applied even to small devices that do not have sufficient space for additional appliances. Additionally, when using the method of the present disclosure, the cost of the second electronic device can be reduced.

Figure 2 shows an example of a situation in which a user searches for a second electronic device using a first electronic device, according to an embodiment.

2 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, it is assumed that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the first state/situation 201, the second electronic device 220 may be attached to the first electronic device 210. For example, the second electronic device 220 may be in an enclosure (eg, a pen enclosure) for storing the second electronic device 220 of the first electronic device 210.

In the second state/situation 202, the second electronic device 220 may be detached from the first electronic device 210. For example, the second electronic device 220 may be outside of an enclosure for the second electronic device 220 of the first electronic device 220 (eg, a pen enclosure) for use by a user.

In the third state/situation 203, the second electronic device 220 may be maintained away from the first electronic device 210. For example, even after the task using the second electronic device 220 is completed, the second electronic device 220 is not re-attached to the first electronic device 210. 1 Can be maintained away from the electronic device 210.

In the fourth state/situation 203, the second electronic device 220 may be in a state identified as lost. For example, if the second electronic device 220 is not within an enclosure (e.g., a pen enclosure) for the second electronic device 220 of the first electronic device 210, the first electronic device 210 If not identified in the vicinity, the second electronic device 220 may be identified as lost. In this case, the user may attempt to find the lost second electronic device 220 using the first electronic device 210.

Figure 3 shows a procedure for finding a second electronic device using a first electronic device according to an embodiment.

3 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, it is assumed that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 301, the first electronic device 210 activates a search option (e.g., an application) to find another electronic device and selects the second electronic device 220 to find. there is. According to one embodiment, when the search option for finding another electronic device is activated in the first electronic device 210, a UI for selecting a device to find, as shown, will be displayed on the first electronic device 210. You can. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may select the second electronic device 220 to find based on a user input. For example, the first electronic device 210 may detect a second electronic device 220 to find a device (e.g., a smart pen) corresponding to a user input for selecting one of a plurality of devices in a UI for selecting a device to find. ) can be selected.

In operation 302, the first electronic device 210 may obtain distance information and direction information about the second electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may obtain distance information and direction information for the second electronic device 220 and provide the obtained distance information and direction information. For example, as shown, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI indicating that the second electronic device 220 is detected within a distance of {20 meters} in the first direction.

In operation 303, the first electronic device 210 may move in the direction in which the second electronic device 220 was detected. For example, the first electronic device 210 may be moved in the first direction identified in operation 302.

In operation 304, the first electronic device 210 may obtain distance information and direction information about the second electronic device 220 at the moved location. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may obtain distance information and direction information for the second electronic device 220 at a moved location and provide the obtained distance information and direction information. For example, as shown, in the moved position, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI indicating that the second electronic device 220 is a distance of {10 meters} in the second direction. .

In operation 305, the first electronic device 210 may be further moved until the distance to the second electronic device 220 becomes 0 (zero). For example, the first electronic device 210 may be moved in the second direction identified in operation 304 until the distance to the second electronic device 220 becomes 0.

In operation 306, the first electronic device 210 may identify that the distance to the second electronic device 220 is 0 and notify that the second electronic device 220 has been found. For example, as shown, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI indicating that the second electronic device 220 has been found.

Meanwhile, the above-described operations may be performed in an order different from the illustrated order. Additionally, some of the above-described operations may be omitted, and additional operations may be performed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of a first electronic device finding a second electronic device according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 4 , in operation 410, the first electronic device 210 may activate an application to find the second electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may activate an application according to a user input that activates an application to find the second electronic device 220.

In operation 420, the first electronic device 210 may transmit a UWB signal. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may transmit or broadcast a UWB message (or a UWB signal including a UWB message) to initiate UWB ranging. In this disclosure, a UWB message for initiating UWB ranging may be referred to as a ranging initiation message, an initiation message, or a poll message. As an example, UWB ranging may be two-way ranging (TWR). For example, UWB ranging may be single-sided TWR or double-sided TWR.

As such, the method for finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use UWB communication (eg, UWB ranging) to find the device location. Therefore, compared to locating methods for devices that use other communication methods such as BLE or Wi-Fi, the accuracy of location estimation can be higher.

In operation 430, the first electronic device 210 may receive a UWB response signal, which is a response signal to the UWB signal, from the second electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the second electronic device 220 receives a UWB message (or a UWB signal including a UWB message) for starting UWB ranging from the first electronic device 210, and receives the received UWB message A UWB response message (or a UWB response signal including a UWB response message) may be transmitted in response to (or a UWB signal including a UWB message). According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 receives a UWB response message (or , a UWB response signal including a UWB response message) can be received. In this disclosure, the UWB response message may be referred to as a ranging response message or a response message.

In operation 440, the first electronic device 210 may calculate the distance and direction from the antenna(s) to the second electronic device 220. For example, the first electronic device 210 may calculate the distance and direction to the second electronic device 220 based on a UWB signal (e.g., UWB response message) received through at least one of the two antennas. .

As such, the method of locating a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use only two antennas on the first electronic device to locate the device. On the other hand, a general locating method of a device using UWB uses three antennas or additionally uses another anchor device. Therefore, compared to this general method, the method of the present disclosure can save space in the first electronic device, reduce cost, and reduce implementation complexity. Additionally, the method of the present disclosure can eliminate dependency on additional anchor devices.

