Active area sounding reference signal configuration

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining an effective area (VA) for positioning and associated sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration parameters. A network node receives a location information request comprising a VA configuration request and determines a VA SRS transmission configuration accordingly. Optionally, the network node may consider VA SRS parameters supported by one or more neighbor nodes in determining the VA SRS transmission configuration and / or the VA cell list. The network node transmits a positioning information response including a list of VA cells.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 465679, filed May 11, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communications and wireless communication networks.

[0003] introduce Standardization bodies such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) are exploring potential solutions for efficient operation of wireless communications in New Radio (NR) networks. The next-generation mobile wireless communication system, 5G / NR, will support a variety of use cases and deployment scenarios. The latter includes deployments in both low-frequency bands (e.g., 100s in MHz) (similar to today's LTE) and very high-frequency bands (e.g., millimeter waves in tens of GHz). In addition to typical mobile broadband applications, NR is under development to also support Machine-Type Communication (MTC), Ultra-Low Latency Critical Communication (URLCC), sidechain device-to-device (D2D), and other use cases.

[0004] Location and position services have been a central theme in LTE standardization since 3GPP Release 9. The goal is to meet regulatory requirements for emergency call positioning, but other use cases, such as positioning for the Industrial Internet of Things (I-IoT), have also been considered. Positioning in NR is... Figure 1 The example architecture shown supports this. LMF 108A represents the location management function entity in NR. LMF 108A and gNodeB110 also interact via the NRPPa protocol. Interaction between gNodeB110 and device (UE) 112 is supported via the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol, while location node 108A interfaces with UE 112 via the LTE Location Protocol (LPP). LPP is common to both NR and LTE technologies. Other network nodes, such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 108B and Evolved Serving Mobility Location Center (e-SMLC) 108C, may be involved in location support.

[0005] It should be understood that, although Figure 1 The gNB 110B and ng-eNB 110A are shown, but both may not always be present. It should be noted that when both gNB 110B and ng-eNB 110A are present, the NG-C interface is usually only present in one of them.

[0006] Since Release 16, NR positioning based on 3GPP NR radio technology provides additional value in terms of enhanced positioning capabilities. The operation in low and high frequency bands (i.e. below and above 6 GHz) and the utilization of massive antenna arrays provide additional degrees of freedom, which greatly improve the positioning accuracy. The possibility of using wide signal bandwidths in low bands, and in particular in high bands, brings new performance boundaries for user locations for well-known positioning techniques based on utilizing timing measurements for positioning UEs, such as OTDOA and UTDOA, Cell-ID or E-Cell-ID, etc.

[0007] Previous standardization work on sidelink (SL) ranging and positioning has mainly focused on the communication aspects. From a positioning perspective, the network has been meeting the positioning needs of cellular systems in previous 3GPP releases. Thus, utilizing SL measurements in device positioning is a new paradigm for positioning using 3GPP technologies.

[0008] 3GPP specified LTE D2D (Device-to-Device) technology in Releases 12 and 13 of LTE, also known as ProSe (Proximity Services). Later in Releases 14 and 15, enhancements related to LTE V2X were specified targeting specific characteristics for vehicular communications. 3GPP started a new work item (WI) in the scope of Release 16 in August 2018 to develop a New Radio (NR) version for V2X communications. NR V2X targets mainly advanced V2X services, which can be divided into four use case groups: vehicle platooning, extended sensors, advanced driving, and remote driving. Advanced V2X services will require enhancements to the NR system, and a new NR sidelink framework can help meet the stringent requirements in terms of latency and reliability. NR V2X systems are also expected to have higher system capacity and better coverage and allow easy scaling to support the development of future more advanced V2X services and other services.

[0009] Sidelink transmission over NR specified for Release 16 can be considered as an enhancement to ProSe (Proximity-based Services) specified for LTE. In 3GPP RAN#99, a work item on “Enhanced and improved NR positioning” was agreed in [3GPP TS 38.455] RP-230328, which includes the following objectives: The objective of this work item is to specify solutions to introduce sidelink ranging / positioning, for the integrity of RAT-dependent positioning methods, for enabling LPHAP use case 6 as defined in TS 22.104, for improving positioning accuracy, and for introducing positioning support for RedCap UEs.

[0010] The specific objectives of this work item include: - Specify enhancements for enabling LPHAP use case 6 as defined in TS 22.104, including: - Extend eDRX cycle beyond 10.24 seconds in RRC_INACTIVE state to meet battery life requirements for LPHAP [RAN2, RAN3, RAN4] - Positioning specific enhancements for eDRX cycle beyond 10.24 seconds to be defined as part of the Rel-18 WI to extend and improve NR positioning.

[0011] NOTE: Work on this objective should be coordinated with the work in the Rel-18 WI on eRedCap. To this end, the feature of extending the eDRX cycle beyond 10.24 seconds should be defined as part of the Rel-18 WI on eRedCap.

[0012] NOTE: Input from RAN1 can be provided via LS if necessary - For UL and DL+UL positioning of UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state, specify SRS configuration enhancements based on SRS positioning validity area to avoid frequent RRC connection for SRS (re-)configuration [RAN2, RAN1, RAN3].

[0013] - SRS for positioning configuration in multiple cells [RAN2, RAN1].

[0014] NOTE: Details including issues such as interference, timing advance, spatial relation information, path loss reference, and common SRS parameters across multiple cells can be further discussed in the specification work.

[0015] - Pre-configuration of one or more SRS for positioning configuration [RAN2, RAN3].

[0016] - SRS for positioning activation / request procedure(s) [RAN2, RAN1].

[0017] - Specify solutions for DL PRS measurement for UEs in RRC_IDLE state and measurement reporting for UEs in RRC_CONNECTED state [RAN2].

[0018] - Specify solutions for alignment between eDRX and PRS configuration [RAN2].

[0019] - Specify corresponding new core requirements and identify and specify impacts on existing RAN4 specifications, including RRM measurements and procedures [RAN4].

[0020] Define extensions of signaling, protocols and procedures for NR positioning enhancements as needed for the above objectives [RAN3].

[0021] The pre-configuration of the location SRS can be characterized in the following ways (from RAN1#112): 1. An SRS for locating effective areas is introduced.

[0022] 2. When SRS configuration and SRS effective area are configured, if the UE reselects another cell within the SRS effective area during SRS transmission, the UE continues SRS transmission and is subject to SRS transmission verification.

[0023] 3. When the UE reselects a valid location area during SRS transmission, the UE can send an RRC message for SRS configuration request to the network.

[0024] 4. The SRS used for positioning effective areas consists of cells configured in the same frequency band and the same carrier, which have common BWP information (locationAndBandwidth, subcarrierSpacing, cyclicPrefix) for the SRS used for positioning.

[0025] 5. SRS can be configured for specific TA timers used to locate validity areas. For TA verification, a specific area's RSRP change threshold can be used.

[0026] 6. For UEs in the RRC_INACTIVE state configuring SRS for positioning in multiple cells, some SRS for positioning parameters can typically be configured jointly across cells within the effective area, including: - SRS-PosResourceSet - srs-PosResourceSetId - srs-PosResourceIdList - resourceType - SRS-PosResource - srs-PosResourceId - transmissionComb - resourceMapping - freqDomainShift - freqHopping - groupOrSequenceHopping - resourceType.

