Systems and methods for low-latency positioning using fast uplink signaling

Abstract

During a location session, an early uplink grant is provided to the user equipment (UE) in response to a request for location service information from the location server. Location service information may be, for example, a request for location capabilities, a request for location measurements or location estimates, and may be a request for single, periodic, or triggered location information. The UE may request early uplink grant before uplink grant is required, prior to the completion of location measurements. The location server may initiate early uplink grant at or near the same time as sending the information request to the UE. Early uplink grant can be used during high-priority or urgent-related location sessions to reduce delays in the UE's response to location information requests.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 069433, filed August 24, 2020, entitled “System and Method for Low-Latency Positioning Using Fast Uplink Signaling,” and U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 17 / 404874, filed August 17, 2021, entitled “System and Method for Low-Latency Positioning Using Fast Uplink Signaling,” both of which have been assigned to the assignee of this application and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to communications, and more specifically, to technologies for supporting location services for user equipment (UE) served by fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks. Background Technology

[0004] Wireless communication systems have evolved through multiple generations, including first-generation analog wireless telephony (1G), second-generation (2G) digital wireless telephony (including transitional 2.5G and 2.75G networks), third-generation (3G) high-speed data, wireless services supporting the internet, and fourth-generation (4G) services (e.g., LTE or WiMax). The fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) standard demands even higher data transmission speeds, more connections, and better coverage, among other improvements. According to the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance, 5G NR aims to provide tens of megabits per second of data rate for each of tens of thousands of users, and gigabit per second for dozens of workers on an office floor.

[0005] For some applications, the ability to obtain the location of a mobile device with extremely low latency via a wireless communication system may be useful or necessary. Examples of such applications may include location associated with an emergency call from a mobile device, applications involving the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) such as in automated factories or warehouses, and / or applications involving automated equipment such as driverless cars or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Summary of the Invention

[0006] During a positioning session, an early uplink grant is provided to the user equipment (UE) in response to a request for location service information from the location server. Location service information may be, for example, a request for positioning capabilities, a request for positioning measurements or positioning estimates, and may be a request for single, periodic, or triggered location information. The UE may request the early uplink grant before uplink grant is required, such as before positioning measurements are completed. The location server may initiate the early uplink grant, for example, at or near the same time as it sends the information request to the UE. For example, early uplink grants can be used during high-priority or urgent-related positioning sessions to reduce the delay in the UE's response to location information requests.

[0007] In one implementation, a method performed by a user equipment (UE) to support location services for the UE includes: receiving a request for location information from a location server; receiving an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and sending the location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0008] In one implementation, a user equipment (UE) is configured to support location services for the UE, comprising: a radio transceiver configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the radio transceiver and the at least one memory, configured to: receive a request for location information from a location server via the radio transceiver; receive an uplink grant from a base station via the radio transceiver before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and send the location information to the location server via the radio transceiver using the uplink grant.

[0009] In one implementation, a user equipment (UE) is configured to support location services for the UE, including: components for receiving a request for location information from a location server; components for receiving an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server; and components for sending location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0010] In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a user equipment (UE) to support location services for the UE, the program code including instructions to receive a request for location information from a location server; to receive an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and to send the location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0011] In one implementation, a method for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE) performed by a location server includes: sending a request to the UE for information related to the location service; sending a message to a base station to initiate an uplink license for the UE in response to the request; and receiving a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink license.

[0012] In one implementation, a location server configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE) includes: an external interface configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the memory, configured to: send a request for location service-related information to the UE via the external interface; send a message to a base station via the external interface in response to the request to initiate an uplink grant for the UE; and receive a response to the request from the UE via the external interface, which is sent by the UE using the uplink grant.

[0013] In one implementation, a location server configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE) includes: components for sending a request to the UE for information related to the location service; components for responding to the request by sending a message to a base station to initiate an uplink license for the UE; and components for receiving a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink license.

[0014] In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a location server for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), the program code including instructions to: send a request to the UE for information related to the location services; send a message to a base station to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to the request; and receive a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink grant.

[0015] In one implementation, a method for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE) performed by a base station includes: receiving a message to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; sending the uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and receiving a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forwarding it to the location server.

[0016] In one implementation, a base station configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE) includes: an external interface configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the memory, and configured to: receive messages via the external interface to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; send an uplink grant to the UE via the external interface before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and receive, via the external interface, a response to an information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forward it to the location server.

[0017] In one implementation, a base station configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE) includes: components for receiving a message to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; components for sending an uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and components for receiving a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forwarding it to the location server.

[0018] In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a base station for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), the program code including instructions to receive messages to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; to send the uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and to receive a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forward it to the location server.

[0019] Based on the accompanying drawings and detailed description, other objects and advantages associated with the aspects disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are provided to help describe various aspects of this disclosure, and are provided merely to illustrate these aspects and not to limit them.

[0021] Figure 1 A high-level system architecture of a wireless communication system according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 The signaling flow is shown, illustrating the various messages sent between components of the communication system during a location session initiated by the location server for an early uplink permission.

[0023] Figure 3 The signaling flow is shown, illustrating the various messages sent between components of the communication system during a location session in which a user equipment (UE) requests early uplink clearance.

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram illustrating some exemplary features of a UE configured to respond to an early uplink license request for location services is shown.

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram illustrating certain exemplary features of a location server configured to support early uplink licensing for a UE to respond to a location service request is shown.

[0026] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram illustrating certain exemplary features of a base station configured to support early uplink clearance in response to a location service request by a UE is shown.

[0027] Figure 7 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary method performed by the UE to support the UE's location services using an early uplink license.

[0028] Figure 8 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary method performed by a location server to support location services for a UE using an early uplink license.

[0029] Figure 9 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary method performed by a base station to support location services for a UE using an early uplink license.

[0030] Elements, stages, steps, and / or actions with the same reference numerals in different figures may correspond to each other (e.g., they may be similar or identical). Furthermore, some elements in different figures are labeled using a numerical prefix followed by a letter or number suffix. Elements with the same numerical prefix but different suffixes may be different instances of the same type of element. A numerical prefix without any suffix is ​​used herein to refer to any element having that numerical prefix. For example, Figure 1 Different examples of base stations, 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3, are shown. References to base station 110 refer to any one of base stations 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Various aspects of this disclosure are provided in the following description and accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes and are intended to illustrate various examples. Alternative aspects may be devised without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, well-known elements of this disclosure will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of this disclosure.

[0032] The terms “exemplary” and / or “example” as used herein mean “serving as an example, illustration, or explanation.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” and / or “example” is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other aspects. Similarly, the term “aspects of this disclosure” does not require that all aspects of this disclosure include the features, advantages, or modes of operation discussed.

[0033] Those skilled in the art will understand that the information and signals described below can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and methods. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be mentioned in the following description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, light fields or particles, or any combination thereof, depending in part on the specific application, in part on the desired design, and in part on the appropriate technology, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, many aspects are described based on sequences of actions to be performed by elements of, for example, a computing device. It will be appreciated that the various actions described herein can be performed by a particular circuit (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), program instructions executed by one or more processors, or a combination of both. Furthermore, the sequences of actions described herein can be considered entirely contained in any form of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a corresponding set of computer instructions that, when executed, will cause or instruct the relevant processor of the device to perform the functions described herein. Therefore, various aspects of this disclosure can be embodied in a variety of different forms, all of which are considered to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, for each aspect described herein, the corresponding form of any such aspect can be described herein as, for example, "logic" "configured" to perform the described actions.

[0035] As used herein, the terms “User Equipment” (UE) and “Base Station” are not intended to be specific or limited to any particular Radio Access Technology (RAT) unless otherwise stated. Generally, a UE can be any wireless communication device used by a user to communicate over a wireless communication network (e.g., mobile phone, router, tablet, laptop, tracking device, wearable device (e.g., smartwatch, glasses, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) headset, etc.), vehicle (e.g., car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.), Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc.). A UE can be mobile or (e.g., at times) fixed and can communicate with a Radio Access Network (RAN). As used herein, the term “UE” is interchangeably referred to as “Access Terminal” or “AT”, “Client Equipment”, “Wireless Equipment”, “Subscriber Equipment”, “Subscriber Terminal”, “Subscriber Station”, “User Terminal” or “UT”, “Mobile Terminal”, “Mobile Station”, “Mobile Device”, or variations thereof. Typically, a UE can communicate with a core network via the RAN, and through the core network, the UE can connect to external networks such as the Internet and other UEs. Of course, other mechanisms for connecting to the core network and / or the Internet are also possible for the UE, such as via a wired access network, a wireless local area network (WLAN) (e.g., based on IEEE 802.11, etc.), and so on.

[0036] Depending on the network in which the base station is deployed, it can operate according to one of several RATs (Regional Access Points) that communicate with the UE, and can be alternatively referred to as an Access Point (AP), Network Node, Node B, Evolved Node B (eNB), New Radio (NR) Node B (also known as gNB), etc. Furthermore, in some systems, the base station can provide purely edge node signaling functions, while in others it can provide additional control and / or network management functions. The communication link through which the UE sends signals to the base station is called an uplink (UL) channel (e.g., reverse traffic channel, reverse control channel, access channel, etc.). The communication link through which the base station sends signals to the UE is called a downlink (DL) or forward link channel (e.g., paging channel, control channel, broadcast channel, forward traffic channel, etc.). The term Traffic Channel (TCH) used here can refer to either the UL / reverse or DL / forward traffic channel.

[0037] The term "base station" can refer to a single physical transmission point or multiple physical transmission points, which may or may not be located together. For example, when the term "base station" refers to a single physical transmission point, that physical transmission point can be a base station antenna corresponding to a base station cell. When the term "base station" refers to multiple co-located physical transmission points, the physical transmission points can be the antenna array of a base station (e.g., in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system or where the base station employs beamforming). When the term "base station" refers to multiple non-co-located physical transmission points, the physical transmission points can be a distributed antenna system (DAS) (a network of spatially separated antennas connected to a common source via a transmission medium) or a remote radio head (RRH) (a remote base station connected to the serving base station). Alternatively, non-co-located physical transmission points can be the serving base station receiving measurement reports from the UE and neighboring base stations where the UE is measuring its reference RF signal.

[0038] To support UE positioning, two main categories of positioning solutions have been defined: control plane and user plane. Control plane (CP) positioning allows signaling related to positioning and positioning support to be carried over existing network (and UE) interfaces using existing protocols dedicated to signaling transmission. User plane (UP) positioning allows signaling related to positioning and positioning support to be carried as part of other data using protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

[0039] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has defined control plane positioning solutions for UEs using radio access based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) (2G), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) (3G), LTE (4G), and 5G New Radio (NR). These solutions are defined in 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS) 23.271 and 23.273 (common parts), 43.059 (GSM access), 25.305 (UMTS access), 36.305 (LTE access), and 38.305 (NR access). The Open Mobility Alliance (OMA) has similarly defined an uplink positioning solution called Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), which can be used to locate UEs accessing any of a plurality of radio interfaces supporting IP packet access, such as GPRS with GSM, GPRS with UMTS, or IP access with LTE or NR.

[0040] Both CP and UP location solutions can use a location server to support positioning. The LS can be part of or accessible from the UE's serving or home network, or simply accessible via the Internet or local intranet. If positioning of the UE is required, the LS can initiate a session with the UE (e.g., a location session or SUPL session) and coordinate the determination of the UE's location measurements and estimated location. During the positioning session, the location server can request the UE's positioning capabilities (or the UE can provide them without request), can provide the UE with auxiliary data (e.g., if requested by the UE or not), and can request location estimates or measurements, such as those for assisted GNSS (A-GNSS), downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), AoD, multi-cell RTT (also known as multi-RTT), and / or enhanced cell ID (ECID) positioning methods. The UE can use the auxiliary data to acquire and measure GNSS and / or PRS signals (e.g., by providing expected characteristics of these signals, such as frequency, expected time of arrival, signal coding, and signal Doppler).

[0041] Note that the terms "location measurements," "position measurements," and "positioning measurements" are synonymous and can be used interchangeably. Similarly, the terms "location estimation," "positioning estimation," and "positioning estimation" are synonymous and can be used interchangeably.

[0042] In UE-based operating modes, the UE may also or alternatively use auxiliary data to help determine the location estimate from the resulting location measurement (e.g., if the auxiliary data provides satellite ephemeris data or base station location in the case of GNSS positioning, and other base station features such as PRS timing in the case of terrestrial positioning using DL-TDOA, AoD, multi-RTT, etc.).

[0043] In UE-assisted operation mode, the UE can return location measurement results to the LS, which can determine the estimated location of the UE based on these measurement results and possibly also on other known or configured data (e.g., satellite ephemeris data for GNSS location or base station characteristics, including base station location and possible PRS timing when using terrestrial positioning such as DL-TDOA, AoD, multi-RTT, etc.).

[0044] In another standalone operating mode, the UE can perform position-related measurements without any positioning assistance data from the LS, and can further calculate position or position changes without any positioning assistance data from the LS. Positioning methods that can be used in standalone mode include GPS and GNSS (e.g., if the UE obtains satellite orbit data from data broadcast by the GPS and GNSS satellites themselves) and sensors.

[0045] In the case of 3GPP CP positioning, the LS can be an Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) for LTE access, a Standalone SMLC (SAS) for UMTS access, a Serving Mobile Location Center (SMLC) for GSM access, or a Location Management Function (LMF) for 5G NR access. In the case of OMASUPL positioning, the LS can be a SUPL Positioning Platform (SLP), which can act as any of the following: (i) a Home SLP (H-SLP) if it is in or associated with the UE's home network, or if it provides a permanent subscription to location services to the UE; (ii) a Discovered SLP (D-SLP) if it is in or associated with another (non-home) network, or if it is not associated with any network; (iii) an Emergency SLP (E-SLP) if it supports the location of an emergency call initiated by the UE; or (iv) a Visited SLP (V-SLP) if it is in or associated with the UE's serving network or current local area.

