PROXIMITY DETECTION OF INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) DEVICES USING SOUND CHIRPS

摘要

In an embodiment, a connection is established between first and second Internet of Things (IoT) devices. After a determination is made to execute a proximity detection procedure, the second IoT device outputs an audio emission and a data packet at substantially the same time. The first IoT device detects the audio emission via a microphone and receives the data packet. The first IoT device uses correlation information to correlate the detected audio emission with the data packet, whereby the correlation information is contained in the detected audio emission, the data packet or both. The first IoT device uses the correlation between the detected audio emission and the data packet to calculate a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices.

主权项

1. A method of operating a first Internet of Things (IoT) device that is configured to determine a proximity to a second IoT device, comprising:
establishing a connection with the second IoT device; determining to execute a proximity detection procedure with the second IoT device; monitoring, via a microphone coupled to the first IoT device, for an audio emission over a first communication path from the second IoT device in response to the determination; receiving, at a first time point, a data packet that is transmitted by the second IoT device over a second communication path at substantially the same time as the audio emission is emitted by the second IoT device over the first communication path; detecting, at a second time point, the audio emission based on the monitoring; correlating the detected audio emission with the data packet based upon (i) first correlation information that is contained within the detected audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the detected audio emission; and calculating a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based at least in part upon the second time point.