[0027] 7. The "path loss reference information" and "spatial relationship information" of the SRS used for positioning configuration may or may not be included in the SRS used for positioning pre-configuration.

[0028] In RAN2#119, the following agreement was reached regarding LPHAP: - When SRS configuration and SRS effective area are configured, if the UE reselects another cell within the SRS effective area during SRS transmission, the UE continues SRS transmission and is subject to SRS transmission verification.

[0029] - Awaiting RAN1 progress for verifying SRS transmission using issues such as interference, timing advance, and spatial relationship information.

[0030] - RAN2 assumes that when the UE reselects a location validity area during SRS transmission, the UE can send an RRC message to the network for an SRS configuration request.

[0031] - LS confirmed this with RAN3.

[0032] Different options have been proposed to support the determination of VA. Summary of the Invention

[0033] The purpose of this disclosure is to eliminate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of the prior art.

[0034] Systems and methods are provided for determining the effective area of ​​a location and associated SRS configuration parameters.

[0035] In a first aspect, a method is provided performed by a first network node. The first network node may include a radio interface and processing circuitry, and is configured to receive a location information request, including an effective area (VA) configuration request, from a second network node. The first network node determines a VA probe reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration for a wireless device based on the VA configuration request. The first network node then transmits a location information response, including a list of VA cells, to the second network node.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first network node is an access node, and the second network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node. In other embodiments, the first network node is a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU), and the second network node is a gNB Control Unit (gNB CU).

[0037] In some embodiments, the VA configuration request indicates at least one cell to be included in the VA. In some embodiments, the location information request may also include at least one requested SRS transport feature associated with the VA.

[0038] In some embodiments, a first network node transmits a VA determination request to at least one neighboring node, requesting information about VA SRS parameters supported by the at least one neighboring node; and receives at least one VA determination response from the at least one neighboring node indicating the supported VA SRS parameters. The VA SRS transmission configuration of the wireless device can be determined based on the supported VA SRS parameters. The first network can also determine a list of VA cells based on the at least one VA determination response.

[0039] In some embodiments, the location information response may also include an indication of the VA SRS transmission configuration.

[0040] On the other hand, a method is provided to be performed by a network node. The network node may include a radio interface and processing circuitry, and is configured to transmit a VA information notification message to at least one access node included in a validity area (VA), the VA information notification message indicating an SRS resource set configured for the VA.

[0041] In some embodiments, a network node may transmit a location information request, which includes at least one of the following: a requested SRS transmission characteristic associated with a VA and at least one cell requested to be included in the VA.

[0042] In some embodiments, a network node may receive a location information response, which includes at least one of the following: VA SRS transmission configuration and VA cell list.

[0043] In some embodiments, the VA information notification may also include a list of locating VA cells.

[0044] In some embodiments, the network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node. VA information notifications can be NRPPa protocol messages.

[0045] In other embodiments, the network node is a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU). VA information notification can be an F1AP protocol message.

[0046] The various aspects and embodiments described herein may be combined alternatively, optionally, and / or in addition to each other.

[0047] Other aspects and features of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 An example of an NR positioning architecture is shown; Figure 2This is an example communication system; Figure 3 An example of a delayed MT-LR with a pre-configured positioning SRS is shown (Option 1); Figure 4 A second example (option 2) of a delayed MT-LR with pre-configured positioning SRS is shown. Figure 5 An example of an SRS configuration with a valid location area is shown (Option 3); Figure 6 This shows an example of a VA SRS configuration; Figure 7 An example of VA formation is shown; Figure 8 An example of VA notification signaling is shown; Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the method executed by a network node; Figure 10 This is a block diagram of an example wireless device; Figure 11 This is a block diagram of an example network node; Figure 12 This is a block diagram of the example host; Figure 13 This is a block diagram illustrating an example virtualization environment; and Figure 14 This is a communication diagram of the host communicating with the UE via network nodes. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The embodiments described below illustrate information that enables those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments. Upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the described concepts and recognize the application of these concepts, which are not specifically mentioned herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of this specification.

[0050] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description. However, it should be understood that embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of the description. With the inclusion of the description, those skilled in the art will be able to implement appropriate functionality without undue experimentation.

[0051] References to "an embodiment," "embodiment," and "example embodiment," etc., in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Additionally, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is believed that implementing those features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments (whether explicitly described or not) is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0052] Figure 2 An example of a communication system 100 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0053] In the example, communication system 100 includes a telecommunications network 102, which includes an access network 104 (e.g., a radio access network (RAN)) and a core network 106. Core network 106 includes one or more core network nodes 108. Access network 104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 110A and 110B (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network node 110) or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. Network node 110 facilitates direct or indirect connections of user equipment (UEs), such as connecting UEs 112A, 112B, 112C, and 112D (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UE 112) to core network 106 via one or more wireless connections.

[0054] Examples of wireless communication via wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information without the use of wires, cables, or other conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, communication system 100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the transmission of data and / or signals, whether via wired or wireless connections. Communication system 100 may include any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar system and / or be connected to any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar system via an interface.

[0055] UE 112 can be any communication device of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node 110 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 110 is arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE 112 and / or with other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network 102 to enable and / or provide network access (such as wireless network access) and / or to perform other functions (such as management in telecommunication network 102).

[0056] In the depicted example, core network 106 connects network node 110 to one or more hosts (such as host 116). These connections may be direct or indirect, via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. Core network 106 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 108) constructed from hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the description generally applies to the corresponding components of core network node 108. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of the following: Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Location Management Function (LMF), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier Dehiding Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Secure Edge Protection Agent (SEPP), Network Open Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0057] Host 116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than the operator or provider of telecommunications network 102 and / or access network 104, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Host 116 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include: live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services (such as retrieving and compiling data about various environmental conditions detected by multiple UEs), analytics functionality, social media, functionality for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functionality for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functionality performed by the server.

[0058] on the whole, Figure 4The communication system 100 enables connectivity between the UE, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system can be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable next-generation standard (e.g., 6G); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi); and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards, such as WiMax, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0059] In some examples, telecommunications network 102 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Therefore, telecommunications network 102 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to it. For example, telecommunications network 102 can provide ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services to some UEs while providing enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive machine-type communication (mMTC) / massive IoT services to yet another UE.

[0060] In some examples, UE 112 is configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE may be designed to transmit information to access network 104 on a predetermined schedule when triggered by internal or external events or in response to requests from access network 104. Additionally, the UE may be configured to operate in single or multiple RAT or multi-standard modes. For example, the UE may operate with any or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for multiple radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) NR dual connectivity (EN-DC).

[0061] In the example, hub 114 communicates with access network 104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 112C and / or 112D) and network nodes (e.g., network node 110B). In some examples, hub 114 may be a controller, router, content source, and analyzer, or any other communication device described herein with respect to a UE. For example, hub 114 may be a broadband router for enabling access to core network 106 for a UE. As another example, hub 114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in a UE. Commands or instructions may be received from the UE, network node 110, or may be received via executable code, scripts, procedures, or other instructions in hub 114. As another example, hub 114 may be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, data analysis or other processing may be performed. As another example, hub 114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub 114 can retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node. Hub 114 then provides the VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information to the UE directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In another example, hub 114 acts as a proxy server or coordinator for the UE, particularly if one or more of the UEs are low-power IoT devices.

