WO2019078996A1

WO2019078996A1 - Apparatus, system and method of collaborative time of arrival (ctoa) measurement

Info

Publication number: WO2019078996A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/051921
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ofer Bar-Shalom; Yuval AMIZUR; Leor BANIN; Nir DVORECKI; Ophir Shabtay
Original assignee: Intel IP Corporation
Priority date: 2017-10-22
Filing date: 2018-09-20
Publication date: 2019-04-25
Also published as: DE112018005632T5

Abstract

For example, an apparatus may include circuitry and logic configured to cause a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; to measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages including timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and to determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

Description

APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COLLABORATIVE TIME OF ARRIVAL

(CTOA) MEASUREMENT

CROSS REFERENCE

[001] This Application claims the benefit of and priority from US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/575,462 entitled "APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COLLABORATIVE TIME OF ARRIVAL (CTOA) POSITIONING", filed October 22, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD [002] Embodiments described herein generally relate to Collaborative Time Of Arrival (CTOA) measurement.

BACKGROUND

[003] Outdoor navigation is widely deployed thanks to the development of various global- navigation-satellite-systems (GNSS), e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS), GALILEO, and the like.

[004] Recently, there has been a lot of focus on indoor navigation. This field differs from the outdoor navigation, since the indoor environment does not enable the reception of signals from GNSS satellites. As a result, a lot of effort is being directed towards solving the indoor navigation problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[005] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. The figures are listed below.

[006] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[007] Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a Collaborative Time Of Arrival (CTOA) measurement scheme, which may be implemented in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[008] Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a format of a timing measurement message, which may be implemented in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[009] Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a graph depicting simulation results of CToA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0010] Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a graph depicting simulation results of CToA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0011] Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a graph depicting simulation results of CToA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. [0012] Fig. 7 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of CToA measurement, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0013] Fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of a product of manufacture, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments. However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the discussion.

[0015] Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, "processing", "computing", "calculating", "determining", "establishing", "analyzing", "checking", or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) of a computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or other electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer's registers and/or memories or other information storage medium that may store instructions to perform operations and/or processes. [0016] The terms "plurality" and "a plurality", as used herein, include, for example, "multiple" or "two or more". For example, "a plurality of items" includes two or more items.

[0017] References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "demonstrative embodiment", "various embodiments" etc., indicate that the embodiment s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

[0018] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third" etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0019] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various devices and systems, for example, a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Device (MD), a wireless station (STA), a Personal Computer (PC), a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a sensor device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a wearable device, a handheld device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumer device, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communication station, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point (AP), a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device, an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wireless network, a wireless area network, a Wireless Video Area Network (WVAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Wireless PAN (WPAN), and the like.

[0020] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.11 standards (including IEEE 802.11-2016 (IEEE 802. il- 2016, IEEE Standard for Information technology— Telecommunications and information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan area networks— Specific requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, December 7, 2016); and/or IEEE 802.1 laz (IEEE 802.1 laz, Next Generation Positioning)) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing WiFi Alliance (WFA) Specifications (including Wi-Fi Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) Technical Specification, Version 1.0, May 1, 2015) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing WFA Peer-to-Peer (P2P) specifications (including WiFi P2P technical specification, version 1.5, August 4, 2014) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing Wireless-Gigabit-Alliance (WGA) specifications (including Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Inc WiGig MAC and PHY Specification Version 1.1, April 2011, Final specification) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing cellular specifications and/or protocols, e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, units and/or devices which are part of the above networks, and the like.

[0021] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one way and/or two-way radio communication systems, cellular radio-telephone communication systems, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a Personal Communication Systems (PCS) device, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portable Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a device which incorporates a GPS receiver or transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFID element or chip, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver or device, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or device, a Multiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or device, a device having one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi- standard radio devices or systems, a wired or wireless handheld device, e.g., a Smartphone, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) device, or the like. [0022] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more types of wireless communication signals and/or systems, for example, Radio Frequency (RF), Infra-Red (IR), Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM), Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Orthogonal Frequency- Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Spatial Divisional Multiple Access (SDMA), FDM Time- Division Multiplexing (TDM), Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO), Extended TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), extended GPRS, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier CDMA, Multi-Carrier Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi- Tone (DMT), Bluetooth®, Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee™, Ultra- Wideband (UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, Fifth Generation (5G) mobile networks, 3GPP, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE advanced, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Other embodiments may be used in various other devices, systems and/or networks.

[0023] The term "wireless device", as used herein, includes, for example, a device capable of wireless communication, a communication device capable of wireless communication, a communication station capable of wireless communication, a portable or non-portable device capable of wireless communication, or the like. In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device may be or may include a peripheral that is integrated with a computer, or a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In some demonstrative embodiments, the term "wireless device" may optionally include a wireless service. [0024] The term "communicating" as used herein with respect to a communication signal includes transmitting the communication signal and/or receiving the communication signal. For example, a communication unit, which is capable of communicating a communication signal, may include a transmitter to transmit the communication signal to at least one other communication unit, and/or a communication receiver to receive the communication signal from at least one other communication unit. The verb communicating may be used to refer to the action of transmitting or the action of receiving. In one example, the phrase "communicating a signal" may refer to the action of transmitting the signal by a first device, and may not necessarily include the action of receiving the signal by a second device. In another example, the phrase "communicating a signal" may refer to the action of receiving the signal by a first device, and may not necessarily include the action of transmitting the signal by a second device.

[0025] Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with a WLAN, e.g., a WiFi network. Other embodiments may be used in conjunction with any other suitable wireless communication network, for example, a wireless area network, a "piconet", a WPAN, a WVAN and the like.

[0026] Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with a wireless communication network communicating over a frequency band of 2.4GHz or 5GHz. However, other embodiments may be implemented utilizing any other suitable wireless communication frequency bands, for example, an Extremely High Frequency (EHF) band (the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency band), e.g., a frequency band within the frequency band of between 20Ghz and 300GHZ, a WLAN frequency band, a WPAN frequency band, and the like.

[0027] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to, be part of, or include, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit, an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group), and/or memory (shared, dedicated, or group), that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality. In some embodiments, the circuitry may be implemented in, or functions associated with the circuitry may be implemented by, one or more software or firmware modules. In some embodiments, circuitry may include logic, at least partially operable in hardware.

[0028] The term "logic" may refer, for example, to computing logic embedded in circuitry of a computing apparatus and/or computing logic stored in a memory of a computing apparatus. For example, the logic may be accessible by a processor of the computing apparatus to execute the computing logic to perform computing functions and/or operations. In one example, logic may be embedded in various types of memory and/or firmware, e.g., silicon blocks of various chips and/or processors. Logic may be included in, and/or implemented as part of, various circuitry, e.g., radio circuitry, receiver circuitry, control circuitry, transmitter circuitry, transceiver circuitry, processor circuitry, and/or the like. In one example, logic may be embedded in volatile memory and/or non-volatile memory, including random access memory, read only memory, programmable memory, magnetic memory, flash memory, persistent memory, and/or the like. Logic may be executed by one or more processors using memory, e.g., registers, buffers, stacks, and the like, coupled to the one or more processors, e.g., as necessary to execute the logic. [0029] The term "antenna", as used herein, may include any suitable configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In some embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receive functionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receive functionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receive elements. The antenna may include, for example, a phased array antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or the like.

[0030] The phrase "peer to peer (PTP) communication", as used herein, may relate to device-to- device communication over a wireless link ("peer-to-peer link") between devices. The PTP communication may include, for example, a WiFi Direct (WFD) communication, e.g., a WFD Peer to Peer (P2P) communication, wireless communication over a direct link within a Quality of Service (QoS) basic service set (BSS), a tunneled direct-link setup (TDLS) link, a STA-to- STA communication in an independent basic service set (IBSS), or the like.

[0031] Some demonstrative embodiments are described herein with respect to WiFi communication. However, other embodiments may be implemented with respect to any other communication scheme, network, standard and/or protocol.

[0032] Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which schematically illustrates a block diagram of a system 100, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments system 100 may include a wireless communication network including one or more wireless communication devices, e.g., wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180.

[0034] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, for example, a UE, an MD, a STA, an AP, a PC, a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, an Ultrabook™ computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld computer, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a sensor device, a handheld device, a wearable device, a PDA device, a handheld PDA device, an onboard device, an off-board device, a hybrid device (e.g., combining cellular phone functionalities with PDA device functionalities), a consumer device, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a PCS device, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively small computing device, a non- desktop computer, a "Carry Small Live Large" (CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an "Origami" device or computing device, a device that supports Dynamically Composable Computing (DCC), a context-aware device, a video device, an audio device, an A/V device, a Set-Top-Box (STB), a Blu-ray disc (BD) player, a BD recorder, a Digital Video Disc (DVD) player, a High Definition (HD) DVD player, a DVD recorder, a HD DVD recorder, a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), a broadcast HD receiver, a video source, an audio source, a video sink, an audio sink, a stereo tuner, a broadcast radio receiver, a flat panel display, a Personal Media Player (PMP), a digital video camera (DVC), a digital audio player, a speaker, an audio receiver, an audio amplifier, a gaming device, a data source, a data sink, a Digital Still camera (DSC), a media player, a Smartphone, a television, a music player, or the like.

[0035] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more devices of wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include a mobile device, e.g., devices 102, 140 and/or 160; and/or one or more devices of wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include a static device, e.g., device 180. [0036] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more devices of wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include a tag, e.g., a low-power electronic Tag (e-Tag). For example, e.g., devices 102, 140 and/or 160 may include a tag, e.g., an e-Tag.

