Drone-based wireless communications systems are provided, as are methods carried-out by such wireless communications systems. In one embodiment, the wireless communications system includes a Satellite Signal Transformation (SST) unit and a plurality of aerial network drones, which can be deployed over a designated geographical area to form a multi-drone network thereover. During operation, the SST unit transmits a network source signal, which contains content extracted from a satellite signal. The multi-drone network receives the network source signal, disseminates drone relay signals containing the content through the multi-drone network, and broadcastings user device signals containing the content over the designated geographical area. In embodiments, the multi-drone network may broadcast multiple different types of user device signals for reception by various different types of user devices located within the designated geographical area, such as an area containing communication infrastructure disabled by a natural disaster, a hostile attack, or other catastrophic event.

Directional characterization of a location of a target device makes use of multiple radio transmissions that are received from the target device. In some examples, each radio transmission is received at a first antenna at a fixed location, and is also received at a second moving antenna. The received transmissions are combined to determine the directional characterization, for example, as a distribution of power as a function of direction. In some examples, the received radio transmissions are processed to determine, for each of a plurality of directions of arrival of the radio transmissions, a most direct direction of arrival, for example, to distinguish a direct path from a reflected path from the target.

A measuring device for direction finding of an electromagnetic signal includes an antenna-element for receiving the electromagnetic signal and processing means for determining the direction of the electromagnetic signal and displaying the direction of the electromagnetic signal. The processing means further include direction uncertainty determination means (322) for determining a direction uncertainty angle of the direction of the electromagnetic signal. The processing means are set up for displaying the direction uncertainty angle on display means.

A system for localization of a radio frequency source in a region includes a first plurality of antennas disposed about the region, a second plurality of antennas disposed about the region, a first radio frequency positioning module in communication with the first plurality of antennas and configured to determine a plurality of spatially separated candidate locations in the region for the radio frequency source, a second radio frequency positioning module in communication with the second plurality of antennas and configured to determine a sub-region of the region, the sub-region including the radio frequency source, and a resolution module for identifying a subset of the candidate locations in the sub-region of the region.

A system for localization of a radio frequency source in a region includes a first plurality of antennas disposed about the region, a second plurality of antennas disposed about the region, a first radio frequency positioning module in communication with the first plurality of antennas and configured to determine a plurality of spatially separated candidate locations in the region for the radio frequency source, a second radio frequency positioning module in communication with the second plurality of antennas and configured to determine a sub-region of the region, the sub-region including the radio frequency source, and a resolution module for identifying a subset of the candidate locations in the sub-region of the region.

A system includes a first computing device having a first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, first communication circuitry, and at least one first processor in communication with the first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the first communication circuitry. The at least one first processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium to cause the first communication circuitry to receive a first signal from a first transmission medium, calculate a first authentication value for an object based on data included in the first signal, and cause the first communication circuitry to transmit a second signal to the first transmission medium. The second signal identifies whether the object is authentic based, at least in part, on the first authentication value.

A system includes a first computing device having a first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, first communication circuitry, and at least one first processor in communication with the first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the first communication circuitry. The at least one first processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the first non-transitory machine-readable storage medium to cause the first communication circuitry to receive a first signal from a first transmission medium, calculate a first authentication value for an object based on data included in the first signal, and cause the first communication circuitry to transmit a second signal to the first transmission medium. The second signal identifies whether the object is authentic based, at least in part, on the first authentication value.

Position and orientation tracking systems and methods include a transmitting antenna transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal. At least one receiving antenna acquires the RF signal. One of the at least one receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna is designated a reference antenna. A processing unit determines a phase difference between the RF signal received by each receiving antenna and the reference antenna. The processing unit computes a position of the transmitting antenna with respect to the at least one receiving antenna in response to the phase difference determined for each receiving antenna.

Systems and methods for localization and passive entry/passive start (PEPS) systems for vehicles are provided. A communication gateway in a vehicle establishes a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication connection with a portable device. Sensors are configured to receive connection information about the BLE communication connection from the communication gateway, eavesdrop on the BLE communication connection, and measure signal information about communication signals sent from the portable device to the communication gateway. A localization module is configured to determine a location of the portable device based on the signal information from the plurality of sensors. A PEPS system is configured to receive the location of the portable device from the localization module and to 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.

Systems and methods for vehicle passive entry/passive start (PEPS) are provided. A communication gateway establishes a Bluetooth low energy communication connection with a portable device. A localization module determines a portable device location based on two-way ranging using impulse radio ultra-side band. The PEPS system performs vehicle functions, such as unlocking a door or trunk, allowing the vehicle to be started, or activating wireless charging, based on the portable device location. Another system includes at least one low frequency (LF) antenna configured to transmit a wireless charging ping signal within a predetermined range to a portable device configured for wireless charging. A communication gateway authenticates the portable device based on a response to the ping signal by the portable device. A PEPS performs vehicle functions, such as unlocking a door or trunk, or allowing the vehicle to be started, in response to authenticating the portable device.