[0046] During a location session, the LS and UE can exchange messages defined according to a location protocol to coordinate the determination of estimated location. Possible location protocols may include, for example, the LTE Location Protocol (LPP) defined by 3GPP in 3GPP TS 37.355 and the LPP Extensions (LPPe) protocols OMA-TS-LPPe-V1_0, OMA-TS-LPPe-V1_1, and OMA-TS-LPPe-V2_0 defined by OMA in OMA TS. LPP and LPPe protocols can be used in combination, where an LPP message contains an embedded LPPe message. The combined LPP and LPPe protocols can be referred to as LPP / LPPe. LPP and LPP / LPPe can be used to help support 3GPP control plane solutions for LTE or NR access, in which case LPP or LPP / LPPe messages are exchanged between the UE and the E-SMLC or between the UE and the LMF. LPP or LPPe messages can be exchanged between the UE and the E-SMLC via the Serving Mobility Management Entity (MME) and the serving eNodeB for the UE. LPP or LPPe messages can also be exchanged between the UE and the LMF via the UE's Serving Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and the Serving NR Node B (gNB). LPP and LPP / LPPe can also be used to help support OMASUPL solutions for various types of radio access that support IP messaging (such as LTE, NR, and WiFi), where LPP or LPP / LPPe messages are exchanged between the SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) (this is the term for UEs with SUPL) and the SLP, and can be transmitted within SUPL messages (such as SUPL POS or SUPL POS INIT messages).

[0047] The LS and the base station (e.g., an eNodeB for LTE access or a gNodeB for NR access) can exchange messages to enable the LS to (i) obtain location measurements of a specific UE from the base station, or (ii) obtain location information unrelated to a specific UE from the base station, such as the location coordinates of the base station's antennas, the cells supported by the base station (e.g., cell identifiers), the cell timing of the base station, and / or parameters of signals transmitted by the base station (e.g., PRS signals). In the case of LTE access, the LPP A (LPPa) protocol can be used to transmit such messages between the base station acting as an eNodeB and the LS acting as an E-SMLC. In the case of NR access, the NR Location Protocol A (NRPPa) defined in 3GPP TS38.455 can be used to transmit such messages between the base station acting as a gNB (gNodeB) and the LS acting as an LMF.

[0048] In emergency situations or other mission-critical scenarios, or where very low latency is required, the location server should receive UE measurements (e.g., GNSS pseudorange, RSTD, RxTx, RSRP) as quickly as possible when a positioning session is initiated. When the LS sends an LPP request message for the measurements to the UE, the UE receives the requested information, such as the positioning measurements, and sends the requested information to the LS, for example, using an uplink (UL) license received from the base station. The UL license may include permission from the serving base station for the UE to send UL messages at a specific time using specific UL transport resources (e.g., using a specific UL channel such as the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), a specific frequency, a specific frequency hopping sequence, and / or a specific resource block). If the UE does not already have a UL license (which happens in many cases), the UE must send a request for the UL license using a scheduling request (SR) sent to the base station. The base station must respond and provide the UL license to the UE before the UE can provide the requested information to the LS. The process of sending a request for the UL license and receiving the UL license can take tens of milliseconds or seconds, and therefore can introduce significant delays when providing positioning information to the LS.

[0049] Key factors contributing to delays can include network congestion, the presence of sleep cycles, or poor signaling on the Random Access Channel (RACH) used by the UE to request UL clearance. For example, RACH failures may occur frequently because the initial RACH power is too low, and the power must be adjusted over several attempts to match the required signal quality.

[0050] Therefore, to reduce the latency of the UE's response to a location request, in some implementations, for example, when the location server sends a request to the UE, the location server can provide an indication to the serving base station that the location session has high priority. The base station can process and send UL authorization to the UE in advance (i.e., early), for example, along with the request message from the location server, or before the UE is ready to respond to the request. The location server can decide when to recommend that the serving base station provide UL authorization in advance. For example, the location server can provide an indication of the need for early UL authorization in high-priority situations, such as in emergency situations or when very low latency is required for location (e.g., for IIoT applications or for automated UEs). Therefore, the UE can send the requested information to the location server without waiting for UL authorization from the base station, thus enabling rapid location execution.

[0051] In some implementations, the location server may also request the base station to send multiple permission requests to the UE for repetition (e.g., for periodic location requests), especially under poor signal conditions, so that the data sent by the UE (e.g., location measurements) will be received faster and more reliably. In some implementations, the location server may send an indication of prior permission requirements based, for example, on location priority or on response time requirements in location quality of service (QoS) parameters, or the base station may make a decision based on the UE's signal quality (e.g., number of repetitions), which the base station can obtain from UE measurement reports or UE mobility status obtained by the base station during UE connection establishment, connection restoration, or connection reconstruction.

[0052] In some implementations, the UE can send a UL permission request before it is ready to send a response to a location request from a location server. For example, the UE can send a UL permission request to the base station before completing (or starting) the requested location measurement. For instance, for periodic or triggered positioning, the UE can enter a connected state a few seconds before it is expected to send the measurement, and then obtain UL permission from the base station before the UE is ready to send the location measurement. This can facilitate very low-latency Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) positioning, where the maximum end-to-end latency can be 10-100 ms.

[0053] Figure 1 An architecture based on a non-roaming 5G NR network is shown to support UE positioning using upfront UL licensing as discussed herein. Figure 1 A communication system 100 including UE 102 is shown. UE 102 is sometimes referred to herein as the “target UE” because UE 102 may be the target of a location request. Figure 1Components of a fifth-generation (5G) network are also shown, including a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN) 112, which includes base stations (Bs) sometimes referred to as new radio (NR) NodeBs or GNBs 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and an ng-eNB 114, and a 5G core network (5GCN) 150 for communicating with external clients 130. The 5G network may also be referred to as a new radio (NR) network; NG-RAN 112 may be referred to as NR RAN or 5G RAN and 5GCN 150 may be referred to as a next-generation (NG) core network (NGC). The communication system 100 may further utilize information from a spacecraft (SV) 190 for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou, or some other local or regional satellite positioning systems (SPS) such as IRNSS, EGNOS, or WAAS. Additional components of the communication system 100 are described below. The communication system 100 may include additional or alternative components.

[0054] Figure 1 The serving gNB 110-1 and neighboring gNBs 110-2, 110-3 and ng-eNB 114 of the target UE 102 are shown. The neighboring gNB can be any gNB capable of receiving and measuring uplink (UL) signals transmitted by the target UE 102 and / or capable of transmitting downlink (DL) reference signals (RS), such as a location reference signal (PRS) that can be received and measured by the target UE 102.

[0055] The entity that transmits DL PRS that will be measured by the target UE 102 for a specific location session in NG-RAN 112 is generally referred to as the “transmitting point” (TP) and may include one or more of the serving gNB 110-1, neighboring gNBs 110-2, 110-3 and ng-eNB 114.

[0056] In NG-RAN 112, the entity that receives and measures UL signals (e.g., RS) sent by the target UE 102 for a specific location session is generally referred to as the “Receiving Point” (RP) and may include one or more of the serving gNB 110-1, neighboring gNBs 110-2, 110-3 and ng-eNB 114.

[0057] It should be noted that, Figure 1Only a general description of the various components is provided; any or all of them may be used appropriately, and each may be copied or omitted as needed. Specifically, although only one UE 102 is shown, it should be understood that many UEs (e.g., hundreds, thousands, millions, etc.) may utilize the communication system 100. Similarly, the communication system 100 may include more or fewer SV 190s, GNB 110-1-110-2s, external clients 130, and / or other components. The connections of the various components in the connected communication system 100 shown include data and signaling connections, which may include additional (intermediate) components, direct or indirect physical and / or wireless connections, and / or additional networks. Furthermore, depending on the desired functionality, components may be rearranged, combined, separated, replaced, and / or omitted.

[0058] Although Figure 1 A 5G-based network is illustrated, but similar network implementations and configurations can be used for other communication technologies such as 3G, LTE, and IEEE 802.11 WiFi. For example, in the case of a wireless local area network (WLAN) using, for example, an IEEE 802.11 radio interface, UE 102 can communicate with an access network (AN), unlike NG-RAN. Therefore, component 112 is sometimes referred to herein as AN or RAN, indicated by the terms “RAN,” “AN,” or “AN 112.” In the case of an AN (e.g., IEEE 802.11 AN), the AN can connect to a non-3GPP interoperability function (N3IWF) (e.g., in 5GCN 150). Figure 1 (not shown in the image), where N3IWF is connected to AMF 154.

[0059] As used herein, the target UE 102 can be any electronic device and can be referred to as a device, mobile device, wireless device, mobile terminal, terminal, mobile station (MS), terminal (SET) supporting Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), or other names. The target UE 102 can be a standalone device or can be embedded in another device to be monitored or tracked, such as a factory tool. Furthermore, UE 102 can correspond to a smartwatch, digital glasses, fitness monitor, smart car, smart appliance, mobile phone, smartphone, laptop, tablet, PDA, tracking device, control device, or some other portable or mobile device. UE 102 can include a single entity or can include multiple entities, such as in a personal area network where the user can use audio, video, and / or data I / O devices and / or body sensors, as well as separate wired or wireless modems. Typically, although not mandatory, UE 102 may use one or more radio access technologies (RATs) to support wireless communication, such as GSM, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), LTE, High-Speed ​​Packet Data (HRPD), IEEE 802.11 WiFi (also known as Wi-Fi). (BT), WiMAX, 5G New Radio (NR) (e.g., using NG-RAN 112 and 5GCN 150), etc. UE 102 can also support wireless communication using a wireless local area network (WLAN), which can be connected to other networks (e.g., the Internet) using, for example, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or packet cable. The use of one or more of these RATs can allow UE 102 to communicate with external client 130 (e.g., via...). Figure 1 The components of the 5GCN 150 (not shown) or possibly via the Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) 160, and / or allow an external client 130 to receive location information about the UE 102 (e.g., via GMLC 160).

[0060] UE 102 can enter a connected state with a wireless communication network including NG-RAN 112. In one example, UE 102 can communicate with the cellular communication network by transmitting or receiving radio signals from a cellular transceiver (e.g., gNB 110-1) in NG-RAN 112. The transceiver provides user and control plane protocol termination to UE 102 and may be referred to as a base station, base transceiver, radio base station, radio transceiver, radio network controller, transceiver function, base station subsystem (BSS), extended service set (ESS), or some other suitable terminology.

[0061] In a particular implementation, UE 102 may have circuitry and processing resources capable of acquiring location-related measurements. The location-related measurements acquired by UE 102 may include measurements of signals received from a satellite spacecraft (SV) 190 belonging to a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou), and / or may include measurements of signals received from a land-based transmitter (e.g., a GNB) fixed at a known location. UE 102 or UE 102 may send the measurement results to gNB 110-1, and then any of several positioning methods may be used to obtain a location estimate of UE 102 based on these location-related measurements. These positioning methods include, for example, GNSS, Auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS), Advanced Forward Link Trilateral Measurement (AFLT), Observation Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA), DL-TDOA, WLAN (also known as WiFi) positioning, or Enhanced Cell ID (ECID), or combinations thereof. In some of these techniques (e.g., A-GNSS, AFLT, OTDOA, and DL-TDOA), pseudorange or timing differences can be measured at UE 102 relative to three or more land transmitters (e.g., GNBs) fixed at known locations, or relative to four or more SV 190s or combinations thereof with precisely known orbit data, based at least in part on pilot signals, positioning reference signals (PRS), or other positioning-related signals transmitted by a transmitter or satellite and received at UE 102.

[0062] Figure 1The location server in the context may correspond to, for example, a Location Management Function (LMF) 152 or a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP) 162, and may be able to provide the UE 102 with location assistance data, including, for example, information about the signal to be measured (e.g., expected signal timing, signal encoding, signal frequency, signal Doppler), the location and identity of the land transmitter (e.g., GNB), and / or signal, timing, and orbit information of the GNSS SV, in order to facilitate positioning technologies such as A-GNSS, AFLT, and OTDOA. This facilitation may include improving the signal acquisition and measurement accuracy of the UE 102, and in some cases, enabling the UE 102 to calculate its estimated location based on location measurements. For example, the location server (e.g., LMF 152 or SLP 162) may include an almanac, also known as a Base Station Almanac (BSA), which indicates the location and identity of cellular transceivers and / or local transceivers in a specific area (e.g., a specific location), and may provide information describing signals transmitted by cellular base stations or APs (e.g., gNBs), such as transmit power and signal timing. UE 102 may obtain measurements of the signal strength of signals received from cellular transceivers and / or local transceivers (e.g., Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI)), and / or may obtain signal-to-noise ratio (S / N), Reference Received Power (RSRP), Reference Received Quality (RSRQ), Time of Arrival (TOA), Angle of Arrival (AOA), Angle of Departure (AOD), Time-to-Receive Time Difference (RxTx), Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), or Round-Trip Time (RTT) between UE 102 and the cellular transceiver (e.g., gNB) or local transceiver (WiFi access point). UE 102 may use these measurements in conjunction with auxiliary data (e.g., land almanac data or GNSS satellite data such as GNSS almanac and / or GNSS ephemeris information) received from a positioning server (e.g., LMF 152 or SLP 162) or broadcast by base stations in NG-RAN 112 (e.g., gNB 110-1-110-2) to determine the location of UE 102.

[0063] In some implementations, network entities are used to assist in the localization of the target UE 102. For example, an entity in a network such as GNB 110-1-110-2 can measure the UL signal transmitted by the UE 102. The UL signal may include or contain a UL reference signal, such as a UL Position Reference Signal (PRS) or a UL Detection Reference Signal (SRS). The entity that obtains the location measurement (e.g., GNB 110-1-110-2) can then transmit the location measurement to the UE 102, which can use these measurements to determine the RTD of multiple transceiver pairs. Examples of location measurements that can be performed using UL signals include RSSI, RSRP, RSRQ, TOA, RxTx, AOA, and RTT.

[0064] The location estimate of UE 102 may be referred to as location, location estimate, location lock, lock, positioning, location estimation, or location lock, and may be geographic, thus providing UE 102 with location coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude), which may or may not include an elevation component (e.g., height above sea level, height above ground level, or depth below ground level, floor level, or basement level). Alternatively, the location of UE 102 may be represented as a city location (e.g., a postal address or designation of a point or small area within a building, such as a specific room or floor). The location of UE 102 may also be represented as a region or volume (defined geographically or in city form) within which UE 102 is expected to be located with a certain probability or confidence level (e.g., 67%, 95%, etc.). The location of UE 102 can also be a relative location, including, for example, distance and direction defined relative to an origin at a known location, or relative X, Y (and Z) coordinates. This known location can be geographically defined, defined in city terms, or defined as a point, area, or volume indicated on a reference map, floor plan, or building plan. The location can be represented as an absolute position estimate of the UE, such as location coordinates or an address, or as a relative position estimate of the UE, such as distance and direction relative to a previously estimated or known absolute location. The UE's location can include linear velocity, angular velocity, linear acceleration, angular acceleration, the UE's angular orientation (e.g., the UE's orientation relative to a fixed global or local coordinate system), an identifier of a triggering event used to locate the UE, or some combination thereof. For example, a triggering event can include an area event, a motion event, or a speed event. For example, an area event can be the UE moving into a defined area, moving out of the area, and / or remaining in the area. For example, a motion event can include the UE moving a threshold straight-line distance or a threshold distance along a UE trajectory. For example, a speed event can include the UE reaching a minimum or maximum speed, a threshold increase and / or decrease in speed, and / or a threshold change in direction. In the description contained herein, the use of the term “location” may include any of these variations unless otherwise stated. When calculating the location of a UE, local x, y, and possibly z coordinates are typically solved, and then, if necessary, the local coordinates are converted to absolute coordinates (e.g., latitude, longitude, and altitude above or below mean sea level).