[0037] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more STAs. For example, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include at least one STA.

[0038] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more WLAN STAs.

[0039] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more Wi-Fi STAs. [0040] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more BT devices.

[0041] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) STAs. [0042] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more of wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180, e.g., devices 140 and/or 180, may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of an AP STA, and/or one or more of wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180, e.g., devices 102 and/or 160, may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of a non-AP STA. In other embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may operate as and/or perform the functionality of any other STA. [0043] For example, the AP may include a router, a PC, a server, a Hot-Spot and/or the like.

[0044] In one example, a station (STA) may include a logical entity that is a singly addressable instance of a medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) interface to the wireless medium (WM). The STA may perform any other additional or alternative functionality.

[0045] In one example, an AP may include an entity that contains a station (STA), e.g., one STA, and provides access to distribution services, via the wireless medium (WM) for associated STAs. The AP may perform any other additional or alternative functionality.

[0046] In one example, a non-access-point (non-AP) station (STA) may include a STA that is not contained within an AP. The non-AP STA may perform any other additional or alternative functionality. [0047] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 160 and/or 180 may include, for example, one or more of a processor 191, an input unit 192, an output unit 193, a memory unit 194, and/or a storage unit 195; and/or device 140 may include, for example, one or more of a processor 181, an input unit 182, an output unit 183, a memory unit 184, and/or a storage unit 185. Devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may optionally include other suitable hardware components and/or software components. In some demonstrative embodiments, some or all of the components of one or more of devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be enclosed in a common housing or packaging, and may be interconnected or operably associated using one or more wired or wireless links. In other embodiments, components of one or more of devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be distributed among multiple or separate devices. [0048] In some demonstrative embodiments, processor 191 and/or processor 181 may include, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), one or more processor cores, a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a multiple-core processor, a microprocessor, a host processor, a controller, a plurality of processors or controllers, a chip, a microchip, one or more circuits, circuitry, a logic unit, an Integrated Circuit (IC), an Application- Specific IC (ASIC), or any other suitable multi-purpose or specific processor or controller. Processor 191 executes instructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 102 and/or of one or more suitable applications. Processor 181 executes instructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 140 and/or of one or more suitable applications.

[0049] In some demonstrative embodiments, input unit 192 and/or input unit 182 may include, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a touch-screen, a touch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a microphone, or other suitable pointing device or input device. Output unit 193 and/or output unit 183 includes, for example, a monitor, a screen, a touch-screen, a flat panel display, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display unit, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display unit, a plasma display unit, one or more audio speakers or earphones, or other suitable output devices.

[0050] In some demonstrative embodiments, memory unit 194 and/or memory unit 184 includes, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a flash memory, a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units. Storage unit 195 and/or storage unit 185 includes, for example, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD) drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, or other suitable removable or non-removable storage units. Memory unit 194 and/or storage unit 195, for example, may store data processed by device 102. Memory unit 184 and/or storage unit 185, for example, may store data processed by device 140.

[0051] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be capable of communicating content, data, information and/or signals via a wireless medium (WM) 103. In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless medium 103 may include, for example, a radio channel, a cellular channel, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Channel, an RF channel, a WiFi channel, an IR channel, a Bluetooth (BT) channel, and the like.

[0052] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication medium 103 may include a wireless communication channel over a 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band, or a 5GHz frequency band, a millimeterWave (mmWave) frequency band, e.g., a 60GHz frequency band, a Sub- 1 GHz (S1G) band, and/or any other frequency band.

[0053] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may include one or more radios including circuitry and/or logic to perform wireless communication between devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180, and/or one or more other wireless communication devices. For example, devices 102, 160 and/or 180 may include a radio 114, and/or device 140 may include a radio 144. [0054] In some demonstrative embodiments, radios 114 and/or 144 may include one or more wireless receivers (Rx) including circuitry and/or logic to receive wireless communication signals, RF signals, frames, blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items, and/or data. For example, radio 114 may include at least one receiver 116, and/or radio 144 may include at least one receiver 146.

[0055] In some demonstrative embodiments, radios 114 and/or 144 may include one or more wireless transmitters (Tx) including circuitry and/or logic to transmit wireless communication signals, RF signals, frames, blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items, and/or data. For example, radio 114 may include at least one transmitter 118, and/or radio 144 may include at least one transmitter 148.

[0056] In some demonstrative embodiments, radio 114 and/or radio 144, transmitters 118 and/or 148, and/or receivers 116 and/or 146 may include circuitry; logic; Radio Frequency (RF) elements, circuitry and/or logic; baseband elements, circuitry and/or logic; modulation elements, circuitry and/or logic; demodulation elements, circuitry and/or logic; amplifiers; analog to digital and/or digital to analog converters; filters; and/or the like. For example, radio 114 and/or radio 144 may include or may be implemented as part of a wireless Network Interface Card (NIC), and the like.

[0057] In some demonstrative embodiments, radios 114 and/or 144 may be configured to communicate over a 2.4GHz band, a 5GHz band, an mmWave band, a S1G band, and/or any other band.

[0058] In some demonstrative embodiments, radios 114 and/or 144 may include, or may be associated with, one or more antennas 107 and/or 147, respectively.

[0059] In one example, device 102 may include a single antenna 107. In another example, device may include two or more antennas 107. [0060] In one example, device 140 may include a single antenna 147. In another example, device 140 may include two or more antennas 147.

[0061] Antennas 107 and/or 147 may include any type of antennas suitable for transmitting and/or receiving wireless communication signals, blocks, frames, transmission streams, packets, messages and/or data. For example, antennas 107 and/or 147 may include any suitable configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. Antennas 107 and/or 147 may include, for example, antennas suitable for directional communication, e.g., using beamforming techniques. For example, antennas 107 and/or 147 may include a phased array antenna, a multiple element antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or the like. In some embodiments, antennas 107 and/or 147 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments, antennas 107 and/or 147 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receive elements.

[0062] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a controller 124, and/or device 140 may include a controller 154. Controller 124 may be configured to perform and/or to trigger, cause, instruct and/or control device 102 to perform, one or more communications, to generate and/or communicate one or more messages and/or transmissions, and/or to perform one or more functionalities, operations and/or procedures between devices 102, 140, 160, 180, and/or one or more other devices; and/or controller 154 may be configured to perform, and/or to trigger, cause, instruct and/or control device 140 to perform, one or more communications, to generate and/or communicate one or more messages and/or transmissions, and/or to perform one or more functionalities, operations and/or procedures between devices 102, 140, 160, 180, and/or one or more other devices, e.g., as described below.

[0063] In some demonstrative embodiments, controllers 124 and/or 154 may include, or may be implemented, partially or entirely, by circuitry and/or logic, e.g., one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, Media-Access Control (MAC) circuitry and/or logic, Physical Layer (PHY) circuitry and/or logic, baseband (BB) circuitry and/or logic, a BB processor, a BB memory, Application Processor (AP) circuitry and/or logic, an AP processor, an AP memory, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, configured to perform the functionality of controllers 124 and/or 154, respectively. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities of controllers 124 and/or 154 may be implemented by logic, which may be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as described below. [0064] In one example, controller 124 may include circuitry and/or logic, for example, one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, to cause, trigger and/or control a wireless device, e.g., device 102, and/or a wireless station, e.g., a wireless STA implemented by device 102, to perform one or more operations, communications and/or functionalities, e.g., as described herein. In one example, controller 124 may include at least one memory, e.g., coupled to the one or more processors, which may be configured, for example, to store, e.g., at least temporarily, at least some of the information processed by the one or more processors and/or circuitry, and/or which may be configured to store logic to be utilized by the processors and/or circuitry. [0065] In one example, controller 154 may include circuitry and/or logic, for example, one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, to cause, trigger and/or control a wireless device, e.g., device 140, and/or a wireless station, e.g., a wireless STA implemented by device 140, to perform one or more operations, communications and/or functionalities, e.g., as described herein. In one example, controller 154 may include at least one memory, e.g., coupled to the one or more processors, which may be configured, for example, to store, e.g., at least temporarily, at least some of the information processed by the one or more processors and/or circuitry, and/or which may be configured to store logic to be utilized by the processors and/or circuitry. [0066] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of controller 124 may be implemented as part of one or more elements of radio 114, and/or at least part of the functionality of controller 154 may be implemented as part of one or more elements of radio 144.

[0067] In other embodiments, the functionality of controller 124 may be implemented as part of any other element of device 102, and/or the functionality of controller 154 may be implemented as part of any other element of device 140.

[0068] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a message processor 128 configured to generate, process and/or access one or more messages communicated by device 102. [0069] In one example, message processor 128 may be configured to generate one or more messages to be transmitted by device 102, and/or message processor 128 may be configured to access and/or to process one or more messages received by device 102, e.g., as described below.

[0070] In one example, message processor 128 may include at least one first component configured to generate a message, for example, in the form of a frame, field, information element and/or protocol data unit, for example, a MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU); at least one second component configured to convert the message into a PHY Protocol Data Unit (PPDU), e.g., a PHY Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) PDU, for example, by processing the message generated by the at least one first component, e.g., by encoding the message, modulating the message and/or performing any other additional or alternative processing of the message; and/or at least one third component configured to cause transmission of the message over a wireless communication medium, e.g., over a wireless communication channel in a wireless communication frequency band, for example, by applying to one or more fields of the PPDU one or more transmit waveforms. In other aspects, message processor 128 may be configured to perform any other additional or alternative functionality and/or may include any other additional or alternative components to generate and/or process a message to be transmitted.

