Line of sight determination

Abstract

A UE includes: a wireless transceiver; a reflection-based orientation ranging system configured to determine the direction and distance between the UE and a reflector; and a processor configured to: obtain from the ranging system (1) a first direction between the UE and a specific reflector, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the specific reflector corresponding to the first direction; determine (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance from the PRS source to the UE corresponding to the second direction, based on a PRS received by the wireless transceiver from a positioning reference signal (PRS) source; and determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 17 / 160,022, entitled “LINE OF SIGHT DETERMINATION,” filed January 27, 2021, which has been assigned to the assignee of this application, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Background Technology

[0003] Wireless communication systems have undergone several generations of development, including first-generation analog radiotelephone service (1G), second-generation (2G) digital radiotelephone service (including transitional 2.5G and 2.75G networks), third-generation (3G) high-speed data radio service with Internet capabilities, fourth-generation (4G) service (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) or WiMax), and fifth-generation (5G) service. Currently, many different types of wireless communication systems are in use, including cellular and Personal Communication Services (PCS) systems. Known examples of cellular systems include cellular analog Advanced Mobile Phone Systems (AMPS), and digital cellular systems based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and GSM TDMA variants.

[0004] The fifth-generation (5G) mobile standard demands higher data transmission speeds, a greater number of connections, better coverage, and other improvements. According to the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGC), the 5G standard is designed to provide tens of megabits per second (Mbps) of data rate to each of tens of thousands of users, and 1 gigabits per second (Gbps) to dozens of employees on an office floor. It should support hundreds of thousands of simultaneous connections to support large-scale sensor deployments. Therefore, the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly improved compared to the current 4G standard. Furthermore, signaling efficiency should be improved and latency significantly reduced compared to the current standard.

[0005] Overview

[0006] In one embodiment, a UE (User Equipment) includes: a memory; a wireless transceiver; a reflection-based orientation ranging system configured to: determine the direction between the UE and a reflector and the corresponding distance between the UE and the reflector; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the wireless transceiver, and the reflection-based orientation ranging system, and the processor configured to: obtain from the ranging system (1) a first direction between the UE and a specific reflector, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the specific reflector corresponding to the first direction; determine (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance from the PRS source to the UE corresponding to the second direction, based on a PRS received by the wireless transceiver from a positioning reference signal (PRS) source; and determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance.

[0007] Implementations of such a UE may include one or more of the following features. The processor is configured to determine that the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity, and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity. The processor is configured to determine the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction. The processor is configured to determine the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements of the transceiver used to receive one or more PRSs.

[0008] Alternatively or concurrently, the implementation of such a UE may include one or more of the following features. The processor is configured to determine that the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance outside a second threshold proximity. The processor is configured to transmit a report via the radio interface, the report including location information determined according to the one or more PRSs and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the location information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement. The location information includes a location estimate of the UE. The processor is configured to: obtain (5) a plurality of first directions between the UE and corresponding plurality of reflectors from the ranging system, and (6) a plurality of first distances corresponding to the plurality of first directions; and determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the second direction being outside a threshold proximity relative to each of the plurality of first directions, without using any of the indications of the plurality of first directions.

[0009] In one embodiment, a UE includes: means for transmitting a ranging signal and receiving a reflection of the ranging signal; means for determining (1) a first direction between the UE and a reflector, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the reflector corresponding to the first direction, based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal; means for determining (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance from the PRS source to the UE corresponding to the second direction, based on a PRS received by the UE from a positioning reference signal (PRS) source; and means for determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance.

[0010] Implementations of such a UE may include one or more of the following features. The means for determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes means for determining that the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on a first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity, and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity. The UE includes means for determining the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction. The means for determining the first threshold includes means for determining the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements of the means for determining the second direction between the UE and the PRS source.

[0011] Alternatively or concurrently, implementations of such a UE may include one or more of the following features. The means for determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes means for determining that the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction being within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance being outside a second threshold proximity. The UE includes means for transmitting a report including location information determined according to the one or more PRSs and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the location information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement. The location information includes a location estimate of the UE.

[0012] In one embodiment, a method for determining the line-of-sight relationship between a UE and a PRS source includes: transmitting a ranging signal; receiving a reflection of the ranging signal; determining (1) a first direction between the UE and the reflector, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the reflector corresponding to the first direction, based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal; determining (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance from the PRS source to the UE corresponding to the second direction, based on the PRS received by the UE from the PRS source; and determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance.