Meanwhile, the distance and direction data for the second electronic device 220 calculated in operation 440 may be raw data. The raw data of the distance and direction calculated in this way can be transmitted to the optimization module for optimization.

In operation 450, the first electronic device 210 may acquire accelerometer data and/or gyroscope data. The accelerometer data and/or gyroscope data obtained in this way are auxiliary data used for optimization and may be transmitted to the optimization module. In embodiments, transfer of raw data of distance and direction and transfer of accelerometer and gyroscope data may be performed simultaneously.

In operation 460, the first electronic device 210 may perform an operation to optimize the distance and direction with respect to the second electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 optimizes the distance and direction for the second electronic device 220 using the received raw data of the distance and direction and the received data of the accelerometer and gyroscope. The action can be performed. According to one embodiment, the optimization operation of the first electronic device 210 may be a software side/method optimization operation. Through this optimization operation, the exact distance and direction to the second electronic device 220 can be identified. Through this, the exact location of the second electronic device 220 can be identified.

As such, the method for finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure uses only two antennas on the first electronic device, resulting in ambiguity in angle of arrival (AoA). Therefore, in order to resolve the ambiguity of raw data and optimize it, data from accelerometers and gyroscopes can be used as auxiliary data. Therefore, when using the method of the present disclosure, an accurate location can be determined even if only two antennas are used.

Data on the distance and direction of the second electronic device 220 obtained through the optimization operation may be transmitted to the application of the first electronic device 210 and provided to the user through the UI of the application. For example, as shown, the first electronic device 210 may inform the user through the UI of the application that the second electronic device 220 is x meters away in the indicated direction.

Meanwhile, the above-described operations may be performed in an order different from the illustrated order. For example, operation 450 may be performed before operation 440 or may be performed simultaneously with operation 440. Additionally, some of the above-described operations may be omitted, and additional operations may be performed.

Figure 5 shows antenna arrangement of a first electronic device and a second electronic device according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, it is assumed that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first electronic device 210 may include a plurality of antennas. For example, as shown, the first electronic device 210 may include two antennas 211-1 and 211-2.

When the first electronic device 210 includes two antennas, the distance between the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 may be arranged to be shorter than λ/2. For example, the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 may be arranged so that the distance between the two antennas is shorter than λ/2, but the distance between the two antennas is as far apart as possible. For example, as shown, the distance between the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 is shorter than λ/2, but the distance between the two antennas is as far apart as possible. It may be placed at both diagonal ends of the electronic device 210. Here, λ may be a signal wavelength. That is, λ may be the wavelength of the signal used. As an example, for example, when a 6.5 GHz UWB signal is used, the optimal distance between two antennas may be 23 mm (=λ/2) or less.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the second electronic device 220 may include one antenna 221. As such, the method of finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure uses only one antenna on the second electronic device and may not require attachment of an additional appliance to perform the method of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the method of the present disclosure can be applied even to small devices that do not have sufficient space for additional appliances. Additionally, when using the method of the present disclosure, the cost of the second electronic device can be reduced.

According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may include a single UWB transceiver. As an example, the UWB transceiver may be connected/associated with the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2.

According to one embodiment, the second electronic device 220 may include a single UWB transceiver. As an example, a UWB transceiver may be connected/associated with antenna 221.

According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may locate the second electronic device 220 using UWB communication (UWB ranging). Therefore, the accuracy of location estimation can be increased compared to the locating method of devices that use other communication methods such as BLE or Wi-Fi.

According to one embodiment, the first electronic device 210 can locate the second electronic device using only two antennas. In contrast, a general UWB device locating method uses three antennas or additionally uses another anchor device. Compared to this general method, the locating method using only two antennas of the present disclosure can save space in the first electronic device 210, reduce cost, and reduce implementation complexity. . Additionally, the approach of the present disclosure can eliminate dependency on additional anchor devices.

According to one embodiment, each of the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 of the first electronic device 210 measures (or calculates) the distance to the second electronic device 220. ) can be used to. For example, the first electronic device 210 may calculate the distance to the second electronic device 220 using the UWB response signal received through the first antenna 211-1. For example, the first electronic device 210 may calculate the distance to the second electronic device 220 using the UWB response signal received through the second antenna 211-2.

According to one embodiment, both the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 of the first electronic device 210 measure (or, can be used together to calculate For example, by using the UWB response signal received through the first antenna 211-1 and the UWB response signal received through the second antenna 211-2, the first electronic device 210 The direction for the electronic device 220 may be calculated.

Figure 6 shows the configuration of a first electronic device according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find another electronic device. For convenience of explanation, the embodiment of FIG. 6 is described assuming that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 6, the first electronic device 210 includes a plurality of antennas 211-1 and 211-2, a UWB chip 212, a gyroscope 213, an accelerometer 214, and/or a SoC (system on chip) (215).

The UWB chip 212 may be a sub-system for UWB communication. For example, the UWB chip 212 may be a sub-system including a MAC layer and a PHY layer for UWB communication. In this disclosure, UWB chip 212 may be referred to as a UWB sub-system (UWBS) or a UWB communication module. The first electronic device 210 can transmit/receive a UWB message or UWB signal through the UWB chip 212.