[0071] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 140 may include a message processor 158 configured to generate, process and/or access one or more messages communicated by device 140.

[0072] In one example, message processor 158 may be configured to generate one or more messages to be transmitted by device 140, and/or message processor 158 may be configured to access and/or to process one or more messages received by device 140, e.g., as described below. [0073] In one example, message processor 158 may include at least one first component configured to generate a message, for example, in the form of a frame, field, information element and/or protocol data unit, for example, a MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU); at least one second component configured to convert the message into a PHY Protocol Data Unit (PPDU), e.g., a PHY Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) PDU, for example, by processing the message generated by the at least one first component, e.g., by encoding the message, modulating the message and/or performing any other additional or alternative processing of the message; and/or at least one third component configured to cause transmission of the message over a wireless communication medium, e.g., over a wireless communication channel in a wireless communication frequency band, for example, by applying to one or more fields of the PPDU one or more transmit waveforms. In other aspects, message processor 158 may be configured to perform any other additional or alternative functionality and/or may include any other additional or alternative components to generate and/or process a message to be transmitted.

[0074] In some demonstrative embodiments, message processors 128 and/or 158 may include, or may be implemented, partially or entirely, by circuitry and/or logic, e.g., one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, Media-Access Control (MAC) circuitry and/or logic, Physical Layer (PHY) circuitry and/or logic, BB circuitry and/or logic, a BB processor, a BB memory, AP circuitry and/or logic, an AP processor, an AP memory, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, configured to perform the functionality of message processors 128 and/or 158, respectively. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities of message processors 128 and/or 158 may be implemented by logic, which may be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as described below. [0075] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of message processor 128 may be implemented as part of radio 114, and/or at least part of the functionality of message processor 158 may be implemented as part of radio 144.

[0076] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of message processor 128 may be implemented as part of controller 124, and/or at least part of the functionality of message processor 158 may be implemented as part of controller 154.

[0077] In other embodiments, the functionality of message processor 128 may be implemented as part of any other element of device 102, and/or the functionality of message processor 158 may be implemented as part of any other element of device 140. [0078] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of controller 124 and/or message processor 128 may be implemented by an integrated circuit, for example, a chip, e.g., a System on Chip (SoC). In one example, the chip or SoC may be configured to perform one or more functionalities of radio 114. For example, the chip or SoC may include one or more elements of controller 124, one or more elements of message processor 128, and/or one or more elements of radio 114. In one example, controller 124, message processor 128, and radio 114 may be implemented as part of the chip or SoC.

[0079] In other embodiments, controller 124, message processor 128 and/or radio 114 may be implemented by one or more additional or alternative elements of device 102.

[0080] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of controller 154 and/or message processor 158 may be implemented by an integrated circuit, for example, a chip, e.g., a SoC. In one example, the chip or SoC may be configured to perform one or more functionalities of radio 144. For example, the chip or SoC may include one or more elements of controller 154, one or more elements of message processor 158, and/or one or more elements of radio 144. In one example, controller 154, message processor 158, and radio 144 may be implemented as part of the chip or SoC.

[0081] In other embodiments, controller 154, message processor 158 and/or radio 144 may be implemented by one or more additional or alternative elements of device 140.

[0082] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 160, 180 and/or device 140 may include, operate as, perform the role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of, one or more ST As. For example, device 102 may include at least one ST A, device 140 may include at least one STA, device 160 may include at least one STA, and/or device 180 may include at least one STA.

[0083] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may form, or may communicate as part of, a wireless local area network (WLAN). [0084] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may form, or may communicate as part of, a WiFi network.

[0085] In other embodiments, wireless communication devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may form, and/or communicate as part of, any other additional or alternative network.

[0086] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be configured to perform a positioning and/or ranging measurement, e.g., as described below.

[0087] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160, and/or 180 may include one or more applications configured to provide and/or to use one or more location based services, e.g., a social application, a navigation application, a location based advertising application, and/or the like. For example, device 102 may include an application 125 to be executed by device 102.

[0088] In some demonstrative embodiments, application 125 may use range information, for example, to determine an estimated location of device 102, e.g., with respect to a coordinate system, e.g., a World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84), and/or a local coordinate system.

[0089] In one example, device 102 may include a Smartphone, which is located in a shop, e.g., in a shopping mall. According to this example, application 125 may use the range information to determine a relative location of device 102, for example, to receive sale offers from the shop.

[0090] In another example, device 102 may include a mobile device, which is located in a parking zone, e.g., of a shopping mall. According to this example, application 125 may use the range information to determine a location of device 102 in the parking zone, for example, to enable a user of device 102 to find a parking area in the parking zone.

[0091] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a location estimator 115 configured to perform one or more positioning measurements to be used to estimate a location of device 102, e.g., as described below.

[0092] In some demonstrative embodiments, location estimator 115 may be configured to determine a location of device 102, for example, using a plurality of ranges from a plurality of other STAs, e.g., by performing trilateration. [0093] In some demonstrative embodiments, location estimator 115 may include circuitry and/or logic, e.g., processor circuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, configured to perform the functionality of location estimator 115. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities of location estimator 115 may be implemented by logic, which may be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as described below.

[0094] In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality of location estimator 115 may be implemented as part of controller 124.

[0095] In other embodiments, the functionality of location estimator 115 may be implemented as part of any other element of device 102.

[0096] In some demonstrative embodiments, location estimator 115 may be configured to estimate the location of device 102, for example, based on time based range measurements, for example, with one or more other devices.

[0097] In some demonstrative embodiments, the time based range measurements may be performed using WLAN communications, e.g., WiFi. For example, using WiFi to perform the time based range measurements may enable, for example, increasing an indoor location accuracy of the location estimation of device 102, e.g., in an indoor environment.

[0098] In some demonstrative embodiments, the time based range measurements may include a Time of Flight (ToF) measurement. [0099] In some demonstrative embodiments, a ToF value may be defined as the overall time a signal propagates from a first station, e.g., device 102, to a second station, e.g., device 140,. A distance between the first and second stations may be determined based on the ToF value, for example, by multiplying the ToF value by the speed of light.

[00100] In some demonstrative embodiments, the ToF measurement procedure may include a Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) procedure.

[00101] In some demonstrative embodiments, the ToF measurement procedure may include a Very High Throughput (VHT) ranging measurement procedure.

[00102] In some demonstrative embodiments, the ToF measurement procedure may include a High Efficiency (HE) ranging measurement procedure. [00103] In some demonstrative embodiments, the ToF measurement procedure may include any other positioning measurement. [00104] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be configured to perform one or more operations of range measurements, location measurements, and/or positioning measurements, e.g., as described below.

[00105] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be configured to perform one or more positioning measurements, for example, which may be implemented, for example, in accordance with a Next-Generation Positioning (NGS) Task Group (TG), e.g., in accordance with a future IEEE 802.1 laz Specification, for example, to provide a technical advantage of improved scalability.

[00106] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be configured to operate as part of a geolocation system, which may operate, for example, indoor or outdoor, and/or may provide support to a large number, e.g., even an infinite capacity of, users, e.g., similar to a capacity of GNSS systems.

[00107] In some demonstrative embodiments, the geolocation system may be able to augment GNSS receivers, for example, in situations where not enough satellites are visible, such that a GNSS receiver may not be able to provide a position fix estimate. For example, with an aid of the geolocation system, a fix of the GNSS receiver can be determined.

[00108] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 may be configured to perform one or more positioning measurements, for example, according to a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) positioning mechanism, e.g., as described below. [00109] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160, and/or 180 may be configured to perform one or more positioning measurements and/or communications, for example, according to a CToA positioning mechanism, one or more FTM measurements, ToF measurements, positioning measurements and/or communications, ranging measurements and/or communications, proximity measurements and/or communications, location estimation measurements and/or communications.

[00110] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160, and/or 180 may be configured to perform any other additional or alternative positioning measurements and/or communications, ranging measurements and/or communications, proximity measurements and/or communications, location estimation measurements and/or communications, for example, and/or according to any other additional or alternative procedure and/or protocol, e.g., an Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) procedure. [00111] Some demonstrative embodiments are described below with respect to CToA positioning measurements according to a CToA protocol. However, other embodiments may be implemented with respect to any other additional or alternative positioning measurements and/or communications, ranging measurements and/or communications, proximity measurements and/or communications, location estimation measurements and/or communications.

[00112] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 140, 160, and/or 180 may be configured to perform one or more positioning measurements and/or communications, for example, according to the CToA positioning mechanism, for example, using WLAN communications, e.g., WiFi. For example, using WiFi to perform time based range measurements, may enable, for example, increasing an indoor location accuracy of the mobile devices, e.g., in an indoor environment.

[00113] In other embodiments, any other additional and/or alternative wireless communication technology may be used.

[00114] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a CToA component 117, and/or device 140 may include a CToA component 157, which may be configured to perform one or more CToA measurements, operations and/or communications, e.g., as described below.

[00115] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be configured to perform one or more operations and/or communications of a CToA protocol. In other embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be configured to perform one or more operations and/or communications of any other positioning measurement.

