Asset tracking joint sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for transmitting Joint Detection Reference Signals (SRS) for asset tracking. Location management network nodes can send location failure messages to serving network nodes. Serving network nodes can group devices if one or more criteria are met. When one or more devices can be grouped, the serving network node can assign and distribute multi-label SRS sequence identifiers that can be used by devices in the group. The serving network node can calculate and send multi-label SRS transmission configurations to devices in the group. Devices can perform joint SRS transmissions. Location management network nodes can calculate the location of the centroid of the device group associated with the reported metric.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some example embodiments may generally relate to mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 5G radio access technologies or New Radio (NR) access technologies, or other communication systems. For example, some embodiments may relate to systems and / or methods for transmitting Joint Detection Reference Signals (SRS) for asset tracking. Background Technology

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems can include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) for Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), MulteFire, LTE-APro, and / or 5G or New Radio (NR) access technologies. 5G wireless systems refer to next-generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G is primarily built on New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRA radio. NR is estimated to provide bit rates of approximately 10-20 Gbit / s or higher and can at least support Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) as well as Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC). NR is expected to provide extreme bandwidth and ultra-robust, low-latency connectivity and massive networks to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication become increasingly prevalent, the demand for networks that meet lower power, lower data rates, and longer battery life will continue to grow. It is worth noting that in 5G, a node that can provide radio access to user equipment (i.e., similar to a node B in UTRAN or an eNB in ​​LTE) can be named gNB when built on NR radio and NG-eNB when built on E-UTRA radio. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first embodiment, a method may include sending at least one of the following by a location management network entity: one or more location failure reports associated with one or more devices, or information including one or more groups of devices based on one or more criteria. The one or more groups of devices may be associated with sending corresponding joint reference signals. The method may include receiving one or more joint reference signal measurement reports associated with one or more groups of devices. The method may include determining the location of one or more groups of devices based on the one or more joint reference signal measurement reports.

[0004] In a variant, the method may include determining that location failure has occurred for one or more devices, and sending one or more location failure reports may include sending one or more location failure reports based on the determination that location failure has occurred for one or more devices. In a variant, the one or more location failure reports may include a list of identifiers of one or more devices associated with the location failure. In a variant, the method may also include receiving one or more reports identifying one or more groups of devices after sending one or more location failure reports.

[0005] In a variant, determining the location of the centroid of one or more groups may further include determining the boundaries of one or more device groups. In another variant, the method may further include determining one or more device groups, and the transmission of information including one or more device groups may further include transmitting information based on determining one or more groups. In a variant, one or more groups are associated with corresponding serving network nodes.

[0006] In a variant, one or more groups of devices may be associated with multiple serving network nodes. In one variant, the location may include the centroid of the one or more device groups. In another variant, the method may further include requesting the serving network node to identify the one or more device groups.

[0007] According to a second embodiment, a method may include sending a message from a serving network node to a group of devices. The message may be associated with configuring the device group to send a joint reference signal. The device group may be based on one or more standards. The method may include receiving a joint reference signal from the device group. The method may include performing a measurement of the joint reference signal. The method may include sending a measurement report including the measurement of the joint reference signal.

[0008] In a variant, the method may include receiving failure reports associated with one or more devices, grouping the one or more devices into a device group based on one or more criteria, and sending a report identifying the device group. In a variant, the method may include determining an identifier for a joint reference signal and sending that identifier. In a variant, devices in a device group may be associated with a serving network node, or at least one device in the group may be associated with one or more other serving network nodes. In one variant, the one or more criteria may include whether the device group: shares a common serving beam index, has similar values ​​for quality metrics, has similar timing advance or a standard deviation of timing advance within the device group is less than a threshold, or experiences similar propagation conditions.

[0009] According to a third embodiment, a method may include receiving a message associated with configuring a group of devices to transmit a joint reference signal. The group of devices may be based on one or more standards. The method may include transmitting the joint reference signal according to the configuration.

[0010] In a variant, the method may include receiving an identifier for a joint reference signal. The identifier may be included in a message or another message. In a variant, sending the joint reference signal may include sending the joint reference signal according to a sequence associated with the identifier. In a variant, the configuration may include device-specific transmission configuration parameters.

[0011] The fourth embodiment may be directed to an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the method according to the first embodiment, the second embodiment, or the third embodiment, or any of the variations discussed above.

