Method and apparatus for determining time of flight

A method for measuring a time of flight between a first communication device and a second communication device, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the first communication device, an analog receive signal via a communication medium;
• converting, at an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) of the first communication device, the analog receive signal to a digital receive signal;
• detecting, at logic circuitry of the first communication device, a plurality of timing signals from the second communication device during a time of flight measurement procedure based on analyzing the digital receive signal;
• coupling, with a switch, an output of a phase generator to the ADC during the time of flight measurement procedure;
• coupling, with the switch, a phase control output of a receiver to the ADC during normal operation;
• adjusting, with the phase generator, a sampling phase of the ADC in connection with at least some of the timing signals so that the ADC is using different sampling phases when different ones of the timing signals are detected during the time of flight measurement procedure;
• determining, at the logic circuitry, timing information based on the detection of the plurality of timing signals when the ADC is using different sampling phases when different ones of the timing signals are detected;
• and
• determining, at the first communication device, the time of flight based on the timing information.

A transceiver associated with a first communication device, comprising:

• forward signal generation circuitry configured to generate a digital transmit signal that includes a plurality of forward timing signals;
• a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to generate an analog transmit signal based on the digital transmit signal;
• clock phase adjustment circuitry configured to adjust a phase of a clock provided to the DAC in connection with at least some of the forward timing signals so that the DAC is using different phases of the clock when different ones of the forward timing signals are transmitted;
• driver circuitry configured to transmit the analog transmit signal via the communication medium, wherein each forward timing signal prompts the second communication device to transmit a respective reverse timing signal, and wherein the use by the DAC of the different phases of the clock when different ones of the forward timing signals are transmitted affects timing of respective transmissions of respective ones of the reverse timing signals;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to generate a digital receive signal based on an analog receive signal received via the communication medium;
• timing signal detection circuitry coupled to the ADC, the timing signal detection circuitry configured to detect a plurality of reverse timing signals from the second communication device based on analyzing the digital receive signal;
• timing information determination circuitry configured to determine timing information based on the detection of the plurality of reverse timing signals;
• and
• a processor configured to determine the time of flight based on the timing information.

A method for measuring a time of a flight between a first communication device and a second communication device, the method comprising:

• generating, at the first communication device, a digital transmit signal that includes a plurality of forward timing signals;
• generating, at a digital to analog converter (DAC) of the first communication device, an analog transmit signal based on the digital transmit signal;
• adjusting, at logic circuitry of the first communication device, a phase of a clock provided to the DAC in connection with at least some of the forward timing signals so that the DAC is using different phases of the clock when different ones of the forward timing signals are transmitted;
• transmitting, by the first communication device, the analog transmit signal via the communication medium, wherein each forward timing signal prompts the second communication device to transmit a respective reverse timing signal, and wherein the use by the DAC of the different phases of the clock when different ones of the forward timing signals are transmitted affects timing of respective transmissions of respective ones of the reverse timing signals;
• receiving, at the first communication device, an analog receive signal via the communication medium;
• converting, at an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) of the first communication device, the analog receive signal to a digital receive signal;
• detecting, at the logic circuitry, a plurality of reverse timing signals from the second communication device based on analyzing the digital receive signal;
• determining, at the logic circuitry, timing information based on the detection of the plurality of reverse timing signals;
• and
• determining, at the first communication device, the time of flight based on the timing information.