# US 2021/0278527 A1 · Radio frequency (rf)-based ranging and imaging in a wireless communications circuit, particularly for a wireless communications system (wcs)

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- Number: US 2021/0278527 A1
- Document ID: US20210278527A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/809,242
- Filed: 2020-03-04
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04
- Assignees: Corning Research & Development Corporation
- Applicants: Corning Research & Development Corporation
- Inventors: Siddhartha Dhananjaya Kundalkar; Brenndon Byung-Taek Lee; Farhan Aslam Qazi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278527A1

## CPC

- G01S 13/89: for mapping or imaging
- G01S 7/006: {using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas (G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence)}
- G01S 13/878: {Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence)}
- H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services
- 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
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Radio frequency (RF)-based ranging and imaging in a wireless communications circuit, particularly for a wireless communications system (WCS) is provided. The wireless communications circuit includes an antenna circuit configured to radiate an RF probing signal in a number of directions in a wireless communications cell and receives a number of RF reflection signals corresponding to the RF probing signal. A radar signal processing (RSP) circuit is configured to process the RF reflection signals to detect an obstacle(s) in the wireless communications cell and generate a surrounding image that includes the detected obstacle(s). By generating the surrounding image of the wireless communications cell, it may be possible to detect the obstacle(s) that was not accounded for in an initial deployment design. As a result, it may be possible to adjust a remote unit(s) incorporating the wireless communications circuit to improve RF coverage, throughput, and/or capacity in the wireless communications cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wireless communications circuit, comprising:
an antenna circuit configured to:
radiate a radio frequency (RF) probing signal in a plurality of radiation directions in a wireless communications cell; and
absorb a plurality of RF reflection signals corresponding to the RF probing signal radiated in the plurality of radiation directions;
an RF front-end circuit configured to convert the plurality of RF reflection signals into a plurality of digital reflection signals, respectively; and
a radar signal processing (RSP) circuit configured to:
process the plurality of digital reflection signals based on timing and directionality information related to the RF probing signal to detect one or more obstacles in the wireless communications cell; and
generate a surrounding image of the wireless communications cell comprising the one or more detected obstacles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 1, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to determine and eliminate a redundant digital reflection signal among the plurality of digital reflection signals that corresponds to a multi-pathed RF reflection signal among the plurality of RF reflection signals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 1 mounted on a mobility platform, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to:
determine an updated position based on the surrounding image; and
command the mobility platform to reposition the wireless communications circuit from a present position to the updated position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 3, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to:
identify the one or more obstacles in the surrounding image; and
determine the updated position based on the one or more identified obstacles.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 1, further comprising a digital signal processing (DSP) circuit configured to provide the timing and directionality information to the RSP circuit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 5, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to:
receive a digital signal from a central unit coupled to the wireless communications circuit;
extract the timing and directionality information from the digital signal; and
provide the timing and directionality information to the RSP circuit; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the digital signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 6, wherein the antenna circuit comprises an antenna array configured to form a plurality of RF beams to radiate the RF probing signal in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 7, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to receive the digital signal comprising a digital beam discovery signal; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the digital beam discovery signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 7, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to receive the digital signal comprising a downlink digital communications signal; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the downlink digital communications signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 6, wherein the antenna circuit comprises a directional antenna configured to radiate the RF probing signal in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The wireless communications circuit of claim 10, further comprising an omnidirectional antenna configured to:
radiate a downlink RF communications signal different from the RF probing signal; and
absorb an uplink RF communications signal different from the plurality of RF reflection signals.

### Claim 12

A method for performing radio frequency (RF)-based ranging and imaging in a wireless communications circuit, comprising:
radiating an RF probing signal in a plurality of radiation directions in a wireless communications cell;
absorbing a plurality of RF reflection signals corresponding to the RF probing signal radiated in the plurality of radiation directions;
converting the plurality of RF reflection signals into a plurality of digital reflection signals, respectively;
processing the plurality of digital reflection signals based on timing and directionality information related to the RF probing signal to detect one or more obstacles in the wireless communications cell; and
generating a surrounding image of the wireless communications cell comprising the one or more detected obstacles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising determining and eliminating a redundant digital reflection signal among the plurality of digital reflection signals that corresponds to a multi-pathed RF reflection signal among the plurality of RF reflection signals.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining an updated position based on the surrounding image; and
repositioning the wireless communications circuit from a present position to the updated position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
identifying the one or more obstacles in the surrounding image; and
determining the updated position based on the one or more identified obstacles.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving a digital signal from a central unit coupled to the wireless communications circuit;
extracting the timing and directionality information from the digital signal; and
converting the digital signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising forming a plurality of RF beams via an antenna array to radiate the RF probing signal in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
receiving the digital signal comprising a digital beam discovery signal; and
converting the digital beam discovery signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
receiving the digital signal comprising a downlink digital communications signal; and
converting the downlink digital communications signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising radiating the RF probing signal via a directional antenna in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell.

