Localization and clock synchronization need similar hardware support in wireless LANs

Abstract

Secure localization protocols enable a group of cooperating verifier nodes in a wireless LAN to determine the physical location of a stranger (called the prover), using precision timing measurements during a carefully scripted packet exchange. After identifying a number of common features between the localization and precision clock synchronization problems, we describe a small set of additional physical-layer capabilities that - if incorporated into commercial wireless transceiver (PHY) products - could lead to significant performance improvements in both solution domains.