The UWB chip 212 may be associated with two antennas, that is, a first antenna 211-1 and a second antenna 211-2. For example, the UWB chip 212 may transmit and receive a UWB signal (or UWB message) through the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2. The first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 are arranged at a distance shorter than λ/2 in order to properly obtain the phase difference between the signals received from the two antennas. It can be. For example, as shown, the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2 may be disposed at diagonal ends of the first electronic device 210 at a distance shorter than λ/2. This phase difference can be used to calculate angle of arrival (AoA) or direction.

UWB chip 212 can be used to calculate the distance using the TWR method.

Gyroscope 213 and accelerometer 214 together can provide directional movement data. This directional movement data can be used in the first electronic device 210 to resolve duplicate locations (if 360 degrees are considered) provided by the AoA system. For example, if the direction to the device is obtained based on AoA information obtained using only two antennas rather than three or more antennas, two overlapping locations may occur due to ambiguity of the AoA. Among these, one location may be a correct location and the other may be an incorrect location. In this case, the first electronic device 210 can use data from the gyroscope 213 and the accelerometer 214 to obtain an accurate location among the two overlapping locations.

SoC 215 may perform all calculations and logic of the system or first electronic device 210. SoC 215 may acquire data from UWB chip 212, gyroscope 213, and accelerometer 214. As an embodiment, a sub-system (chip) for Wi-Fi communication and/or a sub-system (chip) for BLE communication may be integrated into the SoC 215.

Figure 7 shows the configuration of a second electronic device according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7 , the second electronic device 220 corresponds to the electronic device being searched for (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, the embodiment of FIG. 7 is described assuming that the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the second electronic device 220 may include an antenna 221, a UWB chip 222, and a BLE chip 223. The second electronic device 220 may further include at least one component (eg, a coil and/or a capacitor) for performing a function (eg, a pen function) of the second electronic device 220 .

The UWB chip 222 may be a sub-system for UWB communication. For example, the UWB chip 222 may be a sub-system including a MAC layer and a PHY layer for UWB communication. In this disclosure, UWB chip 222 may be referred to as a UWB sub-system (UWBS). The second electronic device 220 can transmit/receive a UWB message or UWB signal through the UWB chip 222.

UWB chip 222 may be associated with antenna 221. For example, the UWB chip 222 can transmit and receive a UWB signal (or UWB message) through the antenna 221.

The BLE chip 223 may be a sub-system for BLE communication. For example, the BLE chip 223 may be a sub-system including a MAC layer and a PHY layer for BLE communication. In this disclosure, the BLE chip 223 may be referred to as a BLE sub-system or BLE communication module.

BLE chip 223 may be associated with antenna 221 or another antenna. For example, the BLE chip 223 can transmit and receive UWB signals through the antenna 221 or another antenna.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method for a first electronic device to obtain a distance to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, it is assumed that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, for convenience of explanation, a method of measuring the distance using the first antenna 211-1 will be described as an example. However, the distance may be measured using another antenna, the second antenna 211-1, and in this case, the same method as the distance measurement method using the first antenna 211-1 described below may be used.

Referring to FIG. 8, in operation 810, the first electronic device 210 may transmit a start message to initiate UWB ranging. For example, the first electronic device 210 may transmit or broadcast a start message through the first antenna 211-1. The first electronic device 210 may obtain information about the time when the start message was transmitted. The second electronic device 220 that has received the initiation message may transmit a response message to the first electronic device 220 in response to the initiation message.

In operation 820, the first electronic device 210 may receive a response message from the second electronic device 220. As an embodiment, the response message may include information about the response time (T _reply ). Here, the response time (T _reply ) may be the elapsed time between the time the initiation message is received and the time the response message is transmitted. To calculate the response time (T _reply ), Equation 1 below can be used.

Here, T _{poll received} refers to the time when the initiation message (poll message) was received, and T _{reply sent} refers to the time when the response message was transmitted.

The first electronic device 210 may obtain the round-trip time (T _loop ) based on the response message. As an embodiment, the first electronic device 210 may calculate the round-trip time (T _loop ) using information about the response time (T _reply ) included in the response message. Here, the round trip time (T _loop ) may be the elapsed time between the time the initiation message is transmitted and the time the response message is received. To calculate the round trip time (T _loop ), Equation 2 below can be used.

Here, T _{poll sent} refers to the time when the initiation message (poll message) is transmitted, and T _{response sent} refers to the time when the response message is received.

The first electronic device 210 may obtain a time of flight (ToF) value using the response time (T _reply ) and the round trip time (T _loop ). To calculate the value of ToF, Equation 3 below can be used.

The first electronic device 210 may obtain the distance to the second electronic device 220 using the ToF value. To calculate the distance to the second electronic device 220, Equation 4 below can be used.

Here, Distance refers to the distance to the second electronic device 220 (i.e., the distance between the first electronic device 210 and the second electronic device 220), and Speed of light refers to the speed of light. .

As an example, the UWB ranging used in the example of FIG. 8 may be SS-TWR or DS-TWR. When DS-TWR is used, the first electronic device 210 may further transmit a final message. In this case, because the distance is measured using at least three UWB messages, the accuracy of distance measurement can be higher compared to SS-TWR using two UWB messages.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device obtains a direction to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

Referring to FIG. 9, the first electronic device can calculate the direction to the second electronic device using two antennas, that is, the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2. For example, the first electronic device receives two UWB response signals (e.g., By using the phase difference between two UWB response signals (two UWB response signals including the same response message), the direction to the second electronic device can be calculated.

