Wireless distance measuring methods, devices and systems with validated measurement communications

A wireless device, comprising:

• timer circuits configured to generate local time values;
• controller circuits configured to
• generate a key,
• generate a measurement request message that includes a corresponding integrity code (IC) and indicates a request to begin time measurement operations with another wireless device,
• generate a second measurement message for transmission to the other wireless device at a local time value t3 that includes a corresponding IC
• generate a fourth measurement message that includes a corresponding IC and at least the local time value t3 and a local time value t6 corresponding to a time of arrival of a previous third measurement message,
• generate the ICs by executing arithmetic-logic operations on at least a portion of the corresponding measurement request or measurement message with the key,
• execute a validation operation on received first and third measurement messages by executing the arithmetic-logic operation on at least a portion of each received measurement message with the key, the received third measurement message including remote time value t1 corresponding to a time of departure for the received first measurement message and a remote time value t4 corresponding to a time of arrival for the third measurement message, and
• determine a local distance value corresponding to a distance between the wireless device and the other wireless device with local time values t2 and t3 and remote time values t1 and t4, where t2 corresponds to a time of arrival for the first measurement message;
• and
• wireless circuits, compatible with at least one wireless communication protocol, configured to transmit the measurement request message and the second and fourth measurement messages, and receive the first and third measurement messages;
• wherein
• at least the first and third measurement messages are transmitted according to a wireless standard that does not encrypt the entire message.

A system, comprising:

• a first wireless device configured to
• generate first device time values,
• generate a key,
• transmit a measurement request message that includes a corresponding integrity code (IC) and indicates a request for time measurement values from another wireless device,
• transmit a second measurement message for transmission to the other wireless device at a device time value t3,
• transmit a fourth measurement messages that includes a corresponding IC and the device time value t3 and a device time value t6 corresponding to a time of arrival of a previous third measurement message,
• generate the ICs by executing arithmetic-logic operations on at least a portion of the corresponding measurement request or measurement message with the key,
• execute a validation operation on received first and third measurement messages by executing the arithmetic-logic operation on at least a portion of each received measurement message with the key, the received third measurement message including second device time value t1 corresponding to a time of departure for the received first measurement message and second device time value t4 corresponding to a time of arrival for the third measurement message, and
• determine a first distance value with first device time values t2 and t3 and second device time values t1 and t4, where t2 corresponds to a time of arrival for the first measurement message, the first distance value corresponding to a distance between the first wireless device and the other wireless device;
• and
• a first antenna system configured to wirelessly transmit measurement request messages and measurement messages and wirelessly receive incoming measurement messages;
• wherein at least the first and third measurement messages are transmitted according to a wireless standard that does not encrypt the entire message.