[0062] Hub 114 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 110B. Hub 114 may also be designed with different communication schemes and / or scheduling between hub 114 and UEs (e.g., UEs 112C and / or 112D) and between hub 114 and core network 106. In other examples, hub 114 is connected to core network 106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, hub 114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via access network 104 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE can establish a wireless connection to network node 110 while still being connected via hub 114, whether via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 114 may be a dedicated hub—that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communication from network node 110B to UE / to network node 110B. In other embodiments, hub 114 may be a non-dedicated hub—that is, a device capable of operating to route communication between the UE and network node 110B, but also capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0063] Note that the descriptions presented herein focus on 3GPP cellular communication systems, and therefore, 3GPP terminology or similar terms are frequently used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to 3GPP systems.

[0064] Note that the term "cell" may be used in the description herein. However, particularly regarding the 5G / NR concept, beams may be used instead of cells, and therefore it is important to note that the concepts described herein apply equally to both cells and beams.

[0065] Returning to the discussion of positioning, in the current positioning support of LTE and NR systems, sidechain-based ranging and positioning have been agreed as a topic of discussion in Release 18. In RAN3#119bis-e, the issue of valid area (VA) determination and which network entity (e.g., serving gNB, LMF) is responsible for coordination between nodes to determine the VA is discussed. Therefore, the entity that should determine the VA should also know the radio resources used for SRS configuration. Traditionally, SRS configuration is determined by the serving gNB and signaled to the LMF as part of the NRPPA positioning information exchange process. The LMF then forwards the SRS configuration to other TRPs in non-serving gNBs via the NRPPA measurement process. Therefore, the serving gNB should not determine the VA alone, as the VA needs to be valid across multiple gNBs that the UE may move to during INACTIVE mode mobility. Coordination between nodes is required.

[0066] Different options have been considered to support the determination of VA.

[0067] Figure 3 An example of a delayed MT-LR with pre-configured positioning SRS is shown (Option 1) according to R3-231279. In this method, the LMF determines a set of pre-configured SRS configurations.

[0068] The LMF sends an NRPPa Location Information Request message to the serving gNB, which includes a request for a pre-configured location SRS. The request may include one or more "Requested SRS Transport Characteristics" IEs (TS 38.455), each of which defines the location SRS configuration (e.g., number of periodic transmissions, resource type, bandwidth, resource set list, SRS frequency, etc.).

[0069] The serving gNB determines one or more location SRS configurations and provides these configurations to the target device so that the target device can transmit location SRS later (i.e., the target device does not transmit any location SRS when pre-configured).

[0070] Each location SRS configuration has an associated identifier. Each location SRS can have a valid time and / or a valid area.

[0071] The service gNB provides the LMF with a set of pre-configured location SRS (e.g., one or more "SRS Configuration" IEs, where each location SRS has an associated ID and may also have a valid area indication).

[0072] After activating the pre-configured SRS for positioning in the target device, the NG-RAN node sends an NRPPa positioning information update message to the LMF, including information about the currently activated SRS for positioning and the cell ID / cell part ID of the UE's current serving cell, so that the LMF can request UL measurements from the TRP.

[0073] Figure 4 A second example (option 2) of a delayed MT-LR with a pre-configured location SRS is shown according to R3-231832. This method includes a negotiation mechanism between the LMF and the neighboring gNB.

[0074] After deciding to apply SRS configuration enhancement to LPHAP and the expected effective area, the LMF should request the serving cell to configure the SRS configuration. Then, the LMF should forward the SRS configuration received from the serving cell to neighboring cells belonging to the expected effective area and request the neighboring cells to reserve radio resources for the SRS configuration. The final effective area consists of neighboring cells that can reserve radio resources for the SRS configuration and send an affirmative response message (step 7).

[0075] Figure 5 An example of an SRS configuration with a location-valid area is shown (Option 3) according to R3-231598. This method includes a reservation request sent from the LMF to the neighboring gNB for VA determination.

[0076] LMF initiates a location information request message. LMF can include a request for location area configuration in this message.

[0077] The gNB configures SRS transmission and PA information for the UE. This information is carried in the location information response message to the LMF.

[0078] LMF can send NRPPa messages to other gNBs in PA to reserve resources so that they are not allocated to other UEs.

[0079] Those skilled in the art will recognize that all three options described above rely primarily on NRPPA signaling.

[0080] Furthermore, the design of the SRS configuration may not be ideal because: - In Option 1, the LMF must generate several predetermined SRS configurations. This will not scale when the number of UEs in the network is high, and will burden the LMF's computational capabilities.

[0081] - In Option 2, the negotiation process may frequently fail because the LMF has no visibility into the gNB radio resource situation. Numerous "ping-pong" signaling sessions are required to negotiate the VA's SRS configuration before an acceptable SRS configuration for the RAN network can be found.

[0082] Option 3 forces non-serving gNBs to reserve resources regardless of their radio resource status and disallows failures. Feedback from the RAN to the LMF is missing.

[0083] Therefore, if the number of UEs in the network is high, the above options present scalability issues. Given that NRPPA is a slow protocol, the design of VA may not be well suited to these options.

[0084] Some embodiments described herein include a method for enabling a serving gNB to perform valid area determination in an LPHAP scenario via Xn signaling, wherein the serving gNB, based on a request received from the LMF for VA determination, coordinates with one or more neighboring gNBs connected via the Xn interface to determine which nodes can be included in the valid area and to determine the final SRS configuration.

[0085] LMF to gNB-CU* signaling: 1. LMF sends an NRPPA query to the serving gNB for VA determination (*: gNB-CU in the case of a split gNB architecture, and gNB-CU-CP in the case of a CP / UP split of gNB-CU).

[0086] gNB-CU to gNB-CU signaling: 1. The gNB-CU coordinates with one or more other gNB-CUs in the RAN notification area to determine which nodes and cells can be included in the VA. For example, the serving gNB may send an Xn message with a list of parameters for SRS, used for UE location configuration in multiple cells under RRC_INACTIVE state, to other nodes. The parameter list includes one or more of the following: - SRS-PosResourceSet - srs-PosResourceSetId - srs-PosResourceIdList - resourceType - SRS-PosResource - srs-PosResourceId - transmissionComb - resourceMapping - freqDomainShift - freqHopping - groupOrSequenceHopping - resourceType 2. The non-service / neighbor gNB-CU responds with an indication of the values ​​and parameter ranges of the SRS configuration in the VA that it can support or accept. 3. Based on feedback from one or more neighboring gNBs, the serving gNB determines the UE's VA SRS configuration in RRC_INACTIVE and sends the configuration to the LMF.