To calculate the direction for the second electronic device, Equation 5 below can be used.

here, refers to AoA, refers to the distance between two antennas on the first electronic device, refers to the phase difference of arrival (PDoA) between the signals received from the antenna on the second electronic device through the two antennas on the first electronic device, and λ is the signal of the signal used (e.g., UWB signal) Refers to wavelength.

As an example, the distance and the signal wavelength λ may be a previously known value. distance can be set shorter than λ/2. distance If is set shorter than λ/2 (d < λ/2), AoA( ) and PDoA( )Is [- /2 to + /2] can be mapped one to one.

Equation 5 above can be derived from the path difference (p) between the two signals (received signals). The path difference may have a trigonometric relationship between the distance between the two antennas and the AoA. Equation 6 below shows an example of calculating the path difference.

Additionally, the path difference may be related to the phase difference, as shown in Equation 7 below.

From Equations 6 and 7 above, Equation 5 representing the relationship between AoA and phase difference (PDoA) can be derived.

The first electronic device can calculate the direction to the second electronic device using the obtained AoA.

In embodiments, the UWB signal used to calculate the distance and direction to the second electronic device does not depend on the content of the UWB signal. Therefore, the same UWB signal can be used to calculate both distance and direction. For example, the same response message in response to the initiation message (or a UWB response signal containing the response message) can be used to calculate both distance and direction.

FIG. 10 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device obtains a direction to a second electronic device using UWB ranging with the second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

10 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, the embodiment of FIG. 10 is described assuming that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 10, the first electronic device 210 uses two antennas, that is, the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2, to detect the second electronic device 220. Direction can be calculated. For example, the first electronic device 210 receives two UWB signals from the antenna 221 of the second electronic device 220 through the first antenna 211-1 and the second antenna 211-2. The direction for the second electronic device 220 may be calculated using the phase difference between response signals (eg, two UWB response signals including the same response message).

To calculate the direction for the second electronic device 220, Equation 5 described above can be used.

Meanwhile, as in the embodiment of FIG. 10, when calculating the phase difference value using the two antennas 211-1 and 211-2 on the first electronic device 210, any given phase difference ( Two possible AoA values for the value of ) can be calculated. In this case, the second electronic device 220 may have two possible directions/positions. For example, as shown, the second electronic device 220 determines the first AoA value (+ ) and the second AoA value (- ) may have an incorrect position (1020) based on

As an example, the first electronic device 210 performs an optimization operation using accelerometer and gyroscope data as auxiliary data to determine the exact location 1010 of the second electronic device 220. It can be determined by the location of .

FIG. 11 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device determines the exact location of a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

11 , the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device 220, and the second electronic device 220 is searched by the first electronic device 210. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device). For convenience of explanation, the embodiment of FIG. 11 is described assuming that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device 220 is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 11, the coordinate system (eg, XY coordinate system) is relative to the antenna direction on the first electronic device 210. Gyroscope data can be used to obtain the direction of the first electronic device 210 and the antennas 211-1 and 211-2. Meanwhile, movement in an arbitrary direction can be calculated using accelerometer data and gyroscope data.

Referring to FIG. 11, a change in the X axis means that the first electronic device 210 moves toward the second electronic device 220 or moves away from the second electronic device 220. do. A change to the Y axis means that the first electronic device 210 moves laterally from side to side.

For example, assume that the second electronic device 220 is located in the positive half of the X axis (i.e., on the Y axis), as shown. In this case, when the first electronic device 210 moves in the positive direction (+X) of the X axis, the first electronic device 210 moves toward the second electronic device 220, and the first electronic device ( The distance between 210) and the second electronic device 220 decreases. Similarly, when the first electronic device 210 moves in the negative direction (-X) of the X axis, the first electronic device 210 moves away from the second electronic device 220, and the first electronic device 210 The distance between 210 and the second electronic device 220 increases. Based on the change in distance of the second electronic device 220 according to the change in the can be decided.

Meanwhile, any movement to the side of the first electronic device 210 reflects a change in the Y axis.

As an example, to determine the correct orientation for the second electronic device, only changes in the X axis may be considered, without considering changes in the Y axis. In this case, the first electronic device 210 can only measure changes in the X axis using data from the gyroscope and accelerometer.

FIG. 12 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device determines the exact location of a second electronic device using movement data, according to an embodiment.

12, the first electronic device 210 corresponds to an electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device is an electronic device (target) found by the first electronic device 210. electronic device). For convenience of explanation, the embodiment of FIG. 12 is described assuming that the first electronic device 210 is a smart phone and the second electronic device is a smart pen, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the second electronic device is located at the positive half of the X axis (eg, above the Y axis), as shown.

The first electronic device 210 can obtain two possible AoA values through UWB signals received from the antenna 221 of the second electronic device through the two antennas 211-1 and 211-2. Through this, two possible positions of the second electronic device can be obtained. For example, a location on the first quadrant and a location on the second quadrant of the second electronic device may be obtained as possible locations of the second electronic device.

As shown in part (a) of FIG. 12, among the two possible positions of the second electronic device, the correct position may be located in the first quadrant. In this case, the incorrect location may be located on the second quadrant.