[0012] The fifth embodiment may relate to an apparatus that may include a circuit system configured to perform the method according to any one of the first, second, or third embodiments, or variations discussed above.

[0013] The sixth embodiment may relate to an apparatus that may include components for performing the methods according to the first, second, or third embodiment, or any variations thereof. Examples of components may include one or more processors, memory, and / or computer program code for causing the execution of operations.

[0014] The seventh embodiment may relate to a computer-readable medium including program instructions stored thereon for performing at least the method according to the first, second, or third embodiment, or any of the variations discussed above.

[0015] The eighth embodiment may be directed to a computer program product that encodes instructions for performing at least the method according to the first embodiment, the second embodiment, or the third embodiment, or any of the variations discussed above. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To correctly understand the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 An example signal diagram for joint SRS transmission for asset tracking is shown according to some embodiments;

[0018] Figure 2 An example flowchart of a method according to some embodiments is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 An example flowchart of a method according to some embodiments is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 An example flowchart of a method according to some embodiments is shown;

[0021] Figure 5a An example block diagram of a device according to an embodiment is shown; and

[0022] Figure 5b An example block diagram of a device according to another embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] As will be readily understood, as described and illustrated in the figures herein, components of certain example embodiments can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for asset tracking federated SRS transmission is not intended to limit the scope of any particular embodiment, but rather represents selected example embodiments.

[0024] Features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the use of phrases such as "some embodiments," "some examples," or other similar language throughout this specification refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of phrases such as "some embodiments," "some examples," "other examples," or other similar language throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to all of the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the phrase "set" refers to a collection that includes one or more members of the referenced set. Therefore, the phrases "set," "one or more," and "at least one," or equivalent phrases, can be used interchangeably. In addition, "or" is intended to mean "and / or," unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0025] Furthermore, if necessary, the different functions or operations discussed below may be performed in different orders and / or simultaneously with each other. Additionally, if necessary, one or more of the described functions or operations may be optional or may be combined. Therefore, the following description should be considered merely as an illustration of the principles and teachings of certain exemplary embodiments, and not as a limitation thereof.

[0026] Hypertag devices can provide asset location without requiring large-scale ecosystem deployment. Outdoors, these devices can be located via public cellular networks, providing global coverage with accuracy, for example, 10 to 20 meters, without the need for dedicated equipment. In indoor environments, they can be located using densely deployed infrastructure locators and flexible sensing gateways, which can provide accuracy within 1-2 meters. Furthermore, these devices can provide infrared (IR) beacon signatures, allowing for location enhancement algorithms based on infrastructure cameras.

[0027] To allow for tracking processing and storage of conditions, hypertag devices can use onboard components such as accelerometers, temperature sensors, and humidity sensors to maintain 1) motion vectors, 2) environmental vectors, and 3) coexistence vectors. These vectors can be periodically offloaded to the sensing gateway in an energy-efficient manner.

[0028] NR can provide local positioning support, including downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA), downlink angle of departure (DL-AoD), uplink angle of arrival (UL-AoA), or multi-cell round-trip time (Multi-RTT). Therefore, NR can enable both RAT-dependent (for frequency ranges 1 (FR1) and FR2) and RAT-independent NR positioning technologies. In the downlink (DL), a positioning reference signal (PRS) is introduced in NR, while in the uplink (UL), an SRS (SRS-P) for positioning is introduced in NR.

[0029] UL-TDOA is one of the NR methods and can rely on UL measurements / signals. Using UL-TDOA, the UE can send SRS-P to the gNB. The gNB can then measure the relative time of arrival (RTOA) based on the SRS-P from the UE. The measurement can be reported to the Location Management Function (LMF), which can then estimate the UE's location. The gNB can report the measurement via NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa).

[0030] NR-LITE addresses use cases with IoT-type parameters (eMTC) that cannot be met by enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) and narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) (e.g., low complexity, enhanced coverage, long battery life, and large number of devices). Specifically, NR-LITE parameters and / or use cases can include data rates of up to 10-100 megabits per second (Mbps) (e.g., to support real-time video feeds, visualized production control, and / or process automation), latency of approximately 10-30 milliseconds (ms) (e.g., to support remote drone operation, collaborative agricultural machinery, time-critical sensing and feedback, and / or remote vehicle operation), positioning accuracy of approximately 30 centimeters (cm) to 1 meter (m) (e.g., to support indoor asset tracking, coordinated vehicle control, and / or remote monitoring), module costs comparable to LTE, coverage enhanced by 10-15 dB compared to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and / or battery life at least 2-4 times longer than eMBB. In addition, NR-LITE features may include reduced bandwidth operation, reduced complexity techniques, enhanced coverage and reliability, device-to-device (D2D) communication, early data transmission, wake-up signals in idle mode, and / or unlicensed transmission.