[00116] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may include, or may be implemented, using suitable circuitry and/or logic, e.g., controller circuitry and/or logic, processor circuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, which may be configured to perform at least part of the functionality of CToA components 117 and/or 157. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities of CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be implemented by logic, which may be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as described below.

[00117] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to perform one or more operations of, and/or at least part of the functionality of, message processor 128 and/or controller 124, for example, to trigger communication of one or more ranging messages and/or positioning packets, for example, sounding signals and/or Non-Data Packets (NDPs), e.g., as described below. [00118] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 157 may be configured to perform one or more operations of, and/or at least part of the functionality of, message processor 158 and/or controller 154, for example, to trigger communication of one or more ranging messages and/or positioning packets, for example, sounding signals and/or NDPs, e.g., as described below.

[00119] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be configured to trigger ranging transmissions and/or measurements, for example, periodically and/or or upon a request from an application executed by a device, for example, to determine an accurate location of the device. [00120] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be configured to perform one or more measurements according to the CToA positioning mechanism, e.g., as described below.

[00121] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA components 117 and/or 157 may be configured to perform one or more proximity, ranging, and/or location estimation measurements, e.g., in an indoor location, based on the CToA protocol. For example, the CToA positioning mechanism may provide a relatively accurate estimation of location, range and/or proximity, e.g., in an indoor location.

[00122] Some demonstrative embodiments are described herein with respect to a positioning component, e.g., CToA components 117 and/or 157, configured to perform measurements according to the CToA protocol and/or procedure. However, in other embodiments, the positioning component may be configured to perform any other additional or alternative type of Time of Flight (ToF) measurements, VHT ranging measurements, HE ranging measurements, ranging measurements, positioning measurements, proximity measurements, and/or location estimation measurements, e.g., according to any additional or alternative protocol and/or procedure.

[00123] In some demonstrative embodiments, a network may include a plurality of CToA client STA (cSTA). In one example, devices 102, 140 and/or 160 may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of, a cSTA, e.g., as described below. [00124] In some demonstrative embodiments, a network may include one or more wireless communication devices or STAs, e.g., APs, which may be allowed to be independent and/or unsynchronized. In one example, device 180 may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of, an AP, e.g., as described below.

[00125] In some demonstrative embodiments, APs, for example, device 180, which may be configured to periodically broadcast network-related transmissions, e.g., beacons and/or other messages, for example, according to an IEEE 802.11 Specification and/or any other additional or alternative specification and/or protocol.

[00126] In some demonstrative embodiments, a CToA positioning mechanism may be configured to solve one or more technical problems, for example, at least a technical problem of supporting a scalable geolocation solution, which may be implemented, for example, by a multitude of STAs, e.g., WLAN client stations, which may be capable of collaborating timing measurements between them, for example, even while relying on one or more elements of a network infrastructure, for example, a legacy 802.11 AP network infrastructure, which may periodically broadcast network-related transmissions, e.g., beacon transmissions and/or any other type of broadcast transmission. [00127] In some demonstrative embodiments, a CToA positioning mechanism may be configured to provide a technical solution of implementing CToA positioning, for example, even without requiring modifications of existing, e.g., legacy, APs, for example, even in cases where the APs may not support broadcasting of timing measurement messages and/or even in cases where the APs are not capable of measuring the time of arrival of messages broadcast by their neighbor APs and/or other client devices.

[00128] In some demonstrative embodiments, the CToA positioning mechanism described herein may provide technical advantages, for example, by allowing efficient, quick and/or easy implementation of the CToA positioning mechanism, for example, even without requiring modifications to network infrastructure. [00129] In some demonstrative embodiments, the CToA positioning mechanism may be configured to support and/or enable client STAs (cSTAs) to estimate their own location, for example, while supporting even cases of using and/or relying on communications from network devices, e.g., APs, of a legacy/existing network infrastructure, e.g., which may be stationed in locations that are known to the client STAs. [00130] In some demonstrative embodiments, a client STA, e.g., device 102, may be configured to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast messages (also referred to as "AP- broadcasts" or "broadcast transmissions"), from one or more stations, for example, APs and/or one or more other types of wireless communication devices, e.g., as descried below.

[00131] In some demonstrative embodiments, a client STA, e.g., device 102, may be configured to broadcast its measurement results, e.g., periodically, for example, to allow other client STAs, e.g., in its vicinity, to receive the broadcasted measurement results, e.g., as descried below.

[00132] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, a cSTA, e.g., each cSTA, that receives such a broadcast transmission, may measure its ToA, and may extract timing measurements conveyed as data in that broadcast transmission, e.g., as described below.

[00133] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, two client STAs that receive a same AP -broadcast transmission from an AP may be able, for example, to calculate a differential range with respect to the AP from which the AP -broadcast transmission is received, e.g., as descried below.

[00134] For example, a client STA, e.g., each client STA, may be configured to combine these timing measurements, e.g., the self-measured differential ranges, the differential ranges measured by neighbor STAs, and/or the self-measured time delays to neighbor STAs, for example, to jointly estimate its own position and/or location, for example, as well as the location of its neighbors, e.g., as descried below.

[00135] In some demonstrative embodiments, the CToA positioning mechanism described herein may provide one or more technical advantages, for example, by providing a high- accuracy positioning estimation method, which may enable a large number of client STAs to simultaneously and/or accurately estimate and/or track their location.

[00136] In some demonstrative embodiments, the CToA positioning mechanism described herein may support the positioning measurements, for example, even without requiring any substantial changes in an existing, widely-deployed WLAN infrastructure. For example, the CToA positioning mechanism described herein may be implemented by configuring the client side, e.g., the cSTA, for example, even by using a firmware update, e.g., while not requiring one or more hardware changes to existing FTM-capable clients.

[00137] Reference is made to Fig. 2, which schematically illustrates a CToA measurement scheme 200, which may be implemented in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. [00138] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA measurement scheme 200 may be implemented by a plurality of cSTAs, e.g., including at least a first cSTA 202, a second cSTA 240, and a third cSTA 260, which may utilize communications by a plurality of wireless communication devices, e.g., a plurality of APs, for example, at least a first wireless communication device (AP) 280, a second wireless communication device (AP) 270 and/or a third wireless communication device (AP) 290. For example, device 102 (Fig. 1) may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of cSTA 202, device 140 (Fig. 1) may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of cSTA 240, device 160 (Fig. 1) may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of cSTA 260, and/or device 180 (Fig. 1) may be configured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of a device of devices of 280, 270, and/or 290.

[00139] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, a network may include one or more broadcasting devices, e.g., WLAN APs, for example, devices 270, 280 and/or 290, which may broadcast one or more types of pre-agreed frames, for example, periodically, e.g., every 100 milliseconds (ms) -300ms and/or at any other periodicity. [00140] In one example, such frames may include, for example, network beacon frames and/or any other type of frames.

[00141] In some demonstrative embodiments, the broadcasts may be performed on the same channel or on different channels.

[00142] For example, device 270 may broadcast a beacon 271, denoted "#2230", device 280 may broadcast a beacon 281, denoted "#5541", and/or device 290 may broadcast a beacon 291, denoted #5541.

[00143] In some demonstrative embodiments, the broadcast frames, e.g., beacons 271, 281, and/or 291, may be associated with one or more certain parameters which may enable to identify and/or track them, for example, a MAC address of the broadcasting AP, a time-synchronization function (TSF) timer, and/or any other additional or alternative identification, synchronization, and/or timing parameters.

[00144] In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP -broadcast frames, e.g., beacons 271, 281, and/or 291, may be received by multiple CToA client stations (cSTA), e.g., cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260. For example, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., cSTA 202, may measure and log a time of arrival (ToA) of an AP -broadcast frame, e.g., a beacon of beacons 271, 281, and/or 291, for example, once the cSTA receives such a frame. [00145] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., cSTA 202, may be configured to exchange and/or share the ToA estimates measured by the cSTA with neighbor cSTAs, e.g., as described below.

[00146] In some demonstrative embodiments, the cSTA may be able to determine position measurements using the AP -broadcast frames e.g., beacons 271, 281, and/or 291, for example, even in cases where an exact time of departure (ToD) of these AP -broadcast frames is known only up to a limited time resolution, which, in some cases, may not be enough and/or may be unusable for ranging/position estimation purposes, and/or even if ToD values may not be published by the plurality of APs at all, e.g., as described below. [00147] In some demonstrative embodiments, by allowing the cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260 to exchange and share their ToA estimates with their neighbor cSTAs, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., each cSTA, may be able to construct a differential range measurement, which may cancel out the unknown ToD, e.g., as described below.

[00148] In one example, the differential range measurement may depend on a position of an AP, e.g., an AP of devices 270, 280 and/or 290, and a position, e.g., an unknown position, of the cSTA itself, and the position of its neighbor cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00149] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., each cSTA, may broadcast timing measurement messages, e.g., periodically, for example, in addition to measuring the ToA of the AP broadcasts. For example, cSTA 202 may broadcast timing measurement messages 221, cSTA 240 may broadcast timing measurement messages 241, and/or cSTA 260 may broadcast timing measurement messages 261.

[00150] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., each cSTA, may listen to the broadcast timing measurement messages of its neighbor cSTAs, e.g., when the cSTA it is not transmitting. [00151] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., each cSTA, may broadcast the timing of a next planned broadcast, for example, in order to enable other cSTAs in its vicinity to plan their low-power activity accordingly.

