Beacon Localization For A Client Device In Wireless Environment Applications

Abstract

A method of operating a transceiver system includes receiving, from a client power receiver, a signal at a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array. The method also includes determining, by at least one of the antenna array and a processor of the transceiver system, and based at least in part on a fixed geometry of the plurality of antenna elements, a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the received signal. The method further includes computing, by the processor and based on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to each antenna element. The method also includes, assigning, by the processor and based on the computed transmission path, a location of the client power receiver in a wireless data transmission and power delivery environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a transceiver system wirelessly communicatively coupled to a client power receiver, the transceiver system including an antenna array, a processor, and a memory, the transceiver system and the client power receiver positioned in an environment, said method comprising:
 receiving, from the client power receiver and at a plurality of elements of the antenna array, a signal, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is positioned relative to one another in a fixed geometry;   determining, by at least one of the processor and the antenna array, and based at least in part on the fixed geometry, a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the signal received at the each element;   computing, by the processor and based on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element; and   assigning, by the processor and based on the computed transmission path, a location of the client power receiver in the environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 storing in the memory the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic; 
 monitoring, by the processor, a plurality of determined values of the at least one waveform characteristic determined multiple times over a period of time commencing when the client power receiver is initially positioned at a first location in the environment; and 
 detecting, by the processor and based on the monitoring, a relocation of the client power receiver from the first location to a second location different from the first location. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing in the memory the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, wherein computing a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element comprises:
 computing and storing in the memory, and based on the stored value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a value of a range from the each element to the client power receiver; and 
 calculating and storing in the memory, and based on at least one of the stored value of the range and the stored value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a reciprocal vector direction from the each element to the client power receiver. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein no more than two elements in the fixed geometry are positioned in the environment equidistant from the client power receiver, and wherein:
 determining a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the signal comprises determining and storing in the memory a value of an initial time of arrival (TOA) of the signal at the each element; and   computing a value of the range comprises computing the value of the range based on the value of the initial TOA.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 determining and storing in the memory, by at least one of the processor and the antenna array, a radiation pattern based at least in part on the value of the range and the reciprocal vector direction; and 
 transmitting a signal from the antenna array to the client power receiver in accordance with the determined radiation pattern. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein assigning a location of the client power receiver in the environment comprises calculating an intersection point, the intersection point defining a location in the environment at which a plurality of line segments at least one of: intersect and meet, distal the antenna array proximate respective line segment endpoints, each line segment of the plurality of line segments drawn from and extending away from the antenna array in a direction substantially equal to the respective reciprocal vector direction, and wherein a length between the each element and a respective line segment endpoint of the plurality of line segment endpoints is substantially equal to a respective computed range value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the environment includes a three-dimensional (3D) space, and wherein:
 determining a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the signal received at the each element comprises determining a value of an angle of arrival (AOA) of the client power signal received at the each element; and   computing a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element further comprises calculating, based on the determined AOA value, a reciprocal vector having x, y, and z direction components,   wherein the each line segment is drawn from and extends away from the antenna array in a direction substantially equal to the reciprocal vector having x, y, and z direction components.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the environment includes a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment, the NLOS environment including at least one reflective surface, wherein the transmission path includes the at least one reflective surface, the signal reflecting from the at least one reflective surface after following a first part path between the client power receiver and the at least one reflective surface, the signal further following a second part path between the at least one reflective surface and the each element, and wherein computing a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element further comprises:
 computing and storing in the memory a value of a first distance between the client power receiver and a respective at least a portion of the at least one reflective surface;   computing and storing in the memory a value of a second distance between the each element and the respective at least a portion of the at least one reflective surface; and   computing and storing in the memory a value of a reflection angle between the first part path and the second part path.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second part paths and a line segment having the each element and the client power receiver as endpoints define a triangular plane, the line segment defining the range, and wherein computing a value of a range from the each element to the client power receiver comprises:
 calculating, using at least one of: one or more trigonometry identities and one or more triangle properties, the length of the line segment based on at least one of the value of the first distance, the value of the second distance, and the value of the reflection angle.   
     
