Ultrasonic device coexistence

A sensor processing unit comprising:

• an ultrasonic sensor configured to repeatedly emit ultrasonic pulses during transmit periods which are interspersed with receive periods, where returned signals corresponding to the emitted ultrasonic pulses are received by the ultrasonic sensor during the receive periods;
• and
• a sensor processor coupled with the ultrasonic sensor and configured to:
• direct, by the sensor processor, the ultrasonic sensor to listen during a listening window for a potentially interfering ultrasonic signal from a second ultrasonic sensor, wherein the listening window is prior to a transmit period of the transmit periods;
• and
• responsive to detecting the potentially interfering ultrasonic signal during a listening window, the processor adjusts operation of the ultrasonic sensor to avoid an ultrasonic collision with the second ultrasonic sensor to facilitate coexistence of the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor in an operating environment shared by the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor.

A method of operating an ultrasonic sensor to facilitate coexistence with other ultrasonic sensors in an operating environment of the ultrasonic sensor, the method comprising:

• listening, by the ultrasonic sensor, during a listening window for a potentially interfering ultrasonic signal from a second ultrasonic sensor, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is configured to repeatedly emit ultrasonic pulses during transmit periods which are interspersed with receive periods, where returned ultrasonic signals corresponding to the emitted ultrasonic pulses are received by the ultrasonic sensor during the receive periods, and wherein the listening window is prior to a transmit period of the transmit periods;
• responsive to detecting an interfering ultrasonic signal during the listening window, adjusting operation of the ultrasonic sensor to avoid an ultrasonic collision with the second ultrasonic sensor to facilitate coexistence of the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor in an operating environment shared by the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor;
• and
• responsive to an absence of detection of any interfering ultrasonic signals for a predetermined time period, proceeding with the emitting of the ultrasonic pulses and the receiving of the returned ultrasonic signals without the adjusting of operation.