Referring to part (b) of FIG. 12 , in order to determine the exact location of the second electronic device, the first electronic device 210 may be moved in the positive direction (+X) of the X axis. In this case, because the distance d between the first electronic device 210 and the second electronic device decreases, the first electronic device 210 can determine that the location of the second electronic device in the first quadrant is the correct location. .

Referring to part (c) of FIG. 12, in order to determine the exact location of the second electronic device, the first electronic device 210 may be moved in the negative direction (-X) of the X axis. In this case, because the distance d between the first electronic device 210 and the second electronic device increases, the first electronic device 210 can determine that the location of the second electronic device in the first quadrant is the correct location. .

Meanwhile, if it is assumed that the second electronic device 220 is located at the negative half of the X axis (eg, below the Y axis), the opposite case may be established. For example, as the first electronic device 210 moves in the positive direction of the X axis, if the distance between the first electronic device 210 and the second electronic device increases, the second electronic device 210 2 It may be determined that the exact location of the electronic device 220 is below the Y axis. Alternatively, when the distance between the first electronic device 210 and the second electronic device decreases as the first electronic device 210 moves in the negative direction of the It may be determined that the exact location of device 220 is down the Y axis.

In this way, by estimating the exact location of the second electronic device based on the movement of the first electronic device 210 and the change in distance to the second electronic device due to movement, the first electronic device 210 uses only two antennas. Thus, the ambiguity of AoA that arises when calculating AoA can be resolved.

FIG. 13 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device performs an optimization operation, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 13, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

The optimization operation of the embodiment of FIG. 13 may be an example of the optimization operation 460 of the embodiment of FIG. 4 .

As an example, the optimization operation may be a software-based optimization operation.

Referring to FIG. 13, in operation 1301, the first electronic device may receive an antenna input. As an example, the antenna input may include distance data (distance data d) between the first electronic device and the second electronic device based on ToF calculation. The distance data d may include information about the distance between the first electronic device and the second electronic device at each of a plurality of points/positions.

In operation 1302, the first electronic device may receive accelerometer and gyroscope input (x). The accelerometer and gyroscope input (x) may include information about the values of the accelerometer and gyroscope of the first electronic device at each of the plurality of points/positions.

In operation 1303, the first electronic device may calculate data about movement in the X axis (movement data (Δx)) based on the accelerometer and gyroscope input (x). The movement data Δx may include information about movement of the first electronic device in the x-axis direction (positive direction or negative direction) at each of a plurality of points/positions.

In operation 1304, the first electronic device may perform synchronization and re-sample on d distance data and Δx movement data. Since the acquisition cycle/sampling cycle of d distance data and Δx movement data is different, the d distance data and Δx movement data can be associated/synchronized through such synchronization and re-sampling.

In operation 1305, the first electronic device can identify whether it has been calibrated. For example, the first electronic device can identify whether calibration has been performed on the d distance data and Δx movement data.

If correction is made, in operation 1306, the first electronic device may store (x,d) data in a queue (Q) of length L. (x,d) data may include data of synchronized x (or, Δx) and d.

In operation 1307, the first electronic device determines an AoA value ( ) can be determined. For example, the first electronic device provides an AoA value for each point/position based on (x,d) data ( ) can be determined.

AoA value ( ), the first electronic device may perform a correction operation (operation 1308). AoA value ( ), if the reliability level for is greater than the preset threshold, the first electronic device sets the AoA value ( ) can be delivered to the application.

If correction is not made, in operation 1308, the first electronic device may perform correction. Time offset values for x data and d data obtained through correction may be used for synchronization and re-sampling operations (operation 1304). As an example, the time offset may include data of Δx.

Meanwhile, the above-described operations may be performed in an order different from the illustrated order. For example, operation 1302 and/or operation 1303 may be performed before operation 1301 or may be performed simultaneously with operation 1301. Additionally, some of the above-described operations may be omitted, and additional operations may be performed.

FIG. 14 illustrates a method by which a first electronic device performs a correction operation, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 14, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

The correction operation of the embodiment of FIG. 14 may be an example of correction operation 1308 within the optimization operation of the embodiment of FIG. 13 .

According to one embodiment, the first electronic device may perform a correction operation using normalized cross-correlation (NCC).

Referring to FIG. 14, in operation 1308-1, the first electronic device may perform an NCC operation on x and d data (signals) of length L received from the queue 1306.

In operation 1308-1, the first electronic device may determine Δx at a maximum (max) NCC and may pass Δx for use as a time offset in a synchronization and re-sampling operation (operation 1304).

Figure 15 shows a method by which a first electronic device performs an AoA determination operation, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 15, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

The AoA determination operation of the embodiment of FIG. 15 may be an example of the AoA determination operation 1307 within the optimization operation of the embodiment of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIG. 15, in operation 1307-1, the first electronic device receives data (signals) of x and d of length L from the queue 1306, and selects the latest W points (W) based on the received data. points), you can compare Δx and d. The number of points/positions may change depending on settings.

Based on the comparison results, the first electronic device obtains a ratio of samples indicating the second electronic device in the first/fourth quadrant (operation 1307-2) and the proportion of samples indicating the second electronic device in the second/third quadrant. A ratio of samples may be obtained (Operation 1307-3).