[00152] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260, e.g., cSTA 202,may receive a broadcast of another cSTA, e.g., cSTA 240, and may measure and log the ToA of the broadcast from the other cSTA, e.g., as described below. [00153] For example, cSTA 202 may receive a timing measurement message 241 from cSTA 240 and may measure and log the ToA of the timing measurement message 241 from cSTA 240; and/or cSTA 202 may receive a timing measurement message 261 from cSTA 260 and may measure and log the ToA of the timing measurement message 261 from cSTA 260. [00154] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2, the plurality of cSTAs 202, 240 and/or 260 may exchange these mutual timing measurements, for example, to (implicitly) synchronize their clocks, e.g., through estimation and tracking of relative offsets between their clocks and the relative clock drifts, e.g., as described below.

[00155] Referring back to Fig. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of devices 102, 140 and/or 160, e.g., each cSTA, may be configured to receive and/or process one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices, e.g., including device 180.

[00156] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA of devices 102, 140 and/or 160,e.g., each cSTA, may be configured to generate and transmit timing measurement messages to one or more other cSTAs of devices 102, 140 and/or 160, and/or to receive and/or process timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., as described below.

[00157] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, device 102 may be configured to receive and/or process the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices, e.g., device 180, and/or the timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs, for example, devices 140 and/or 160, e.g., as described below.

[00158] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, devices 140 and/or 160 to generate and transmit timing measurement messages to one or more other cSTAs, for example, device 102, e.g., as described below.

[00159] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices, for example, device 180, e.g., as described below.

[00160] In some demonstrative embodiments, the one or more broadcast transmissions may include at least a broadcast frame from an AP. For example, the one or more broadcast transmissions may include a broadcast frame from an AP implemented by device 180. [00161] In some demonstrative embodiments, the broadcast frame from the AP may include a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame.

[00162] In other embodiments, the broadcast transmission may include any other transmission.

[00163] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, for example, devices 140 and/or 160, e.g., as described below.

[00164] In some demonstrative embodiments, the timing measurement messages may include timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., as described below.

[00165] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of device 102, for example, based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and/or the timing measurement information, e.g., as described below.

[00166] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to estimate a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., devices 140 and/or 160, for example, based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and/or the timing measurement information, e.g., as described below.

[00167] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to determine a plurality of differential range measurements, for example, based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and/or the timing measurement information, e.g., as described below.

[00168] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to determine the position of device 102 based on the plurality of differential range measurements, e.g., as described below.

[00169] In some demonstrative embodiments, a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., device 140, may include a transmit-report information element, e.g., as described below. [00170] In some demonstrative embodiments, the transmit-report information element may include timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00171] For example, the transmit-report information element received by device 102 may include timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by device 140.

[00172] In some demonstrative embodiments, the transmit-report information element may include at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, e.g., device 140, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA, for example, a transmitter identifier of device 140, e.g., as described below.

[00173] In some demonstrative embodiments, a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., device 140, may include a receive-report information element, e.g., as described below.

[00174] In some demonstrative embodiments, the receive-report information element may include timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00175] For example, the receive-report information element received by device 102 from device 140 may include timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by device 140. [00176] In some demonstrative embodiments, the receive-report information element may include at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and/or a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00177] For example, device 140 may receive broadcast timing measurement message from device 160 and may transmit a receive-report information element, which may be received by device 102. According to this example, the receive-report information element may include at least a ToA of the received timing measurement message at device 140 from device 160, a transmitter identifier to identify device 160, and/or a receiver identifier to identify device 140.

[00178] In some demonstrative embodiments, a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs, e.g., device 140, may include a received-broadcast-report information element including timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00179] For example, the received-broadcast-report information element received by device 102 from device 140 may include timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by device 140, e.g., from device 180 and/or one or more other devices.

[00180] In some demonstrative embodiments, the received-broadcast-report information element may include at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA, e.g., as described below. [00181] For example, device 140 may receive a broadcast transmission from device 180 and may transmit a received-broadcast-report information element, which may be received by device 102. According to this example, the received-broadcast-report information element may include at least a ToA of the broadcast transmission from device 180 at device 140, a transmitter identifier to identify device 180, and a receiver identifier to identify device 140. [00182] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may be configured to broadcast a timing measurement message including timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by device 102, e.g., as described below.

[00183] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to broadcast a timing measurement message including timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by device 102, e.g., as described below.

[00184] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to include in the broadcast timing measurement message from device 102 a transmit-report information element including timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by device 102, e.g., as described below.

[00185] In some demonstrative embodiments, the transmit-report information element may include, for example, at least a ToD of a transmitted timing measurement message from device 102, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA implemented by device 102. [00186] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to include in the broadcast timing measurement message from device 102 a receive-report information element, e.g., as described below.

[00187] In some demonstrative embodiments, the receive-report information element may include timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, for example, from devices 140 and/or 160.

[00188] In some demonstrative embodiments, the receive-report information element may include at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at device 102, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA implemented by device 102, e.g., as described below. [00189] For example, device 102 may receive a broadcast timing measurement message from device 140 and may broadcast a timing measurement message including a receive-report information element. According to this example, the receive-report information element may include at least a ToA at device 102 of the received timing measurement message from device 140, a transmitter identifier to identify device 140, and/or a receiver identifier to identify device 102.

[00190] In some demonstrative embodiments, CToA component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 to include in the broadcast timing measurement message from device 102 a received-broadcast-report information element, e.g., as described below. [00191] In some demonstrative embodiments, the received-broadcast-report information element may include timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions form the one or more wireless communication devices, e.g., from device 180.

[00192] In some demonstrative embodiments, the received-broadcast-report information element may include at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at device 102, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA implemented by device 102.

[00193] For example, device 102 may receive a broadcast transmission from device 180 and may broadcast a timing measurement message including a received-broadcast-report information element. According to this example, the received-broadcast-report information element may include at least a ToA at device 102 of the broadcast transmission from device 180, a transmitter identifier to identify device 180, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA implemented by device 102.

[00194] In some demonstrative embodiments, the timing measurement message communicated between the cSTAs may include an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, e.g., as described below.

[00195] In some demonstrative embodiments, a ToA of the timing measurement message may include a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at a cSTA receiving the timing measurement message, e.g., as described below.

[00196] In some demonstrative embodiments, a timing measurement message communicated between the cSTAs may include a sequence of frames, for example, according to an IEEE 802.11 Specification, e.g., as described below.

[00197] In other embodiments, any other format and/or mechanism may be implemented to communicate the timing measurement messages between the cSTAs.

[00198] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the timing measurement messages communicated between the cSTAs may include of a sequence a null-data packet announcement frame ( DPA) followed by an NDP frame, e.g., after a short inter-frame spacing (SIFS). For example, the NDPA and/or NDP may be configured in accordance with an IEEE 802.1 lac frame format and/or any other format, e.g., as described below.

[00199] Reference is made to Fig. 3, which schematically illustrates a format of a timing measurement message 300, which may be implemented in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[00200] For example, the frame format of timing measurement message 300may be implemented by a cSTA, e.g., a cSTA of devices 102, 140 and/or 160 (Fig. 1), to transmit a timing measurement frame to one or more other cSTAs, and/or to process a received timing measurement frame from an other cSTA, e.g., as described below.

[00201] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, timing measurement message 300 may include an announcement frame, for example, an NDPA 302, followed by a ranging measurement frame, for example, an NDP 304, e.g., a SIFS after NDPA 302

[00202] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may be configured to announce on the upcoming NDP frame 304, for example, to allow one or more cSTAs to receive the NDP frame 304 and use the NDP frame 304, for example, for ToA estimations. [00203] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may be configured to carry previously measured timing information, e.g., as measured and/or logged by a cSTA from which the NDPA is transmitted.

[00204] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may be configured to include ToA information of AP broadcasts, e.g., the ToA of AP broadcasts, which were measured by the cSTA itself, and/or the ToA of AP -broadcasts, which were measured and reported by other cSTAs.

[00205] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may be configured to include ToA information of message broadcasts from other cSTAs, e.g., the ToA of timing measurement messages from other cSTAs.

[00206] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may be configured to include the ToD of the current broadcast.

[00207] For example, the ToD may be used by the receiving cSTAs, for example, to estimate relative clock parameters with respect to the broadcasting cSTA. [00208] In some demonstrative embodiments, the NDPA 302 may include some or all of the timing information described above and/or any other additional or alternative timing information.

[00209] In some demonstrative embodiments, timing measurement message 300 may include two messages, for example, NDPA 302 and NDPA 304, and the NDPA 302 may include the ToD of NDP 304 and the timing information, e.g., as described above.

[00210] In other embodiments, timing measurement message 300 may include another frame, e.g., after the NDP frame 304. For example, another frame may be configured to include the ToD of the current broadcast, e.g., the ToD of NDP frame 304, and/or some or all of the timing information described above and/or any other additional or alternative timing information. [00211] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA, e.g., the cSTA implemented by devices 102, 140, and/or 160, may be configured to maintain a log of timing measurements corresponding to cSTA broadcasts, e.g., timing measurement frames, for example, including one or more, e.g., some or all, of the following entries: cSTA

TX RX

Broadcast ToD ToA

MAC MAC PID

{ 16 bit} {48 bit} {48 bit} {48 bit} {48 bit}

Table 1

[00212] In one example, a log, e.g., each log, may include measurements during a past time period, e.g., during a predefined number of seconds, or any other time period.

