Ranging method and apparatus with power-optimized ranging mechanism for device positioning

A ranging apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the ranging apparatus to:
• receive a ranging request from a host system to determine a distance between a wireless communication device and a target access point (AP);
• determine whether a ranging mode corresponding to the ranging request is a power-saving ranging mode;
• in response to the ranging request and a determination that the ranging mode is the power-saving ranging mode, determine whether a displacement of the wireless communication device exceeds a predetermined displacement threshold;
• in response to a determination that the displacement does not exceed the predetermined displacement threshold, generate a ranging result indicating the distance with respect to the target AP based on historical ranging results associated with the target AP, and refrain from transmitting range measurement packets to the target AP;
• and
• in response to a determination that the displacement exceeds the predetermined displacement threshold, perform a ranging operation with the target AP to generate the ranging result.