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, gNB pairs in NG-RAN 112 can be connected to each other, for example, as Figure 1The connection is either direct or indirect via other gNBs 110-1-110-2. Access to the 5G network is provided to UE 102 via wireless communication between UE 102 and one or more gNBs 110-1-110-2. The gNBs 110-1-110-2 can provide wireless communication access to the 5GCN 150 on behalf of UE 102 using 5G (e.g., NR). Figure 1 In this example, assuming that the serving gNB of UE 102 is gNB 110-1, if UE 102 moves to another location, other gNBs (e.g., gNB 110-2, 110-3 or ng-eNB 114) can act as serving gNBs or as auxiliary gNBs to provide additional throughput and bandwidth to UE 102. Figure 1 Some gNBs (e.g., gNB 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114) can be configured to act as location-only beacons, which can transmit signals (e.g., directional PRS) to assist the UE 102 in positioning, but cannot receive signals from the UE 102 or other UEs.

[0066] As mentioned above, although Figure 1 Nodes configured to communicate according to 5G communication protocols are depicted, but nodes configured to communicate according to other communication protocols (such as LTE) can also be used. Such nodes configured to communicate using different protocols can be controlled at least partially by the 5GCN 150. Therefore, the NG-RAN 112 can include any combination of gNBs, LTE-enabled evolved Node Bs (eNBs), or other types of base stations or access points. For example, the NG-RAN 112 can include one or more next-generation eNBs (NG-eNBs) (not shown) that provide LTE radio access to the UE 102 and can connect to entities in the 5GCN 150, such as the AMF 154.

[0067] GNBs 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, and ng-eNB 114 can communicate with Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 154, and for location functions, this function can communicate with Location Management Function (LMF) 152. AMF 154 can support the mobility of UE 102, including cell changes and handovers, and can participate in supporting signaling connections to UE 102, and may assist in establishing and releasing Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions for UE 102 supported by UPF 158. Other functions of AMF 154 may include: terminating the control plane (CP) interface from NG-RAN 112; terminating, NAS encryption, and integrity protection of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling connections from UEs such as UE 102; registration management; connection management; reachability management; mobility management; and access authentication and licensing.

[0068] When UE 102 accesses NG-RAN 112, gNB 110-1 can support the positioning of UE 102. gNB 110-1 can also process location service requests for UE 102, such as location service requests received directly or indirectly from GMLC 160. In some embodiments, the node / system implementing gNB 110-1 may additionally or alternatively implement other types of location support modules, such as an Enhanced Serving Mobility Location Center (E-SMLC) or a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP) 162. It should be noted that in some embodiments, at least a portion of the positioning functionality (including deriving the location of UE 102) can be performed at UE 102 (e.g., using signal measurements of signals transmitted to the radio node and auxiliary data provided to UE 102).

[0069] GMLC 160 can support location requests for UE 102 received from external client 130 and can forward such location requests to the serving AMF 154 of UE 102. AMF 154 can then forward the location request to gNB 110-1 or LMF 152, which can obtain one or more location estimates for UE 102 (e.g., based on the request from external client 130) and can return the location estimates to AMF 154, which can then return the location estimates to external client 130 via GMLC 160. GMLC 160 can contain subscription information of external client 130 and can authenticate and approve location requests for UE 102 from external client 130. GMLC 160 can also initiate a location session for UE 102 by sending a location request for UE 102 to AMF 154, and can include the identity of UE 102 and the type of location requested (e.g., current location or a series of periodic or triggered locations) in the location request.

[0070] like Figure 1 As further shown, external client 130 can connect to core network 150 via GMLC 160 and / or SLP 162. Alternatively, external client 130 can connect to core network 150 and / or SLP 164 via Internet 175, which is outside of 5GCN 150. External client 130 can be a server, network server, or user equipment, such as a personal computer, UE, etc.

[0071] LMF 152 and gNB 110-1 can communicate using the New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa). NRPPa is defined in 3GPP TS 38.455, and NRPPa messages are transmitted between gNB 110-1 and LMF 152. Furthermore, LMF 152 and UE 102 can communicate using the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) defined in 3GPP TS 37.355, where LPP messages are transmitted between UE 102 and LMF 152 via serving AMF 154 and serving gNB 110-1 for UE 102. For example, 5G Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocols can be used to transmit LPP messages between AMF 154 and UE 102. The LPP protocol can be used to support the positioning of UE 102 using UE-assisted and / or UE-based positioning methods, such as assisted GNSS (A-GNSS), real-time kinematics (RTK), wireless local area network (WLAN), observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), DL-TDOA, round-trip time (RTT), multiple RTT, and / or enhanced cell identity (ECID). The NRPPa protocol can be used to support the positioning of UE 102 using network-based positioning methods (such as ECID) (when used with measurements obtained or received from gNB 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114), and / or can be used by LMF 152 to obtain location-related information from gNBs, such as defining parameters of the Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) transmission from gNBs to support DL-TDOA.

[0072] GNB 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114 can communicate with AMF 154 using, for example, the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) defined in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.413, or a location-specific protocol (hereinafter referred to as LSP1) transmitted by NGAP. NGAP or LSP1 enables AMF 154 to request the location of target UE 102 from gNB 110-1 of target UE 102, and enables gNB 110-1 to return the location of UE 102 to AMF 154.

[0073] GNBs 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114 can communicate with each other using, for example, the Xn Application Protocol (XnAP) defined in 3GPP TS 38.423, or a location-specific protocol (hereinafter referred to as LSP2) transmitted by XnAP, which may differ from LSP1. XnAP or LSP2 can allow one gNB to request another gNB to obtain the UL location measurement of the target UE and return the UL location measurement. XnAP or LSP2 can also enable a gNB to request another gNB to send a downlink (DL) RS or PRS, so that the target UE 102 can obtain the DL location measurement of the sent DL RS or PRS. In some embodiments, LSP2 (when used) may be the same as NRPPa or an extension of NRPPa.

[0074] A gNB (e.g., gNB 110-1) can communicate with the target UE 102 using, for example, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, or a location-specific protocol (hereinafter referred to as LSP3) transmitted by the RRC. This location-specific protocol may differ from LSP1 and LSP2. The RRC or LSP3 may allow the gNB (e.g., gNB 110-1) to request location measurements from the target UE 102 via DL RS or DL ​​PRS transmitted by gNB 110-1 and / or other gNBs 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114, and return some or all of the location measurements. RRC or LSP3 can also enable a gNB (e.g., gNB 110-1) to request the target UE 102 to send a UL RS or PRS, so that gNB 110-1 or other gNBs 110-2, 110-3 or ng-eNB 114 can obtain UL location measurements of the sent UL RS or PRS. In some embodiments, LSP3 (when used) can be the same as LPP or an extension thereof.

[0075] Using a UE-assisted positioning method, UE 102 can obtain location measurements (e.g., measurements of RSSI, RxTx, RTT, multiple RTT, AoA, RSTD, RSRP, and / or RSRQ of GNB 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 or ng-eNB 114 or WLAN AP, or measurements of GNSS pseudorange, code phase, and / or carrier phase of SV 190), and send these measurements to an entity performing location server functions, such as LMF 152 or SV 190. Using a UE-based positioning method, UE 102 can obtain location measurements (e.g., which may be the same as or similar to the location measurements of the UE-assisted positioning method), and can calculate the location of UE 102 (e.g., by means of auxiliary data received from a location server such as LMF 152 or SLP 162). Using a network-based positioning method, one or more base stations (e.g., GNB 110-1-110-2) or APs can obtain location measurements (e.g., measurements of RSSI, RTT, AoD, RSRP, RSRQ, RxTx, or TOA of signals transmitted by UE 102) and / or can receive measurements obtained by UE 102, and can send these measurements to a location server (e.g., LMF 152) to calculate the location estimate of UE 102.

[0076] Information provided to gNB 110-1 by gNB 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114 using XnAP or LSP2 may include timing and configuration information for PRS transmission, as well as the location coordinates of gNB 110-2, 110-3, or ng-eNB 114. gNB 110-1 may then provide some or all of this information to UE 102 as supplementary data in an RRC or LSP3 message. In some implementations, the RRC message sent from gNB 110-1 to UE 102 may include an embedded LSP3 message (e.g., an LPP message).

[0077] Depending on the desired functionality, the RRC or LSP3 message sent from gNB 110-1 to UE 102 can instruct UE 102 to do any of a variety of things. For example, the RRC or LSP3 message may contain instructions for UE 102 to obtain measurements of GNSS (or A-GNSS), WLAN, and / or DL-TDOA (or some other positioning method) or to transmit uplink (UL) signals (e.g., positioning reference signals, probe reference signals, or both). In the case of DL-TDOA, the RRC or LSP3 message may instruct UE 102 to obtain one or more measurements (e.g., RSTD measurements) of PRS signals transmitted within a specific cell supported by a specific GNB. UE 102 can use these measurements to determine its location, for example, using DL-TDOA.

[0078] The gNB in ​​NG-RAN 112 can also broadcast positioning assistance data to UEs such as UE 102.

[0079] As shown in the figure, Session Management Function (SMF) 156 connects AMF 154 and UPF 158. SMF 156 can control local and central UPFs within a PDU session. SMF 156 can manage the establishment, modification, and release of PDU sessions for UE 102, perform IP address allocation and management for UE 102, act as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server for UE 102, and select and control UPF 158 on behalf of UE 102.

[0080] User plane function (UPF) 158 supports voice and data portability for UE 102 and enables UE 102 to access other networks such as the Internet 175 for voice and data. UPF 158 functions may include: external PDU session points interconnected with data networks, packet (e.g., Internet Protocol (IP)) routing and forwarding, user plane portion of packet inspection and policy rule enforcement, user plane Quality of Service (QoS) processing, downlink packet buffering, and downlink data notification triggering. UPF 158 can connect to SLP 162 to enable location of UE 102 using SUPL. SLP 162 can be further connected to or accessed from external client 130.

[0081] It should be understood that, although Figure 1 The network architecture for non-roaming UEs is shown, but with appropriate and well-known modifications, a corresponding network architecture can be provided for roaming UEs.

[0082] During a location session, in some cases, such as during an emergency call, for mission-critical scenarios or for applications involving IIoT or automated UEs, it may be desirable for the location server (e.g., LMF 152 or SLP 162) to receive a response to location-related requests from UE102 as quickly as possible. One source of latency observed during routine location processes is the delay in UE102 obtaining UL clearance from the base station, which is necessary to send the requested location information to location servers 152 / 162. For example, if UE102 does not yet have UL clearance from the base station, UE102 will send a request for clearance using a scheduling request (SR), and the base station will respond with UL clearance. The process of obtaining the necessary UL clearance from the base station can take several seconds, which is a significant delay, especially in emergency situations or with very low latency.

[0083] To reduce latency in responding to requested location-related information to location servers 152 / 162, location servers 152 / 162 can inform the serving base station that the location session has high priority and that UE 102 should be provided with UL permission to respond to the request. For example, when location servers 152 / 162 send a request to UE 102, they can send an indication to the base station. The base station can process the permission and send the UL permission to the UE before the UE is ready to respond to the request. Therefore, when the UE is ready to respond to the request, the UE can use the already received UL permission to send information. Thus, the UE does not need to request and wait for UL permission.

[0084] Figure 2 Signaling flow 200 is shown, illustrating the process during a location session between UE 102 and location servers 152 / 162. Figure 1 The various messages sent between components of the illustrated communication system 100, wherein location servers 152 / 162 initiate a UL licensing process on behalf of UE 102. While flowcharts relating to 5G NR radio access using GNB 110 are discussed for ease of illustration, those skilled in the art will understand that similar systems involving ng-eNB 114 or eNBs instead of GNB 110 are more appropriate. Figure 2 The signaling flow will be readily apparent. Furthermore, it should be understood that the messages provided in signaling flow 200 are to illustrate the process of obtaining preliminary UL clearance for UE 102 during the positioning session, and the positioning session may include additional messages and actions. In signaling flow 200, it is assumed that UE 102 and location servers 152 / 162 communicate using the previously mentioned LPP positioning protocol. Signaling flow 200 can be executed in the control plane or the user plane.

[0085] Figure 2The process in which location server 152 / 162 provides instructions to service gNB 110-1 to provide UE 102 with one or more UL licenses is illustrated.

[0086] exist Figure 2 In Phase 1, location servers 152 / 162 send an LPP request message to UE 102 (e.g., via AMF154 and gNB 110-1). If the positioning process is performed in the user plane, the request can be sent via SUPL (e.g., via UPF 158 and gNB 110-1). For example, the request message can be a request for positioning-related information. For instance, the request message can be a request for the positioning capabilities of UE 102 or a request for location information, such as positioning measurements from UE 102 for use in a UE-assisted positioning process, or positioning estimates from UE 102 for use in a UE-based positioning process.

[0087] In phase 2, location servers 152 / 162 send a message to serving gNB 110-1 instructing gNB 110-1 to grant UL permission to UE 102 so that UE 102 can respond to a location request. For example, the phase 2 message could be an NRPPa message and could be sent almost simultaneously with the request message in phase 1, e.g., before, after, or simultaneously. In some implementations, prior to phase 2, location servers 152 / 162 could determine whether prior UL permission is appropriate, for example, based on the priority or QoS of the location session with UE 102. For example, location servers 152 / 162 could determine whether recommending prior UL permission from gNB 110-1 is appropriate, for example, based on the priority or QoS of UE location (e.g., an emergency situation), and if appropriate, send that message in phase 2. For example, the message sent to gNB 110-1 in phase 2 could be an indication of the priority and / or QoS of UE location. The gNB110-1 can determine whether priority and / or QoS guarantees prior UL clearance, for example, whether the priority indication is greater than a threshold priority, or whether the QoS response time or latency component is less than a threshold level (e.g., 1 second, 100 ms, or 10 ms). For example, a message sent in Phase 2 could indicate that UE positioning is for an emergency or other high-priority scenario, or for an application with QoS containing very low latency requirements or components (e.g., for IIoT or autonomous UEs). In other implementations, the message could simply request or recommend prior UL clearance to UE 102 without providing a priority or QoS indication. The message could include indications requiring multiple repeated clearances, for example, for periodic positioning requests. In some implementations, gNB 110-1 may determine, for example, whether repetition is necessary based on the signal quality with UE 102, and if so, how many repetitions are required. gNB 110-1 may obtain this signal quality from measurement reports received from UE 102 or from the mobility status of UE 102 obtained by gNB 110-1 during RRC connection establishment, RRC connection restoration, or RRC connection reconstruction to UE 102.