[00213] In other embodiments, any other additional or alternative mechanism, format and/or logging criteria may be implemented.

[00214] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the cSTA may maintain in the cSTA broadcasts log timing information corresponding to a transmitted packet, e.g., for each transmitted packet.

[00215] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the cSTA may maintain in the cSTA broadcasts log for a transmitted packet, for example, a packet Identifier (PID) of the transmitted packet, a Time of departure (ToD) of the NDP (NDP ToD), and/or a Transmitter (Tx) identifier, for example, a Tx MAC address (own MAC), to identify a transmitter of the packet.

[00216] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the cSTA may maintain in the cSTA broadcasts log timing information corresponding to a received packet, e.g., for each received packet.

[00217] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the cSTA may maintain in the cSTA broadcasts log for a received packet a packet Identifier (PID) of the received packet, a Time of Arrival (ToA) of the NDP (NDP ToA), a Tx identifier, for example, a Tx MAC address, of the transmitter of the received packet, and/or a Receiver (Rx) identifier, for example, an Rx MAC address (own MAC), to identify a receiver of the packet.

[00218] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA, e.g., the cSTA implemented by devices 102, 140, and/or 160, may be configured to maintain a log of timing measurements corresponding to AP -broadcasts, for example, including one or more, e.g., some or all, of the following entries: AP Broadcast PID TX AP ToA RX MAC

MAC

Address

{ 16 bit} {48 bit} {48 bit} {48 bit}

Table 2

[00219] In one example, a log, e.g., each log, may include measurements during a past time period, e.g., during a predefined number of seconds, or any other time period.

[00220] In other embodiments, any other additional or alternative mechanism, format and/or logging criteria may be implemented.

[00221] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the ToD and/or ToA fields of Table 1 and/or Table 2 may include a 48-bit counter of a measured ToD/ToA value, e.g., in picoseconds, e.g., in accordance with an IEEE802.11-2016 FTM format and/or any other format, which may allow to ensure low-rate wrap-around, e.g., once every 281.47s. In other embodiments, any other format and/or number of bits may be implemented.

[00222] In some demonstrative embodiments, a cSTA, e.g., the cSTA implemented by devices 102, 140, and/or 160, may be configured to determine positioning measurements, for example, based on the AP -broadcasts received from one or more APs, and/or the cSTA broadcasts received from one or more other cSTAs, for example, based on one or more measurement models and/or algorithms, e.g., as described below.

[00223] In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, a cSTA, e.g., the cSTA implemented devices 102, 140, and/or 160, may be configured to implement one or more operations, e.g., some or all of the operations, of the following measurement model and algorithms, for example, for position estimation and/or tracking. In other embodiments, any other additional or alternative operations, algorithms and/or mechanisms may be implemented.

[00224] In some demonstrative embodiments, the measurement model and algorithms may include one or more problem formulation operations, e.g., as described below.

[00225] In one example, a WLAN network may include M Access Points (AP) that may periodically broadcast network frames, e.g., network-beacons, e.g., as described below. [00226] In some demonstrative embodiments, it may be assumed that an m-t AP may be located at Μ^Χ^^^ΖΧ■ [00227] In some demonstrative embodiments, it may be assumed that AP -broadcast frames may also be used by the AP to announce its location coordinates.

[00228] In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP -broadcast frames may be received by L + 1 client STAs. The client STAs may collaborate timing measurements, e.g., in order to estimate their own location with respect to the APs positions.

[00229] In some demonstrative embodiments, it may be assumed that an -th client STA may be

r

located at a location _; = [x_l, y_l,z_[ \

[00230] In some demonstrative embodiments, an analysis may be performed from a perspective of a client STA located at a location, denoted P₀ . This client STA may be using self-measured time delays of the AP -broadcast frames, as well as time delays measured by its neighbor STAs, for example, in order to estimate its position.

[00231] In some demonstrative embodiments, a network frame broadcast by the m-t AP at t_{0 m} may be received by the y^'-th and the -th client STAs at ToAs T . and T_k^ respectively. These ToA measurements may be related to a propagation distance between the broadcasting AP, e.g., as follows:

j _™ . ~f~ J,. _s „ , ,

(2) wherein the scalar V_{ denotes an offset between the -th STA and STA#0, (hence V₀ -0).

[00232] In some demonstrative embodiments, a measurement noise may be distributed as n_[ ~ N(jI_l,o) . Mean values of the noises, denoted

, may correspond to non-line of sight

(NLoS) range biases, which may be introduced due to a lack of line of sight between the client STAs and the broadcasting AP. [00233] In some demonstrative embodiments, it may be further assumed that between time- bases of first and second client STAs there may be a clock offset. Hence, a measurement of a difference between the ToAs of the AP -broadcast at the first and second client STAs may be recast, e.g., as follows:

wherein n™_{ denotes an equivalent additive measurement noise that may be distributed as

[00234] In some demonstrative embodiments, given a total of L + 1 STAs and APs, there may be a differential ranges per AP, and a total of ⁺ tyLM

differential range measurements.

[00235] In some demonstrative embodiments, in addition to the differential timing measurements of the AP -broadcast frame, client STAs may also exchange measurement frames to enable estimation and tracking of the mutual clock offsets. These measurements may also provide information on their positions, e.g., as follows:

[00236] In some demonstrative embodiments, there may be (L + l)L possible bi-directional {Zj Z^j) measurement equations.

[00237] In some demonstrative embodiments, the measurement model and algorithms may include one or more operations of a Maximum Likelihood Estimator, e.g., as described below.

[00238] In some demonstrative embodiments, a maximum likelihood estimator may be derived, and may jointly estimate positions of all the client STAs, as well as their clock offsets. An output of the maximum likelihood estimator may be used, for example, for initializing a Kalman Filter (KF) that continuously tracks and updates these estimates. Gathering all the measurements together, for example, the following may be defined:

[00239] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more of, e.g., all of, the elements which depend on the client STAs position coordinate vectors may be concatenated, for example, as follows:

[00240] In some demonstrative embodiments, a vector v = ίν₁,· · ·,ν_£] may be used to denote a vector of clock offsets between STA#0 and the other STAs in its vicinity. A notation e may be used to denote an index-vector, which is an Zxl vector of zeros whose -6-th entry is 1. This notation may be used, e.g., as follows:

& T

(7)

[00241] In some demonstrative embodiments, clock offsets index vectors from all the various received timing measurements may be concatenated, e.g., as follows: e :m

E

(8)

[00242] In some demonstrative embodiments, an additive may be defined in a similar manner, e.g., as follows: fit f > ¹

n lA>.

ή s>—■ ¾,L - i

ft

SI

(9)

[00243] In some demonstrative embodiments, it may be assumed, e.g., for simplicity, that a LoS may exist between the STAs themselves and between the STAs and the APs. Accordingly, an error covariance may be determined, e.g., as follows:

£·{«} 0

wherein l_N denotes an NxN identity matrix.

[00244] In some demonstrative embodiments, a vector p may be defined as p = [p₀ ," -,p_£] .

Using the definitions (5)-(9), a vectorized form of the measurement model may be recast, e.g., as follows: d (p) + 4- i

(11) [00245] In some demonstrative embodiments, a Maximum Likelihood Estimate (MLE) of a cSTA position vector, denoted p, may be obtained, e.g., as follows: p - ar*min(z - <f ½ - Evfw Hz - c - Ε»)

P>» (12)

[00246] In some demonstrative embodiments, an estimate of a clock offsets vector, denoted v, may be found, for example, using weighted least-squares (WLS) criteria, e.g., as follows:

(13)

[00247] In some demonstrative embodiments, a matrix B may be defined, e.g., as follows:

[00248] In some demonstrative embodiments, substituting Equation (13) back in Equation (12) may result in: p■^■■■■■ argoiiofz— <'^" "dl ^ B( z — c^{" x}d )

(15)

[00249] In some demonstrative embodiments, a nonlinear minimization problem of Equation (15) may be solved, for example, via a multi-dimensional grid-search or via gradient- search methods, jointly, over the locations of all the ST As that minimize the cost function of Equation (15).

[00250] In some demonstrative embodiments, an arbitrary location of the first client STA may be sought to implement a search more efficiently. The other locations may be subjected to the constraints imposed by the inter-STA range measurements and the AP-STA differential ranges. Although the position estimates and the clock offsets obtained via Equation (15) and Equation (13) overlook the time drift that is accumulated between measurements, these values may be used as initial values for the Kalman Filter, e.g., as described below.

[00251] In some demonstrative embodiments, the measurement model and algorithms may include one or more operations of a Collaborative cSTA KF, e.g., as described below. [00252] In some demonstrative embodiments, a KF system model for a collaborative cSTA KF may be defined, for example, by a recursive equation, e.g., as follows:

(16) wherein the index k denotes the discrete time-step, the vector Λ¾ denotes an Nxl states vector, which describes parameters being estimated and tracked by the Kalman Filter.

[00253] In some demonstrative embodiments, the Kalman Filter state vector at the &-th time-step may be defined, e.g., as follows:

wherein the sub-vector p_k denotes a position coordinates vector, which may be defined, e.g., as follows:

wherein p_{n k} may be defined, e.g., as follows:

wherein p_0;k denotes a position coordinates vector of the cSTA itself, and pi,k , (1 = 1 · · L), denotes position coordinates vectors of the cSTAs in the vicinity of the cSTA.