[0031] Low-cost asset tracking can be an aspect of NR. One aspect of asset tracking can include accurately providing the location of low-cost and low-power tagging devices. Asset tracking can be achieved using global systems covering a wide range of scenarios, from remote rural areas, urban outdoor areas, and indoor areas (including homes, offices, and larger factories). The accuracy requirements for asset tracking may differ for these different scenarios. For example, less stringent accuracy may be required for items located on highways or at sea, while higher positioning accuracy may be necessary for items in denser areas, such as factories and storage / delivery facilities. Tagging devices can be co-located (e.g., bundled together), for example, when they are used to tag packages or other goods that may need to be tracked (and may be stacked and loaded together for transport). One potential problem with such tagging devices may involve link budget, particularly uplink transmission capacity. SRS reception by the target gNB may be limited due to challenging propagation conditions. Therefore, situations where there are not enough gNBs to detect tagging devices from packages may occur more frequently compared to typical 5G NR scenarios (e.g., SRS transmissions from handheld 5G NRUEs). Thus, improved asset tracking is needed in certain scenarios.

[0032] Some embodiments described herein can provide joint SRS transmission for asset tracking (“joint” and “multi-tag” may be used interchangeably herein). In some embodiments, upon NR UL location failure based on a group of K devices (e.g., tagged devices), a location management network node (e.g., LMF) can issue a location failure message to a serving network node (e.g., gNB). Failure may occur when a Quality of Service (QoS) or location service accuracy threshold is not met. The message may include a list of identifiers for the devices for which location failed. The serving network node can check whether one or more of the K devices can be grouped together for joint SRS transmission. If one or more criteria are met (e.g., one or more criteria may be associated with identifying co-located devices), the serving network node can group the devices. The one or more criteria may include whether the devices share a common service beam index, whether they have similar values ​​for quality metrics (e.g., Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Signal-to-Interference-Noise Ratio (SINR), etc.), whether they have similar timing advance (TA), or whether the standard deviation of the TA in the group is less than a threshold, and / or whether they experience similar propagation conditions (e.g., similar channel sparsity, power of the main detection tap, etc.). The channel impulse response can be estimated using the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) received from the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).

[0033] In some embodiments, when one or more devices can be grouped, the serving network node can assign and distribute multi-label SRS sequence identifiers to the devices that can be used by the devices in the group. Distributing a single SRS sequence to devices in the group can be based on the devices experiencing the same or similar channel conditions, or on one or more other criteria being met.

[0034] Furthermore, the serving network node can calculate and send a multi-label SRS transmission configuration (e.g., a transmission precoder) to devices in the group. This configuration can be customized for devices in the group (e.g., different configurations for different devices in the group). Devices can receive multi-label SRS sequence identifiers and multi-label SRS transmission configurations, and can perform joint SRS transmissions (e.g., multi-label SRS transmissions). One or more network nodes (e.g., gNBs) can detect sequences and can calculate timing and / or angular positioning metrics (e.g., Angle of Arrival (AoA), Time of Arrival (TOA), etc.), which the network nodes can send to a location management network node. The location management network node can calculate the location of the centroid of the device group associated with the reported metrics. In some embodiments, the location management network node can request additional information from the serving network node (e.g., TA, serving beam index, number of grouped devices, and / or similar information), and can determine the geographical boundaries of the device group. Some implementations may include variations of the above methods, as described elsewhere herein.

[0035] Thus, certain embodiments can help overcome situations where, for example, a group of NR devices transmitting SRS at full power cannot be located due to poor SRS coverage (e.g., where the SRS cannot be received by enough gNBs to locate the devices). For example, joint transmission in certain embodiments can provide a power boost (e.g., up to 6 dB for 4 devices), which can increase the likelihood that a UL positioning session for a device will be successful. As described herein, example embodiments can be applied to including tag devices (e.g., asset tracking tag devices), UEs, mobile station IoT devices, etc.