[0087] gNB-DU to gNB-CU* signaling: (*: This applies to cases where the gNB is split / decomposed into CU and DU. In other cases, this will be internal gNB signaling.) 1. The gNB-CU sends a request to the gNB-DU to configure SRS for the UE's VA in RRC inactive mode. The gNB-DU configures SRS for the inactive VA and provides it to the gNB-CU. Then, the gNB-CU provides the configuration to the UE via RRC signaling and to the LMF via NRPPA signaling.

[0088] In some embodiments, the LMF can notify one or more gNBs in the VA using a dedicated Type 2 NRPPa procedure (e.g., a valid area information notification message). Unlike the solution discussed above ("Option 3" described in R3-231598), this simply notifies the complete set of SRS allocated in the VA to the one or more relevant gNBs. Receiving gNBs does not require resource reservation, and once the UE falls into one of its serving cells, it can choose a different allocation. Therefore, there is no need to send a response message from the one or more gNBs to the LMF. Furthermore, by signaling the complete set of allocated SRSs, the LMF can decide when to send such a notification message, thus further scalable this embodiment. In the case of segmented gNB deployment, one or more relevant gNB-CUs can send a similar Type 2 notification message to one or more relevant gNB-DUs via F1.

[0089] Figure 6 An example of a VA SRS configuration for RRC_INACTIVE that supports the use of Xn signaling is shown.

[0090] In some embodiments, after receiving an NRPPA request from the LMF (step 120), the serving gNB-CU sends an Xn message (e.g., a new or existing Xn message) to the neighboring gNB / neighboring gNB-CU, which contains a list of VASRS parameters / features required for VA SRS configuration determination (step 122). This message may also include a list of potential cells that can form a valid area (e.g., recommendations).

[0091] In some embodiments, the neighboring gNB-CU indicates the supported VA SRS parameters in the Xn response message (step 124). This can be achieved by individually indicating one or more values ​​of the supported SRS feature(s) or a range of values ​​for each SRS parameter it can support. Once the serving gNB-CU receives an acknowledgment from the neighboring cell / gNB, it can indicate the appropriate cell in the VA to the LMF. The serving gNB-CU may discard cells that are not actively engaging; that is, it does not include cells in the VA to LMF. Figure 7 Example details on how effective SAR areas can be formed will be provided.

[0092] In some embodiments, after one or more nodes that sent the Xn message for VA SRS configuration determination from the serving gNB receive feedback, the serving gNB-CU determines a list of nodes and cell IDs that will constitute the VA based on the values ​​supported in the Xn feedback message. The serving gNB-CU then trims the VA SRS parameters and sends an F1 request message to the serving gNB-DU to configure the UE's SRS (step 126).

[0093] gNB-DU configures the SRS configuration for UEs in inactive mode in VA and notifies the configuration by signaling in the F1 response message (step 128).

[0094] In some embodiments, the serving gNB-CU sends the SRS VA configuration to the UE via an RRC release message (step 130), and notifies the LMF of the SRS VA configuration and the list of nodes and cell IDs that are part of the VA in an NRPPA information response message (step 132) and a location information update message.

[0095] If some or all of the above steps fail, the service gNB can send a failure message with an appropriate reason value to the LMF, such as VA configuration failure, reservation failure, no support node found, or fallback to traditional SRS configuration.

[0096] In some embodiments, the Xn messages used in steps 126 and 128 are non-UE-associated procedures that include the RANID and SRS parameter list for UE location configuration in multiple cells under the RRC_INACTIVE state. In one embodiment, the Xn messages may be Xn settings or Xn configuration update procedures defined in TS 38.423. In another embodiment, they may be new Xn messages.

[0097] Figure 7 An example of effective area formation is shown. The LMF recommends a list of cells to include when forming an effective area (step 140). The serving gNB negotiates the support level (e.g., resource requirements, location session duration, SRS resources / features, etc.) with (one or more) other neighboring gNBs via Xn (step 142). Once confirmed with the serving gNB (step 144), the cell can be added to the effective area and the LMF can be notified (step 146).

[0098] Figure 8 This illustrates an example of NRPPA valid area information notification signaling. In some embodiments, a Class 2 notification is signaled from the LMF to the gNB in ​​the VA. This notification includes the complete set of SRS configured in the VA. The gNB makes a resource reservation decision based on the received notification. This process is independent of the UE. This option can be combined with the above. Figure 6 The embodiments described herein can be used in combination or alone. LMF transmits valid area information notification messages (150, 152, 154, etc.) to neighboring gNB-CU nodes.

[0099] Signaling example: According to some embodiments described herein, some additions and / or modifications may be required to NRPPA TS 38.455v17.4.0 and / or F1AP TS38.423 v17.4.0.

[0100] Location information request This message was sent by LMF to request location information. Direction: LMF NG-RAN node. .

[0101] Location information response This message is sent by the NG-RAN node to provide location information. Direction: NG-RAN node LMF. .

[0102] Location information update This message is sent by the NG-RAN node to indicate that the SRS configuration has changed. Direction: NG-RAN node LMF. .

[0103] Valid region determination request This message is sent by an NG-RAN node to neighboring NG-RAN nodes to request information about supported SRS features for determining the effective area. Direction: NG-RAN Node 1 NG-RAN node 2. .

[0104] Valid region determination response This message is sent by the NG-RAN node to neighboring NG-RAN nodes to provide information about supported SRS features for determining the effective area. Direction: NG-RAN Node 1 NG-RAN node 2. .

[0105] Valid Area Information Notification This message is sent by LMF to notify of resource reservations in the validity area. Direction: LMF NG-RAN node. .

[0106] Therefore, the embodiments described herein can modify and reuse traditional NRPPA and F1AP location signaling for faster configuration (e.g., via the Xn protocol) and greater scalability than NRPPA-based coordination.

[0107] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example method performed by an access node (e.g., gNB 110 as described herein). In some embodiments, the access node may be a radio access node distributed unit (gNB-DU) as described herein. In some embodiments, the access node may be a serving gNB and / or a serving gNB-DU. The method may include: Step 160: The access node obtains a location information request message. The request message includes a valid area configuration request. The request message can be received from a network node such as a location server / LMF. In some embodiments, the message may be an NRPPA protocol location information request. In some embodiments, the request message may also include a list of one or more recommended cells (e.g., neighboring cells and / or nodes) for forming a valid area. In some embodiments, the location information request may also include the requested SRS transport characteristics associated with the valid area.

[0108] Step 162: In some embodiments, the access node may transmit a valid area determination request message to one or more neighboring nodes. Neighboring nodes may include neighboring gNB and / or gNB-DU nodes. Neighboring nodes may include nodes indicated by the location information configuration request. The message may be an Xn protocol valid area determination request. The message may request information about desired / supported SRS features for location valid area determination. The message may include SRS feature parameters, such as one or more of the following: SRS-PosResourceSet, srs-PosResourceSetId, srs-PosResourceIdList, resourceType, SRS-PosResource, srs-PosResourceId, transmissionComb, resourceMapping, freqDomainShift, freqHopping, groupOrSequenceHopping, and / or resourceType as described herein.