     
         10 . A transceiver system positioned in an environment with a client power receiver, the transceiver system wirelessly communicatively coupled to the client power receiver, said transceiver system comprising:
 an antenna array including a plurality of elements, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is positioned relative to one another in a fixed geometry;   a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory and coupled to the antenna array, the processor configured to:
 direct the each element to receive the signal from the client power receiver; 
 determine, based at least in part on the fixed geometry, a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the signal received at the each element; 
 compute, based on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element; and 
 assign, based on the computed transmission path, a location of the client power receiver in the environment. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a display device coupled to the processor, the display device configured to display, to a user, the assigned location of the client power receiver in the environment. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 store in the memory the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic;   monitor a plurality of determined values of the at least one waveform characteristic determined multiple times over a period of time commencing when the client power receiver is initially positioned at a first location in the environment; and   detect, based on the processor monitoring, a relocation of the client power receiver from the first location to a second location different from the first location.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to store in the memory the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, and wherein, to compute the transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element, the processor is further configured to:
 compute and store in the memory, and based on the stored value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a value of a range from the each element to the client power receiver; and   calculate and store in the memory, and based on at least one of the stored value of the range and the stored value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a reciprocal vector direction from the each element to the client power receiver.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein no more than two elements in the fixed geometry are positioned in the environment equidistant from the client power receiver, and wherein:
 to determine the value of the at least one waveform characteristic of the signal, the processor is further configured to determine and store in the memory a value of an initial time of arrival (TOA) of the signal at the each element; and   to compute the value of the range, the processor is further configured to compute the value of the range based on the value of the initial TOA.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to determine and store in the memory a radiation pattern based at least in part on the value of the range and the reciprocal vector direction; and   the antenna array is configured to transmit a signal to the client power receiver in accordance with the determined radiation pattern.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein, to assign a location of the client power receiver in the environment, the processor is further configured to calculate an intersection point, the intersection point defining a location in the environment at which a plurality of line segments at least one of: intersect and meet, distal the antenna array proximate respective line segment endpoints, each line segment of the plurality of line segments drawn from and extending away from the antenna array in a direction substantially equal to the respective reciprocal vector direction, and wherein a length between the each element and a respective line segment endpoint of the plurality of line segment endpoints is substantially equal to a respective computed range value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the environment includes a three-dimensional (3D) space, and wherein:
 to determine the value of the at least one waveform characteristic of the signal received at the each element, the processor is further configured to determine a value of an angle of arrival (AOA) of the client power signal received at the each element; and   to compute the transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element, the processor is further configured to calculate, based on the determined AOA value, a reciprocal vector having x, y, and z direction components,   wherein the each line segment is drawn from and extends away from the antenna array in a direction substantially equal to the reciprocal vector having x, y, and z direction components.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the environment includes a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment, the NLOS environment including at least one reflective surface, wherein the transmission path includes the at least one reflective surface, the signal reflecting from the at least one reflective surface after following a first part path between the client power receiver and the at least one reflective surface, the signal further following a second part path between the at least one reflective surface and the each element, and wherein, to compute a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element, the processor is further configured to:
 compute and store in the memory a value of a first distance between the client power receiver and a respective at least a portion of the at least one reflective surface;   compute and store in the memory a value of a second distance between the each element and the respective at least a portion of the at least one reflective surface; and   compute and store in the memory a value of a reflection angle between the first part path and the second part path.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second part paths and a line segment having the each element and the client power receiver as endpoints define a triangular plane, the line segment defining the range, and wherein, to compute the value of the range from the each element to the client power receiver, the processor is further configured to:
 calculate, using at least one of: one or more trigonometry identities and one or more triangle properties, the length of the line segment based on at least one of the value of the first distance, the value of the second distance, and the value of the reflection angle.   
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon processor-executable program instructions which, when executed by a processor of a transceiver system including an antenna array coupled to the processor, cause the processor to:
 direct each element of a plurality of elements of the antenna array to receive a signal from a client power receiver;   determine, based at least in part on a fixed geometry at which the each element is positioned relative to one another in the antenna array, a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the signal received at the each element;   compute, based on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic, a transmission path of the signal from the client power receiver to the each element; and   assign, based on the computed transmission path, a location of the client power receiver in an environment in which the transceiver system and the client power receiver are positioned.