In operation 1307-4, the first electronic device may use the results of operations 1307-2 and 1307-3 to determine whether an arbitrary reliability level is greater than the threshold. If any reliability level is greater than the threshold, the first electronic device can transmit the exact value of AoA to the application. If any reliability level is less than or equal to the threshold, the first electronic device may perform the correction operation (operation 1308) again.

16A, 16B, and 16C show an example of a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

16A, 16B and 16C, the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device found by the first electronic device (target electronic device).

In the embodiment of FIG. 16A, the second electronic device 220a may be a wearable device worn on the user's wrist, such as a smart watch.

Referring to FIG. 16A, the second electronic device 220a may include one antenna 221a and a UWB chip 222a. The second electronic device 220a may perform the same functions as the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. In addition, the antenna 221a and the UWB chip 222a of the second electronic device 220a are the same as the antenna 221 and the UWB chip 222 of the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. It can perform its function.

In the embodiment of FIG. 16B, the second electronic device 220b may be a wearable device worn on the user's head, such as smart glasses, or a wearable device worn on the user's fingers.

Referring to FIG. 16b, the second electronic device 220b may include one antenna 221b and a UWB chip 222b. The second electronic device 220b may perform the same function as the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. In addition, the antenna 221b and the UWB chip 222b of the second electronic device 220b are the same as the antenna 221 and the UWB chip 222 of the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. It can perform its function.

In the embodiment of FIG. 16C, the second electronic device 220c may be a wearable device worn on the user's ears, such as a smart hearable.

Referring to FIG. 16C, the second electronic device 220c may include one antenna 221c and a UWB chip 222c. The second electronic device 220c may perform the same function as the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. In addition, the antenna 221c and the UWB chip 222c of the second electronic device 220c are the same as the antenna 221 and the UWB chip 222 of the second electronic device 220 described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 15. It can perform its function.

17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D show an example of a UI displayed on a first electronic device to find a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

17A, 17B, 17C and 17D, the first electronic device 210 corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device 220 corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device. Corresponds to the electronic device being found (target electronic device).

The UI of the embodiment of FIG. 17A may be a UI for selecting an electronic device to track/find.

Referring to FIG. 17A, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI 1710 on the display requesting selection of an electronic device to be found. For example, as shown, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI 1710 on the display for selecting one of a digital pen, a smart watch, or a smart hearable as the second electronic device to be found. . In this case, the first electronic device 210 may select the second electronic device to find based on the user input to the UI 1710.

The UI of the embodiment of FIG. 17B may be a UI that displays the direction and distance of the second electronic device 220 to be found.

Referring to FIG. 17B, the first electronic device 210 displays a UI 1720 indicating that the second electronic device 220 to be found is 20 meters away in the first direction corresponding to the first direction symbol 1721. It can be displayed on the table.

The UI of the embodiment of FIG. 17C may be a UI that displays the direction and distance of the second electronic device 220 to be found.

Referring to FIG. 17C, the first electronic device 210 displays a UI 1730 indicating that the second electronic device 220 to be found is 20 meters away in the second direction corresponding to the second direction symbol 1731. It can be displayed on the table.

As an example, the length of the direction symbol indicating the direction may be set in proportion to the distance to the second electronic device 220. For example, the length of the direction symbol 1721 indicating the first direction in the embodiment of FIG. 17B may be set to be longer than the length of the direction symbol 1731 indicating the second direction in the embodiment of FIG. 17C.

The UI of the embodiment of FIG. 17D may be a UI indicating that the second electronic device 220 has been found.

Referring to FIG. 17D, the first electronic device 210 may display a UI 1740 on the display indicating that the second electronic device 220 has been found. In this case, the direction symbol 1741 may be set not to indicate directionality. For example, as shown, the direction symbol 1741 may be set to a diamond shape.

FIG. 18 illustrates a method of displaying the direction of a second electronic device to be found, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 18, the direction of the second electronic device may be indicated by a direction symbol.

18, len _ini refers to the initial length of the direction symbol, len _max refers to the maximum length of the direction symbol, len _min refers to the minimum length of the direction symbol, and len _A refers to the changed length of the direction symbol. It refers to the length, angle _ini refers to the initial angle of the direction symbol, and angle _A refers to the changed angle of the direction symbol.

As an example, the length of the direction symbol may be set based on the distance to the second electronic device or ToF. For example, as the distance to the second electronic device is longer or the ToF value is larger, the length of the direction symbol may be set to be longer.

As an example, the angle of the direction symbol may be set based on AoA or phase difference of arrival (PDoA). The angle of the direction symbol can be set to correspond to the value of AoA or PDoA.

Referring to FIG. 18, an initial direction symbol 1810 may be set. As an example, the length (len _ini ) of the initial direction symbol 1810 may be considered len _max .

As the first electronic device moves, the length (len _A ) and angle (angle _A ) of the changed direction symbol 1820 may be reset. For example, if the first electronic device is moved, the first electronic device may re-calculate the length of the direction symbol based on per unit changes in the distance toward or away from the second electronic device. . In this case, because the distance is reduced, the length (len _A ) of the direction symbol 1820 may be reduced compared to the length of the initial direction symbol 1810.

If the distance is 0, the length and angle of the final direction symbol 1830 can be set. The length of the final direction symbol 1830 can be considered len _min . The angle of the final direction symbol 1830 may be set not to indicate directionality. For example, as shown, the final direction symbol 1830 may be set to a diamond shape.