[0088] In Phase 3, in response to the Phase 2 message, the serving gNB 110-1 may send one or more UL grants to UE 102. The UL grants may be provided in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) message at the physical or MAC layer, for example (DCI format 0_0 / 0_1). UL grants may be sent to UE 102 without a request from UE 102, and before UE 102 is prepared to send a response to the request message from Phase 1, in order to minimize latency in the UE 102 response.

[0089] In Phase 3A, UE 102 can obtain any location measurements requested in the message received in Phase 1 (e.g., if the message is an LPP request for location information). Phase 3A is optional and may not be performed, for example, if the Phase 1 message requests UE capabilities instead of location measurements. Location measurements may include measurements of RxTx, AOA, TOA, RSRP, RSTD, GNSS pseudorange, GNSS carrier phase, etc. UE 102 may also use location measurements and may use those obtained by location servers 152 / 162 at an earlier time (e.g., in a message received in Phase 1 or in a message received by UE 102 before Phase 1, and not in...). Figure 2 (As shown in the figure) The auxiliary data provided is used to determine the position estimate of UE 102.

[0090] In Phase 4, UE 102 can send an LPP response message to location server 152 / 162 using the UL authorization received in Phase 3. The LPP response message can be sent to location server 152 / 162 via gNB 110-1 and via AMF 154 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is LMF 152) or UPF 158 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is SLP 162). If a positioning procedure is performed in the user plane, the response can be sent via SUPL. For example, if the request message in Phase 1 is a request for positioning capabilities, the response message can provide UE 102 with positioning capabilities. In another example, if the request message in Phase 1 is for measurement, the response message can include location information, such as location measurements and / or location estimates obtained in Phase 3A.

[0091] In phase 5, if message 2 from location server 152 / 162 indicates that multiple licenses or duplicates are required, and / or if gNB 110-1 determines that duplicates are necessary, for example due to signal quality issues with UE 102, then the serving gNB 110-1 may provide UE 102 with another UL license, for example, in response to receiving an LPP response message in phase 4 and forwarding it to location server 152 / 162. The UL license provided in phase 5 may be provided in a DCI message similar to that in phase 3.

[0092] In Phase 6, UE 102 may use the UL permission received in Phase 5 to provide additional LPP response messages to location servers 152 / 162. For example, the response message may be a repetition of a previous response from Phase 4, or it may be a periodic response, such as providing further periodic location measurements (e.g., obtained by UE 102 after Phase 4 and not in Phase 5) if requested in Phase 1. Figure 2 (as shown in the image).

[0093] In phase 7, during the location session, location servers 152 / 162 may send messages to different gNBs 110-2 indicating that UL permission from gNB 110-2 should be provided to UE 102 in response to the request from phase 1. For example, if a periodic location report is requested in Phase 1 and UE 102 has already moved between cells and has already switched from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2 during a location session or has performed a cell reselection to gNB 110-2 (e.g., when idle or inactive), location server 152 / 162 may provide an indication to the new gNB 110-2 that UE 102 should be provided with UL clearance in response to the request, for example, similar to if a previous LPP response message (e.g., sent in Phase 4 or Phase 6) indicated a new cell and / or indicated a new gNB 110-2 (e.g., within the previous LPP response message, or via an indication provided to location server 152 / 162 by AMF 154 or UPF 158 when the previous LPP response message is forwarded to location server 152 / 162), then location server 152 / 162 may be aware that UE 102 has moved to the new cell in gNB 110-2.

[0094] In an alternative implementation, if UE 102 has already moved between cells and switched from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2 during the location session, phase 7 may not occur. Instead, in phase 7A and during the handover from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2, gNB 110-1 may provide an indication (e.g., an RRC indication) to the new gNB 110-2, indicating that UE 102 should be granted UL clearance in response to the phase 1 request. For example, the indication sent in phase 7A may include some or all of the information received by gNB 110-1 in phase 2.

[0095] In Phase 8, the new gNB 110-2 can send one or more UL licenses to UE 102 in response to messages from Phase 7 or Phase 7A. UL licenses provided in Phase 8 can be provided in DCI messages similar to those in Phase 3.

[0096] In Phase 9, UE 102 can use the UL permission received in Phase 8 to send an LPP response message to location servers 152 / 162 via the new gNB110-2. For example, the LPP response message could be a periodic response, such as providing further periodic location measurements (e.g., obtained after Phase 6 and not in Phase 1) if requested in Phase 1. Figure 2 (as shown in the image).

[0097] In some implementations, UE 102, instead of location server 152 / 162, can send requests for one or more UL licenses before UE 102 is ready to send a response to a location request from the location server. For example, in a conventional location process, the UE completes all location measurements before requesting UL licenses from the base station, resulting in a delay in reporting location measurements. In this implementation, UE 102 can request and receive UL licenses from the base station before completing location measurements, so that once completed, the UE can send the location measurements (or location estimates) to the location server without waiting for UL licenses. In some implementations, UE 102 can enter a connected state and request UL licenses before UE 102 is ready to send location measurements.

[0098] Figure 3 Signaling flow 300 is shown, illustrating the process during a location session between UE 102 and location servers 152 / 162. Figure 1 The various messages sent between components of the illustrated communication system 100, wherein UE 102 initiates a UL authorization process before UE 102 is ready to provide location measurements. While flowcharts relating to 5G NR radio access using gNB 110 are discussed for ease of illustration, those skilled in the art will understand that similar systems involving ng-eNB 114 or eNBs instead of gNB 110 are more appropriate. Figure 3 The signaling flow will be readily apparent. Furthermore, it should be understood that the messages provided in signaling flow 300 are to illustrate the process of obtaining preliminary UL clearance for the UE during the positioning session, and the positioning session may include additional messages and actions. In signaling flow 300, it is assumed that UE 102 and location servers 152 / 162 communicate using the previously mentioned LPP positioning protocol. Signaling flow 300 can be executed in the control plane or the user plane.

[0099] Figure 3 A process is shown in which the UE requests UL permission before it needs UL permission to send a location information message to the service gNB 1101.

[0100] In phase 1, location server 152 / 162 sends an LPP request location information message to UE 102, requesting UE 102 to provide location server 152 / 162 with, for example, location measurements and / or location estimates. If the positioning process is performed in the user plane, the request can be sent via SUPL. For example, location server 152 / 162 can request location measurements such as RSTD, TOA, RxTx, AoA, AoD, etc. Location server 152 / 162 can also indicate whether the request is for UE-based positioning or UE-assisted positioning. In some implementations, location server 152 / 162 may also include a request in the LPP request location information message for location measurements using other positioning methods that do not use PRS from cellular base stations (e.g., WiFi positioning or A-GNSS positioning). The request for location information can be a triggered or periodic request for location.

[0101] In Phase 2, UE 102 may begin performing location measurements, for example, as requested by the request for location information message from Phase 1. Location measurements may be based on PRS signals from a cellular base station or other location methods, such as using a WiFi access point or an SPS system.

[0102] In phase 3, if UE 102 is in an idle state, UE 102 can send a request for early connection to serving gNB 110-1 in order to enter a connected state with gNB 110-1. For example, the RRC protocol can be used to send the request for early connection. The request for early connection can be sent by UE 102 before completing the location measurement, and therefore before a connection is needed for reporting location information.

[0103] In phase 4, UE 102 sends a request for UL authorization to the serving gNB 110-1. The request for UL authorization can be sent in a scheduling request within a physical layer message on the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH). The request for UL authorization is sent by UE 102 before completing location measurements, and therefore before UL authorization is needed to report location information. In some implementations, UE 102 may indicate multiple authorizations for repetitions (e.g., for periodic location requests). In some implementations, after receiving the request for UL authorization, gNB 110-1 may determine whether repetitions from UE 102 are necessary (for any message sent by UE 102 using UL authorization), and if so, how many repetitions might be required, for example, based on the signal quality of UE 102. This can be obtained by gNB 110-1 from measurement reports sent by UE 102 or from the mobility status of UE 102 obtained by gNB 110-1 during connection establishment (e.g., in phase 3), connection recovery, or connection reconstruction.

[0104] In phase 5, the serving gNB 110-1 may send one or more UL grants to UE 102 in response to a phase 4 request and / or possibly in response to determining whether a repetition from UE 102 is necessary. The UL grants may be provided in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) message at the physical or MAC layer, for example (DCI format 0_0 / 0_1). The UL grants may be sent to UE 102 before UE 102 prepares to send a response to the request message.

[0105] In phase 6, UE 102 may terminate the positioning measurements that began in phase 2. It should be understood that the timing and duration of the positioning measurements shown in phases 2 and 6 are illustrative, and UE 102 may begin measurements at any time, and the duration of the measurements may be longer than [previous phase]. Figure 3 The length may be longer or shorter as shown. However, as the relationship between phases 4 and 6 indicates, the request for UL permission sent by UE 102 in phase 4 is sent before UE 102 completes the location measurement or requires UL permission to send location information to location servers 152 / 162.

[0106] In phase 7, UE 102 may use the UL license(s) received in phase 5 to send an LPP response message with the requested location information to location server 152 / 162. If a location procedure is performed in the user plane, the response may be sent via SUPL. The LPP response message may be sent to location server 152 / 162 via gNB 110-1 and via AMF 154 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is LMF 152) or UPF 158 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is SLP 162). For example, the location information may include location measurements such as RSTD, RxTx, AOA, TOA, RSRP, etc., or other types of measurements, such as measurements using WiFi or SPS, which are obtained by UE 102, for example, between phases 2 and 6, for example, for UE-assisted location procedures, or location estimates from UE 102, which are determined using location measurements and auxiliary data provided by location server 152 / 162, for example, for UE-based location procedures.

[0107] In phase 8, UE 102 may initiate another set of location measurements, for example, in response to a triggered or periodic event, and if triggered or periodic location was requested in phase 1. Similar to phase 2, location measurements may be based on PRS signals from cellular base stations or other location methods, such as using a WiFi access point or using an SPS system.

[0108] In phase 9, if UE 102 is in an idle state, UE 102 can send a request for an early connection and enter a connected state with the serving gNB 110. For example... Figure 3 As shown, if UE 102 has already moved between cells and has already switched from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2 or performed a cell reselection during the positioning session, UE 102 can send a request for early connection to the new gNB 110-2. The request for early connection can be sent by UE 102 before completing positioning measurements, and therefore before a connection is needed for reporting location information. Note that if no handover or cell reselection has occurred, Figure 3 In the middle gNB 110-2, the roles and actions in stages 9, 10, 11 and 13 will be performed by gNB 110-1.

[0109] In phase 10, for example, if UE 102 has switched from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2 or performed a cell reselection from gNB 110-1 to gNB 110-2, UE 102 sends a UL grant request to the new gNB 110-2. Similar to phase 4, the request for UL grant can be sent on the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) in a scheduling request within a physical layer message. The request for UL grant is sent by UE 102 before completing location measurements, and therefore before UL grant is needed to report location information. In some implementations, UE 102 may indicate that multiple grants are needed for repetitive, such as periodic, location requests. In some implementations, gNB 110-2 can determine, for example, whether and how many times to repeat the signal based on the signal quality with UE 102. gNB 110-2 can obtain this information from measurement reports from UE 102 or from the mobility status of UE 102 obtained by gNB 110-2 during connection establishment, connection restoration, or connection reconstruction of UE 102.

[0110] In phase 11, in response to the request in phase 10, the new gNB 110-2 can send one or more UL grants to UE 102. Similar to phase 5, the UL grants can be provided in a DCI message at the physical layer or MAC layer, for example (DCI format 0_0 / 0_1). The UL grants can be sent to UE 102 before UE 102 prepares to send a response to the request message.

[0111] In phase 12, UE 102 can complete the positioning measurements that began in phase 8. It should be understood that the timing and duration of the positioning measurements shown in phases 8 and 12 are illustrative, and UE 102 can begin measurements at any time, and the duration of the measurements can be longer than... Figure 3The length may be longer or shorter as shown. However, as the relationship between phases 10 and 12 shows, the request for UL permission sent by UE 102 in phase 10 is sent before UE 102 completes the location measurement or requires UL permission to send location information to location servers 152 / 162.

[0112] In phase 13, UE 102 may use the UL license(s) received in phase 11 to send an LPP response message with the requested location information to location server 152 / 162. The LPP response message may be sent to location server 152 / 162 via gNB 110-2 and via AMF 154 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is LMF 152) or UPF 158 (e.g., if location server 152 / 162 is SLP 162). If the location procedure is performed in the user plane, the response may be sent via SUPL. For example, location information may include location measurements such as RSTD, RxTx, AOA, TOA, RSRP, etc., or other types of measurements, such as measurements using WiFi or SPS, which are obtained by UE 102, for example, between stages 8 and 12, for example, for UE-assisted positioning procedures, or location estimates from UE 102, which are determined using location measurements and auxiliary data provided by location servers 152 / 162, for example, for UE-based positioning procedures.

[0113] Figure 4 The illustration shows UE 400 (for example, it may be...) Figure 1 The diagram illustrates certain exemplary features of UE 102 shown below. UE 400 is configured to grant early uplink permission in response to a location service request, as discussed herein. UE 400 can perform... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The message stream shown Figure 7 The process flow shown herein and the accompanying algorithms discussed herein. For example, UE 400 may include one or more processors 402, memory 404, external interfaces such as at least one wireless transceiver 410 (e.g., a wireless network interface), SPS receiver 415, and one or more sensors 413, which may be operatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable medium 420 and memory 404 via one or more connections 406 (e.g., bus, line, fiber optic, link, etc.). For example, SPS receiver 415 may receive and process data from... Figure 1The SPS signal of SV 190 is shown. One or more sensors 413 may be, for example, inertial measurement units (IMUs), which may include one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, magnetometers, etc. UE 400 may also include additional items not shown, such as a user interface, which may include, for example, a display, keyboard, or other input devices, such as a virtual keyboard on the display, through which the user interacts with the UE. In some example implementations, all or part of UE 400 may take the form of a chipset, etc.