[00254] In some demonstrative embodiments, a state-vector, denoted Λ¾, may be associated with a covariance matrix, e.g., as follows:

(20) wherein x_k = j .

[00255] In some demonstrative embodiments, when the Kalman Filter is initialized, a state- covariance matrix may be assumed to be:

wherein Ο_ν , ν,ο denote initial values for the standard deviations of the clock offsets and drifts, and P ₀ denotes an initial value of a states covariance matrix, which may be defined, e.g., as follows:

(22) wherein ® denotes a Kronecker product.

[00256] In some demonstrative embodiments, initial values of the standard deviations constructing the initial states covariance matrix may be commonly determined empirically.

[00257] In some demonstrative embodiments, a dynamic system-model linear transfer function, denoted ¾ may be defined to include a (5J+3) X (5L + 3) block-diagonal matrix, e.g., as follows:

½, - i; 0 0

0 0 l_L

(23) wherein At corresponds to the elapsed time between two consecutive discrete time steps.

[00258] In some demonstrative embodiments, a vector, denoted w¾ may include a random N 7 model noise vector, which may describe uncertainties in the system model and may have statistical properties, e.g., as follows:

E{w_k-x& } = 0. ¥A-

(24)

[00259] In some demonstrative embodiments, a process noise, denoted w¾ may be assumed to be distributed as ~ N(0,Q_k) . [00260] In some demonstrative embodiments, a system model noise covariance matrix, denoted Qk, may include a block-diagonal matrix, e.g., as follows:

wherein Q_{p k}may be defined, e.g., as follows:

[00261] In some demonstrative embodiments, the KF measurement model may be defined, e.g., as follows:

(27) wherein ζ¾ includes a J x 1 vector of measurements, in which each entry corresponds to a ToF measurement, the vector h(x) = [hi(x), h₂(x),.... , h_j (x)]^T, denotes a nonlinear measurement model vector transfer function, and v& denotes an additive measurement noise that has statistical properties, e.g., as follows:

0

£{ w_fevf }

(28)

[00262] In some demonstrative embodiments, there may be two types of transfer functions, which may depend on a type of measurement. Their corresponding linearized transfer functions may be given by: Pi qk

(29)

(30) wherein e_; denotes an M + N vector of zeros with l 's at its i entry.

[00263] In some demonstrative embodiments, since a measurement transfer function h(-) is nonlinear, it cannot be applied, for example, to estimate the measurements covariance matrix directly. Instead, the measurement transfer function h(-) may be linearized, for example, by replacing the measurement transfer function h(-) with its first order Taylor series expansion, which may be calculated around , e.g., as follows:

(31) wherein a notation i_n|_OT denotes an estimate of x at time n, e.g., given observations up to and including time m≤ n .

[00264] In some demonstrative embodiments, a matrix ¾ may be defined to include a Jacobian of the measurement model function vector h(-) , which may include a J x N matrix, e.g., as follows:

[00265] In some demonstrative embodiments, the Jacobian may be determined, for example, by calculating partial derivatives of Equations (29)-(30). [00266] In some demonstrative embodiments, the following Equations (33)-(34) may define corresponding lines of the matrix ¾: e, 0 PiJt^■ ¾ )

(33)

(34)

[00267] In some demonstrative embodiments, an Extended KF (EKF) Algorithm may be implemented in a Collaborative CToA client STA with a Legacy AP Infrastructure. The EKF Algorithm may include one or more operations, e.g., as follows:

Initialize

1. Use Equations (13) and (15) for obtaining an estimate for P₀ and V_Q .

2. Set i = [p₀ ^T,y^T ₀, _M ^T f .

Predict

An EKF time as well as EKF states, may be predicted according to a ToA of a received DP packet.

A predicted state estimate may be defined, e.g., as follows:

(35)

A predicted covariance estimate may be determined, e.g., as follows: (36)

Update

The measurements included in the LMR conveyed by the packet are updated according to the new EKF predicted time. Innovation (measurement residual) may be, e.g., as follows:

An innovation covariance may be determined, e.g., as follows:

A Near-Optimal Kalman gain may be determined, e.g., as follows:

An updated state estimate ma be determined e. . as follows:

An updated estimate covariance may be determined, e.g., as follows:

— (Ί ----- ¾T , \ P

(41)

[00268] Reference is made to Fig. 4, which schematically illustrates a graph 400 depicting simulation results of CTOA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

[00269] In some demonstrative embodiments, the simulation results of Fig. 4 may correspond to a simulation setup, which includes locations of APs 410, and estimated locations 415 of four cSTAs (marked by 'x').

[00270] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 4, four scatters of the estimated locations of the four cSTAs may be in four 95% concentration ellipses 412.

[00271] Reference is made to Fig. 5, which schematically illustrates a graph 500 depicting simulation results of CTOA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. [00272] In some demonstrative embodiments, the simulation results of Fig. 5 may correspond to the simulation setup of Fig. 4, which includes the locations of APs 410 (Fig. 4), and the estimated locations of four cSTAs 415 (Fig. 4).

[00273] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 5, position estimation accuracy Cumulative Distribution Functions (CDFs) for the estimated locations 415 (Fig. 4) of the four cSTAs of Fig. 4 may have a measurement noise standard deviation (STD) of ±0.9m.

[00274] Reference is made to Fig. 6, which schematically illustrates a graph 600 depicting simulation results of CTOA measurements, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. [00275] In some demonstrative embodiments, the simulation results of Fig. 6 may correspond to the simulation setup of Fig. 4, which includes the locations of APs 410 (Fig. 4), and the estimated locations of four cSTAs 415 (Fig. 4).

[00276] In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in Fig. 6, position estimation accuracy CDFs for the estimated locations 415 (Fig. 4) of the four cSTAs of Fig. 4 may have a measurement noise STD of ±1.8m.

[00277] Reference is made to Fig. 7, which schematically illustrates a method of a CToA measurement, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example, one or more of the operations of the method of Fig. 7 may be performed by a wireless communication system, e.g., system 100 (Fig. 1); a wireless communication device, e.g., devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 (Fig. 1); a controller, e.g., controllers 124 and/or 154 (Fig. 1); an application, e.g., application 125 (Fig. 1); a CToA component, e.g., CToA components 117 and/or 157 (Fig. 1); a location estimator, e.g., location estimator 115 (Fig. 1); a radio, e.g., radios 114 and/or 144 (Fig. 1); a message processor, e.g., message processor 128 (Fig. 1) and/or message processor 158 (Fig. 1); a transmitter, e.g., transmitters 118 and/or 148 (Fig. 1); and/or a receiver, e.g., receivers 116 and/or 146 (Fig. 1).

[00278] As indicated at block 702, the method may include measuring at a cSTA a ToA of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices. For example, CToA component 117 (Fig. 1) may control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 (Fig. 1) to measure the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices, for example, from device 180 (Fig. 1), e.g., as described above. [00279] As indicated at block 704, the method may include measuring a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages including timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs. For example, CToA component 117 (Fig. 1) may control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 (Fig. 1) to measure the ToA of the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs, for example, from devices 140 and/or 160 (Fig. 1), the timing measurement messages may include the timing measurement information corresponding to the transmissions communicated by devices 140 and/or 160 (Fig. 1), e.g., as described above.

[00280] As indicated at block 706, the method may include determining a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information. For example, CToA component 117 (Fig. 1) may control, cause and/or trigger the cSTA implemented by device 102 (Fig. 1) to determine the positioning measurement corresponding to the position of device 102 (Fig. 1), for example, based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, e.g., from device 180 (Fig. 1), the ToA of the timing measurement messages e.g., from devices 140 and/or 160 (Fig. 1), and the timing measurement information, e.g., from devices 140 and/or 160 (Fig. 1), e.g., as described above.

[00281] Reference is made to Fig. 8, which schematically illustrates a product of manufacture 800, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. Product 800 may include one or more tangible computer-readable ("machine readable") non-transitory storage media 802, which may include computer-executable instructions, e.g., implemented by logic 804, operable to, when executed by at least one processor, e.g., computer processor, enable the at least one processor to implement one or more operations at devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 (Fig. 1), radios 114 and/or 144 (Fig. 1), transmitters 118 and/or 148 (Fig. 1), receivers 116 and/or 146 (Fig. 1), controllers 124 and/or 154 (Fig. 1), message processors 128 and/or 158 (Fig. 1), CToA components 117 and/or 157 (Fig. 1), and/or location estimator 115 (Fig. 1), to cause devices 102, 140, 160 and/or 180 (Fig. 1), radios 114 and/or 144 (Fig. 1), transmitters 118 and/or 148 (Fig. 1), receivers 116 and/or 146 (Fig. 1), controllers 124 and/or 154 (Fig. 1), message processors 128 and/or 158 (Fig. 1), CToA components 117 and/or 157 (Fig. 1), and/or location estimator 115 (Fig. 1) to perform one or more operations, and/or to perform, trigger and/or implement one or more operations, communications and/or functionalities described above with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and/or 7, and/or one or more operations described herein. The phrases "non- transitory machine-readable media (medium)" and "computer-readable non-transitory storage media (medium)" are directed to include all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory propagating signal.

[00282] In some demonstrative embodiments, product 800 and/or storage media 1002 may include one or more types of computer-readable storage media capable of storing data, including volatile memory, non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable or nonerasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and the like. For example, storage media 802 may include, RAM, DRAM, Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory (e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM), polymer memory, phase- change memory, ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a floppy disk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a card, a magnetic card, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the like. The computer-readable storage media may include any suitable media involved with downloading or transferring a computer program from a remote computer to a requesting computer carried by data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium through a communication link, e.g., a modem, radio or network connection.

