# US 10,771,999 B2 · Measuring distance in wireless devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,999 B2 - Document ID: US10771999B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/166,998 - Filed: 2018-10-22 - Published: 2019-02-21 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-27 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Amichai Sanderovich; Carlos Horacio Aldana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771999B2 ## CPC - G01S 5/0284: {Relative positioning} - H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} - G01S 11/02: using radio waves (G01S19/00 takes precedence) - G01S 13/765: {with exchange of information between interrogator and responder} - G01S 13/767: {Responders; Transponders (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26)} - H04L 43/106: using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps - H04W 56/00: Synchronisation arrangements - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W 64/003: {locating network equipment} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for efficient ranging. According to certain aspects, techniques are provided to signal the use of different resolutions of time units for parameters to be used in a ranging procedure, such as a fine timing measurement (FTM) procedure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processing system configured to generate a first frame having at least one bit indicating one or more resolutions of units of time of a plurality of resolutions of units of time to use for one or more parameter fields to be used in a ranging procedure performed with a wireless node; and a first interface configured to output the first frame for transmission to the wireless node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a trigger frame configured to initiate the ranging procedure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the trigger frame comprises a fine timing measurement (FTM) request trigger frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second interface to obtain one or more second frames during the ranging procedure, the one or more second frames comprising one or more parameters having values generated based on the one or more resolutions indicated by the at least one bit of the first frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a distance between the apparatus and the wireless node, based on the one or more parameter fields with values reported in the one or more resolutions indicated by the at least one bit of the first frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the at least one bit is part of a fine timing measurement (FTM) parameters element contained in the first frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second interface configured to obtain one or more second frames from the wireless node indicating the wireless node rejects use of the one or more resolutions indicated by the at least one bit in the first frame; and the processing system is configured to generate, after obtaining the one or more second frames, generate one or more third frames during the ranging procedure using one or more resolutions of units of time for the one or more parameter fields different than the one or more resolutions indicated in the first frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more parameter fields comprise a parameter that indicates a minimum time between consecutive fine timing measurement (FTM) frames. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one bit comprises: a first one or more bits indicating a resolution of units of time to use for at least a first parameter to be used in the ranging procedure; and a second one or more bits indicating a resolution of units of time to use for at least a second parameter to be used in the ranging procedure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the first parameter comprises at least one of a time of departure (TOD), time of arrival (TOA), maximum TOD error, or maximum TOA error. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the second parameter comprises at least one of a burst period or a parameter that indicates a minimum time between consecutive fine timing measurement (FTM) frames. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more parameter fields comprise a parameter that indicates a burst period. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a first interface configured to obtain a first frame transmitted from a wireless node; and a processing system configured to determine, based on at least one bit in the first frame, one or more resolutions of units of time of a plurality of resolutions of units of time to use for one or more parameter fields to be used in a ranging procedure and to perform the ranging procedure with the wireless node according to the determined one or more resolutions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the first frame comprises a trigger frame to initiate the ranging procedure; the processing system is configured to generate, after obtaining the trigger frame, one or more second frames for the ranging procedure, the one or more second frames containing one or more parameters having values generated based on the determined one or more resolutions of units of time; and the apparatus further comprises a second interface to output the one or more second frames for transmission. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the trigger frame comprises a fine timing measurement (FTM) request trigger frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to determine a distance between the apparatus and the wireless node, based on one or more parameters reported in the one or more resolutions by the wireless node. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the at least one bit comprises at least one bit of a fine timing measurement (FTM) parameters element of the first frame; and the processing system is configured to determine the one or more resolutions based on the at least one bit of the FTM parameters element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the processing system is configured to generate a second frame with an indication that the apparatus accepts use of the one or more resolutions indicated in the first frame; and the apparatus further comprises a second interface configured to output the second frame for transmission. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the one or more parameter fields comprise a parameter that indicates a minimum time between consecutive fine timing measurement (FTM) frames. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one bit comprises: a first one or more bits providing an indication of a resolution of units of time to use for at least a first parameter to be used in the ranging procedure; and a second one or more bits providing an indication of a resolution of units of time to use for at least a second parameter to be used in the ranging procedure. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: the first parameter comprises at least one of a time of departure (TOD), time of arrival (TOA), maximum TOD error, or maximum TOA error. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: the second parameter comprises at least one of a burst period or a parameter that indicates a minimum time between consecutive fine timing measurement (FTM) frames. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the one or more parameter fields comprise a parameter indicating a burst period. ### Claim 24 A method for wireless communications by an apparatus, comprising: generating a first frame providing at least one bit indicating one or more resolutions of units of time of a plurality of resolutions of units of time to use for one or more parameter fields to be used in a ranging procedure performed with a wireless node; and outputting the first frame for transmission to the wireless node. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the first frame comprises a trigger frame configured to initiate the ranging procedure. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the trigger frame comprises a fine timing measurement (FTM) request trigger frame. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: obtaining one or more second frames during the ranging procedure, the one or more second frames comprising one or more parameters having values generated based on the indicated resolutions of units of time indicated by the at least one bit of the first frame. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising determining a distance between the apparatus and the wireless node, based on the one or more parameters with values reported in the one or more resolution indicated by the at least one bit of the first frame. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein: the at least one bit is part of a fine timing measurement (FTM) parameters element contained in the first frame. ### Claim 30 A method for wireless communications by an apparatus, comprising: obtaining a first frame transmitted from a wireless node; determining, based on at least one bit in the first frame, a resolution of units of time of a plurality of resolutions of units of time to use for one or more parameter fields to be used in a ranging procedure performed with the wireless node; and performing the ranging procedure with the wireless node according to the determined resolutions.