[0114] At least one wireless transceiver 410 may be a transceiver for WWAN and WLAN communication systems, or may include separate transceivers for WWAN and WLAN. The wireless transceiver 410 may include a transmitter 412 and a receiver 414 coupled to one or more antennas 411 for transmitting (e.g., on one or more uplink channels and / or one or more lateral link channels) and / or receiving (e.g., on one or more downlink channels and / or one or more lateral link channels) wireless signals, and converting signals from wireless signals to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals, and from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signals. Therefore, the transmitter 412 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or the receiver 414 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. The wireless transceiver 410 can be configured to transmit signals according to various radio access technologies (RATs) (e.g., with base stations and access points and / or one or more other devices), such as 5G New Radio (NR), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), AMPS (Advanced Mobile Telephone Systems), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), WCDMA (Wideband CDMA), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE Direct (LTE-D), 3GPP LTE-V2X (PC5), IEEE 802.11 (including IEEE 802.11p), WiFi, and WiFi Direct (WiFi-D). Zigbee, etc. The new radio may use millimeter wave frequencies and / or frequencies below 6 GHz. Transceiver 410 may be communicatively coupled to a transceiver interface, for example, via optical and / or electrical connections, which may be at least partially integrated with transceiver 410.

[0115] In some embodiments, the UE 400 may include an antenna 411, which may be built-in or external. The UE antenna 411 can be used to transmit and / or receive signals processed by the wireless transceiver 410. In some embodiments, the UE antenna 411 may be coupled to the wireless transceiver 410. In some embodiments, measurements of signals received (transmitted) by the UE 400 may be performed at the connection point between the UE antenna 411 and the wireless transceiver 410. For example, the measurement reference point for measuring received (transmitted) RF signals may be the input (output) terminal of the receiver 414 (transmitter 412) and the output (input) terminal of the UE antenna 411. In a UE 400 having multiple UE antennas 411 or antenna arrays, the antenna connector may be considered as a virtual point representing the combined output (input) of multiple UE antennas. In some embodiments, the UE 400 may measure received signals, including signal strength and TOA measurements, and the raw measurements may be processed by one or more processors 402.

[0116] One or more processors 402 may be implemented using a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. For example, one or more processors 402 may be configured to perform the functions discussed herein by implementing one or more instructions or program code 408 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as medium 420 and / or memory 404. In some embodiments, one or more processors 402 may represent one or more circuits configured to perform at least a portion of a data signal calculation program or process associated with the operation of UE 400.

[0117] Medium 420 and / or memory 404 may store instruction or program code 408 containing executable code or software instructions that, when executed by one or more processors 402, cause one or more processors 402 to operate as a dedicated computer programmed to perform the techniques disclosed herein. As shown in UE 400, medium 420 and / or memory 404 may include one or more components or modules that may be implemented by one or more processors 402 to perform the methods described herein. Although components or modules are shown as software in medium 420 executable by one or more processors 402, it should be understood that components or modules may be stored in memory 404, or may be dedicated hardware in or outside of one or more processors 402.

[0118] Multiple software modules and data tables may reside in medium 420 and / or memory 404 and be used by one or more processors 402 to manage communications and the functions described herein. It should be understood that the organization of the contents of medium 420 and / or memory 404 shown in UE 400 is merely exemplary, and similarly, the functionality of modules and / or data structures may be combined, separated, and / or constructed in different ways depending on the implementation of UE 400.

[0119] The medium 420 and / or memory 404 may include a positioning session module 422, which, when implemented by one or more processors 402, configures one or more processors 402 to participate in a positioning session with a location server via a serving base station through a wireless transceiver 410. This includes receiving location service requests, such as requests for positioning capabilities, and requests for location information, such as positioning measurements for a UE-assisted positioning process or positioning estimates for a UE-based positioning process. One or more processors 402 are configured to send responses to location service requests, for example, by providing positioning capabilities and the requested location information using uplink permission received before UL permission is required to report location information. One or more processors 402 may also be configured to receive auxiliary data. One or more processors 402 are also configured to perform the requested positioning measurements, which may be, for example, RxTx, AOA, TOA, RSRP, etc., or other types of measurements, such as measurements using WiFi or SPS. One or more processors 402 may be configured to receive periodic positioning requests. One or more processors 402 may be further configured to determine a positioning estimate based on positioning measurements and auxiliary data.

[0120] Medium 420 and / or memory 404 may include an early uplink license request module 424, which, when implemented by one or more processors 402, configures one or more processors 402 to send a request for UL license to the serving gNB. One or more processors 402 may be configured to send the request for UL license before completing location measurements, i.e., before UL license is required to report location information. One or more processors 402 may be configured to send requests for a single UL license or multiple repeated licenses, such as requests for periodic location requests. One or more processors 402 may be configured to send requests to the new serving base station after a handover, during a periodic location session.

[0121] Media 420 and / or memory 404 may include an early uplink license receiving module 426, which, when implemented by one or more processors 402, configures one or more processors 402 to receive UL licenses from the serving gNB. One or more processors 402 may be configured to receive a single UL license or multiple repeated licenses, for example, for periodic location requests.

[0122] The medium 420 and / or memory 404 may include an early connection module 428, which, when implemented by one or more processors 402, configures one or more processors 402 to send a request for an early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server if the UE is in idle mode during a location session.

[0123] The methods described herein can be implemented through various components depending on the application. For example, these methods can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. For hardware implementation, one or more processors 402 can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or combinations thereof.

[0124] For firmware and / or software implementations, these methods can be implemented using modules (e.g., programs, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. Any machine-readable medium that tangibly contains instructions can be used to implement the methods described herein. For example, software code can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium 420 or memory 404 connected to and executed by one or more processors 402. Memory can be implemented within one or more processors or external to one or more processors. As used herein, the term "memory" means any type of long-term, short-term, volatile, non-volatile, or other memory, and is not limited to any particular type or number of memories, or the type of medium storing the memory.

[0125] If implemented in firmware and / or software, these functions may be stored as one or more instructions or program code 408 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as medium 420 and / or memory 404. Examples include computer-readable media encoded with data structures and computer-readable media encoded with computer program code 408. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code 408 stored thereon may include program code 408 to support early uplink licensing for responding to location service requests in a manner consistent with the disclosed embodiments. Non-transitory computer-readable medium 420 includes physical computer storage media. The storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store required program code 408 in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer; disks and optical discs as used herein include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks and Blu-ray discs, wherein disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0126] In addition to being stored on computer-readable medium 420, instructions and / or data may be provided as signals included on a transmission medium in the communication apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus may include a wireless transceiver 410 having signals indicating instructions and data. The instructions and data are configured to cause one or more processors to perform the functions outlined in the claims. That is, the communication apparatus includes a transmission medium having signals with indicating information to perform the disclosed functions.

[0127] Memory 404 can represent any data storage mechanism. Memory 404 may include, for example, main memory and / or secondary memory. Main memory may include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, etc. Although shown in this example as separate from one or more processors 402, it should be understood that all or part of the main memory may be provided within one or more processors 402, or coexist with / coupled with one or more processors 402. Secondary memory may include, for example, memory of the same or similar type as the main memory and / or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as, for example, disk drives, optical disk drives, tape drives, solid-state drives, etc.

[0128] In some implementations, auxiliary storage may be operatively received or configured to be coupled to non-transitory computer-readable medium 420. Thus, in some example implementations, the methods and / or apparatuses described herein may take the form, wholly or partially, of computer-readable medium 420, which may include computer-implementable program code 408 stored thereon, which, if executed by one or more processors 402, may operatively perform all or part of the example operations described herein. Computer-readable medium 420 may be part of memory 404.

[0129] Figure 5 This illustrates location server 500 (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 2 The schematic block diagram shown illustrates certain exemplary features of LMF 152 or SLP 162, as discussed herein. The location server 500 is configured to support early uplink clearance in response to a location service request from the UE. The location server 500 can perform... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The message stream shown Figure 8 The process flow shown herein and the algorithms discussed herein. Location server 500 may, for example, include one or more processors 502, memory 504, external interfaces 516 (e.g., wired or wireless network interfaces to base stations and / or entities in the core network), which may be operatively coupled to one or more connections 506 (e.g., buses, lines, optical fibers, links, etc.) to non-transitory computer-readable media 520 and memory 504. In some example implementations, all or part of location server 500 may take the form of a chipset, etc.

[0130] One or more processors 502 may be implemented using a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. For example, one or more processors 502 may be configured to perform the functions discussed herein by implementing one or more instructions or program code 508 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as medium 520 and / or memory 504. In some embodiments, one or more processors 502 may represent one or more circuits that can be configured to perform at least a portion of a data signal calculation program or process related to the operation of location server 500.

[0131] Medium 520 and / or memory 504 may store instruction or program code 508 containing executable code or software instructions that, when executed by one or more processors 502, cause one or more processors 502 to operate as a dedicated computer programmed to perform the techniques disclosed herein. As shown in location server 500, medium 520 and / or memory 504 may include one or more components or modules that may be implemented by one or more processors 502 to perform the methods described herein. Although components or modules are shown as software in medium 520 executable by one or more processors 502, it should be understood that components or modules may be stored in memory 504, or may be dedicated hardware in or outside of one or more processors 502.

[0132] Multiple software modules and data tables may reside in medium 520 and / or memory 504 and be used by one or more processors 502 to manage communication and the functions described herein. It should be understood that the organization of the contents of medium 520 and / or memory 504 shown in location server 500 is merely exemplary, and similarly, the functionality of modules and / or data structures may be combined, separated, and / or constructed in different ways depending on the implementation of location server 500.

[0133] The medium 520 and / or memory 504 may include a positioning session module 522, which, when implemented by one or more processors 502, configures one or more processors 502 to participate in a positioning session with the UE via an external interface 516 through a serving base station. This includes sending location service requests, such as requests for positioning capabilities, and requests for location information, such as positioning measurements for UE-assisted positioning procedures, or positioning estimates for UE-based positioning procedures. One or more processors 502 are configured to receive responses to location service requests, including, for example, receiving positioning capabilities and requested location information from the UE. One or more processors 502 may be configured to send and receive messages for periodic location sessions. One or more processors 502 may also be configured to send auxiliary data. One or more processors 502 may also be configured to determine a UE positioning estimate based on received positioning measurements, including RxTx, AOA, TOA, RSRP, etc., or other types of measurements, such as measurements using WiFi or SPS.

[0134] Medium 520 and / or memory 504 may include an early uplink grant module 524, which, when implemented by one or more processors 502, configures one or more processors 502 to send a message to the serving base station via external interface 516 to initiate an uplink grant for the UE, enabling the UE to respond to a location service request. One or more processors 502 are configured to send the message to initiate the grant before the UE requires UL grant, i.e., before the UE is ready to send a response to the request. For example, the message may be sent almost simultaneously with the request sent to the UE. The message may provide the base station with a priority for the location session, or may request or recommend an early UL grant for the UE without prior indication. The message may indicate whether multiple grants are required for repeated (e.g., for periodic location requests). One or more processors 502 may be configured to send a second message to a different serving base station when the UE has already switched to a serving base station during its period, such as during a periodic location session.

[0135] The methods described herein can be implemented using various components depending on the application. For example, these methods can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. For hardware implementation, one or more processors 502 can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or combinations thereof.

[0136] For firmware and / or software implementations, these methods can be implemented using modules (e.g., programs, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. Any machine-readable medium that tangibly contains instructions can be used to implement the methods described herein. For example, software code can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium 520 or memory 504 connected to and executed by one or more processors 502. The memory can be implemented within one or more processors or external to one or more processors. As used herein, the term "memory" means any type of long-term, short-term, volatile, non-volatile, or other memory, and is not limited to any particular type or number of memories, or the type of medium storing the memory.

[0137] If implemented in firmware and / or software, these functions may be stored as one or more instructions or program code 508 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as medium 520 and / or memory 504. Examples include computer-readable media encoded with data structures and computer-readable media encoded with computer program 508. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code 508 stored thereon may include program code 508 to support early uplink granting of the UE, thereby responding to location service requests in a manner consistent with the disclosed embodiments. Non-transitory computer-readable medium 520 includes physical computer storage media. The storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store required program code 508 in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer; disks and optical discs as used herein include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, wherein disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0138] In addition to being stored on computer-readable medium 520, instructions and / or data may be provided as signals on a transmission medium included in the communication apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus may include an external interface 516 having signals 1224 indicating instructions and data. The instructions and data are configured to cause one or more processors to perform the functions outlined in the claims. That is, the communication apparatus includes a transmission medium having signals with indicating information to perform the disclosed functions.

[0139] Memory 504 can represent any data storage mechanism. Memory 504 may include, for example, main memory and / or secondary memory. Main memory may include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, etc. Although shown as separate from one or more processors 502 in this example, it should be understood that all or part of the main memory may be provided within one or more processors 502, or otherwise co-located / coupled with one or more processors 502. Secondary memory may include, for example, memory of the same or similar type as the main memory and / or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as disk drives, optical disk drives, tape drives, solid-state drives, etc.

[0140] In some implementations, auxiliary storage may be operatively received or configured to be coupled to non-transitory computer-readable medium 520. Therefore, in some example implementations, the methods and / or apparatuses described herein may take the form, wholly or partially, of computer-readable medium 520, which may include computer-implementable code 508 stored thereon, which, if executed by one or more processors 502, may be operatively implemented to perform all or part of the example operations described herein. Computer-readable medium 520 may be part of memory 504.

[0141] Figure 6 The illustration shows base station 600 (e.g., Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of certain exemplary features of gNB 110 (as described herein) shows that base station 600 is capable of supporting early uplink clearance for UE response to location service requests. Base station 600 can be an eNB, gNB (e.g., gNB 110), or ng-eNB (e.g., ng-eNB 114). Base station 600 can perform... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The message stream shown Figure 9 The process flow shown is accompanied by the algorithms discussed herein. Base station 600 may include, for example, one or more processors 602, memory 604, and external interfaces that may include transceivers 610 (e.g., wireless network interfaces) and communication interfaces 616 (e.g., wired or wireless network interfaces directly or via one or more intermediate entities to other base stations and / or entities (e.g., location servers) in the core network). These external interfaces may be operatively coupled to one or more connections 606 (e.g., buses, lines, optical fibers, links, etc.) to non-transitory computer-readable media 620 and memory 604. Base station 600 may also include additional items not shown, such as a user interface that may include, for example, a display, keyboard, or other input device, such as a virtual keyboard on a display, through which a user can interact with the base station. In some example implementations, all or part of base station 600 may take the form of a chipset, etc. Transceiver 610 may, for example, include a transmitter 612 capable of transmitting one or more signals via one or more types of wireless communication networks, and a receiver 614 capable of receiving one or more signals transmitted via one or more types of wireless communication networks. Communication interface 616 may be a wired or wireless interface capable of connecting to other base stations or network entities in the RAN, such as location servers, for example via... Figure 1 The various entities shown are LMF 152 or SLP162 of AMF 154 or UPF 158.