[00283] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 804 may include instructions, data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method, process and/or operations as described herein. The machine may include, for example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform, computing device, processing device, computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware, software, firmware, and the like.

[00284] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 804 may include, or may be implemented as, software, a software module, an application, a program, a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set, computing code, words, values, symbols, and the like. The instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. The instructions may be implemented according to a predefined computer language, manner or syntax, for instructing a processor to perform a certain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language, such as C, C++, Java, BASIC, Matlab, Pascal, Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code, and the like. EXAMPLES

[00285] The following examples pertain to further embodiments.

[00286] Example 1 includes an apparatus comprising logic and circuitry configured to cause a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00287] Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA.

[00288] Example 3 includes the subject matter of Example 2, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA. [00289] Example 4 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-3, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA.

[00290] Example 5 includes the subject matter of Example 4, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00291] Example 6 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-5, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA. [00292] Example 7 includes the subject matter of Example 6, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00293] Example 8 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-7, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to broadcast a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA. [00294] Example 9 includes the subject matter of Example 8, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

[00295] Example 10 includes the subject matter of Example 9, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00296] Example 11 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-10, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs.

[00297] Example 12 includes the subject matter of Example 11, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00298] Example 13 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 8-12, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices. [00299] Example 14 includes the subject matter of Example 13, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00300] Example 15 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-14, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA. [00301] Example 16 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-15, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to determine a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and to determine the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements. [00302] Example 17 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-16, and optionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cSTA to estimate a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information. [00303] Example 18 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-17, and optionally, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP).

[00304] Example 19 includes the subject matter of Example 18, and optionally, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame. [00305] Example 20 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-19, and optionally, comprising a memory and a processor.

[00306] Example 21 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-20, and optionally, comprising a radio and one or more antennas.

[00307] Example 22 includes a system of wireless communication comprising a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA), the cSTA comprising one or more antennas; a radio; a memory; a processor; and a controller configured to cause the cSTA to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00308] Example 23 includes the subject matter of Example 22, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA.

[00309] Example 24 includes the subject matter of Example 23, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00310] Example 25 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-24, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA. [00311] Example 26 includes the subject matter of Example 25, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00312] Example 27 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-26, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA.

[00313] Example 28 includes the subject matter of Example 27, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA. [00314] Example 29 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-28, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to broadcast a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA. [00315] Example 30 includes the subject matter of Example 29, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

[00316] Example 31 includes the subject matter of Example 30, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00317] Example 32 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 29-31, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs.

[00318] Example 33 includes the subject matter of Example 32, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00319] Example 34 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 29-33, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices.

[00320] Example 35 includes the subject matter of Example 34, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA. [00321] Example 36 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-35, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA. [00322] Example 37 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-36, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to determine a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and to determine the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements. [00323] Example 38 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-37, and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the cSTA to estimate a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information. [00324] Example 39 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 22-38, and optionally, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP).

[00325] Example 40 includes the subject matter of Example 39, and optionally, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame. [00326] Example 41 includes a method to be performed at a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA), the method comprising measuring a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measuring a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determining a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00327] Example 42 includes the subject matter of Example 41, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA. [00328] Example 43 includes the subject matter of Example 42, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA. [00329] Example 44 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-43, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA.

[00330] Example 45 includes the subject matter of Example 44, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00331] Example 46 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-45, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA.

[00332] Example 47 includes the subject matter of Example 46, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00333] Example 48 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-47, and optionally, comprising broadcasting a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA. [00334] Example 49 includes the subject matter of Example 48, and optionally, comprising including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

[00335] Example 50 includes the subject matter of Example 49, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00336] Example 51 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 48-50, and optionally, comprising including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs.

[00337] Example 52 includes the subject matter of Example 51, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00338] Example 53 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 48-52, and optionally, comprising including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received-broadcast- report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices. [00339] Example 54 includes the subject matter of Example 53, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA. [00340] Example 55 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-54, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA.

[00341] Example 56 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-55, and optionally, comprising determining a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and determining the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements.

[00342] Example 57 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-56, and optionally, comprising estimating a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00343] Example 58 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 41-57, and optionally, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP).

[00344] Example 59 includes the subject matter of Example 58, and optionally, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame.

[00345] Example 60 includes a product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to cause a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00346] Example 61 includes the subject matter of Example 60, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA.

[00347] Example 62 includes the subject matter of Example 61, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00348] Example 63 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-62, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA. [00349] Example 64 includes the subject matter of Example 63, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA. [00350] Example 65 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-64, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA.

[00351] Example 66 includes the subject matter of Example 65, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00352] Example 67 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-66, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to broadcast a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA.

[00353] Example 68 includes the subject matter of Example 67, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

[00354] Example 69 includes the subject matter of Example 68, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00355] Example 70 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-69, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs. [00356] Example 71 includes the subject matter of Example 70, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA. [00357] Example 72 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-71, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices. [00358] Example 73 includes the subject matter of Example 72, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA. [00359] Example 74 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-73, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA.

[00360] Example 75 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-74, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to determine a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and to determine the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements.

[00361] Example 76 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-75, and optionally, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the cSTA to estimate a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00362] Example 77 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 60-76, and optionally, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP). [00363] Example 78 includes the subject matter of Example 77, and optionally, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame.

[00364] Example 79 includes an apparatus of wireless communication by a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA), the apparatus comprising means for measuring a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; means for measuring a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and means for determining a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00365] Example 80 includes the subject matter of Example 79, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA.

[00366] Example 81 includes the subject matter of Example 80, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00367] Example 82 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-81, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA. [00368] Example 83 includes the subject matter of Example 82, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00369] Example 84 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-83, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA. [00370] Example 85 includes the subject matter of Example 84, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

[00371] Example 86 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-85, and optionally, comprising means for broadcasting a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA.

[00372] Example 87 includes the subject matter of Example 86, and optionally, comprising means for including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

[00373] Example 88 includes the subject matter of Example 87, and optionally, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00374] Example 89 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 86-88, and optionally, comprising means for including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive- report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs.

[00375] Example 90 includes the subject matter of Example 89, and optionally, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA. [00376] Example 91 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 86-90, and optionally, comprising means for including in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received- broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices.

[00377] Example 92 includes the subject matter of Example 91, and optionally, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

[00378] Example 93 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-92, and optionally, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA.

[00379] Example 94 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-93, and optionally, comprising means for determining a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and determining the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements.

[00380] Example 95 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-94, and optionally, comprising means for estimating a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

[00381] Example 96 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 79-95, and optionally, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP).

[00382] Example 97 includes the subject matter of Example 96, and optionally, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame.

[00383] Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may be utilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more other embodiments, or vice versa. [00384] While certain features have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising logic and circuitry configured to cause a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to: measure a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measure a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determine a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the other cSTA.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the other cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the other cSTA.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages received by the other cSTA.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more broadcast transmissions received by the other cSTA.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the other cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the other cSTA.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 configured to cause the cSTA to broadcast a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a transmit-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to one or more timing measurement messages transmitted by the cSTA.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transmit-report information element comprises at least a Time of Departure (ToD) of a transmitted timing measurement message from the cSTA, and a transmitter identifier to identify the cSTA.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a receive-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more timing measurement messages from the one or more other cSTAs.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the receive-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received timing measurement message at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter cSTA of the received timing measurement message, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 configured to cause the cSTA to include in the timing measurement message from the cSTA a received-broadcast-report information element comprising timing information corresponding to the one or more broadcast transmissions from the one or more wireless communication devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the received-broadcast-report information element comprises at least a ToA of a received broadcast transmission at the cSTA, a transmitter identifier to identify a transmitter wireless communication device of the received broadcast transmission, and a receiver identifier to identify the cSTA.

15. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-14, wherein a timing measurement message from an other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs comprises an announcement frame followed by a ranging measurement frame, a ToA of the timing measurement message comprises a ToA of the ranging measurement frame at the cSTA.

16. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-14 configured to cause the cSTA to determine a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and to determine the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements.

17. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-14 configured to cause the cSTA to estimate a position of at least one other cSTA of the one or more other cSTAs based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

18. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the one or more broadcast transmissions comprise at least a broadcast frame from an Access Point (AP).

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the broadcast frame from the AP comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) beacon frame.

20. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-14 comprising a radio and one or more antennas.

21. A method to be performed at a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA), the method comprising: measuring a Time of Arrival (ToA) of one or more broadcast transmissions from one or more wireless communication devices; measuring a ToA of one or more timing measurement messages from one or more other cSTAs, the timing measurement messages comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the one or more other cSTAs; and determining a positioning measurement corresponding to a position of the cSTA based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising broadcasting a timing measurement message comprising timing measurement information corresponding to transmissions communicated by the cSTA.

23. The method of claim 21 comprising determining a plurality of differential range measurements based at least on the ToA of the one or more broadcast transmissions, the ToA of the timing measurement messages, and the timing measurement information, and determining the position of the cSTA based on the plurality of differential range measurements.

24. A product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to cause a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to perform the method of any one of claims 21-23.

25. An apparatus comprising means for causing a Collaborative Time of Arrival (CToA) client wireless communication station (STA) (cSTA) to perform the method of any one of claims 21-23.