[0036] Figure 1 An example signal diagram 100 for asset tracking federated SRS transmission is shown according to some embodiments. As shown, example 100 includes devices 1 to K, serving network nodes (e.g., serving gNBs) and location management network nodes (e.g., LMFs, location management components (LMCs), etc.).

[0037] As shown at 102, the location management network node can detect UL positioning failures. For example, as a result of UL positioning failures of one or more devices (e.g., devices 1 to K), the operation of example 100 can be triggered by an LMF. In some embodiments, the location management network node can perform detection based on a UL-TDOA measurement that is above or below a threshold, which can indicate that a group of devices has poor positioning.

[0038] As shown at 104, a location management network node can send a location failure report for one or more devices, and a service network node can receive the report. For example, a location management network node can send a location failure report to a service network node serving each device. Although devices 1 to K can be associated with one or more different service network nodes, for example 100, it is assumed that devices 1 to K are served by the same service network node.

[0039] As shown at 106, a serving network node can determine one or more groups of devices (e.g., based on location failure reports). For example, the serving network node can assess whether one or more of the reported devices can be grouped together. The serving network node can select a multi-label SRS sequence identifier for one or more groups of devices. For example, the multi-label SRS sequence identifier can identify the SRS to be sent for the corresponding group of devices. The group of devices can be based on one or more criteria described elsewhere in this document. Additionally or alternatively, the group of devices can be based on the assumption that the devices in a group are co-located (and therefore can experience similar propagation conditions).

[0040] As shown at 108, the serving network node can send group reports, and the location management network node can receive group reports. For example, the report may include a device group, device configuration parameters, device identifiers, a multi-label SRS sequence identifier for the device group, and / or similar elements. Additionally or alternatively, the serving network node may report additional configuration elements of the devices in that group, such as serving beam indices, estimated Doppler shifts, and / or similar elements.

[0041] As shown at 110, the serving network node can send configuration messages, and devices 1 through K can receive configuration messages. For example, the serving network node can send individual configuration messages to devices in the group. Configuration messages may include configuration parameters (e.g., UL transmission parameters, such as transmission precoder, timing advance, transmission power control parameters, and / or similar parameters), multi-tag SRS sequence identifiers, and / or similar parameters.

[0042] As shown at 112-1 to 112-K, devices 1 to K can generate a joint SRS based on the configuration parameters received at 110. As shown at 114, devices 112-1 to 112-K can send a joint SRS, and the serving network node can receive the joint SRS. For example, at 110, applying device-specific configurations selected and provided to the devices by the serving network node, a group of devices can send the same SRS sequence. As shown at 116, the serving network node can measure the joint SRS. For example, the serving network node can measure the joint SRS by executing the UL-TDOA procedure. As shown at 118, the serving network node can send a report, which includes the measurement of the joint SRS, and the location management network node can receive the report.

[0043] As shown at 120, the location management network node can locate the centroid of the device group. In some embodiments, the location management network node can determine the boundaries (e.g., geographic boundaries) of the device group at 122. Other methods for determining and / or defining the location of the group can be used in conjunction with the embodiments described herein.

[0044] As mentioned above, providing Figure 1 As an example. Other examples are possible based on some embodiments.

[0045] As described above Figure 1 As described in Example 100, the serving network node can group devices based on an assessment of whether reported devices meet certain criteria. In other embodiments, the location management network node can group devices based on radio link performance measurements (e.g., SRS RSRP and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)) from the serving network node and / or neighboring network nodes. Additionally or alternatively, device TAs can be used by the location management network node to create device groups. Thus, the location management network node can group devices based on device proximity obtained, for example, by calculating Euclidean distances between the past locations of multiple devices, similar SRS radio link quality, whether the number of devices reported by the network node is less than a threshold (e.g., which may indicate a lack of link budget), and / or similar methods. The location management network node can then request a grouping process from the serving network node. For example, the LMF can signal to the serving network node to perform a Group Probe Reference Signal (SRS) process. As an example process, the LMF can signal to the serving network node requesting devices 1, 2, and 3 to perform joint SRS transmissions in the same group. The devices, the serving network node, and the location management network node can then perform a similar process. Figure 1The operations described in 112 to 122. In some embodiments, the serving network node can perform device grouping. In those embodiments, the LMF can simply send a request to the serving network node to perform the grouping (e.g., the serving network node can determine that devices 1, 2, and 3 will be in the same group). Similar to the example in 100, in embodiments where the location management network node groups devices, it can be assumed that the devices are associated with the same serving network node.