[0142] In some embodiments, base station 600 may include antenna 611, which may be built-in or external. Antenna 611 can be used to transmit and / or receive signals processed by transceiver 610. In some embodiments, antenna 611 may be coupled to transceiver 610. In some embodiments, measurements of signals received (transmitted) by base station 600 may be performed at the connection point of antenna 611 and transceiver 610. For example, the measurement reference point for measuring received (transmitted) RF signals may be the input (output) terminal of receiver 614 (transmitter 612) and the output (input) terminal of antenna 611. In base station 600 having multiple antennas 611 or antenna arrays, antenna connectors may be considered as virtual points representing the aggregated outputs (inputs) of multiple antennas. In some embodiments, base station 600 may measure received signals, including signal strength and TOA measurements, and the raw measurements may be processed by one or more processors 602.

[0143] One or more processors 602 may be implemented using a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. For example, one or more processors 602 may be configured to perform the functions discussed herein by implementing one or more instructions or program code 608 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as medium 620 and / or memory 604. In some embodiments, one or more processors 602 may represent one or more circuits configured to perform at least a portion of a data signal calculation program or process related to the operation of base station 600.

[0144] Medium 620 and / or memory 604 may store instruction or program code 608 containing executable code or software instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors 602, cause one or more processors 602 to operate as a dedicated computer programmed to perform the techniques disclosed herein. As shown in base station 600, medium 620 and / or memory 604 may include one or more components or modules that may be implemented by one or more processors 602 to perform the methods described herein. Although components or modules are shown as software in medium 620 executable by one or more processors 602, it should be understood that components or modules may be stored in memory 604, or may be dedicated hardware in or outside of one or more processors 602. Multiple software modules and data tables may reside in medium 620 and / or memory 604 and be used by one or more processors 602 to manage communications and the functions described herein. It should be understood that the organization of the contents of the medium 620 and / or memory 604 shown in the base station 600 is merely exemplary, and similarly, the functions of modules and / or data structures can be combined, separated, and / or constructed in different ways depending on the implementation of the base station 600.

[0145] The medium 620 and / or memory 604 may include a location session module 622, which, when implemented by one or more processors 602, configures the processors 602 to participate in a location session with the UE and the location server via external interfaces (transceiver 610 and communication interface 616). For example, the processors 602 may be configured to receive location service request messages from the location server and forward them to the UE, for example, in an LPP or SUPL message. The processors 602 are also configured to receive location service response messages from the UE and forward them to the location server, for example, in an LPP or SUPL message.

[0146] The medium 620 and / or memory 604 may include an early uplink grant request module 624, which, when implemented by one or more processors 602, configures one or more processors 602 to receive a message indicating an early UL grant for the UE. This message may be received from a location server or the UE. The message may, for example, indicate the priority of a UE location session, such as whether the location session is used in an emergency. One or more processors 602 may be configured to determine whether a priority guarantees an early UL grant, for example, whether the priority indication is greater than a threshold priority. One or more processors 602 may be configured to receive a message that simply requests or suggests providing an early UL grant to the UE, and to accept or reject the request, for example, based on network load. The message may include an indication that multiple repeat grants are required, for example, for periodic location requests. One or more processors 602 may be configured to determine, for example, whether repetition is necessary based on signal quality with the UE, and if so, how many repetitions are required, which signal quality can be obtained from measurement reports or mobility status from connection establishment, connection recovery, or re-establishment with the UE.

[0147] The medium 620 and / or memory 604 may include an early uplink license transmission module 626, which, when implemented by one or more processors 602, configures one or more processors 602 to send an early UL license to the UE, i.e., before the UE requires the UL license to respond to a location service request. The one or more processors 602 may be configured to send a single UL license or multiple licenses may be repeated, for example, for periodic location requests.

[0148] The medium 620 and / or memory 604 may include an early connection module 628, which, if implemented by one or more processors 602, configures one or more processors 602 to receive requests for early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server if the UE is in idle mode during a location session.

[0149] The methods described herein can be implemented using various components depending on the application. For example, these methods can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. For hardware implementation, one or more processors 602 can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or combinations thereof.

[0150] For firmware and / or software implementations, these methods can be implemented using modules (e.g., programs, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. Any machine-readable medium that tangibly contains instructions can be used to implement the methods described herein. For example, software code can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium 620 or memory 604 connected to and executed by one or more processors 602. Memory can be implemented within one or more processors or external to one or more processors. As used herein, the term "memory" means any type of long-term, short-term, volatile, non-volatile, or other memory, and is not limited to any particular type or number of memories, or the type of medium storing the memory.

[0151] If implemented in firmware and / or software, these functions may be stored as one or more instructions or program code 608 on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as medium 620 and / or memory 604. Examples include computer-readable media encoded with data structures and computer-readable media encoded with computer program code 608. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code 608 stored thereon may include program code 608 to support early uplink granting of the UE, thereby responding to location service requests in a manner consistent with the disclosed embodiments. Non-transitory computer-readable medium 620 includes physical computer storage media. The storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store the desired program code 608 in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer; disks and optical discs as used herein include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, wherein disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0152] In addition to being stored on the computer-readable medium 620, instructions and / or data may be provided as signals on a transmission medium included in the communication apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus may include a transceiver 610 having signals indicating instructions and data. The instructions and data are configured to cause one or more processors to perform the functions outlined in the claims. That is, the communication apparatus includes a transmission medium having signals indicating information to perform the disclosed functions.

[0153] Memory 604 can represent any data storage mechanism. Memory 604 may include, for example, main memory and / or secondary memory. Main memory may include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, etc. Although shown in this example as separate from one or more processors 602, it should be understood that all or part of the main memory may be provided within one or more processors 602, or co-located / coupled with one or more processors 602. Secondary memory may include, for example, memory of the same or similar type as the main memory and / or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as disk drives, optical disk drives, tape drives, solid-state drives, etc.

[0154] In some implementations, auxiliary storage may be operatively received or configured to be coupled to non-transitory computer-readable medium 620. Thus, in some example implementations, the methods and / or apparatuses described herein may take the form, in whole or in part, of computer-readable medium 620, which may include computer-implementable program code 608 stored thereon, which, if executed by one or more processors 602, may operatively perform all or part of the example operations described herein. Computer-readable medium 620 may be part of memory 604.

[0155] Figure 7 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary method 700 for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), such as... Figure 1 The UE 102 shown is executed by the UE in a manner consistent with the disclosed implementation.

[0156] In box 702, the UE receives a request for location information from a location server (e.g., LMF 152 or SLP 162), for example, as in... Figure 2 Phase 1 or Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 1 may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, wherein the processors 402 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0157] In box 704, before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, the UE receives an uplink clearance from the base station (e.g., serving gNB110-1), for example, as in Figure 2 Phase 3 or Figure 3 This is discussed in Phase 5. For example, an uplink grant can be received in a downlink control information (DCI) message. Components for receiving the uplink grant from the base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server may include, for example, a radio transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early uplink license receiving module 426 is shown.

[0158] In box 706, the UE uses an uplink permission to send location information to the location server, for example, as in... Figure 2 Stage 4 or Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 7 may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, wherein the processors 402 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0159] For example, in one implementation, an uplink clearance from the base station can be received before the UE completes the positioning measurement, for example, as in Figure 2 Stage 4 or Figure 3 This is discussed in stage 6. In one implementation, location information may include positioning measurements, for example, as in... Figure 2 Stage 4 or Figure 3 This is discussed in stage 7. In one implementation, the UE can determine a positioning estimate based on positioning measurements, where the location information includes the positioning estimate, for example, as... Figure 2 Stage 4 or Figure 3 The components discussed in phase 7, used to determine the positioning estimate based on positioning measurements (where the location information includes the positioning estimate), may include, for example, one or more processors 402 having dedicated hardware or executable code or software instructions implemented in memory 404 and / or media 420 in UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0160] In one implementation, the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, and in each period before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server, the UE can receive periodic uplink permission from the base station, for example, as in Figure 2 Stages 3, 5, and 8 or Figure 3 The phases discussed in sections 5 and 11; and uplink permissions can be used to send periodic location information to the location server, for example, as in Figure 2 Stages 4, 6, and 9 or Figure 3 The components discussed in stages 7 and 13, used to receive periodic uplink grants from the base station in each cycle before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server, may include, for example, a radio transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early uplink license receiving module 426 is shown. Components for sending periodic location information to a location server using uplink licenses may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, wherein the processors 402 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0161] In one implementation, the UE responds to a message sent from the location server to the base station, receives an uplink grant from the base station, and initiates an uplink grant for the UE, for example, as... Figure 2 This is discussed in Phase 2. In some implementations, the request for location information may be a request for periodic location information, and the UE may receive uplink permission from the second base station before it is ready to send periodic location information to the location server. Uplink permission from the second base station may be received in response to a second request for uplink permission sent from the location server to the second base station, or an indication of UL permission sent from the base station to the second base station during the UE's handover from the base station to the second base station, for example, as... Figure 2 The phases discussed in stages 7 and 8. Alternatively, an uplink license from the second base station may be received in response to an indication of a UL license sent from the base station to the second base station during the UE's handover from the base station to the second base station, for example, as... Figure 2 This is discussed in stages 7A and 8. Then, the UE can use uplink permission to send periodic location information to the location server, for example, as... Figure 2The components discussed in phase 9. Before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server in response to a second request for uplink permission sent from the location server to the second base station, the components for receiving uplink permission from the second base station may include, for example, a radio transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early uplink license receiving module 426 is shown. Components for sending periodic location information to a location server using uplink licenses may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, wherein the processors 402 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0162] In one implementation, before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, the UE may send a request for uplink permission to the base station, wherein the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission, for example, as... Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 4, used to send a request for uplink permission to the base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server (where the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission), may include, for example, a radio transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early uplink permission request module 424 is shown. In one implementation, the UE can send an additional request for an early connection before it is ready to send location information to the location server, for example, as shown in the example. Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 3, used to send a request for an early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early connection module 428 is shown. In one example, the request for location information can be a request for periodic location information, and in each period before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server, the UE can send a request for uplink permission to the base station, for example, as... Figure 3 The phases discussed in sections 4 and 10 involve sending periodic location information to the location server using uplink permissions, for example, as... Figure 3 The components discussed in stages 7 and 13. For sending a request for uplink clearance to the base station in each cycle before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server, the components may include, for example, a radio transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, the processors 402 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The early uplink license request module 426 is shown. Components for sending periodic location information to a location server using uplink licenses may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 410 and one or more processors 402, wherein the processors 402 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 404 and / or media 420 in the UE 400, such as... Figure 4 The location session module 422 shown.

[0163] In one implementation, a request for location information can be received via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and the location information can be sent via the LPP. In another implementation, a request for location information can be received via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and the location information can be sent via the SUPL.

[0164] Figure 8 A flowchart is shown of an exemplary method 800 for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), which is as follows: Figure 1 The method described in UE 102 is performed by a location server, for example... Figure 1 The LMF 152 or SLP 162 shown is implemented in a manner consistent with the disclosed implementation.

[0165] In box 802, the location server sends a request to the UE for information related to the location service, such as... Figure 2 The components discussed in Phase 1 may include, for example, an external interface 516 and one or more processors 502, which have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in memory 504 and / or media 520 in the location server 500, such as... Figure 5 The location session module 522 shown.

[0166] In box 804, the location server sends a message to the base station in response to the request to initiate an uplink grant for the UE, for example, as... Figure 2The process is discussed in Phase 2. For example, the UE receives an uplink grant from the base station before it is ready to send a response to the request. For example, the message initiating the uplink grant may be sent in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) message. Components for sending a message to the base station to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to the request may include, for example, an external interface 516 and one or more processors 502 having dedicated hardware or executable code or software instructions implemented in memory 504 and / or media 520 in the location server 500, such as... Figure 5 The early uplink license module 524 shown.

[0167] In box 806, the location server receives a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using an uplink license, for example, such as... Figure 2 This is discussed in Phase 4. For example, in one implementation, a request related to location services may be a request for UE capabilities, and the response to the request may be a capability response. In one implementation, a request for location service-related information may be a request for location information, and the response to the request may be location information. For example, location information may include UE positioning measurements. For example, location information may include a positioning estimate generated by the UE. Components for receiving a response to the request sent by the UE using uplink permission may include, for example, an external interface 516 and one or more processors 502, the processors 502 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 504 and / or media 520 in the location server 500, such as... Figure 5 The location session module 522 shown.

[0168] In one implementation, a request for location service-related information can be a request for periodic location information. The message initiating an uplink grant for the UE can include a message initiating uplink grant repetition in response to the request for periodic location information. In one implementation, when the UE switches to a second base station or performs cell reselection to the second base station, the location server can send a second message to the second base station to initiate uplink grant repetition in response to the request for periodic location information, for example, as... Figure 2 The process discussed in phase 7. When the UE switches to the second base station, the components used to send a second message to the second base station to prompt uplink permission repetition in response to the request for periodic location information may include, for example, an external interface 516 and one or more processors 502 having dedicated hardware or executable code or software instructions implemented in memory 504 and / or media 520 in the location server 500, such as... Figure 5 The early uplink license module 524 is shown.

[0169] In one implementation, a request for location service-related information can be sent via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and a response to the request can be received via the LPP. In another implementation, a request for location service-related information can be sent via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and a response to the request can be received via SUPL.

[0170] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 900 for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE), such as... Figure 1 The UE 102 shown is provided by a base station, for example... Figure 1 The gNB 110 shown is implemented in a manner consistent with the disclosed implementation.

[0171] In box 902, the base station receives a message to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request from a location server (e.g., LMF 152 or SLP 162) for location service-related information, such as... Figure 2 Phase 2 or Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 4, used to receive messages to initiate uplink clearance for the UE in response to a request from the location server for location-related information, may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 610 or a communication interface 616 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early uplink license request module 624 is shown.

[0172] In box 904, before the UE is ready to send a response to a request for location service-related information, the base station sends an uplink grant to the UE, for example, as... Figure 2 Phase 3 or Figure 3 The uplink grant discussed in phase 5. The uplink grant can be sent to the UE before the UE completes location measurements. Components for sending the uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to a request for location-related information may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early uplink license transmission module 626 is shown.

