Wireless Earphone Antennas
    11.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20190103661A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-04-04

    申请号:US15721532

    申请日:2017-09-29

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device such as a wireless earbud may have antenna structures that are configured to form one or more antenna portions or antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. The device may include control circuitry that is configured to selectively activate one or more antennas or antenna portions to transmit and receive wireless signals for the device. The device may include sensor circuitry that provide sensor data to the control circuitry. The control circuitry may use the sensor data to select and activate an optimal antenna based on the orientation of the earbud or the environment of the device. The antennas may be formed on opposing sides of a housing for the device. By providing configurable antenna structures, the device may be configured to adapt to the current environment and efficiently perform communications operations.

    Next-Generation Ultra-Wideband Frame Formats
    12.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240113742A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-04-04

    申请号:US18464349

    申请日:2023-09-11

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H04B1/71632 H04B1/719

    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented to transmit fragmented communication frames, such as fragmented ultra-wideband (UWB) frames. In some implementations, a communication frame may be divided into a plurality of fragments, and the fragments may be transmitted across a plurality of regulatory test intervals. E.g., each fragment may be transmitted within a mutually-exclusive regulatory test interval. In some implementations, each fragment may be constrained in time and/or transmission power, such that the total energy emitted during transmission of the fragment remains within a maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval, e.g., by a regulatory entity. In some implementations, the sum of the energy emitted during transmission of two or more fragments may exceed the maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval.

    Announcing UWB / NBA-UWB-MMS ranging rounds via narrowband-based advertisements

    公开(公告)号:US11815616B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-11-14

    申请号:US17453163

    申请日:2021-11-01

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G01S5/0284 H04B1/713 H04W64/006 H04W72/0446 H01Q5/25

    Abstract: Techniques are provided for utilizing a hybrid of ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband (NB) signaling to provide more efficient operating range and operating efficiency. In one example, a first subsystem of a first device may determine parameter data for a ranging round (e.g., UWB and/or NB-assisted (NBA) UWB multi-millisecond (MMS) ranging), and transmit the parameter data to a second subsystem of the first device. The parameter data may indicate a first time associated with a first time domain for performing ranging. The second subsystem may determine a second time based on the first time, whereby the second time is associated with a second time domain for performing NB signaling (e.g., via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol). The first device may transmit via an NB signal an advertisement packet that indicates the second time. The first device may then initiate the ranging round at the first time.

    SIGNALING TECHNIQUES USING FRAGMENTED AND MULTI-PARTITIONED UWB PACKETS

    公开(公告)号:US20220141657A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-05

    申请号:US17453165

    申请日:2021-11-01

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Techniques are provided for utilizing a hybrid of ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband (NB) signaling to provide more efficient operating range and operating efficiency. In one example, a first device may transmit a first packet via an NB signal to a second device, whereby the first packet comprises information indicating to the second device a time period for reception of a second (UWB) packet. In this example, the second packet may comprise a first partition and a second partition, whereby the first partition comprises a first plurality of fragments and the second partition comprising a second plurality of fragments. The respective fragments of each plurality of fragments may be transmitted via a UWB signal. The first device may then transmit the first plurality of fragments, and then subsequently transmit the second plurality of fragments to the second device, the first and second pluralities respectively being associated with different fragment types.

    ANNOUNCING UWB / NBA-UWB-MMS RANGING ROUNDS VIA NARROWBAND-BASED ADVERTISEMENTS

    公开(公告)号:US20220137177A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-05

    申请号:US17453163

    申请日:2021-11-01

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Techniques are provided for utilizing a hybrid of ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband (NB) signaling to provide more efficient operating range and operating efficiency. In one example, a first subsystem of a first device may determine parameter data for a ranging round (e.g., UWB and/or NB-assisted (NBA) UWB multi-millisecond (MMS) ranging), and transmit the parameter data to a second subsystem of the first device. The parameter data may indicate a first time associated with a first time domain for performing ranging. The second subsystem may determine a second time based on the first time, whereby the second time is associated with a second time domain for performing NB signaling (e.g., via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol). The first device may transmit via an NB signal an advertisement packet that indicates the second time. The first device may then initiate the ranging round at the first time.

    Next-Generation Ultra-Wideband Frame Formats

    公开(公告)号:US20220131568A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-28

    申请号:US17573261

    申请日:2022-01-11

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented to transmit fragmented communication frames, such as fragmented ultra-wideband (UWB) frames. In some implementations, a communication frame may be divided into a plurality of fragments, and the fragments may be transmitted across a plurality of regulatory test intervals. E.g., each fragment may be transmitted within a mutually-exclusive regulatory test interval. In some implementations, each fragment may be constrained in time and/or transmission power, such that the total energy emitted during transmission of the fragment remains within a maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval, e.g., by a regulatory entity. In some implementations, the sum of the energy emitted during transmission of two or more fragments may exceed the maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval.

    Next-generation ultra-wideband frame formats

    公开(公告)号:US11239881B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-02-01

    申请号:US17160688

    申请日:2021-01-28

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented to transmit fragmented communication frames, such as fragmented ultra-wideband (UWB) frames. In some implementations, a communication frame may be divided into a plurality of fragments, and the fragments may be transmitted across a plurality of regulatory test intervals. E.g., each fragment may be transmitted within a mutually-exclusive regulatory test interval. In some implementations, each fragment may be constrained in time and/or transmission power, such that the total energy emitted during transmission of the fragment remains within a maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval, e.g., by a regulatory entity. In some implementations, the sum of the energy emitted during transmission of two or more fragments may exceed the maximum energy limit defined for the regulatory test interval.

    Ultra wideband secure ranging
    19.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11184153B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-11-23

    申请号:US16459733

    申请日:2019-07-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are presented to generate, and verify reception of, ultra wideband (UWB) communications, e.g., to perform secure UWB ranging. Verifier and prover messages may be encoded on top of random cryptographically secure training sequence (STS) of pulses, organized in blocks such that a given block corresponds to a given message bit. In some scenarios, a first STS may be encoded using a verifier message not known to a recipient device. A second STS may be received from the recipient device, encoded with an unknown prover message. A third STS may also be received, encoded with an authentication message generated using the verifier message and the authentication message. Verification of the authentication message can therefore confirm that the recipient device received the first STS, and that the recipient device is the authentic source of the second STS. Thus, the second STS may be relied upon, e.g., for ranging calculations.

    Method for antenna occlusion detection

    公开(公告)号:US11115138B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-09-07

    申请号:US16788209

    申请日:2020-02-11

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for detecting obstruction of a device's antenna(s) and then changing an operation of the device. A transmission time at which an antenna of an electronic device transmitted a signal can be identified. A response signal can be detected that was received at a receiver of the electronic device subsequent to the transmission time. Based on the response signal and on the transmission time, one or more response-signal characteristics can be determined. Based on the one or more response-signal characteristics, it can be determined that the antenna or that another antenna of the electronic device is at least partly blocked from emitting or receiving signals. In response to determining that the antenna is at least partly blocked, a changed type of operation can be identified, and the changed type of operation can be performed.

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