[0046] In some embodiments, devices may be served by multiple serving network nodes instead of a single serving network node. In these cases, the location management network node may group devices based on radio link performance measurements (e.g., SRS RSRP and RSSI) from multiple serving network nodes and target network nodes. Similar to some embodiments described above, the location management network node may use device TAs to form device groups. Also similar to some embodiments described above, the location management network function may form device groups based on similar coarse past locations, similar SRS radio link quality, whether the number of devices reported by the network node is less than a threshold, etc. The location management network node may then request the grouping process via the serving network node in a manner similar to that described above. The location management network node may also request the grouping process from the serving network node with a coordinated UL configuration in a manner similar to that described above.

[0047] Figure 2 An example flowchart of method 200 according to some embodiments is shown. For example, Figure 2 This can include network nodes (e.g., in...) Figure 5a Shown and referenced Figure 5a Example operation of the described device 10). Specifically, Figure 2 Example operations for managing network nodes at locations are shown. Figure 2 Some of the operations shown can be similar to Figure 1 The image shown and about Figure 1 Some operations are described.

[0048] In an embodiment, the method may include, for example, at 202, in a manner similar to Figure 1 The method described at point 104 involves sending at least one location failure report associated with one or more devices, or including information about one or more groups of devices based on one or more standards. The one or more groups of devices may be associated with sending a corresponding joint reference signal. The method may include, at point 204, for example, in a manner similar to... Figure 1The method, as described in 118, receives one or more joint reference signal measurement reports associated with one or more groups of devices. The method may include, at 206, determining the location of one or more groups of devices based on the one or more joint reference signal measurement reports, for example, in a manner similar to that described in 120.

[0049] Figure 2 The method 200 shown may include one or more additional aspects described below or elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, network nodes may, for example, be similar to Figure 1 The location failure for one or more devices is determined in the manner described at point 102. In some embodiments, one or more location failure reports may include a list of identifiers of one or more devices associated with the failed location. In some embodiments, network nodes may, for example, use a method similar to... Figure 1 In the manner described at point 108, after sending one or more location failure reports, one or more reports identifying one or more device groups are received. In some embodiments, the determination at point 206 may include, for example, in a manner similar to... Figure 1 The method described at point 122 is used to determine the boundaries of one or more groups of devices.

[0050] In some embodiments, a network node may identify one or more groups of devices. In some embodiments, one or more groups may be associated with corresponding serving network nodes. In some embodiments, devices in one or more groups may be associated with multiple serving network nodes. In some embodiments, a location may be the centroid of one or more device groups. In some embodiments, a network node may request a serving network node to identify one or more device groups.

[0051] As mentioned above, providing Figure 2 As an example. Other examples are possible based on some embodiments.

[0052] Figure 3 An example flowchart of method 300 according to some embodiments is shown. For example, Figure 3 The network nodes are shown (e.g., in...). Figure 5a Shown and referenced Figure 5a Example operation of the described device 10). Specifically, Figure 3 Example operations of serving network nodes are shown. Figure 3 Some of the operations shown can be similar to Figure 1 The figures shown and relative to Figure 1 Some operations are described.

[0053] In one embodiment, the method may include, at 302, for example, in a manner similar to Figure 1The method may send a message to the device group in the manner described in 110. This message may be associated with configuring the device group to send a joint reference signal. The device group may be based on one or more standards. The method may include, at 304, receiving the joint reference signal from the device group, for example, in a manner similar to that described in 114. The method may include, at 306, performing a measurement of the joint reference signal, for example, in a manner similar to that described in 116. The method may include, at 308, performing a measurement of the joint reference signal, for example, in a manner similar to that described in 116. Figure 1 As described in section 118, a measurement report including a joint reference signal is sent.

[0054] Figure 3 The method 300 shown may include one or more additional aspects described below or elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, network nodes may, for example, be similar to Figure 1 The failure report associated with one or more devices is received in the manner described at point 104. In some embodiments, the network node may, for example, in a manner similar to... Figure 1 As described at point 106, one or more devices are grouped into a device group based on one or more criteria. In some embodiments, network nodes can, for example, be grouped in a manner similar to... Figure 1 The method described at point 108 is used to send reports to the identification device group.

