# US 11,445,507 B2 · Communication devices and methods for RF-based communication and position determination > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,507 B2 - Document ID: US11445507B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/065,546 - Filed: 2020-10-08 - Published: 2021-04-01 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-09 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Thomas Handte; Dana Ciochina; Daniel Schneider; Nabil Sven Loghin; Ben Eitel; Felix Fellhauer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445507B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/046: {the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams} - G01S 5/0273: {using multipath or indirect path propagation signals in position determination} - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - 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 - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Communication devices and corresponding methods for RF-based communication and position determination are disclosed. An initiator communication device (1) comprises an antenna unit (10) configured to transmit and receive RF signals, a beamforming unit (11) configured to perform beamforming and to control the antenna unit to transmit and/or receive RF signals using one or more selected beams, a control unit (12) configured to control the beamforming unit (11) in a training phase to perform beamforming for determining an initiator line of sight, LOS, beam to a responder communication device (2), and a processing unit (13) configured to determine the initiator LOS beam and/or initiator angular information of the initiator LOS beam and to determine the position of said communication device using the determined initiator LOS beam and/or initiator angular information in a measurement phase. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication device for RF-based communication, said communication device comprising: an antenna configured to transmit and receive RF signals, and circuitry configured to perform beamforming and control the antenna to transmit and/or receive RF signals using one or more selected beams, perform signaling, using the antenna, to initiate a training phase, and in the training phase, perform beamforming for determining an antenna weight vector (AWV) of a line of sight (LOS) path to a responder communication device by evaluating a time of flight of RF signals transmitted to the responder communication device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine an angle of arrival and/or an angle of departure of the LOS path as angular information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine the AWV of the LOS path by determining the beam resulting in the minimum time of flight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the beamforming in the training phase by performing a first sector sweep, during which RF signals are transmitted with different beams or with an omnidirectional beam pattern, and one or more further sector sweeps, during which RF signals are received and/or transmitted with different beams or with an omnidirectional beam pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the antenna in a measurement phase to exchange RF signals with the responder communication device via a communication channel using the LOS path, determine a time of flight of the RF signals exchanged with the responder communication device in the measurement phase, and determine a position of the communication device from the determined time of flight and/or angular information of the LOS path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive responder angular information of a responder LOS beam of the responder communication device that corresponds to the LOS path between the communication device and the responder communication device and to additionally use the responder angular information for determining the position of the communication device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive and use an angle of arrival and an angle of departure of the responder LOS beam as the responder angular information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the circuitry is configured to obtain responder position and/or orientation information of the responder communication device and to additionally use the obtained responder position information for determining the position of the communication device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the anter na to apply a fine time measurement (FTM) procedure in the measurement phase for exchanging the RF signals with the responder communication device, said exchanged RF signals including time information allowing the circuitry to determine the time of flight of the exchanged IAF signals. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the antenna to embed the time information and/or angular information in FTM frames and/or in one or more training subfields appended to FTM frames of the exchanged RE signals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the antenna in the measurement phase to append training subfields to FTM frames and to exchange at least the last training subfield with the responder communication device via the communication channel using the LOS path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The communication device as claimed in claim 5, comprising at least two RF chains, each connected to at least two antennas separated in space, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate a time of arrival difference of RF signals received at said at least two antennas to compute angular orientation of the communication device with respect to the responder communication device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control the anter na in a measurement phase to exchange RF signals with the responder communication device via a communication channel using the LOS path, determine a time of flight of the RF signals exchanged with the responder communication device in the measurement phase, and receive a position of the communication device determined by an external entity from the determined time of flight and/or angular information of the LOS path. ### Claim 14 A communication method for use by an initiator communication device for RF-based communication with a responder communication device, said communication method comprising: performing signaling to initiate a training phase, and controlling the initiator communication device to perform beamforming, in the training phase for determining an antenna weight vector (AWV) of a line of sight (LOS) path from the initiator communication device to the responder communication device by evaluating a time of flight of RF signals transmitted to the responder communication device. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium for use by an initiator communication device for RF-based communication with a responder communication device, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by circuitry of the initiator communication device, control the circuitry to perform a method comprising: performing signaling to initiate a training phase, and controlling the initiator communication device to perform beamforming in the training phase for determining an antenna weight vector (AWV) of a line of sight (LOS) path from the initiator communication device to the responder communication device by evaluating a time of flight of RF signals transmitted to the responder communication device.