[0109] Step 164: In some embodiments, the access node receives one or more valid area determination response messages from one or more neighboring nodes. The message may be an Xn protocol valid area determination response. The message may return information about supported SRS features used for determining the valid area. The message may include SRS feature parameters, such as one or more of the following: SRS-PosResourceSet, srs-PosResourceSetId, srs-PosResourceIdList, resourceType, SRS-PosResource, srs-PosResourceId, transmissionComb, resourceMapping, freqDomainShift, freqHopping, groupOrSequenceHopping, and / or resourceType as described herein.

[0110] The access node can then determine the effective area based on the received information and parameters. This may include determining the appropriate VA SRS parameters to use and / or the node / cell to be used for the effective area based on the location information request and / or effective area determination response message.

[0111] Step 166: Optionally, the access node may transmit a location information request message, including SRS parameters, to a distributed unit node such as a gNB-DU for VA SRS configuration in RRC_INACTIVE mode associated with the wireless device. The location information request message may be transmitted via the F1 application protocol.

[0112] Step 168: Optionally, the access node may receive a location information response message from a control unit node such as a gNB-CU. The message includes an acknowledgment / confirmation of the VA SRS configuration of the wireless device (e.g., for RRC_INACTIVE mode). The location information response message may be received via the F1 application protocol.

[0113] Step 170: In some embodiments, the access node transmits an RRC release message to a radio device (such as UE 112), including a VA SRS configuration for RRC_INACTIVE mode.

[0114] Step 172: The access node transmits a location information update / response message to a network node such as an LMF. In some embodiments, the message may be an NRPPA protocol location information response. In some embodiments, the response message may include a list of cells / nodes selected for the validity area (e.g., a VA cell list). In some embodiments, the message may be an NRPPA protocol location information update to indicate that the SRS configuration has changed. The message may also include VASRS configuration information and / or parameters as described herein.

[0115] It should be understood that one or more of the above steps may be performed simultaneously and / or in different orders. Furthermore, the steps shown by dashed lines are optional and may be omitted in some embodiments.

[0116] It should be understood that in some embodiments, wireless device 112 may communicate directly with network nodes such as location server 108 (e.g., transmit / receive messages). In other embodiments, messages and signals between entities may be communicated via other nodes such as radio access nodes (e.g., gNB, eNB) 110.

[0117] Example embodiments: Example A1. A method performed by an access node, the method comprising: acquiring a location information configuration request including a valid area (VA) configuration request; transmitting a valid area determination request to at least one neighboring node; receiving a valid area determination response indicating supported VA SRS parameters; and transmitting a release message including VA SRS configuration parameters to a wireless device.

[0118] A2. The method according to A1, wherein the access node is a centralized radio access node unit (CU).

[0119] A3. The method according to A1 further includes: determining the effective region based on the response determined by the effective region.

[0120] A4. The method according to A1 further includes: transmitting a location information request to a Radio Access Node Distributed Unit (DU), the location information request including SRS parameters for VA SRS configuration associated with a wireless device.

[0121] A5. The method according to A1 further includes: receiving a location information response from the DU, the location information response including confirmation of VA SRS configuration.

[0122] A6. The method according to A1 further includes transmitting location information updates to network nodes, the location information updates including at least one of the following: a list of nodes included in the effective area and / or VA SRS configuration.

[0123] A7. An access node including a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the methods of any one of embodiments A1-A6.

[0124] Example B1. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: transmitting a location information configuration request including a valid area (VA) configuration request; and receiving a location information update, the location information update including at least one of the following: a list of nodes included in the valid area and / or a VA SRS configuration.

[0125] B2. According to the method described in B1, the network node is a location management function.

[0126] B3. The method according to B1 further includes: transmitting a valid area information notification to at least one node included in the valid area.

[0127] B4. A network node including a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the methods of any one of embodiments B1-B3.

[0128] Example C1. A method performed by a neighboring access node, the method comprising: receiving a valid area determination request from the access node; and transmitting a valid area determination response indicating supported VA SRS parameters.

[0129] C2. The method according to C1 further includes: receiving a notification of valid area information from a network node.

[0130] C3. A neighbor access node, including a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the methods of any one of embodiments C1-C2.

[0131] Example D1. A method performed by a distributed unit (DU) of a radio access node, the method comprising: receiving a location information request from the access node, the location information request including SRS parameters for VA SRS configuration associated with a wireless device; and transmitting a location information response including confirmation of the VA SRS configuration to the access node.

[0132] D2. According to the method described in D1, wherein the access node is a centralized radio access node unit (CU).

[0133] D3. A distributed radio access node (DU) including a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the methods of any one of embodiments D1-D2.

[0134] Figure 10 The UE 200 is shown, and the UE 200 may be according to some embodiments. Figure 2 An embodiment of UE 112. As used herein, UE refers to a device capable of, configured, arranged, and / or operatively communicating wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0135] The UE can support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidechain communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, the UE may not necessarily be a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated equipment. Instead, the UE may represent a device intended for sale to or operated by a human user but which may not or can not initially be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent a device not intended for sale to or operated by an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart meter).

[0136] UE 200 includes processing circuitry 202, which is operatively coupled via bus 204 to input / output interface 206, power supply 208, memory 210, communication interface 212, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Some UEs may utilize... Figure 8 All or a subset of the components shown. The level of integration between components can vary from one UE to another. Furthermore, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0137] Processing circuitry 202 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine that operates to execute instructions stored in memory 210 as a machine-readable computer program. Processing circuitry 202 can be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic along with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, a general-purpose processor such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), along with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, processing circuitry 202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0138] In the example, input / output interface 206 can be configured to provide interfaces or multiple interfaces to input devices, output devices, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, transmitters, smart cards, other output devices, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into UE 200. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital camcorders, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, orientation pads, trackpads, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-sensitive displays may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors may be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, biosensors, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices can use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port can be used to provide both input and output devices.

[0139] In some embodiments, power supply 208 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as external power sources (e.g., electrical outlets), photovoltaic devices, or rechargeable batteries, may be used. Power supply 208 may also include power circuitry for delivering power from power supply 208 itself and / or external power sources to various parts of UE 200 via an interface or input circuitry such as a power cable. The delivery of power may, for example, be used for charging power supply 208. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications on the power from power supply 208 to suit the power for the respective components of the UE 200 being powered.

[0140] Memory 210 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, hard disk, removable cassette tape, flash drive, etc. In one example, memory 210 includes one or more applications 214 (such as an operating system, web browser application, widget, gadget engine, or other application) and corresponding data 216. Memory 210 can store any operating system or combination of operating systems from a wide variety of different operating systems used by UE 200.

[0141] Memory 210 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital universal disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard drive, Blu-ray disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory such as a tamper-proof module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) (including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIM) such as USIM and / or ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC can be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly referred to as a "SIM card". Memory 210 can allow UE 200 to access instructions, applications, etc., stored on temporary or non-temporary storage media to offload or upload data. Articles such as those utilizing communication systems may be tangibly embodied in or contained in memory 210, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium.

[0142] Processing circuitry 202 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 212. Communication interface 212 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to antenna 222. Communication interface 212 may include one or more transceivers for communication, such as through communication with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., a network node in the access network or another UE). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 218 and / or a receiver 220 adapted to provide network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Furthermore, transmitter 218 and receiver 220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 222) and may share circuitry, software, or firmware, or alternatively, transmitter 218 and receiver 220 may be implemented separately.