[0055] In some embodiments, network nodes may combine grouping of devices to determine an identifier for the joint reference signal, and may, for example, use a method similar to... Figure 1 The identifier is sent in the manner described at point 110. In some embodiments, devices in the group of devices may be associated with a serving network node, or at least one of these devices may be associated with one or more other serving network nodes. In some embodiments, one or more criteria may include whether the group of devices shares a common serving beam index, whether they have similar values ​​for quality metrics, whether they have similar timing advances or whether the standard deviation of the TA in the group of devices is less than a threshold, or whether they experience similar propagation conditions.

[0056] As mentioned above, providing Figure 3 As an example. Other examples are possible based on some embodiments.

[0057] Figure 4 An example flowchart of method 400 according to some embodiments is shown. For example, Figure 4 This may include devices (e.g., in...) Figure 5b The text shows and about Figure 5b Example operation of the described device 20). Figure 4 Some of the operations shown can be similar to Figure 1 The image shown and about Figure 1Some operations are described.

[0058] In one embodiment, the method may include, at 402, for example, in a manner similar to Figure 1 The method described in 110 involves receiving a message associated with configuring a group of devices to transmit a joint reference signal. The group of devices may be based on one or more standards. The method may include, for example, in 404, in a manner similar to... Figure 1 The method described in section 114 is used to send joint reference signals according to this configuration.

[0059] Figure 4 The methods illustrated may include one or more additional aspects described below or elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the UE may receive an identifier for a joint reference signal. In some embodiments, the identifier may be included in a message or another message. In some embodiments, transmission at 404 may include transmitting the joint reference signal according to a sequence associated with the identifier. In some embodiments, configuration may include device-specific transmission configuration parameters.

[0060] As mentioned above, providing Figure 4 As an example. Other examples are possible based on some embodiments.

[0061] Figure 5a An example of apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in a communications network, or provide services for such a network. For example, apparatus 10 may be a network node (e.g., a serving network node), a location management network node, a satellite, a base station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a 5G Node B or access point, a next-generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), and / or a WLAN access point associated with a radio access network such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR. In some example embodiments, apparatus 10 may be an eNB in ​​LTE or a gNB in ​​5G.

[0062] It should be understood that in some example embodiments, device 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, wherein the server and radio nodes may be separate devices communicating with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may reside in the same entity communicating via a wired connection. For example, in some example embodiments where device 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides gNB functions. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node including gNB functions such as user data transmission, mobility control, radio access network sharing, location and / or session management, etc. The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) through a fronthaul interface. Depending on the function splitting option, the DU may be a logical node including a subset of gNB functions. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 10 may include Figure 5a Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0063] like Figure 5a As shown in the example, device 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In practice, as an example, processor 12 may include one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although in Figure 5a A single processor 12 is shown, but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent a multiprocessor), which can support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0064] The processor 12 can perform functions associated with the operation of the device 10, including, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the device 10, including processes related to the management of communication or communication resources.

[0065] Device 10 may also include or be coupled to memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 12 for storing information and instructions executable by processor 12. Memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be any type of memory suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and / or removable memory. For example, memory 14 may consist of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static memory such as a disk or optical disk, hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable medium. Instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enable device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0066] In one embodiment, device 10 may further include or be coupled to an (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store computer programs or software executed by processor 12 and / or device 10.

[0067] In some embodiments, device 10 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting and / or receiving signals and / or data to and from device 10. Device 10 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces that may be coupled to antennas 15. The radio interfaces may correspond to multiple radio access technologies, including one or more of GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, MulteFire, etc. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and to receive symbols (e.g., via uplinks).

[0068] Thus, transceiver 18 can be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 15, and demodulate information received via antenna 15 for further processing by other elements of device 10. In other embodiments, transceiver 18 can directly transmit and receive signals or data. Additionally or optionally, in some embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0069] In one embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality to device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0070] According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in or form part of processing or control circuitry. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0071] As used herein, the term "circuit" can refer to a hardware circuit implementation only (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor) having software, which work together to enable a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or hardware circuitry and / or a processor, or a portion thereof, which uses software for operation, but may be absent when software is not required for operation. As a further example, as used herein, the term "circuit" can also cover a hardware circuitry or processor (or processors) only, or a portion of a hardware circuitry or processor, and its accompanying software and / or firmware implementation. The term "circuit" can also cover baseband integrated circuits, such as those in servers, cellular network nodes or devices, or other computing or networking devices.

