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SamsungGranted patentPhones & computersInterest 6/10

Samsung patents foldable phone tech to fix signal tracking when folded

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a method for foldable devices to accurately measure the direction of incoming signals using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. The device calculates the angle of arrival by adjusting for the specific folding angle of the screen, which can otherwise distort the signal path between antennas.

Why it mattersThis improves the precision of location and tracking features in foldable phones, ensuring that the device's physical shape does not interfere with how it detects nearby objects or people.

In the filing’s own words

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuit including at least one antenna for acquiring signals from an external electronic device, a processor operatively connected with the UWB communications circuit, and memory operatively connected with the processor. The memory may store one or more instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to obtain at least one signal from the at least one antenna, determine a phase-difference-of-arrival of the at least one signal, obtain information related to the state of the electronic device, obtain a calibration value corresponding to the obtained state information of the electronic device from the memory, and determine the angle-of-arrival of the at least one signal based on the phase-difference-of-arrival of the at least one signal and the calibration value.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A foldable electronic device comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuit comprising at least two antennas; memory storing instructions; and a processor operatively connected to the UWB communication circuit and the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: obtain at least two signals respectively received at the at least two antennas from an external electronic device, determine a phase-difference-of-arrival of the at least two signals based on a phase of each of the at least two signals, identify information related to a folding angle of the foldable electronic device, identify, from the memory, calibration information corresponding to the identified information related to the folding angle, the calibration information being for determining an angle-of-arrival of the at least two signals, and determine the angle-of-arrival of the at least two signals, based on the phase-difference-of-arrival of the at least two signals and the calibration information.

Facts

Company
Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
Official title
Electronic device for determining angle-of-arrival of signal, and method for operating electronic device
Patent number
US12754274B2
Application number
18431487
Filed
Feb 2, 2024
Granted
Oct 6, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
13

Classified under

G01S 3/043 Physics & computingG01S 3/023 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.