[0143] In the illustrated embodiments, the communication functions of communication interface 212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth and near-field communication, location-based communication such as using a global positioning system (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0144] Regardless of the type of sensor, the UE can provide the output of data captured by its sensors via its communication interface 212 or via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by the UE's sensors can be transmitted via another UE, via a wireless connection to a network node. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., balancing the load of reports from several sensors), responsive to a triggered event (e.g., sending an alarm when humidity is detected), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., live video feed of a patient).

[0145] As another example, the UE includes actuators, motors, or switches associated with a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change in response to the received wireless input. For example, the UE may include motors for adjusting control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight based on received input, or for adjusting a robotic arm performing a medical procedure based on received input.

[0146] When a UE takes the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, it can be a device intended for use in one or more application domains, including but not limited to urban wearable technology, extended industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices include or are embedded in the following: connected refrigerators or freezers, TVs, connected lighting fixtures, electricity meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-controlled smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, flood / humidity sensors, electric door locks, connected doorbells, heat pump-like air conditioning systems, autonomous vehicles, monitoring systems, weather monitoring equipment, vehicle parking monitoring equipment, electric vehicle charging stations, smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), wearable devices for haptic or sensory enhancement, sprinklers, animal or object tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any kind of medical device such as heart rate monitors or remotely controlled surgical robots. (Except as per the above...) Figure 10 In addition to the other components described in UE 200 shown, UEs in the form of IoT devices include circuitry and / or software that depend on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0147] As another specific example, in IoT scenarios, a UE can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE and / or network node. In this case, the UE can be an M2M device, which in the 3GPP context may be referred to as an MTC device. As a specific example, the UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, the UE can represent a vehicle, such as a car, bus, truck, ship, or aircraft, or other devices capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0148] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE can be an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or can be integrated into the UAV and provide the UAV's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE, which acts as a remote controller for operating the UAV. When a user makes a change from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust a throttle valve on the UAV (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the UAV's speed. The first and / or second UEs can also include more than one of the functions described above. For example, the UE can include sensors and actuators and handle communication of data from both the speed sensor and the actuator.

[0149] Figure 11A network node 300 is shown according to some embodiments. The network node 300 may be... Figure 2 An embodiment of access node 110 or core network node 108. As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or devices in a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0150] Base stations can be classified based on the coverage they provide (or, in other words, their transmit power levels), and therefore, depending on the coverage provided, a base station can be referred to as a femtobase, picobase, microbase, or macrobase. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU), sometimes referred to as a remote radio headend (RRH). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio device. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0151] Other examples of network nodes include multi-transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, MSR devices such as multi-standard radio (MSR) BS, network controllers such as radio network controller (RNC) or base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), transmission point, transmission node, multi-cell / multicast coordination entity (MCE), operation and maintenance (O&M) node, operation support system (OSS) node, self-organizing network (SON) node, location node (e.g., evolved servicing mobile location center (E-SMLC)), and / or minimized drive test (MDT).

[0152] Network node 300 includes processing circuitry 302, memory 304, communication interface 306, and power supply 308. Network node 300 may consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., node B components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each of which may have its own corresponding components. In some scenarios where network node 300 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of these separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple node Bs. In such scenarios, each unique node B and RNC pair may be considered a single independent network node in some instances. In some embodiments, network node 300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 310 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 300 may also include a collection of various described components for integrating into network node 300 different wireless technologies, such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within network node 300.

[0153] The processing circuitry 302 may include: a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array or any other suitable computing device or resource, or a combination of hardware, software and / or coding logic operable to provide network node 300 functionality, either alone or in combination with other network node 300 components such as memory 304.

[0154] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 302 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 302 includes one or more of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 312 and a baseband processing circuitry 314. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuitry 312 and the baseband processing circuitry 314 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuitry 312 and the baseband processing circuitry 314 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0155] Memory 304 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, but not limited to, permanent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drives, CDs, or DVDs), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry 302. Memory 304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including applications, software, computer programs, and / or other instructions that contain logic, rules, codes, tables, or one or more of these and can be executed by processing circuitry 302 and utilized by network node 300. Memory 304 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 302 and / or any data received via communication interface 306. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 302 and memory 304 are integrated.

[0156] Communication interface 306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As illustrated, communication interface 306 includes one or more ports / terminals 316 for transmitting data to and receiving data from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface 306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 318 that may be coupled to antenna 310 or, in some embodiments, is part of antenna 310. Radio front-end circuitry 318 includes filter 320 and amplifier 322. Radio front-end circuitry 318 may be connected to antenna 310 and processing circuitry 302. Radio front-end circuitry may be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 310 and processing circuitry 302. Radio front-end circuitry 318 may receive digital data to be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 318 may use a combination of filter 320 and / or amplifier 322 to convert digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals may then be transmitted via antenna 310. Similarly, upon receiving data, antenna 310 can collect radio signals and then convert them into digital data via radio front-end circuitry 318. The digital data can then be passed to processing circuitry 302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0157] In some alternative embodiments, network node 300 does not include a separate radio front-end circuit 318; instead, processing circuitry 302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 312 is part of communication interface 306. In other embodiments, communication interface 306 includes one or more ports or terminals 316, radio front-end circuitry 318, and RF transceiver circuitry 312 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0158] Antenna 310 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 310 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 318 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 310 is decoupled from network node 300 and may be connected to network node 300 via an interface or port.

[0159] Antenna 310, communication interface 306, and / or processing circuitry 302 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquire operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be received from the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 310, communication interface 306, and / or processing circuitry 302 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be transmitted to the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0160] Power supply 308 provides power to the various components of network node 300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power supply 308 may also include or be coupled to power management circuitry to power the components of network node 300 for performing the functionality described herein. For example, network node 300 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., mains, electrical outlet) via input circuitry or interface such as a cable, thereby supplying power to the power circuitry of power supply 308. As another example, power supply 308 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery can provide backup power in the event of an external power failure.

[0161] Embodiments of network node 300 may include, except Figure 11Additional components beyond those shown herein are used to provide certain aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any of the functions described herein and / or any functions necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 300 may include user interface devices for allowing information to be input to and output from network node 300. This allows users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions for network node 300.

[0162] Figure 12 It is based on the various aspects described in this article, and may be Figure 2 A block diagram of host 400 in an embodiment of host 116. As used herein, host 400 can be or includes various combinations of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud-implemented servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources in a server farm. Host 400 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0163] Host 400 includes processing circuitry 402, which is operatively coupled to input / output interface 406, network interface 408, power supply 410, and memory 412 via bus 404. Other components may be included in other embodiments. These components may be characterized substantially similarly to those relating to... Figure 10 and Figure 11 The features described in the previous diagram of the device make its description generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 400.