[0013] Implementations of such methods may include one or more of the following features. Determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes determining that the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction being within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance being within a second threshold proximity. The method includes determining the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction. Determining the first threshold includes determining the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements used to determine the second direction between the UE and the PRS source.

[0014] Alternatively or concurrently, implementations of such methods may include one or more of the following features. Determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes determining whether the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction being within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance being outside a second threshold proximity. The method includes sending a report including location information determined according to the one or more PRSs and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the location information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement. The location information includes a location estimate of the UE.

[0015] In one embodiment, a non-transient processor-readable storage medium includes processor-readable instructions that cause a processor of a UE to perform the following operations to determine the line-of-sight relationship between the UE and a PRS source: transmit a ranging signal; determine (1) a first direction between the UE and a reflector, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the reflector corresponding to the first direction, based on the ranging signal and a reflection of the ranging signal received by the UE; determine (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance from the PRS source to the UE corresponding to the second direction, based on the PRS received by the UE from the PRS source; and determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, implementations of such storage media may include one or more of the following features. Instructions causing the processor to determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source include instructions causing the processor to determine that the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity. These instructions include instructions causing the processor to determine the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction. These instructions causing the processor to determine the first threshold include instructions causing the processor to determine the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements used to determine the second direction between the UE and the PRS source.

[0017] Alternatively or concurrently, implementations of such storage media may include one or more of the following features. Instructions causing the processor to determine whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source include instructions causing the processor to determine that the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance outside a second threshold proximity. These instructions include instructions causing the processor to send a report including location information determined according to the one or more PRSs and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the location information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement. The location information includes a location estimate of the UE. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0019] Figure 1 This is a simplified diagram of an example wireless communication system.

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a block diagram of the components of an example user equipment.

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a block diagram of the components of an example transmit / receive point.

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a block diagram of the components of the example server.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of an example user equipment.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a signaling and process flow used to determine the line-of-sight status of the positioning reference signal source, determine positioning information, and determine map information.

[0025] Figure 7 It is a simplified diagram of the environment of the target user equipment (UE), anchor UE, and building.

[0026] Figure 8 It is a simplified diagram of a memory containing a database of angles and distances to reflectors determined by a ranging system, as well as angles of arrival and distances to positioning reference signal sources based on the positioning reference signal source.

[0027] Figure 9 It is a flowchart of a method for determining the line-of-sight relationship between user equipment and a positioning reference signal source.

[0028] Detailed description

[0029] This paper discusses techniques for determining whether a signal received from a signal source is a line-of-sight (LOS) transmission (i.e., following a line-of-sight path from the source to the receiver). For example, a user equipment's reflection-based ranging system can determine the angle and distance from the user equipment to a reflector. The user equipment can also determine the angle of arrival (Angle of Arrival) of Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) from the corresponding source and the distance these PRS have traveled. By comparing the angle of arrival with the angle and corresponding distance determined by the ranging system, it can be determined whether the positioning reference signal has traveled a LOS path. For example, if the angle of arrival corresponds to (approaches) the angle determined by the ranging system, and the corresponding distance traveled by the PRS corresponds to (approaches) the distance determined by the corresponding ranging system, then the PRS can be identified as having traveled a LOS path. If the angle corresponds but the distance does not, the PRS can be identified as having traveled a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) path. If the angle of arrival does not correspond to the angle determined by the ranging system, the LOS / NLOS state of the PRS path can be identified as indeterminate. In this case, one or more other techniques besides or alternative to the techniques described above can be used to determine the LOS / NLOS state of the PRS path. These are examples, and other examples can be implemented.

[0030] The items and / or techniques described herein may provide one or more of the following capabilities, as well as others not mentioned. The accuracy of the determined location information may be improved. Radio frequency fingerprinting may be improved, for example, by providing LOS / NLOS and transmit / receive location pair information (indicating transmit / receive information and LOS / NLOS flags (indicating the presence of LOS or NLOS at that location)) and / or providing information about the angle and distance to the reflective object. Other capabilities may be provided, and not every implementation according to this disclosure is required to provide any, let alone all, of the capabilities discussed.

