# US 11,079,481 B2 · Apparatus and method for measuring distance and location

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- Number: US 11,079,481 B2
- Document ID: US11079481B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/086,920
- Filed: 2016-03-31
- Published: 2016-10-06
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-02
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kwanghoon Han; Taeyoung Lee; Seong-Hee Park; Chilyoul Yang; Myounghwan Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079481B2

## CPC

- G01S 11/14: using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
- G01S 3/802: Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
- G01S 3/8083: {determining direction of source}
- G01S 5/0072: {Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems}
- G01S 5/18: using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
- G01S 5/28: by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
- G01S 15/74: Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
- 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

## Abstract

An apparatus and a method for measuring distance by using electronic devices are provided. The apparatus includes an output unit, an input unit, and a controller. The output unit may be configured to transmit the first sound wave, and the input unit may be configured to receive the second sound wave from another apparatus that receives the first sound wave. The controller may be configured to determine the distance between the apparatus and the another apparatus based on a first value and a second value. The first value may correspond to a difference between a timing of initiating a transmission of the first sound wave and a timing of receiving the second sound wave, and the second value may correspond to a difference between a timing when the another apparatus initiates the transmission of the second sound wave and the timing when the another apparatus receives the first sound wave.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for operating a first apparatus, the method comprising:
determining, by the first apparatus, a delay period based on diffraction effect caused by a wavelength of a first sound wave and a wavelength of a second sound wave in a measurement cycle of a distance between the first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein the delay period is a difference period between a timing when the first sound wave is received by the second apparatus and a timing when the second sound wave is transmitted by the second apparatus;
transmitting, from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, information for the delay period;
transmitting, from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, the first sound wave;
receiving, by the first apparatus from the second apparatus, the second sound wave that is transmitted at when the delay period elapses after the first sound wave is received by the second apparatus;
determining, by the first apparatus, the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus based on the delay period and a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is transmitted by the first apparatus and a timing when the second sound wave is received by the first apparatus in the measurement cycle, wherein an error of the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus is within one meter;
determining, by the first apparatus, whether the determined distance is within a threshold during the measurement cycle; and
when the determined distance is within the threshold during the measurement cycle, transmitting, from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, a wireless signal to control the second apparatus to log on.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
recording the received first sound wave and the received second sound wave,
wherein the difference is determined by adding a first difference value to a second difference value,
wherein the first difference value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first apparatus initiates a transmission of the first sound wave and a timing when the first apparatus receives the first sound wave, and
wherein the second difference value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is recorded and a timing when the second sound wave is recorded.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2,
wherein the first difference value is determined by compensating a system delay through a hardware path,
wherein the system delay is determined based on a distance and a difference between a timing when a controller of the first apparatus initiates a command to transmit a reference signal through the hardware path and a timing when the reference signal is provided to the controller through the hardware path, and
wherein the distance is a distance between an output unit for transmitting the first sound wave and an input unit for receiving the second sound wave.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1,
wherein the determining of the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus comprises:
determining a first distance value between a first output unit and the second apparatus based on the difference and the delay period;
transmitting a third sound wave by using a second output unit;
determining a second distance value between the second output unit and the second apparatus based on a first value and a second value;
determining the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus based on the first distance value and the second distance value; and
determining a direction from the first apparatus to the second apparatus based on the first distance value and the second distance value,
wherein the first value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first apparatus initiates a transmission of the third sound wave and a timing when the first apparatus receives the second sound wave, and
wherein the second value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the second apparatus initiates a transmission of the second sound wave and a timing when the second apparatus receives the third sound wave.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, to the second apparatus, a signal for indicating an initialization of a measurement of the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus before transmitting the first sound wave.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the delay period based on an application being executed in the first apparatus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, from a third apparatus receiving the first sound wave and the information, a third sound wave; and
determining another distance between the first apparatus and the third apparatus based on the delay period and a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is transmitted by the first apparatus and a timing when the third sound wave is received by the first apparatus,
wherein the third sound wave is transmitted at when the delay period elapses after the first sound wave is received by the third apparatus, and
wherein transmitting the information for the delay period comprises broadcasting the information for the delay period.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
if the determined distance is not within the threshold, transmitting, to the second apparatus, another wireless signal to control the second apparatus to log out in the measurement cycle,
wherein the determination of the distance and the determination of whether the determined distance is within the threshold or not are performed periodically.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
if the determined distance is within the threshold, transmitting, to the second apparatus, a first wireless signal to request information for an access point (AP) associated with the second apparatus; and
receiving, from the second apparatus, the information; and
performing an auto-setup with the AP based on the received information,
wherein the first apparatus is unavailable to display a user interface (UI) for connecting the AP.