### Claim 21

A wireless communications system (WCS), comprising:
a central unit; and
a plurality of remote units coupled to the central unit via a plurality of communications mediums, wherein at least one remote unit among the plurality of remote units comprises a wireless communications circuit, the wireless communications circuit comprising:
an antenna circuit configured to:
radiate a radio frequency (RF) probing signal in a plurality of radiation directions in a wireless communications cell; and
absorb a plurality of RF reflection signals corresponding to the RF probing signal radiated in the plurality of radiation directions;
an RF front-end circuit configured to convert the plurality of RF reflection signals into a plurality of digital reflection signals, respectively; and
a radar signal processing (RSP) circuit configured to:
process the plurality of digital reflection signals based on timing and directionality information related to the RF probing signal to detect one or more obstacles in the wireless communications cell; and
generate a surrounding image of the wireless communications cell comprising the one or more detected obstacles.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The WCS of claim 21, wherein the central unit comprises a fusion processor configured to:
receive the surrounding image from the RSP circuit in the at least one remote unit; and
generate an environmental map of the WCS based on the surrounding image received from the RSP circuit.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The WCS of claim 22, wherein the fusion processor is further configured to communicate the environmental map to the RSP circuit in the at least one remote unit.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The WCS of claim 21, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to determine and eliminate a redundant digital reflection signal among the plurality of digital reflection signals that corresponds to a multi-pathed RF reflection signal among the plurality of RF reflection signals.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The WCS of claim 21, wherein the wireless communications circuit is mounted on a mobility platform, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to:
determine an updated position based on the surrounding image; and
command the mobility platform to reposition the wireless communications circuit from a present position to the updated position.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The WCS of claim 25, wherein the RSP circuit is further configured to:
identify the one or more obstacles in the surrounding image; and
determine the updated position based on the one or more identified obstacles.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The WCS of claim 21, wherein the wireless communications circuit further comprises a digital signal processing (DSP) circuit configured to provide the timing and directionality information to the RSP circuit.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The WCS of claim 27, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to:
receive a digital signal from the central unit;
extract the timing and directionality information from the digital signal; and
provide the timing and directionality information to the RSP circuit; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the digital signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The WCS of claim 28, wherein the antenna circuit comprises an antenna array configured to form a plurality of RF beams to radiate the RF probing signal in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell, respectively.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The WCS of claim 29, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to receive the digital signal comprising a digital beam discovery signal; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the digital beam discovery signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The WCS of claim 29, wherein:
the DSP circuit is further configured to receive the digital signal comprising a downlink digital communications signal; and
the RF front-end circuit is further configured to convert the downlink digital communications signal into the RF probing signal.

### Claim 32 (depends on 28)

The WCS of claim 28, wherein the antenna circuit comprises a directional antenna configured to radiate the RF probing signal in the plurality of radiation directions in the wireless communications cell.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The WCS of claim 32, wherein the wireless communications circuit further comprises an omnidirectional antenna configured to:
radiate a downlink RF communications signal different from the RF probing signal; and
absorb an uplink RF communications signal different from the plurality of RF reflection signals.

### Claim 34 (depends on 21)

The WCS of claim 21, wherein:
the central unit comprises a digital routing unit (DRU) configured to:
distribute a plurality of downlink digital communications signals to the plurality of remote units via the plurality of communications mediums, respectively; and
receive a plurality of uplink digital communications signals from the plurality of remote units via the plurality of communications mediums, respectively; and
the plurality of remote units is configured to:
receive the plurality of downlink digital communications signals from the DRU;
convert the plurality of downlink digital communications signals into a plurality of downlink RF communications signals, respectively;
communicate the plurality of downlink RF communications signals in a plurality of wireless communications cells, respectively;
receive a plurality of uplink RF communications signals from the plurality of wireless communications cells, respectively;
convert the plurality of uplink RF communications signals into the plurality of uplink digital communications signals, respectively; and
provide the plurality of uplink digital communications signals to the DRU via the plurality of communications mediums, respectively.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The WCS of claim 34, wherein:
the plurality of communications mediums is provided as a plurality of optical fiber-based communications mediums, respectively;
the central unit further comprises:
a plurality of electrical-to-optical (E/O) converters configured to convert the plurality of downlink digital communications signals into a plurality of downlink optical communications signals for distribution to the plurality of remote units; and
a plurality of optical-to-electrical (O/E) converters configured to convert a plurality of uplink optical communications signals into the plurality of uplink digital communications signals; and
the plurality of remote units comprises:
a plurality of remote unit O/E converters configured to convert the plurality of downlink optical communications signals into the plurality of downlink digital communications signals; and
a plurality of remote unit E/O converters configured to convert the plurality of uplink digital communications signals into the plurality of uplink optical communications signals.