[0031] Obtaining the location of mobile devices accessing a wireless network can be useful for many applications, including emergency calls, personal navigation, consumer asset tracking, and locating friends or family. Existing positioning methods include those based on measuring radio signals transmitted from various devices or entities, including satellite carriers (SVs) and terrestrial radio sources in the wireless network, such as base stations and access points. Standardization for 5G wireless networks is expected to include support for various positioning methods that can utilize reference signals transmitted by base stations for location determination in a manner similar to how LTE wireless networks currently use Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) and / or Cell-specific Reference Signals (CRS).

[0032] This description may refer to a sequence of actions to be performed by elements such as a computing device. The various actions described herein can be performed by special-purpose circuitry (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), by program instructions being executed by one or more processors, or by a combination of both. The sequence of actions described herein can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a corresponding set of computer instructions that, upon execution, will cause the associated processor to perform the functionality described herein. Therefore, the aspects described herein can be implemented in several different forms, all of which fall within the scope of this disclosure, including the claimed subject matter.

[0033] As used herein, the terms “User Equipment” (UE) and “Base Station” are not specific to or otherwise limited to any particular Radio Access Technology (RAT) unless otherwise stated. Generally, such a UE can be any wireless communication device (e.g., mobile phone, router, tablet computer, laptop computer, consumer asset tracking device, Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc.) used by a user to communicate over a wireless communication network. The UE can be mobile or can (e.g., at certain times) be stationary and can communicate with a Radio Access Network (RAN). As used herein, the term “UE” can be 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”, or variations thereof. Generally, a UE can communicate with the 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 WiFi network (e.g., based on IEEE 802.11, etc.).

[0034] A base station may operate according to one of several RATs when communicating with a UE, depending on the network in which it is deployed, and may be alternatively referred to as an Access Point (AP), Network Node, B-Node, Evolved B-Node (eNB), General B-Node (gNodeB, gNB), etc. Additionally, in some systems, the base station may provide pure edge node signaling functions, while in others, it may provide additional control and / or network management functions.

[0035] The UE can be implemented using any of several types of devices, including but not limited to printed circuit (PC) cards, dense flash memory devices, external or internal modems, wireless or wired telephones, smartphones, tablet devices, consumer asset tracking devices, asset tags, etc. The communication link through which the UE can send signals to the RAN is called an uplink channel (e.g., reverse traffic channel, reverse control channel, access channel, etc.). The communication link through which the RAN can send signals to the UE is called a downlink or forward link channel (e.g., paging channel, control channel, broadcast channel, forward traffic channel, etc.). As used herein, the term traffic channel (TCH) can refer to an uplink / reverse traffic channel or a downlink / forward traffic channel.

[0036] As used herein, depending on the context, the terms "cell" or "sector" may correspond to one of multiple cells of a base station or to the base station itself. The term "cell" may refer to a logical communication entity used to communicate with a base station (e.g., on a carrier) and may be associated with identifiers to distinguish adjacent cells operating via the same or different carriers (e.g., Physical Cell Identifier (PCID), Virtual Cell Identifier (VCID)). In some examples, a carrier may support multiple cells and may be configured with different protocol types that provide access to different types of devices (e.g., Machine-Type Communication (MTC), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), or other protocol types). In some examples, the term "cell" may refer to a portion of the geographic coverage area on which a logical entity operates (e.g., a sector).

