Scalable and distributed inter-cluster coordination in uwb

A Global-Anchor of a network of ultra-wideband (UWB) anchors, the Global-Anchor comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a memory;
• and
• one or more processors communicatively coupled with the transceiver and the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
• obtain metric information regarding the network of UWB anchors, wherein:
• the network of UWB anchors comprises a plurality of clusters and a plurality of initiator anchors (Init-Anchors),
• each cluster comprises a corresponding Init-Anchor,
• the metric information comprises a centrality metric value of each Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors, the centrality metric value of a respective Init-Anchor being indicative of a number of hops of the respective Init-Anchor to other UWB anchors in the network, and
• the metric information is included in or derived from information communicated from the plurality of Init-Anchors to the Global-Anchor in a first control phase of the network of UWB anchors;
• determine a slot schedule for a second control phase of the network of UWB anchors, wherein:
• determining the slot schedule is based on the centrality metric values of the plurality of Init-Anchors;
• the slot schedule comprises an allocation of time slots of the second control phase among the plurality of Init-Anchors for wireless radio frequency (RF) communication;
• and
• the allocation of time slots includes a first set of time slots for upstream communication followed by a second set of time slots for downstream communication;
• and
• send the slot schedule via the transceiver to an Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for inter-cluster coordination in ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning, the instructions comprising code for:

• obtaining metric information at a Global-Anchor for a network of UWB anchors comprising a plurality of clusters and a plurality of initiator anchors (Init-Anchors), wherein:
• each cluster comprises a corresponding Init-Anchor,
• the metric information comprises a centrality metric value of each Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors, the centrality metric value of a respective Init-Anchor being indicative of a number of hops of the respective Init-Anchor to other UWB anchors in the network, and
• the metric information is included in or derived from information communicated from the plurality of Init-Anchors to the Global-Anchor in a first control phase of the network of UWB anchors;
• determining, with the Global-Anchor, a slot schedule for a second control phase of the network of UWB anchors, wherein:
• determining the slot schedule is based on the centrality metric values of the plurality of Init-Anchors;
• the slot schedule comprises an allocation of time slots of the second control phase among the plurality of Init-Anchors for wireless radio frequency (RF) communication;
• and
• the allocation of time slots includes a first set of time slots for upstream communication followed by a second set of time slots for downstream communication;
• and
• sending the slot schedule from the Global-Anchor to an Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors.

An apparatus for inter-cluster coordination in ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning, the apparatus comprising:

• means for obtaining metric information at a Global-Anchor for a network of UWB anchors comprising a plurality of clusters and a plurality of initiator anchors (Init-Anchors), wherein:
• each cluster comprises a corresponding Init-Anchor,
• the metric information comprises a centrality metric value of each Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors, the centrality metric value of a respective Init-Anchor being indicative of a number of hops of the respective Init-Anchor to other UWB anchors in the network, and
• the metric information is included in or derived from information communicated from the plurality of Init-Anchors to the Global-Anchor in a first control phase of the network of UWB anchors;
• means for determining, with the Global-Anchor, a slot schedule for a second control phase of the network of UWB anchors, wherein:
• determining the slot schedule is based on the centrality metric values of the plurality of Init-Anchors;
• the slot schedule comprises an allocation of time slots of the second control phase among the plurality of Init-Anchors for wireless radio frequency (RF) communication;
• and
• the allocation of time slots includes a first set of time slots for upstream communication followed by a second set of time slots for downstream communication;
• and
• means for sending the slot schedule from the Global-Anchor to an Init-Anchor of the plurality of Init-Anchors.