[0173] In box 906, the base station uses uplink clearance to receive a response to an information request sent from the UE and forwards it to the location server, for example, as... Figure 2 Stage 4 or Figure 3The components discussed in phase 7, used to receive responses to information requests sent from the UE using uplink permission and forward them to the location server, may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The location session module 622 shown is shown.

[0174] In one implementation, a location service-related request may be a request for UE capabilities, and the response to said request may be a capability response. In another implementation, a request for location service-related information may be a request for location information, and the response to said request may be location information. For example, location information may include UE positioning measurements. For example, location information may include a positioning estimate generated by the UE.

[0175] In one implementation, a message initiating an uplink permission for the UE can be received from the location server, for example, such as Figure 2 This is discussed in Phase 2. For example, an uplink grant initiation message can be received in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) message. A request for location service-related information can be a request for periodic location information, where the uplink grant initiation message for the UE can be a message initiating uplink grant repetition, and the base station can send periodic uplink grants to the UE, for example, as... Figure 2 Stages 3, 5, and 8 or Figure 3 The phases discussed in stages 5 and 11; and can receive periodic location information sent from the UE using uplink permission, and forward the periodic location information to the location server, for example, as in Figure 2 Stages 4, 6, and 9 or Figure 3 The components discussed in stages 7 and 13. For sending periodic uplink licenses to the UE, the components may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early uplink license transmission module 626 shown. Components for receiving periodic location information transmitted from the UE using an uplink license and forwarding such periodic location information to a location server may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The location session module 622 shown.

[0176] In one implementation, the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE can be a request for uplink grant received from the UE, for example, such as... Figure 3 This is discussed in Phase 4. For example, a request for uplink clearance can be received in a physical layer message, and uplink clearance can be sent in a downlink control information (DCI) message. The base station can receive a request for early connection from the UE, for example, as in... Figure 3 The components discussed in Phase 3 may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, wherein the processors 602 have dedicated hardware or implement executable code or software instructions in the memory 604 and / or medium 620 of the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early connection module 628 is shown. The request for location information can be a request for periodic location information, and the base station can receive a request for uplink permission from the UE in response to the request for periodic location information, for example, as... Figure 3 Phase 4, as discussed, involves sending an uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to a periodic location information request, for example, as... Figure 3 Phase 5 as discussed; and receiving a response to a request for periodic location information sent from the UE using uplink permission, and forwarding it to the location service, for example, as Figure 3 The components discussed in phase 7. Components for receiving a request for uplink clearance from the UE in response to a request for periodic location information may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early uplink grant request module 624 shown. Components for sending uplink grants to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to a periodic location information request may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The early uplink license transmission module 626 shown. Components for receiving and forwarding responses to requests for periodic location information sent from the UE using uplink licenses to a location server may include, for example, a radio transceiver 610 and one or more processors 602, the processors 602 having dedicated hardware or implementing executable code or software instructions in memory 604 and / or media 620 in the base station 600, such as... Figure 6 The location session module 622 shown.

[0177] In one implementation, the message initiating uplink permission for the UE can be an indication of uplink permission received from a second base station, where the UE switches from the second base station to the base station.

[0178] Those skilled in the art will understand that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and methods. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be mentioned throughout the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, light fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0179] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic steps described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been generally described above in accordance with their functions. Whether this function is implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints on the overall system. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functions in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0180] The various illustrative logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0181] The methods, sequences, and / or algorithms described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be directly embodied in hardware, software modules executed by a processor, or a combination of both. Software modules can reside in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. Exemplary storage media are coupled to a processor such that the processor can read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal (e.g., a UE). Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0182] In one or more exemplary aspects, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, these functions can be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes computer storage media and communication media, including any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Similarly, any connection is properly referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. The disks and optical discs used here include compact optical discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0183] In light of this description, embodiments may include different combinations of features. Examples of implementations are described in the following numbered clauses:

[0184] Article 1. A method for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE) performed by: receiving a request for location information from a location server; receiving an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and sending the location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0185] Article 2. The method described in Article 1, wherein an uplink permission is received from the base station before the UE completes the positioning measurement.

[0186] Article 3. The method described in Clause 2, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements.

[0187] Article 4. The method described in Article 2 further includes determining a positioning estimate based on positioning measurements, wherein the location information includes the positioning estimate.

[0188] Article 5. The method according to any one of Articles 1-4, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: receiving a periodic uplink grant from a base station in each period before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server; and sending the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink grant.

[0189] Article 6. The method according to any one of Articles 1-5, wherein the UE receives an uplink license from the base station in response to a message sent from the location server to the base station to initiate an uplink license for the UE.

[0190] Article 7. The method according to Clause 6, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: receiving an uplink license from a second base station before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server, wherein receiving the uplink license is in response to a second request for an uplink license sent from the location server to the second base station or an instruction for a UL license sent from the base station to the second base station during the UE's handover from the base station to the second base station; and sending the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0191] Article 8. The method described under any one of Articles 1-7 further comprises: sending a request for uplink permission to the base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission.

[0192] Article 9. The method described in Article 8 further includes: sending a request for an early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server.

[0193] Article 10. The method according to Clause 9, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: sending a request for uplink permission to the base station in each period prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server; and sending the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink permission.

[0194] Article 11. The method according to any one of Articles 1-10, wherein a request for location information is received via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Location Protocol (LPP) and the location information is transmitted via the LPP.

[0195] Article 12. The method according to any one of Articles 1-10, wherein a request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL) and the location information is transmitted via SUPL.

[0196] Article 13. The method according to any one of Articles 1-12, wherein an uplink license is received in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0197] Article 14. A user equipment (UE) configured to support location services for the UE, comprising: a radio transceiver configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the radio transceiver and the at least one memory, configured to: receive a request for location information from a location server via the radio transceiver; receive an uplink license from a base station via the radio transceiver before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and send the location information to the location server via the radio transceiver using the uplink license.

[0198] Article 15. The UE as described in Clause 14, wherein an uplink permission is received from the base station before the UE has completed the location measurement.

[0199] Article 16. The UE as described in Clause 15, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements.

[0200] Article 17. The UE as described in Clause 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a positioning estimate based on the positioning measurement, wherein the location information includes the positioning estimate.

[0201] Article 18. A UE according to any one of Articles 14-17, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a periodic uplink grant from a base station via a radio transceiver in each period before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server; and send the periodic location information to the location server via the radio transceiver using the uplink grant.

[0202] Article 19. A UE pursuant to any one of Articles 14-18, wherein the UE initiates an uplink grant for the UE in response to a message sent from a location server to the base station and receiving an uplink grant from the base station.

[0203] Article 20. The UE as described in Clause 19, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive an uplink license from the second base station via a radio transceiver before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to the location server in response to a second request for uplink license sent from the location server to the second base station; and send the periodic location information to the location server via the radio transceiver using the uplink license.

[0204] Article 21. The UE according to any one of Articles 14-20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: send a request for uplink permission to the base station via a radio transceiver before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission.

[0205] Article 22. The UE as described in Article 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: send a request for an early connection via a wireless transceiver before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server.

[0206] Article 23. The UE as described in Article 22, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: in each period prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server, send a request for uplink permission to the base station via a radio transceiver; and send periodic location information to the location server via a radio transceiver using the uplink permission.

[0207] Article 24. A UE pursuant to any one of Articles 14-23, wherein a request for location information is received via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and the location information is transmitted via the LPP.

[0208] Article 25. A UE pursuant to any one of Articles 14-23, wherein a request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and the location information is transmitted via SUPL.

[0209] Article 26. UE as described in any of Articles 14-25, wherein the uplink license is received in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0210] Article 27. A user equipment (UE) configured to support location services for the UE, comprising: components for receiving a request for location information from a location server; components for receiving an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and components for sending the location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0211] Article 28. The UE as described in Article 27, wherein an uplink permission is received from the base station before the UE has completed the location measurement.

[0212] Article 29. The UE as described in Clause 28, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements.

[0213] Article 30. The UE as described in Clause 28 further includes components for determining a positioning estimate based on positioning measurements, wherein the location information includes the positioning estimate.

[0214] Article 31. A UE as described in any of Articles 27-30, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, further comprising: components for receiving a periodic uplink license from a base station in each period before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server; and components for sending the periodic location information to a location server using the uplink license.

[0215] Article 32. A UE pursuant to any one of Articles 27-31, wherein the UE initiates an uplink grant for the UE in response to a message sent from a location server to the base station by receiving an uplink grant from the base station.

[0216] Article 33. The UE as described in Article 32, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, further includes: a component for receiving an uplink license from a second base station before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server, wherein receiving the uplink license is in response to a second request for an uplink license sent from the location server to the second base station or an instruction for a UL license sent from the base station to the second base station during the UE's handover from the base station to the second base station; and a component for sending the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0217] Article 34. The UE according to any one of Articles 27-33 further includes: a component for sending a request for uplink permission to the base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission.

[0218] Article 35. The UE as described in Article 34 further includes: a component for sending a request for an early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to a location server.

[0219] Article 36. The UE as described in Article 35, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, further comprising: means for sending a request for uplink permission to the base station in each period before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server; and means for sending periodic location information to the location server using the uplink permission.

[0220] Article 37. A UE pursuant to any one of Articles 27-36, wherein a request for location information is received via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and the location information is transmitted via the LPP.

[0221] Article 38. A UE as described in any of Articles 27-36, wherein a request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL) and the location information is transmitted via SUPL.

[0222] Article 39. UE as described in any of Articles 27-38, wherein the uplink license is received in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0223] Article 40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a user equipment (UE) for supporting location services of the UE, the program code including instructions to receive a request for location information from a location server; to receive an uplink license from a base station before the UE is ready to send the location information to the location server; and to send the location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0224] Article 41. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 40, wherein an uplink permission is received from a base station before the UE has completed positioning measurements.

[0225] Article 42. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 41, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements.

[0226] Article 43. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described in Article 41 also includes instructions for determining a location estimate based on location measurements, wherein the location information includes the location estimate.

[0227] Article 44. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in any of Articles 40-43, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the program code further comprising instructions to receive a periodic uplink grant from a base station in each period before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server; and to send the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink grant.

[0228] Article 45. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to any one of Articles 40-44, wherein the UE initiates an uplink grant for the UE in response to a message sent from a location server to the base station to receive an uplink grant from the base station.

[0229] Article 46. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Clause 45, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the program code further includes instructions to receive an uplink license from a second base station before the UE is ready to send the periodic location information to a location server, wherein receiving the uplink license is in response to a second request for an uplink license sent from the location server to the second base station or an instruction for a UL license sent from the base station to the second base station during a handover of the UE from the base station to the second base station; and to send the periodic location information to the location server using the uplink license.

[0230] Article 47. The program code further includes instructions to send a request for uplink permission to the base station before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the UE receives uplink permission from the base station in response to the request for uplink permission.

[0231] Article 48. The program code, pursuant to the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described in Clause 47, further includes instructions to send a request for an early connection before the UE is ready to send location information to the location server.

[0232] Article 49. The temporary computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 48, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the program code further includes instructions to send a request for uplink permission to the base station in each period before the UE is ready to send periodic location information to the location server; and to send periodic location information to the location server using the uplink permission.

[0233] Article 50. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 40-49, wherein a request for location information is received via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and the location information is transmitted via the LPP.

[0234] Article 51. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 40-49, wherein a request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL) and the location information is transmitted via SUPL.

[0235] Article 52. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 40-51, wherein an uplink license is received in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0236] Article 53. A method for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE) performed by a location server, comprising: sending a request to the UE for information related to the location service; sending a message to a base station to initiate an uplink license for the UE in response to the request; and receiving a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink license.

[0237] Article 54. The method described in Article 53, wherein the UE receives an uplink grant from the base station before the UE is ready to send a response to the request.

[0238] Article 55. The method according to any one of Clauses 53 or 54, wherein the request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and the response to said request includes a capability response.

[0239] Article 56. The method according to any one of Articles 53 or 54, wherein a request for information related to location services includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0240] Article 57. The method described in Article 56, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0241] Article 58. The method described in Article 56, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0242] Article 59. The method according to any one of Articles 53-58, wherein the request for information related to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the message for initiating uplink permission for the UE includes a message initiating uplink permission repetition in response to the request for periodic location information.

[0243] Article 60. The method according to Article 59 further includes: when the UE switches to the second base station or performs cell reselection to the second base station, sending a second message to the second base station to initiate uplink permission repetition in response to a request for periodic location information.

[0244] Article 61. The method according to any one of Articles 53-60, wherein a request for location service-related information is sent via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP), and a response to the request is received via the LPP.

[0245] Article 62. The method according to any one of Articles 53-60, wherein a request for information relating to location services is sent via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and a response to the request is received via SUPL.

[0246] Article 63. The method according to any one of Articles 53-62, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is sent in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0247] Article 64. A location server configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the memory, configured to: send a request for location service-related information to the UE via the external interface; send a message to a base station via the external interface in response to the request to initiate an uplink grant for the UE; and receive, via the external interface, a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink grant.

[0248] Article 65. A location server as described in Article 64, wherein the UE receives an uplink permission from the base station before the UE is ready to send a response to the request.

[0249] Article 66. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64 or 65, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to a request includes a capability response.

[0250] Article 67. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64 or 65, wherein a request for information relating to a location service includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0251] Article 68. A location server as described in Article 67, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0252] Article 69. A location server as described in Article 67, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0253] Article 70. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64-69, wherein a request for information relating to a location service includes a request for periodic location information, wherein a message for initiating an uplink grant for a UE includes a message initiating an uplink grant repetition in response to a request for periodic location information.

[0254] Article 71. The location server as described in Article 70, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: when the UE is switched to the second base station or performs cell reselection to the second base station, send a second message to the second base station via an external interface to initiate uplink permission repetition in response to a request for periodic location information.

[0255] Article 72. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64-71, wherein a request for information relating to a location service is sent via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Location Protocol (LPP), and a response to the request is received via LPP.

[0256] Article 73. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64-71, wherein a request for information relating to a location service is sent via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and a response to the request is received via SUPL.

[0257] Article 74. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 64-73, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is sent in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0258] Article 75. A location server configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: components for sending a request to the UE for information related to the location service; components for responding to the request by sending a message to a base station to initiate an uplink license for the UE; and components for receiving a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink license.

[0259] Article 76. The location server as described in Article 75, wherein the UE receives an uplink permission from the base station before the UE is ready to send a response to the request.

[0260] Article 77. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 75 or 76, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to said request includes a capability response.