Figure 19 is a flowchart showing a method for a first electronic device to find a second electronic device, according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 19, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

Referring to FIG. 19, the method of finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may include at least one of the following operations 1910 to 1950.

The first electronic device may transmit an initiation message to initiate ultra wide band (UWB) ranging (1910). The initiation message may be transmitted included in the UWB signal.

The first electronic device may receive a response message in response to the initiation message from the second electronic device through the first antenna and the second antenna on the first electronic device (1920). The response message may be received included in the UWB signal.

The first electronic device may obtain distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna (1930).

The first electronic device may obtain direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively (1940).

The first electronic device may obtain the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information (1940).

In an embodiment, the distance between the first antenna and the second antenna on the first electronic device may be arranged to be shorter than half the signal wavelength of the UWB signal used for transmitting/receiving the initiation message and response message.

As an embodiment, the response message may include response time information specifying the elapsed time between the reception time of the initiation message and the transmission time of the response message. The first electronic device can obtain ToF using the response time information.

In an embodiment, the direction information may include a UWB signal (first UWB signal) including a response message received through the first antenna and a UWB signal (second UWB signal) including a response message received through the second antenna. ) may include information about two AoAs obtained based on the phase difference between them.

As an embodiment, to estimate the location of the second electronic device, the first electronic device generates two candidates for the second electronic device based on information about the two AoAs in the distance information and the direction information. The location may be determined, and one of the two candidate locations may be determined as the location for the second electronic device using accelerometer data and gyroscope data within the first electronic device.

In an embodiment, in order to determine one of the two candidate locations as the location for the second electronic device, the first electronic device uses data from the gyroscope to determine the direction of the X axis of the first electronic device. Identify and, using data from the accelerometer, obtain movement information about movement of the first electronic device in the direction of the X axis, and obtain movement information about the second electronic device obtained from the movement information and the moved position. Based on the distance information, one of the two candidate locations may be determined as the location for the second electronic device.

As an example, the second electronic device may include one antenna for UWB communication.

As an example, the first electronic device may display a user interface (UI) indicating the location of the second electronic device. The UI may include a direction symbol indicating the distance and direction to the second electronic device.

As an example, the length of the direction symbol may be set to be longer as the distance to the second electronic device increases.

As an example, the first electronic device may perform calibration using NCC.

The above-described method of finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may have at least one of the following features.

The method of finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use UWB communication (eg, UWB ranging). Therefore, compared to locating methods for devices that use other communication methods such as BLE or Wi-Fi, the accuracy of location estimation can be higher.

The method of locating a device (or device location) of the present disclosure may use only two antennas on the first electronic device. On the other hand, a general locating method of a device using UWB uses three antennas or additionally uses another anchor device. Therefore, compared to this general method, the method of the present disclosure can save space in the first electronic device, reduce cost, and reduce implementation complexity. Additionally, the method of the present disclosure can eliminate dependency on additional anchor devices.

The method for finding a device (or device location) of the present disclosure can use data from an accelerometer and a gyroscope as auxiliary data to resolve the ambiguity of AoA caused by using only two antennas on the first electronic device. there is. Therefore, when using the method of the present disclosure, an accurate location can be determined even if only two antennas are used.

The method of locating a device (or device location) of the present disclosure uses only one antenna on a second electronic device and may not require attachment of an additional appliance to perform the method of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the method of the present disclosure can be applied even to small devices that do not have sufficient space for additional appliances. Additionally, when using the method of the present disclosure, the cost of the second electronic device can be reduced.

Figure 20 is a device diagram of a first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the embodiment of Figure 20, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

Referring to FIG. 20, the first electronic device may include a transceiver 2010, a control unit 2020, and a storage unit 2030. In the present disclosure, the control unit may be defined as a circuit or application-specific integrated circuit or at least one processor.

The transceiver unit 2010 can transmit and receive signals with other entities. The transceiver 2010 may transmit and receive data with another electronic device using, for example, UWB communication or OOB communication (e.g., BLE communication, Wi-Fi communication).

The control unit 2020 can control the overall operation of the electronic device according to the embodiment proposed in this disclosure. For example, the control unit 2020 can control signal flow between each block to perform operations according to the flowchart described above. Specifically, the control unit 2020 may control operations to provide a method for finding a device location, as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19, for example.

The storage unit 2030 may store at least one of information transmitted and received through the transmitting and receiving unit 2010 and information generated through the control unit 2020. For example, storage 2030 may store information and data necessary to provide a method for locating a device, for example, for the method described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19 .

Figure 21 is a device diagram of a second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the embodiment of Figure 21, the first electronic device corresponds to the electronic device used to find the second electronic device, and the second electronic device corresponds to the electronic device (target electronic device) found by the first electronic device. .

Referring to FIG. 21, the second electronic device may include a transceiver 2110, a control unit 2120, and a storage unit 2130. In the present disclosure, the control unit may be defined as a circuit or application-specific integrated circuit or at least one processor.

The transceiver 2110 can transmit and receive signals with other entities. The transceiver 2110 may transmit and receive data with another electronic device using, for example, UWB communication or OOB communication (e.g., BLE communication, Wi-Fi communication).

