Short-range wireless distance ranging

An integrated circuit for use in a short-range communication reflector device, the integrated circuit comprising:

• a processor;
• a tone generator electrically coupled to the processor;
• and
• a power amplifier electrically coupled to both the processor and the tone generator;
• wherein:
• the processor is configured to process an incoming tone signal and determine a tone quality indicator, TQI, of the incoming tone signal;
• the tone generator is configured to generate an outgoing tone signal;
• and
• the processor is configured to instruct the power amplifier to modulate an amplitude of the outgoing tone signal based on the determined TQI.

An integrated circuit for use in a short-range communication reflector device, the integrated circuit comprising:

• a processor;
• a packet generator electrically coupled to the processor, the packet generator comprising a tone generator and a packet modulator;
• and
• a power amplifier electrically coupled to both the processor and the tone generator;
• wherein:
• the processor is configured to process an incoming distance-ranging packet and determine a packet quality indicator, PQI, of the incoming distance-ranging packet;
• the packet generator is configured to generate an outgoing distance-ranging packet;
• and
• the processor is configured to instruct the power amplifier to modulate an amplitude of the outgoing distance-ranging packet based on the determined PQI.

A method for performing short-range wireless distance ranging, comprising for each channel of a plurality of channels:

• receiving, at a reflector, at least one of an incoming tone signal and an incoming distance-ranging packet;
• determining, at the reflector, at least one of a tone quality indicator, TQI, of the incoming tone signal and a packet quality indicator, PQI, of the incoming distance-ranging packet;
• modulating, at the reflector, at least one of an amplitude of an outgoing tone signal based on the determined TQI and an amplitude of an outgoing distance-ranging packet based on the determined PQI;
• and
• transmitting, from the reflector to an initiator, at least one of the amplitude modulated outgoing tone signal and the amplitude modulated outgoing distance-ranging packet.