[0072] As described above, in some embodiments, device 10 may be a network node or RAN node, such as a base station, access point, node B, eNB, gNB, WLAN access point, etc.

[0073] According to some embodiments, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as... Figure 1-3 Shown or about Figure 1-3 Some operations are described. For example, device 10 can be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to perform. Figure 2 And / or method 3.

[0074] Figure 5bAn example of a device 20 according to another embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, device 20 may be a node or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a device, UE, mobile device (ME), mobile station, mobile device, fixed device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may also be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, mobile equipment, mobile unit, mobile device, user equipment, user station, wireless terminal, tablet computer, smartphone, IoT device, sensor or NB-IoT device, watch or other wearable device, head-mounted display (HMD), vehicle, drone, medical device and its applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial device and its applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in the context of industrial and / or automated processing chains), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. As an example, device 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0075] In some example embodiments, device 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage device, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.) and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, device 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, Wi-Fi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include... Figure 5b Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0076] like Figure 5b As illustrated in the examples, device 20 may include or be coupled to processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In practice, as examples, processor 22 may include one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 is shown in Figure 5, multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, device 20 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent a multiprocessor) that can support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0077] The processor 22 can perform functions associated with the operation of the device 20, including, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the device 20, including processes related to communication resource management.

[0078] Device 20 may also include or be coupled to memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 22 for storing information and instructions executable by processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be any type of memory suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and / or removable memory. For example, memory 24 may consist of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a disk or optical disk, hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable medium. Instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0079] In one embodiment, device 20 may further include or be coupled to an (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store computer programs or software executed by processor 22 and / or device 20.

[0080] In some embodiments, device 20 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals from device 20 and transmitting them via uplink. Device 20 may also include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to one or more of a variety of radio access technologies, including GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

[0081] For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 25, and demodulate information received via antenna 25 for further processing by other elements of device 20. In other embodiments, transceiver 28 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or optionally, in some embodiments, device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In some embodiments, device 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touchscreen.

[0082] In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality to device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, device 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with device 10 via wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0083] According to some embodiments, processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in or form part of processing or control circuitry. Furthermore, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in or form part of transceiver circuitry. As described above, according to some embodiments, device 20 may be, for example, a UE, mobile device, mobile station, ME, IoT device, and / or NB-IoT device. According to some embodiments, device 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 4 Explanation or relative to Figure 1 and Figure 4 Some operations are described. For example, in one embodiment, device 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to perform... Figure 4 The method.

[0084] In some embodiments, the apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include components for performing the methods or any variations discussed herein, for example, referenced to Figure 2 -4 describes the method. Examples of this component may include one or more processors, memory, and / or computer program code for causing the execution of operations.

[0085] Therefore, certain exemplary embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over prior art processes. For example, some example embodiments benefit from extended location coverage and / or increased location accuracy due to the increased number of serving network nodes potentially being able to detect groups of devices under challenging coverage conditions, such as co-location and / or proximity of devices. Thus, the use of certain example embodiments leads to improvements in the functionality of the communication network and its nodes, and therefore constitutes at least an improvement in the technical field of device tracking.

[0086] In some exemplary embodiments, the functionality of any methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flowcharts described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code or code portions stored in memory or other computer-readable or tangible media and executed by a processor.

[0087] In some example embodiments, the apparatus may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured to perform arithmetic by at least one operating processor, or a program or portion thereof (including added or updated software routines) executed by at least one operating processor. A program, also known as a program product or computer program, includes software routines, applets, and macros, may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium, and may include program instructions for performing specific tasks.

[0088] A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components that, when the program is run, are configured to perform some exemplary embodiments. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one piece of software code or code. Modifications and configurations for implementing the functionality of the exemplary embodiments may be executed as routines, which may be implemented as added or updated software routines. In one example, a software routine may be downloaded to the device.

[0089] As an example, software or computer program code or code portions may be in source code form, object code form, or some intermediate form, and may be stored in some type of carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such a carrier may include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optoelectronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and / or software distribution packages. Depending on the required processing power, the computer program may execute in a single electronic digital computer or may be distributed across multiple computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0090] In other example embodiments, the function may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in the device (e.g., device 10 or device 20), for example by using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another example embodiment, the function may be implemented as a signal, such as an intangible component carried by an electromagnetic signal downloadable from the Internet or other networks.