[0164] Memory 412 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host applications 414 and data 416. Data 416 may include user data (e.g., data generated by the UE for the host 400 or data generated by the host 400 for the UE). Embodiments of host 400 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. Host application 414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture, and host application 414 may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Universal Video Codec (VVC), High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC), Advanced Video Codec (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Codec (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including code conversion for multiple different categories, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., mobile phones, desktop computers, wearable display systems, head-up display systems). Host application 414 may also provide user authentication and authorization checks and may periodically report health, routing, and content availability to a central node (such as a device in the core network or at the edge). Therefore, host 400 can select and / or instruct different hosts for the UE to use for overhead services. Host application 414 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Real-time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), HTTP-based Dynamic Adaptive Streaming (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0165] Figure 13 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 500 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device that may include a virtualization hardware platform, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to the implementation of at least a portion of functionality as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 500 hosted by one or more hardware nodes, such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts. Furthermore, in embodiments where virtual nodes do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes or hosts), the nodes can be fully virtualized.

[0166] Running application 502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual device, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) in virtualization environment 500 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0167] Hardware 504 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc. The processing circuitry can execute software to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 506 (also referred to as a hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM)), provide VMs 508a and 508b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VM 508), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described in relation to some embodiments described herein. Virtualization layer 506 can present a virtual operating platform to VM 508 that appears to be networked hardware.

[0168] VM 508 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage devices, and can run through a corresponding virtualization layer 506. Different embodiments of instances of virtual device 502 can be implemented on one or more VMs within VM 508, and can be implemented in different ways. Hardware virtualization is referred to in some contexts as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many types of network devices into industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices that can be located in data centers and customer premises.

[0169] In the context of NFV, each VM 508 can be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM 508, and the portion of the hardware 504 that executes that VM, whether it is hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM and other VMs within it, forms an independent virtual network element. Still within the context of NFV, the virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running in one or more VMs 508 on top of the hardware 504 and corresponds to application 502.

[0170] Hardware 504 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 504 can utilize virtualization to implement some functions. Alternatively, hardware 504 can be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 510, which in particular also oversees the lifecycle management of application 502. In some embodiments, hardware 504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units can communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and can be combined with virtual components to provide radio capabilities to virtual nodes, such as radio access nodes or base stations. In some embodiments, a control system 512 can be used to provide signaling, and the control system 512 can alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0171] Figure 14 A communication diagram is shown of a host 602 communicating with a UE 606 via a partially wireless connection through a network node 604, according to some embodiments. Reference will now be made to... Figure 14 To describe the UEs discussed in the preceding paragraphs (such as...) Figure 2 UE 112A and / or Figure 10 UE 200), network nodes (such as Figure 2 Network node 110A and / or Figure 11 Network node 300) and host (such as Figure 2 Host 116 and / or Figure 12 Example implementations of the host 400 according to various embodiments.

[0172] Like host 400, embodiments of host 602 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 602 also includes software stored in or accessible by host 602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 606 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 650 extending between UE 606 and host 602. In providing services to a remote user, the host application can provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 650.

[0173] Network node 604 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host 602 and UE 606. Connection 660 can be direct or via a core network (like...). Figure 2The core network (similar to 106) and / or one or more other intermediate networks (such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks). For example, an intermediate network could be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0174] UE 606 includes hardware and software. The software is stored in or accessible by UE 606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes client applications, such as web browsers or carrier-specific "apps," operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE 606 with the support of host 602. In host 602, the executing host application can communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 650 terminated at both UE 606 and host 602. When providing services to a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 650 can transmit both request data and user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides to the host application via OTT connection 650.

[0175] OTT connection 650 can be extended via connection 660 between host 602 and network node 604 and via wireless connection 670 between network node 604 and UE 606 to provide connectivity between host 602 and UE 606. Connection 660 and wireless connection 670, on which OTT connection 650 can be provided, have been abstractly drawn to illustrate communication between host 602 and UE 606 via network node 604, without explicitly mentioning any intermediate devices or the precise routing of messages via these devices.

[0176] As an example of data transmission via OTT connection 650, in step 608, host 602 provides user data, which can be executed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 606, which shares data with host 602 without explicit human interaction. In step 610, host 602 initiates a transmission carrying user data toward UE 606. Host 602 may initiate the transmission in response to a request transmitted by UE 606. The request may be triggered by human-computer interaction with UE 606 or by an operation of a client application executed on UE 606. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may pass through network node 604. Therefore, in step 612, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 604 transmits to UE 606 the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 602. In step 614, UE 606 receives user data carried in the transmission. The user data can be executed by a client application that is executed on UE 606 and associated with a host application executed by host 602.

[0177] In some examples, UE 606 executes a client application that provides user data to host 602. User data can be provided as a response to or in response to data received from host 602. Therefore, in step 616, UE 606 can provide user data, which can be done by executing the client application. When providing user data, the client application may also consider user input received from a user via the input / output interface of UE 606. Regardless of the specific manner in which user data is provided, UE 606 initiates a transmission of user data to host 602 via network node 604 in step 618. In step 620, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 604 receives user data from UE 606 and initiates a transmission of the received user data to host 602. In step 622, host 602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 606.

[0178] One or more embodiments in various examples improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 606 using OTT connection 650, wherein wireless connection 670 forms the final segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can improve the handling of collision signals and / or channels, thereby providing benefits such as improved measurement latency and bypassing the measurement gap request process to improve positioning quality.

[0179] In the example scenario, host 602 can collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, host 602 can process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from the UE for creating mappings. As another example, host 602 can collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling traffic congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, host 602 can store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As another example, host 602 can store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR, which it can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE. As other examples, host 602 can be used for energy pricing, balancing power generation demand, location services, remote control of non-time-critical power loads (such as compiled graphs from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing, and / or transmitting data.

[0180] In some examples, the measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors that improve one or more embodiments. Optional network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection 650 between host 602 and UE 606 may also be available in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host 602 and / or UE 606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices through which the OTT connection 650 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities illustrated above or by providing values ​​of other physical quantities that the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities from. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 650 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; reconfiguration does not require a direct change in the operation of network node 604. Such processes and functions are known and implemented in the art. In some embodiments, the measurement may involve proprietary UE signaling to facilitate measurements of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc., by host 602. Measurement is possible because the software uses an OTT connection 650 to transmit messages, especially empty or "fake" messages, while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0181] While the computing devices described herein (e.g., UE, network node, host) may include the hardware component combinations shown, other embodiments may include computing devices with different component combinations. It should be understood that these computing devices may include any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determination, calculation, acquisition, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting acquired information into other information, comparing acquired or converted information with information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and making a determination as a result of said processing. Furthermore, although components are depicted as a single box within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a computing device may include multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between individual components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of a component may be partitioned between processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0182] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by processing circuitry that executes instructions stored in memory, which in some embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on separate or discrete device-readable storage media, such as hardwired ones. In any of these particular embodiments, the processing circuitry may be configured to perform the described functions regardless of whether instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to individual processing circuitry or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the entire computing device and / or by the end user and wireless network as a whole.

[0183] The above embodiments are intended to be illustrative only. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, and variations to specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the description.