### Claim 10

A first apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to determine a delay period based on diffraction effect caused by a wavelength of a first sound wave and a wavelength of a second sound wave in a measurement cycle of a distance between the first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein the delay period is a difference period between a timing when the first sound wave is received by the second apparatus and a timing when the second sound wave is transmitted by the second apparatus;
at least one transceiver configured to transmit, to the second apparatus, information for the delay period;
an output unit configured to transmit, to the second apparatus, the first sound wave; and
an input unit configured to receive, from the second apparatus, the second sound wave that is transmitted at when the delay period elapses after the first sound wave is received by the second apparatus,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
determine the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus based on the delay period and a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is transmitted by the first apparatus and a timing when the second sound wave is received by the first apparatus in the measurement cycle, wherein an error of the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus is within one meter,
determine whether the determined distance is within a threshold during the measurement cycle, and
control the transceiver to transmit, to the second apparatus, a wireless signal to control the second apparatus to log on when the determined distance is within the threshold during the measurement cycle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to record the received first sound wave and the received second sound wave,
wherein the difference is determined by adding a first difference value to a second difference value,
wherein the first difference value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first apparatus initiates a transmission of the first sound wave and a timing when the first apparatus receives the first sound wave, and
wherein the second difference value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is recorded and a timing when the second sound wave is recorded.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The first apparatus of claim 11,
wherein the first difference value is determined by compensating a system delay through a hardware path,
wherein the system delay is determined based on a distance and a difference between a timing when the at least one processor initiates a command to transmit a reference signal through the hardware path and a timing when the reference signal is provided to the at least one processor through the hardware path, and
wherein the distance is a distance between the output unit and the input unit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:
a second output unit configured to transmit a third sound wave,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine a first distance value between the output unit and the second apparatus based on the difference and the delay period,
determine a second distance value between the second output unit and the second apparatus based on a first value and a second value,
determine the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus based on the first distance value and the second distance value, and
determine a direction from the first apparatus to the second apparatus based on the first distance value and the second distance value,
wherein the first value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the first apparatus initiates a transmission of the third sound wave and a timing when the first apparatus receives the second sound wave, and
wherein the second value corresponds to a difference between a timing when the second apparatus initiates a transmission of the second sound wave and a timing when the second apparatus receives the third sound wave.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one transceiver,
wherein the at least one transceiver is configured to a signal for indicating an initialization of a measurement of the distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus before transmitting the first sound wave.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine the delay period based on an application being executed in the first apparatus.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the input unit is further configured to receive, from a third apparatus receiving the first sound wave and the information, a third sound wave, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine another distance between the first apparatus and the third apparatus based on the delay period and a difference between a timing when the first sound wave is transmitted by the first apparatus and a timing when the third sound wave is received by the first apparatus,
wherein the third sound wave is transmitted at when the delay period elapses after the first sound wave is received by the third apparatus, and
wherein transmitting the information for the delay period comprises broadcasting the information for the delay period.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to transmit another wireless signal to control the second apparatus to log out if the determined distance is not within the threshold, and
wherein the determination of the distance and the determination of whether the determined distance is within the threshold or not are performed periodically.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The first apparatus of claim 10,
wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to:
transmit, to the second apparatus, a first wireless signal to request information for an access point (AP) associated with the second apparatus if the determined distance is within the threshold; and
receive, from the second apparatus, the information,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform an auto-setup with the AP based on the received information, and
wherein the first apparatus is unavailable to display a user interface (UI) for connecting the AP.