[0091] According to exemplary embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, device, or corresponding component may be configured as a circuit system, a computer, or a microprocessor or chipset such as a single-chip computer element, which may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity for arithmetic operations and / or an arithmetic processor for performing arithmetic operations.

[0092] The exemplary embodiments described herein are equally applicable to both singular and plural implementations, regardless of whether singular or plural language is used in conjunction with the description of certain embodiments. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node is equally applicable to embodiments involving multiple instances of network nodes, and vice versa.

[0093] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments discussed above can be implemented with different sequences of operations and / or with hardware elements in configurations different from the disclosed configuration. Therefore, while some embodiments have been described based on these exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be readily apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0094] Partial vocabulary list

[0095] AoA Angle of Arrival

[0096] BF Beamforming

[0097] DL PRS downlink positioning reference signal

[0098] gNB 5G base station

[0099] IoT (Internet of Things)

[0100] LMF location management function

[0101] LPP LTE positioning protocol

[0102] NR New Radio (5G)

[0103] NRPPa New Radio Positioning Protocol A

[0104] RS reference signal

[0105] RSRP reference signal received power

[0106] RTT round trip time

[0107] SRS Detection Reference Signal

[0108] SRS-P is an SRS used for positioning.

[0109] UE User Equipment

[0110] UL uplink

[0111] TA scheduled in advance

[0112] SINR (Signal-to-Interference-to-Noise Ratio)

[0113] CIR channel impulse response

Claims

1. A method for communication, comprising: The location management network entity sends one or more location failure reports associated with one or more devices, which are devices that have failed to locate. The devices that have failed to locate are grouped based on one or more criteria to determine one or more device groups. The transmission includes information from one or more device groups based on one or more standards, wherein the one or more device groups are associated with the transmission of a corresponding joint detection reference signal, which is a detection reference signal for positioning measurement transmitted collaboratively by multiple devices within the device group; Receive one or more joint detection reference signal measurement reports associated with the one or more device groups; as well as Based on the one or more joint detection reference signal measurement reports, the locations of the one or more equipment groups are determined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more location failure reports comprise: A list of identifiers for the one or more devices associated with the failed location.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: After sending the one or more location failure reports, receive one or more reports identifying the one or more device groups.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the location of the centroid of one or more groups further comprises: Define the boundaries of the one or more groups of devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Identify the one or more device groups; as well as The transmission of the information, including the one or more groups of devices, further includes: The information is sent based on the determination of the one or more groups.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more groups are associated with corresponding service network nodes.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the devices of one or more groups are associated with a plurality of service network nodes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location comprises the centroid of the one or more groups of devices.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising: The requesting service network node identifies the one or more groups of devices.

10. A method for communication, comprising: The service network node receives one or more location failure reports associated with one or more devices, wherein the one or more devices are devices that have failed to locate, and the devices that have failed to locate are grouped based on one or more criteria to determine one or more device groups; Send a message to the device group, wherein the message is associated with configuring the device group to send a joint detection reference signal, wherein the joint detection reference signal is a detection reference signal for positioning measurement sent collaboratively by multiple devices within the device group; Receive the joint detection reference signal from the group of devices; Perform the measurement of the joint detection reference signal; as well as Send a measurement report including the joint detection reference signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Receive location failure reports associated with one or more devices; Based on one or more criteria, the one or more devices are grouped into the device group; as well as Send a report identifying the group of devices.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Determine the identifier used for the joint detection reference signal; as well as Send the identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the devices in the device group are associated with the serving network node, or At least one of the devices is associated with one or more other service network nodes.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10-13, wherein the one or more criteria include whether the device group: Shared common service beam indexes with similar values ​​for quality metrics Having similar timing advances or the standard deviation of the timing advances in the device group is less than a threshold, or They experienced similar transmission conditions.

15. A method for communication, comprising: The device receives a message associated with configuring a device group to send a joint detection reference signal, wherein the device group is determined by grouping devices that have failed to locate based on one or more criteria, and the joint detection reference signal is a detection reference signal for location measurement sent collaboratively by multiple devices within the device group; as well as The joint detection reference signal is transmitted according to the configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Receive an identifier for the joint detection reference signal, wherein the identifier is included in the message or another message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the joint detection reference signal comprises: The joint probe reference signal is transmitted according to the sequence associated with the identifier.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15-17, wherein the configuration includes device-specific transmission configuration parameters.

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