[0184] abbreviation At least some of the following abbreviations may be used in this disclosure. In the event of inconsistency between abbreviations, the abbreviation used in the foregoing shall prevail. If abbreviations are listed multiple times below, the first one listed shall prevail over any subsequent one or more of them. 1x RTT CDMA2000 1x Radio Transmission Technology 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project 5G 5th generation 6G 6th generation ABS almost blank subframe ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request) AWGN Additive White Gaussian Noise BCCH Broadcast Control Channel BCH Broadcast Channel CA carrier aggregation CC carrier component CCCH SDU Common Control Channel SDU CDMA Code Division Multiple Access CGI (Cell Global Identifier) CIR channel impulse response CP cyclic prefix CPICH Common Pilot Channel CPICH Ec / No CPICH received energy per chip divided by the power density in the frequency band CQI Channel Quality Information C-RNTI Community RNTI CSI Channel State Information DCCH Dedicated Control Channel DL downlink DM demodulation DMRS demodulation reference signal DRX discontinuous reception DTX discontinuous transmission DTCH Dedicated Service Channel DUT (Device Under Test) E-CID Enhanced Cell ID (Location Method) eMBMS (evolved multimedia broadcasting and multicasting service) E-SMLC Evolved Service Mobility Center ECGI Evolutionary CGI eNB E-UTRAN Node B ePDCCH Enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel E-SMLC Evolved Service Mobility Center E-UTRA Evolution UTRA E-UTRAN Evolution UTRAN FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) FFS is used for further research. Base stations in gNB NR GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request HO handover HSPA High-Speed ​​Packet Access HRPD High-Speed ​​Packet Data LOS (Loss of Sight) LPP LTE positioning protocol LTE Long Term Evolution MAC Media Access Control MAC Message Authentication Code MBSFN Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Single Frequency Network MBSFN ABS MBSFN almost blank subframes Minimum Drive Testing (MDT) MIB (Master Information Block) MME (Mobility Management Entity) MSC Mobile Switching Center NPDCCH Narrowband Physical Downlink Control Channel NR New Radio OCNG OFDMA Channel Noise Generator OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) OSS Operation Support System OTDOA observation time difference O&M Operation and Maintenance PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel) P-CCPCH Main Common Control Physical Channel PCell main cell PCFICH Physical Control Format Indicator Channel PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) PDP Brief Delay Brief PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) PGW Packet Gateway PHICH Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel PLMN Public Land Mobile Network PMI decoder matrix indicator PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) PRS Positioning Reference Signal PSS Master Synchronization Signal PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel RACH Random Access Channel QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation RAN (Radio Access Network) RAT Radio Access Technology RLC Radio Link Control RLM Radio Link Management RNC Radio Network Controller RNTI (Radio Network Temporary Identifier) RRC Radio Resource Control RRM Radio Resource Management RS reference signal RSCP Received Signal Code Power RSRP reference symbol received power or reference signal received power RSRQ reference signal reception quality or reference symbol reception quality RSSI Received Signal Strength Indicator RSTD (Reference Signal Time Difference) SCH Synchronization Channel SCell Auxiliary Community SDAP Service Data Adaptation Protocol SDU Service Data Unit SFN system frame number SGW Service Gateway SI System Information SIB System Information Block SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) SON self-optimizing network SS synchronization signal SSS auxiliary synchronization signal TDD (Time Division Duplex) TDOA arrival time difference TOA Arrival Time TSS Third Synchronization Signal TTI Transmission Time Interval UE User Equipment UL uplink USIM Global Subscriber Identification Module UTDOA Uplink Time Difference WCDMA Broadband CDMA WLAN broadband local area network.

Claims

1. A method executed by a first network node, the method comprising: Receive a location information request, including a valid area (VA) configuration request, from the second network node; The VA probe reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration of the wireless device is determined based on the VA configuration request; and The system sends a location information response, including a list of VA cells, to the second network node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first network node is an access node, and the second network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first network node is a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU), and the second network node is a gNB control unit (gNB CU).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The VA configuration request indicates at least one cell to be included in the VA.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The location information request also includes at least one requested SRS transmission feature associated with the VA.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: A VA determination request is transmitted to at least one neighboring node, the VA determination request requesting information about the VA SRS parameters supported by the at least one neighboring node; as well as Receive at least one VA determination response from the at least one neighboring node, indicating the supported VA SRS parameters.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The VASRS transmission configuration of the wireless device is determined based on the supported VASRS parameters.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: The VA cell list is determined based on the at least one VA determination response.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The location information response also includes an indication of the VASRS transmission configuration.

10. A first network node including a radio interface and processing circuitry, configured to: Receive a location information request, including a valid area (VA) configuration request, from the second network node; The VA probe reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration of the wireless device is determined based on the VA configuration request; and The system sends a location information response, including a list of VA cells, to the second network node.

11. The first network node according to claim 10, wherein, The first network node is an access node, and the second network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node.

12. The first network node according to claim 10, wherein, The first network node is a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU), and the second network node is a gNB control unit (gNB CU).

13. The first network node according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein, The VA configuration request indicates at least one cell to be included in the VA.

14. The first network node according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein, The location information request also includes at least one requested SRS transmission feature associated with the VA.

15. The first network node according to any one of claims 10 to 14, further configured to: Transmit a VA determination request to at least one neighboring node, the VA determination request requesting information about the VA SRS parameters supported by the at least one neighboring node; and Receive at least one VA determination response from the at least one neighboring node, indicating the supported VA SRS parameters.

16. The first network node according to claim 15, wherein, The VASRS transmission configuration of the wireless device is determined based on the supported VASRS parameters.

17. The first network node of claim 15 is further configured to: determine the VA cell list based on the at least one VA determination response.

18. The first network node according to any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein, The location information response also includes an indication of the VA SRS transmission configuration.

19. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: A VA information notification message is transmitted to at least one access node included in the Validity Area (VA), the VA information notification message indicating the SRS resource set configured for the VA.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting a location information request, the location information request including at least one of: a requested SRS transmission characteristic associated with the VA and at least one cell requested to be included in the VA.

21. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 20, further comprising receiving a location information response, the location information response including at least one of the following: VA SRS transmission configuration and VA cell list.

22. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein, The VA information notification also includes a list of VA cells.

23. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein, The network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The VA information notification is an NRPPa protocol message.

25. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein, The network node is a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU).

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein, The VA information notification is an F1AP protocol message.

27. A network node including a radio interface and processing circuitry, configured as follows: A VA information notification message is transmitted to at least one access node included in the Validity Area (VA), the VA information notification message indicating the SRS resource set configured for the VA.

28. The network node of claim 27, further comprising transmitting a location information request, the location information request including at least one of the following: a requested SRS transmission characteristic associated with the VA and at least one cell requested to be included in the VA.

29. The network node according to any one of claims 27 to 28 is further configured to receive a location information response, the location information response including at least one of the following: VA SRS transmission configuration and VA cell list.

30. The network node according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein, The VA information notification also includes a list of VA cells.

31. The network node according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein, The network node is a Location Management Function (LMF) node.

32. The network node according to claim 31, wherein, The VA information notification is an NRPPa protocol message.

33. The network node according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein, The network node is a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU).

34. The network node according to claim 33, wherein, The VA information notification is an F1AP protocol message.

Images