Abstract: A communication device may comprise a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays. A processor may configure a first distributed transceiver to receive signals comprising one or more first data streams via one or more first communication links. The processor may configure a second distributed transceiver to receive signals comprising one or more second data streams via one or more second communication links. The processor may determine a channel response matrix associated with communication of the one or more first data streams via the one or more first communication links and/or the one or more second data streams via the one or more second communication links. The processor may optimize one or both of link capacity and/or link reliability of the one or more first communication links and/or the one or more second communication links based on the determined channel response matrix.

Abstract: A communication device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine, may be configured for a multiplexing mode of operation. Configuring of the multiplexing mode of operation may include configuring one or more communication modules for multiplexing a plurality of data streams. Each of the communication modules may comprise one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements and one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers associated with said one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements. The communication modules may be configured to be spatially distinct and/or to use different frequency channels. The data streams may be communicated to a single target device or to a plurality of target devices.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A master application device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central baseband processor, and a network management engine that manages operation of the master application device and end-user application devices. The master application device communicates data streams to the end-user devices utilizing one or more distributed transceivers selected from the plurality of distributed transceivers. The selected distributed transceivers and the end-user devices are concurrently configured by the network management engine based on corresponding link quality and propagation environment. The network management engine allocates resources to the selected distributed transceivers and the end-user devices during the data communication. The network management engine continuously monitors communication environment information to configure beamforming settings and/or antenna arrangement for the selected distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A method of determining the location of a mobile device is provided. The method receives a signal with a known radio transmission pattern at the mobile device from each of several transmitting devices. The method correlates each received signal with a corresponding signal that has a same known radio transmission pattern to determine the time the signal traveled between the corresponding transmitting device and the mobile device. The method determines the location of the mobile device based on the time the signal traveled between the corresponding transmitting device and the mobile device. In some embodiments, determining the location of the mobile device does not require calculating a distance between the mobile device and any of the transmitting devices. In some embodiments determining the location of the mobile device includes solving a function that is dependent on the time the signals traveled between each corresponding transmitting device and the mobile device.

Abstract: A transmitting device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a baseband processor and a network management engine. Data streams are generated at baseband by the baseband processor. Diversity coding such as space-time coding may be performed over the generated data streams in the baseband. The transmitting device concurrently transmits each of the coded streams in a same radio frequency (RF) band to a receiving device over the entire distributed transceivers through associated antennas. When needed, the network management engine may identify one or more auxiliary devices providing available transceivers and antenna beamformers to the transmitting device for sharing. Beam patterns and antenna orientations may be determined for associated antennas of the available transceivers for the transmitting device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: A battery charging station is equipped with radio frequency power transmitters, induction power transmitters, and ultrasound power transmitters so as to concurrently charge electronic devices. The battery charging station is operable to network the electronic devices through wireless communication. In this regard, the battery charging station may coordinate or arrange the radio frequency power transmitters, the induction power transmitters and/or the ultrasound power transmitters so that the resulting power transmission from the battery charging station to one or more intended networked electronic devices may be maximized. The battery charging station may wirelessly communicate with the electronic devices for device networking. The networked electronic devices may be connected to a computer network for various network services such as, for example, network advertising and software downloading or uploading.

Abstract: A master unit for wirelessly charging a slave device includes a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of the plurality of RFIC modules having an antenna array. The master unit is configured to select one of a single beam mode by using all or substantially all antenna arrays in the plurality of RFIC modules, a multi-beam mode by using each respective antenna array in each of the RFIC modules to form a separate beam from each RFIC module, and a customized beam pattern mode by using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of the plurality of RFIC modules. The master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of the single beam mode, the multi-beam mode, and the customized beam pattern mode based on a location of the slave device relative to the master unit.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: A method and system is described where a plurality of position reference devices use short-range wireless communication protocols to transmit positioning assistance data to nearby mobile devices, and the mobile devices use the assistance data to re-calibrate their positioning systems. In some embodiments, mobile device includes an accelerometer and the accelerometer measurements are used to calculate an updated velocity of the mobile device and an updated position of the mobile device based on the accelerometer measurements and previous velocity and position of the mobile device. The short-range communication methods include NFC, RFID, Bluetooth®, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi Direct, and high frequency focused beams such as 60 GHz. The position reference devices are passive or active NFC tags, passive or active RFID tags, other devices that include such tags as their components, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, 60 GHz-enabled devices, and 802.11 access points that can lower their transmit power.

Abstract: A method and system is described where a plurality of position reference devices use short-range wireless communication protocols to transmit positioning assistance data to nearby mobile devices, and the mobile devices use the assistance data to model errors and re-calibrate their positioning systems. The short-range communication methods include NFC, RFID, Bluetooth®, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi Direct, and high frequency focused beams such as 60 GHz. The position reference devices are passive or active NFC tags, passive or active RFID tags, other devices that include such tags as their components, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, 60 GHz-enabled devices, and 802.11 access points that can lower their transmit power. The reference devices are located at various indoor and outdoor locations such as smart posters, kiosks, ATM machines, malls, store checkout counters, store security gates, wireless access points, cellular base-stations, tollbooths, traffic lights, and street lamp posts.

Abstract: Some embodiments use scanning devices to characterize radio signals received at a number of locations within a geographical area of interest. The signal characteristics along with the location information associated with the characteristics are stored in a centralized reference database. A mobile device characterizes signals it receives at a certain location and compares the characteristics with the signal characteristics stored in the reference database to obtain accurate location information of the certain location.

Abstract: An ultrasound power transmitter comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound power transmitter activates a set of transmit ultrasonic transducers in close proximity of an electronic device to be arranged to beam ultrasound energy to the electronic device. Alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter are aligned with corresponding alignment magnets of the electronic device to manage the ultrasound beaming. The ultrasound energy may be converted into electric power to charge the battery of the electronic device. Feedbacks may be provided by the electronic device to the ultrasound power transmitter to increase power transmission efficiency. The ultrasound power transmitter may pair the electronic device with other different electronic devices utilizing ultrasonic signals.

Abstract: A positioning server is connected to a collection of access points, base stations, NFC stations, and image or video cameras and the collected data is used for positioning objects. A plurality of electronic devices are paired with an object by tracking the position of the object based on imaging and the position of electronic devices based on RF signals in vicinity of the object. Once a device is paired with an object, the propagation channel profile measured through the electronic device is used to develop and tune a database of channel profiles versus location. This database is used based on signature/profile matching and correlation for positioning devices and objects that do not have pairing or have poor image-based positioning accuracy or reliability. When a device is detected that cannot be paired with any object, or a device that is unpaired from a previously associated object, a theft or loss alert is generated.

Abstract: A communication device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured based on one or more diversity modes of operations. The diversity modes of operations may comprise a spatial diversity mode, a frequency diversity mode, and/or a polarization diversity mode. Diversity mode configuration may comprise forming, based on selected diversity mode, a plurality of communication modules from the plurality of distributed transceivers, wherein each of the plurality of communication modules may comprise one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements, and one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers associated with said one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements. The plurality of communication modules may be utilized to concurrently communicate multiple data streams. The multiple data streams may comprise the same data.

Abstract: A master unit for wirelessly charging a slave device includes a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of the plurality of RFIC modules having an antenna array. The master unit is configured to select one of a single beam mode by using all or substantially all antenna arrays in the plurality of RFIC modules, a multi-beam mode by using each respective antenna array in each of the RFIC modules to form a separate beam from each RFIC module, and a customized beam pattern mode by using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of the plurality of RFIC modules. The master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of the single beam mode, the multi-beam mode, and the customized beam pattern mode based on a location of the slave device relative to the master unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.