A method includes using a receiver of a first device, receiving from a second device, radio frequency (RF) signals. The method also includes using a processor of the first device, determining and storing, based on the RF signals, a set of angle-estimation values of an angle between a plurality of antenna elements of one of the first device and the second device and an antenna element of the other of the first device and the second device, a set of confidence measurements, and at least one of an Area-of Arrival (ARoA) value and an Area-of Departure (ARoD) value. Each of the set of confidence measurements indicates a confidence of an angle-estimation value of the set of angle-estimation values.

A method includes using a receiver of a first device, receiving from a second device, radio frequency (RF) signals. The method also includes using a processor of the first device, determining and storing, based on the RF signals, a set of angle-estimation values of an angle between a plurality of antenna elements of one of the first device and the second device and an antenna element of the other of the first device and the second device, a set of confidence measurements, and at least one of an Area-of Arrival (ARoA) value and an Area-of Departure (ARoD) value. Each of the set of confidence measurements indicates a confidence of an angle-estimation value of the set of angle-estimation values.

An apparatus for estimating a direction of arrival includes an antenna, a beamforming network, and an evaluator. The antenna is configured to receive signals, is circularly polarized, and includes a plurality of different radiation patterns. The beamforming network is configured to provide based on signals received by the antenna decomposed signals that are received by associated radiation patterns of the plurality of radiation patterns. The evaluator is configured to estimate the direction of arrival based on the decomposed signals and based on information describing signal receiving characteristics of the antenna. The invention also refers to a corresponding method.

A method of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag bearing estimation comprises: at an RFID tag reader having a plurality of antenna elements, emitting a primary transmit beam; receiving a response signal from an RFID tag via the antenna elements; generating a first set of signal measurements corresponding to a first set of receive beam characteristics, based on a first partition of the response signal; generating a second set of signal measurements corresponding to a second set of receive beam characteristics, based on a second partition of the response signal; and combining the first and second sets of signal measurements, for selection of an estimated tag bearing for the RFID tag from the first and second receive beam characteristics.

A UAV landing system can include a landing pad defining a landing area including a target point; a plurality of positioning radio transmitters positioned in a spaced apart relation and equidistant from the target point, each radio transmitter transmitting a ranging signal; and a position determination and aircraft navigation system at the incoming UAV to receive the ranging signals; determine a range to each positioning radio using the received ranging signals; compute a position of the UAV relative to the target point; determine a course for the UAV to a point above the target point of the landing pad; fly the UAV to the point above the target point of the landing pad, and cause the aircraft to descend vertically toward the target point when the UAV reaches the point above the target point.

A UAV landing system can include a landing pad defining a landing area including a target point; a plurality of positioning radio transmitters positioned in a spaced apart relation and equidistant from the target point, each radio transmitter transmitting a ranging signal; and a position determination and aircraft navigation system at the incoming UAV to receive the ranging signals; determine a range to each positioning radio using the received ranging signals; compute a position of the UAV relative to the target point; determine a course for the UAV to a point above the target point of the landing pad; fly the UAV to the point above the target point of the landing pad, and cause the aircraft to descend vertically toward the target point when the UAV reaches the point above the target point.

A radio beacon system configured to assist autonomous flight of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), wherein the radio beacon system comprises:a drone device (200), configured to be installed on an UAV and including a radio transceiver, anda radio beacon device (100), configured to be installed on ground and including N antenna arrays (110, 120) with N2, one or more radio transceivers configured to communicate with the radio transceiver of the drone device (200), and at least one processing unit (130), wherein each antenna array (110, 120) has M antenna elements (115, 125) with M2 associated to respective beamforming electronic weights w(n, m), with n ranging from 1 to N and m ranging from 1 to M, wherein said at least one processing unit (130) is configured to perform an adaptive beamforming method for assisting autonomous flight of the UAV.

A method for localizing interference uses data available to wireless communication networks to determine probabilities of a source of external interference being located at a plurality of predetermined locations. In a heterogeneous network, data from sites using omnidirectional antennas can be combined with data from multi-sector sites to accurately locate a source of interference.

This method involves, for an array of at least two antennas pointing in different directions and the respective radiation patterns of which overlap one another, each antenna including at least two radiating elements so as to be able to work in a first operating mode associated with a first radiation pattern () and according to a second operating mode associated with a second radiation pattern (): acquiring, for each antenna, a first signal (Si) corresponding to the first operating mode and a second signal (Si) corresponding to the second operating mode; determining, for each antenna, an opening half-angle (i) of a cone of possible directions of incidence from the amplitude of the first and second signals; calculating the bearing angle (0) and/or the elevation angle (0) of the direction of incidence by intersection of the cones of possible directions of incidence determined for each antenna.

This method involves, for an array of at least two antennas pointing in different directions and the respective radiation patterns of which overlap one another, each antenna including at least two radiating elements so as to be able to work in a first operating mode associated with a first radiation pattern () and according to a second operating mode associated with a second radiation pattern (): acquiring, for each antenna, a first signal (Si) corresponding to the first operating mode and a second signal (Si) corresponding to the second operating mode; determining, for each antenna, an opening half-angle (i) of a cone of possible directions of incidence from the amplitude of the first and second signals; calculating the bearing angle (0) and/or the elevation angle (0) of the direction of incidence by intersection of the cones of possible directions of incidence determined for each antenna.