The control unit 2120 may control the overall operation of the electronic device according to the embodiment proposed in this disclosure. For example, the control unit 2120 may control signal flow between each block to perform operations according to the flowchart described above. Specifically, the control unit 2120 may control operations to provide a method for finding a device location, as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19, for example.

The storage unit 2130 may store at least one of information transmitted and received through the transmitting and receiving unit 2110 and information generated through the control unit 2120. For example, storage 2130 may store information and data necessary to provide a method for locating a device, for example, for the method described with reference to FIGS. 1-19.

In the specific embodiments of the present disclosure described above, components included in the present disclosure are expressed in singular or plural numbers depending on the specific embodiment presented. However, singular or plural expressions are selected to suit the presented situation for convenience of explanation, and the present disclosure is not limited to singular or plural components, and even components expressed in plural may be composed of singular or singular. Even expressed components may be composed of plural elements.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present disclosure, specific embodiments have been described, but of course, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the patent claims described later, but also by the scope of this patent claim and equivalents.

Claims (20)

In a method of a first electronic device,
Transmitting an initiation message to initiate ultra wide band (UWB) ranging;
Receiving a response message in response to an initiation message from a second electronic device through a first antenna and a second antenna on the first electronic device;
Obtaining distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna;
Obtaining direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively; and
Method comprising obtaining the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information. According to paragraph 1,
The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first antenna and the second antenna on the first electronic device is arranged to be less than half the signal wavelength of the UWB signal being used. According to claim 1 or 2,
The response message includes response time information specifying the elapsed time between the reception time of the initiation message and the transmission time of the response message,
The method of obtaining the distance information includes obtaining time of flight (ToF) using the response time information. According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The direction information includes two angles of arrival (AoA) obtained based on the phase difference between a UWB signal including a response message received through the first antenna and a UWB signal including a response message received through the second antenna. ), including information about. According to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The step of estimating the location of the second electronic device is:
determining two candidate locations for the second electronic device based on information about two AoAs in the distance information and the direction information; and
A method comprising determining one of the two candidate locations as a location for the second electronic device using accelerometer data and gyroscope data in the first electronic device. According to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Determining one of the two candidate locations as the location for the second electronic device includes:
Identifying the direction of the X-axis of the first electronic device using data from the gyroscope;
Obtaining movement information about movement of the first electronic device in the X-axis direction using data from the accelerometer;
Based on the movement information and the distance information about the second electronic device obtained at the moved location, determining one of the two candidate locations as the location for the second electronic device, method. According to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes one antenna for UWB communication. According to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Further comprising displaying a user interface (UI) indicating the location of the second electronic device,
The method wherein the UI includes a direction symbol indicating the distance and direction to the second electronic device. According to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The method wherein the length of the direction symbol is set to become longer as the distance to the second electronic device increases. According to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A method further comprising performing calibration using NCC. In the first electronic device,
Transmitter and receiver (190 in FIG. 1; 2010 in FIG. 20); and
At least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20), wherein the at least one processor:
Transmits an initiation message to initiate UWB (ultra wide band) ranging,
Receiving a response message in response to an initiation message from a second electronic device through a first antenna and a second antenna on the first electronic device,
Obtaining distance information about the second electronic device using a response message received through the first antenna or the second antenna,
Obtaining direction information about the second electronic device using response messages received through the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively,
A first electronic device, configured to obtain the location of the second electronic device based on the distance information and the direction information. According to clause 11,
The distance between the first antenna and the second antenna on the first electronic device is arranged to be shorter than half the signal wavelength of the UWB signal used. According to claim 11 or 12,
The response message includes response time information specifying the elapsed time between the reception time of the initiation message and the transmission time of the response message,
The at least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20) is further configured to obtain time of flight (ToF) using the response time information to obtain the distance information. Device. According to any one of claims 11 to 13,
The direction information includes two angles of arrival (AoA) obtained based on the phase difference between a UWB signal including a response message received through the first antenna and a UWB signal including a response message received through the second antenna. ), comprising information about the first electronic device. According to any one of claims 11 to 14,
The at least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20) estimates the location of the second electronic device:
Based on information about the two AoAs in the distance information and the direction information, determine two candidate locations for the second electronic device,
The first electronic device is further configured to determine one of the two candidate locations as a location for the second electronic device using data from an accelerometer and a gyroscope in the first electronic device. According to any one of claims 11 to 15,
The at least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20) is configured to determine one of the two candidate locations as the location for the second electronic device,
Identifying the direction of the X axis of the first electronic device using data from the gyroscope,
Obtain movement information about movement of the first electronic device in the X-axis direction using data from the accelerometer,
further configured to determine one of the two candidate locations as the location for the second electronic device based on the movement information and distance information for the second electronic device obtained at the moved location, 1 Electronic device. According to any one of claims 11 to 16,
A first electronic device, wherein the second electronic device includes one antenna for UWB communication. According to any one of claims 11 to 17,
The at least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20):
Further configured to display a user interface (UI) indicating the location of the second electronic device,
The UI includes a direction symbol indicating the distance and direction to the second electronic device. According to any one of claims 11 to 18,
The length of the direction symbol is set to be longer as the distance to the second electronic device increases. According to any one of claims 11 to 19,
The at least one processor (120 in FIG. 1; 2020 in FIG. 20) is further configured to perform calibration using NCC.

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