Radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems use readers to query and locate passive RFID tags in stores, warehouses, and other environments. A signal from the reader powers up the tag, which modulates and backscatters the signal toward the reader. The reader or an appliance coupled to the reader can estimate the tag's position based on the angle of arrival (AOA) of the backscattered signal. In some situations, AOA measurements by different readers may yield different position estimates for the same tag. If these position estimates are close enough to each other (e.g., within the expected imprecision or error radius), they can be averaged to improve precision. If not, the appliance can measure the variance or another measure of dispersion for each reader's position estimates, then pick the reader with the lowest dispersion as the preferred or best sensor for locating that tag, improving precision and reducing processing time.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems use readers to query and locate passive RFID tags in stores, warehouses, and other environments. A signal from the reader powers up the tag, which modulates and backscatters the signal toward the reader. The reader or an appliance coupled to the reader can estimate the tag's position based on the angle of arrival (AOA) of the backscattered signal. In some situations, AOA measurements by different readers may yield different position estimates for the same tag. If these position estimates are close enough to each other (e.g., within the expected imprecision or error radius), they can be averaged to improve precision. If not, the appliance can measure the variance or another measure of dispersion for each reader's position estimates, then pick the reader with the lowest dispersion as the preferred or best sensor for locating that tag, improving precision and reducing processing time.

A positioning apparatus (100) includes a temporary position computation unit (120), a two-dimensional position computation unit (140), a three-dimensional position computation unit (150), and a position aggregation unit (160), and executes three-dimensional positioning of a terminal using a relative angle formed by each base station and the terminal. The temporary position computation unit (120) computes a temporary position of the terminal based on observation data. The two-dimensional position computation unit (140) computes a two-dimensional position of the terminal based on the observation data and the temporary position. The three-dimensional position computation unit (150) computes a three-dimensional position of the terminal based on the observation data and the temporary position. The position aggregation unit (160) determines the position of the terminal by aggregating the two-dimensional position and the three-dimensional position.

A positioning apparatus (100) includes a temporary position computation unit (120), a two-dimensional position computation unit (140), a three-dimensional position computation unit (150), and a position aggregation unit (160), and executes three-dimensional positioning of a terminal using a relative angle formed by each base station and the terminal. The temporary position computation unit (120) computes a temporary position of the terminal based on observation data. The two-dimensional position computation unit (140) computes a two-dimensional position of the terminal based on the observation data and the temporary position. The three-dimensional position computation unit (150) computes a three-dimensional position of the terminal based on the observation data and the temporary position. The position aggregation unit (160) determines the position of the terminal by aggregating the two-dimensional position and the three-dimensional position.

A hybrid positioning system for a vehicle includes one or more controllers in wireless communication with a plurality of surrounding vehicles located in an environment surrounding the vehicle and a cellular software defined network including an edge positioning function. The one or more controllers execute instructions to receive, from the plurality of surrounding vehicles, relative position measurements that are each indicative of a position of one of the plurality of surrounding vehicles relative to the vehicle, wherein the relative position measurements are received by the one or more controllers in real-time. The one or more controllers receive a precise global position of the vehicle and the plurality of surrounding vehicles from the edge positioning function of the cellular software defined network, and fuse together the relative position measurements and the precise global position of the vehicle to determine a precise position of the vehicle.

A hybrid positioning system for a vehicle includes one or more controllers in wireless communication with a plurality of surrounding vehicles located in an environment surrounding the vehicle and a cellular software defined network including an edge positioning function. The one or more controllers execute instructions to receive, from the plurality of surrounding vehicles, relative position measurements that are each indicative of a position of one of the plurality of surrounding vehicles relative to the vehicle, wherein the relative position measurements are received by the one or more controllers in real-time. The one or more controllers receive a precise global position of the vehicle and the plurality of surrounding vehicles from the edge positioning function of the cellular software defined network, and fuse together the relative position measurements and the precise global position of the vehicle to determine a precise position of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for localization and passive entry/passive start (PEPS) systems for vehicles are provided. A communication gateway in a vehicle configured to establish a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication connection with a portable device. Sensors are configured to measure signal information about a communication signal sent from the portable device. A localization module is configured to receive the signal information from the sensors and determine a location of the portable device based on the signal information. A passive entry/passive start (PEPS) system is configured to receive the location of the portable device from the localization module and perform a vehicle function including at least one of unlocking a door of the vehicle, unlocking a trunk of the vehicle, and allowing the vehicle to be started based on the location of the portable device. Each of the plurality of sensors are synchronized.

Systems and methods for localization and passive entry/passive start (PEPS) systems for vehicles are provided. A communication gateway in a vehicle configured to establish a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication connection with a portable device. Sensors are configured to measure signal information about a communication signal sent from the portable device. A localization module is configured to receive the signal information from the sensors and determine a location of the portable device based on the signal information. A passive entry/passive start (PEPS) system is configured to receive the location of the portable device from the localization module and perform a vehicle function including at least one of unlocking a door of the vehicle, unlocking a trunk of the vehicle, and allowing the vehicle to be started based on the location of the portable device. Each of the plurality of sensors are synchronized.

There is provided mechanisms for position determination of a wireless device. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises estimating a respective angle-of-arrival value for each of at least three 1D antenna arrays from measured phase differences between antenna elements per 1D antenna array for a signal communicated between the wireless device and the at least three 1D antenna arrays. The antenna elements of each 1D antenna array are arranged along a respective line. At least two of the lines are non-coincident with respect to each other. The method comprises determining the position of the wireless device by combining the angle-of-arrival values from the at least three 1D antenna arrays.

There is provided mechanisms for position determination of a wireless device. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises estimating a respective angle-of-arrival value for each of at least three 1D antenna arrays from measured phase differences between antenna elements per 1D antenna array for a signal communicated between the wireless device and the at least three 1D antenna arrays. The antenna elements of each 1D antenna array are arranged along a respective line. At least two of the lines are non-coincident with respect to each other. The method comprises determining the position of the wireless device by combining the angle-of-arrival values from the at least three 1D antenna arrays.