[0261] Article 78. A location server of any of Clauses 75 or 76, wherein a request for information relating to a location service includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0262] Article 79. A location server as described in Article 78, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0263] Article 80. A location server as described in Clause 78, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0264] Article 81. A location server according to any one of Articles 75-80, wherein a request for information related to a location service includes a request for periodic location information, wherein a message for initiating an uplink grant for a UE includes a message initiating an uplink grant repetition in response to a request for periodic location information.

[0265] Article 82. The location server as described in Article 81 further includes: a component for sending a second message to the second base station to induce uplink permission repetition in response to a request for periodic location information when the UE switches to the second base station or performs cell reselection to the second base station.

[0266] Article 83. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 75-82, wherein requests for information relating to location services are sent via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Location Protocol (LPP), and responses to requests are received via LPP.

[0267] Article 84. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 75-82, wherein requests for information relating to location services are sent via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and responses to requests are received via SUPL.

[0268] Article 85. A location server pursuant to any one of Articles 75-84, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is sent in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0269] Article 86. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a location server for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), the program code including instructions to send a request to the UE for information related to the location services; to send a message to a base station to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to the request; and to receive a response from the UE to the request sent by the UE using the uplink grant.

[0270] Article 87. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 86, wherein the UE receives an uplink grant from the base station before the UE is ready to send a response to the request.

[0271] Article 88. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 86 or 87, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to a request includes a capability response.

[0272] Article 89. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 86 or 87, wherein a request for information relating to a location service includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0273] Article 90. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Clause 89, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0274] Article 91. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 89, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0275] Article 92. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to any one of Articles 86-91, wherein a request for information relating to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein a message for initiating an uplink grant for the UE includes a message initiating an uplink grant repetition in response to a request for periodic location information.

[0276] Article 93. The program code further includes instructions to send a second message to the second base station to cause uplink permission repetition in response to a request for periodic location information when the UE switches to the second base station or performs cell reselection to the second base station.

[0277] Article 94. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 86-93, wherein a request for information relating to location services is sent via the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Location Protocol (LPP), and a response to the request is received via the LPP.

[0278] Article 95. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 86-93, wherein a request for information relating to a location service is sent via Secure User Plane Positioning (SUPL), and a response to the request is received via SUPL.

[0279] Article 96. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 86-95, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is sent in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0280] Article 97. A method for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE) performed by a base station, comprising: receiving a message to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; sending the uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and receiving a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forwarding it to the location server.

[0281] Article 98. The method described in Article 97, wherein an uplink license is sent to the UE before the UE completes the location measurement.

[0282] Article 99. The method according to any one of Articles 97 or 98, wherein the request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and the response to said request includes a capability response.

[0283] Article 100. The method according to any one of Articles 97 or 98, wherein a request for information related to location services includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0284] Article 101. The method described in accordance with Article 100, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0285] Article 102. The method according to Article 100, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0286] Article 103. The method according to any one of Articles 97-102, wherein a message initiating an uplink permission for the UE is received from the location server.

[0287] Article 104. The method according to Article 103, wherein the request for information related to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE includes a message initiating uplink grant repetition, the method further includes: sending a periodic uplink grant to the UE; receiving the periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink grant; and forwarding the periodic location information to a location server.

[0288] Article 105. The method according to Article 103, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is received in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0289] Article 106. The method according to any one of Articles 97-105, wherein the message initiating the uplink grant for the UE is a request for uplink grant received from the UE.

[0290] Article 107. The method described in Article 106 further includes receiving a request for an early connection from the UE.

[0291] Article 108. The method according to Article 106, wherein the request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: receiving from the UE a request for uplink permission in response to the request for periodic location information; sending the uplink permission to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the request for periodic location information; and receiving the response to the request for periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink permission, and forwarding it to the location server.

[0292] Article 109. The method according to any one of Articles 106-108, wherein a request for uplink permission is received in a physical layer message and the uplink permission is sent in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0293] Article 110. The method according to any one of Articles 97-109, wherein the message initiating uplink permission for the UE is an indication of uplink permission received from the second base station, wherein the UE switches from the second base station to the base station.

[0294] Article 111. A base station configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, and configured to: receive a message via the external interface to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request from a location server for location service-related information; send the uplink grant to the UE via the external interface before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and receive, via the external interface, a response to an information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant, and forward it to the location server.

[0295] Article 112. A base station as described in Article 111, wherein an uplink license is sent to the UE before the UE has completed the location measurement.

[0296] Article 113. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 111 or 112, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to a request includes a capability response.

[0297] Article 114. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 111 or 112, wherein a request for information relating to location services includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0298] Article 115. A base station as described in Article 114, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0299] Article 116. A base station as described in Article 114, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0300] Article 117. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 111-116, wherein it receives from a location server a message initiating an uplink permission for the UE.

[0301] Article 118. The base station as described in Article 117, wherein the request for information related to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE includes a message initiating an uplink grant repetition, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: send a periodic uplink grant to the UE via an external interface; receive periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink grant via an external interface, and forward the periodic location information to a location server.

[0302] Article 119. A base station as described in Article 117, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is received in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0303] Article 120. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 111-119, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE is a request for uplink grant received from the UE.

[0304] Article 121. The base station as described in Article 120, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a request for an early connection from the UE via an external interface.

[0305] Article 122. A base station according to Article 121, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a request for uplink permission from a UE via an external interface in response to the request for periodic location information; send an uplink permission to a UE via an external interface before the UE is ready to send a response to the request for periodic location information; and receive, via an external interface, a response to the request for periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink permission, and forward it to a location server.

[0306] Article 123. A base station according to any one of Articles 120-122, wherein a request for uplink permission is received in a physical layer message and an uplink permission is sent in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0307] Article 124. A base station according to any one of Articles 111-123, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE is an indication of an uplink grant received from a second base station, wherein the UE switches from the second base station to the base station.

[0308] Article 125. A base station configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: components for receiving a message to initiate an uplink permission for the UE in response to a request from a location server for location service-related information; components for sending an uplink permission to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and components for receiving a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink permission and forwarding it to the location server.

[0309] Article 126. A base station as described in Article 125, wherein an uplink license is sent to the UE before the UE has completed the location measurement.

[0310] Article 127. A base station pursuant to any one of Clauses 125 or 126, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to said request includes a capability response.

[0311] Article 128. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 125 or 126, wherein a request for information relating to location services includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0312] Article 129. A base station as described in Article 128, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0313] Article 130. A base station as described in Clause 128, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0314] Article 131. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 125-130, wherein it receives from a location server a message initiating an uplink permission for the UE.

[0315] Article 132. A base station as described in Article 131, wherein a request for information related to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein a message initiating an uplink grant for a UE includes a message initiating an uplink grant repetition, further comprising: a component for sending a periodic uplink grant to the UE; and a component for receiving periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forwarding the periodic location information to a location server.

[0316] Article 133. A base station as described in Article 131, wherein the message initiating uplink permission is received in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0317] Article 134. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 125-133, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE is a request for uplink grant received from the UE.

[0318] Article 135. The base station as described in Article 134 further includes components for receiving a request for an early connection from the UE.

[0319] Article 136. A base station as described in Article 134, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, further comprising: components for receiving from the UE a request for uplink permission in response to the request for periodic location information; components for sending uplink permission to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the request for periodic location information; and components for receiving a response to the request for periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink permission and forwarding it to a location server.

[0320] Article 137. A base station pursuant to any one of Articles 134-136, wherein a request for uplink permission is received in a physical layer message and an uplink permission is sent in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0321] Article 138. A base station according to any one of Articles 125-137, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE is an indication of an uplink grant received from a second base station, wherein the UE switches from the second base station to the base station.

[0322] Article 139. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code being operable to configure at least one processor in a base station for supporting location services of a user equipment (UE), the program code including instructions to receive a message to initiate an uplink grant for the UE in response to a request for location service-related information from a location server; to send the uplink grant to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the location service-related information request; and to receive a response to the information request sent from the UE using the uplink grant and forward it to the location server.

[0323] Article 140. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 139, wherein an uplink license is sent to the UE before the UE has completed the positioning measurement.

[0324] Article 141. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Articles 139 or 140, wherein a request related to location services includes a request for UE capabilities, and a response to a request includes a capability response.

[0325] Article 142. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Articles 139 or 140, wherein a request for information relating to a location service includes a request for location information, and a response to said request includes location information.

[0326] Article 143. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 142, wherein the location information includes positioning measurements performed by the UE.

[0327] Article 144. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 142, wherein the location information includes a location estimate generated by the UE.

[0328] Article 145. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium pursuant to any one of Articles 139-144, wherein a message initiating an uplink license for a UE is received from a location server.

[0329] Article 146. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 145, wherein the request for information related to location services includes a request for periodic location information, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE includes a message initiating uplink grant repetition, the program code further includes instructions to send a periodic uplink grant to the UE; to receive periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink grant; and to forward the periodic location information to the location server.

[0330] Article 147. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Article 145, wherein a message initiating an uplink license is received in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

[0331] Article 148. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to any one of Articles 139-147, wherein the message initiating an uplink license for the UE is a request for uplink license received from the UE.

[0332] Article 149. The program code, pursuant to the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described in Article 148, also includes instructions for receiving a request for an early connection from the UE.

[0333] Article 150. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as described in Clause 148, wherein a request for location information includes a request for periodic location information, the program code further includes instructions to receive from the UE a request for uplink permission in response to the request for periodic location information; to send an uplink permission to the UE before the UE is ready to send a response to the request for periodic location information; and to receive a response to the request for periodic location information sent from the UE using the uplink permission and forward it to a location server.

[0334] Article 151. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to any one of Articles 148-150, wherein a request for uplink permission is received in a physical layer message and an uplink permission is sent in a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0335] Article 152. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to any one of Articles 139-151, wherein the message initiating an uplink grant for the UE is an indication of an uplink grant received from a second base station, wherein the UE switches from the second base station to the base station.

[0336] While the foregoing disclosure illustrates illustrative aspects of this disclosure, it should be noted that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The functions, steps, and / or actions of the method claims according to aspects of the disclosure described herein do not need to be performed in any particular order. Furthermore, although elements of this disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, plural forms are also contemplated unless expressly stated as limited to the singular.

Claims

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for supporting location services for the UE, comprising: receiving a request for location information from a location server; receiving an uplink grant from a base station prior to the UE being ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the uplink grant is received from the base station in response to a message sent from the location server to the base station, and wherein the message initiates an uplink grant for the UE; and sending location information to the location server using the uplink grant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink grant from the base station is received prior to the UE completing positioning measurements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for location information comprises a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: receiving a periodic uplink grant from the base station in each period prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server; and sending periodic location information to the location server using the uplink grant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for location information comprises a request for periodic location information, the method further comprising: receiving a second uplink grant from a second base station prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server, wherein the second uplink grant is received in response to a second message sent from the location server to the second base station that initiates the second uplink grant for the UE or an indication of the UL grant sent from the base station to the second base station during a handover of the UE from the base station to the second base station; and sending periodic location information to the location server using the second uplink grant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for location information is received via a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) and the location information is sent via LPP, or the request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) and the location information is sent via SUPL.

6. A user equipment (UE) configured for supporting location services for the UE, comprising: a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with other entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the at least one memory and configured to: receive a request for location information from a location server via the wireless transceiver; receive an uplink grant from a base station via the wireless transceiver prior to the UE being ready to send location information to the location server, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the uplink grant from the base station in response to a message sent from the location server to the base station, and wherein the message initiates an uplink grant for the UE; and send location information to the location server via the wireless transceiver using the uplink grant.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein the uplink grant from the base station is received prior to the UE completing positioning measurements. ​ ​ 8. The UE of claim 6, wherein the request for location information comprises a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive an uplink grant from the base station via the wireless transceiver in each period prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server; and send the periodic location information to the location server via the wireless transceiver using the uplink grant.

9. The UE of claim 6, wherein the request for location information comprises a request for periodic location information, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a second uplink grant from a second base station via the wireless transceiver prior to the UE being ready to send periodic location information to the location server, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the second uplink grant in response to a second message sent from the location server to the second base station initiating the second uplink grant for the UE or an indication of the UL grant from the base station to the second base station during a handover of the UE from the base station to the second base station; and send the periodic location information to the location server via the wireless transceiver using the second uplink grant.

10. The UE of claim 6, wherein the request for location information is received via a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) and the location information is sent via LPP, or the request for location information is received via Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) and the location information is sent via SUPL.

11. A method performed by a location server for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: sending a request to the UE for information related to the location services; sending a message to a base station to initiate an uplink grant for the UE to respond to the request; and receiving a response to the request from the UE sent by the UE using the uplink grant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the UE receives the uplink grant from the base station prior to the UE being ready to send a response to the request.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for information related to the location services comprises a request for UE capabilities and the response to the request comprises a capabilities response.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for information related to the location services comprises a request for location information and the response to the request comprises location information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for information related to the location services comprises a request for periodic location information, wherein the message to initiate the uplink grant for the UE comprises a message to initiate repetition of the uplink grant to respond to the request for periodic location information.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for information related to the location services is sent via a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) and the response to the request is received via LPP. ​ 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for information related to location services is sent via Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) and the response to the request is received via SUPL.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein, sending a message initiating uplink grants in a New Radio Positioning Protocol A message.

19. A method performed by a base station for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving a message initiating uplink grants for a UE in response to a request for information related to location services from a location server, wherein the message initiating uplink grants for the UE is received from the location server to the base station; sending uplink grants to the UE prior to the UE being ready to send a response to the request for information related to location services; and receiving the response to the request for information from the UE using the uplink grants and forwarding to the location server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, The uplink grants are sent to the UE prior to the UE completing positioning measurements.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the request for information related to location services comprises a request for UE capabilities and the response to the request comprises a capabilities response.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the request for information related to location services comprises a request for location information and the response to the request comprises location information.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the request for information related to location services comprises a request for periodic location information, wherein the message initiating uplink grants for the UE comprises a message initiating uplink grant repetition, the method further comprising: sending uplink grants to the UE; and receiving the periodic location information from the UE using the uplink grants and forwarding the periodic location information to the location server. The message initiating uplink grants for the UE is an indication of a second uplink grant received from a second base station, wherein the UE is handed over from the second base station to the base station.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein, The program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a user equipment (UE) for supporting location services for the UE, and wherein the program code comprises instructions to perform the method of any of claims 1-5.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, wherein, The program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a location server for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE), and wherein the program code comprises instructions to perform the method of any of claims 11-18.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, wherein, The program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a base station for supporting location services for a user equipment (UE), and wherein the program code comprises instructions to perform the method of any of claims 19-24.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, wherein, 28. A base station configured to support location services for a user equipment (UE), comprising means for performing the method of any of claims 19-24. ​

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