[0037] refer to Figure 1 Examples of communication system 100 include UE 105, UE 106, radio access network (RAN) 135 (here, fifth-generation (5G) next-generation (NG) RAN (NG-RAN)), and 5G core network (5GC) 140. UE 105 and / or UE 106 can be, for example, IoT devices, location tracker devices, cellular phones, vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, buses, ships, etc.) or other devices. 5G networks can also be referred to as new radio (NR) networks; NG-RAN 135 can be referred to as 5G RAN or NR RAN; and 5GC 140 can be referred to as NG core network (NGC). Standardization of NG-RAN and 5GC is underway within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Accordingly, NG-RAN 135 and 5GC 140 can comply with current or future standards from 3GPP for 5G support. RAN 135 can be another type of RAN, such as 3G RAN, 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) RAN, etc. UE 106 can be similarly configured and coupled to UE 105 to send and / or receive signals from similar other entities in system 100, but for simplicity of the figures, in Figure 1Such signaling is not indicated in this document. Similarly, for simplicity, the discussion focuses on UE 105. Communication system 100 may utilize information from the constellation 185 of spacecraft (SVs) 190, 191, 192, 193 of a satellite positioning system (SPS) (e.g., a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou, or some other local or regional SPS (such as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), the European Geostationary Navigation Coverage Service (EGNOS), or the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)). Additional components of communication system 100 are described below. Communication system 100 may include additional or replacement components.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, NG-RAN 135 includes NR B-nodes (gNB) 110a, 110b and a next-generation evolved B-node (ng-eNB) 114, and 5GC 140 includes Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF) 115, Session Management Functions (SMF) 117, Location Management Functions (LMF) 120 and Gateway Mobility Location Center (GMLC) 125. gNBs 110a, 110b and ng-eNB 114 are communicatively coupled to each other, each configured to conduct bidirectional wireless communication with UE 105, and each communicatively coupled to and configured to conduct bidirectional communication with AMF 115. gNBs 110a, 110b and ng-eNB 114 may be referred to as base stations (BS). AMF 115, SMF 117, LMF 120 and GMLC 125 are communicatively coupled to each other, and the GMLC is communicatively coupled to an external client 130. SMF 117 can be used as the initial contact point for Service Control Function (SCF) (not shown) to create, control, and delete media sessions. BS 110a, 110b, and 114 can be macrocells (e.g., high-power cellular base stations), small cells (e.g., low-power cellular base stations), or access points (e.g., short-range base stations configured to use short-range technologies such as WiFi, WiFi Direct (WiFi-D)). (Communication via Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, etc.). One or more of BS 110a, 110b, and 114 can be configured to communicate with UE 105 via multiple carriers. Each of BS 110a, 110b, and 114 can provide communication coverage for a corresponding geographic area (e.g., a cell). Each cell can be divided into multiple sectors based on the base station antennas. Other base stations can be included in the communication system 100, such as one or more WLAN APs (Wireless Local Area Network Access Points).

[0039] Figure 1 A general explanation of each component is provided, wherein any or all of the components may be used appropriately, and each component may be repeated or omitted as needed. Specifically, although only one UE 105 is explained, many UEs (e.g., hundreds, thousands, millions, etc.) may be used in communication system 100. Similarly, communication system 100 may include a larger (or smaller) number of SVs (i.e., more or fewer than the four SVs 190-193 shown), gNB 110a, 110b, ng-eNB 114, AMF 115, external client 130, and / or other components. The explained connections connecting the various components in communication system 100 include data and signaling connections, which may include additional (intermediate) components, direct or indirect physical and / or wireless connections, and / or additional networks. Furthermore, components may be rearranged, combined, separated, replaced, and / or omitted depending on the desired functionality.

[0040] Although Figure 1 While 5G-based networks have been described, similar network implementations and configurations can be used for other communication technologies, such as 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc. The implementations described herein (for 5G technologies and / or for one or more other communication technologies and / or protocols) can be used to transmit (or broadcast) directional synchronization signals, receive and measure directional signals at a UE (e.g., UE 105), and / or provide location assistance to UE 105 (via GMLC 125 or other location servers), and / or calculate the location of UE 105 at a location-capable device (such as UE 105, gNB 110a, 110b, or LMF 120) based on measurement parameters of such directional transmissions received at UE 105. Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) 125, Location Management Function (LMF) 120, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 115, SMF 117, ng-eNB (evolved B-node) 114, and gNB (g B-node) 110a, 110b are examples and may be replaced by or include various other location server functions and / or base station functions in various embodiments.

[0041] System 100 is capable of wireless communication because its components can communicate directly or indirectly (at least sometimes using wireless connections), for example, via BS 110a, 110b, 114 and / or network 140 (and / or one or more other devices not shown, such as one or more other base transceiver stations). For indirect communication, the communication may be altered during transmission from one entity to another, such as changing the header information of data packets, changing the format, etc. UE 105 may include multiple UEs and may be mobile wireless communication devices, but can communicate wirelessly and via wired connections. UE 105 can be any of the various devices, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, vehicle-based device, etc., but these are merely examples, as UE 105 does not need to be any of these configurations, and other configurations of the UE can be used. Other UEs may include wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart jewelry, smart glasses, or head-mounted devices, etc.). Other UEs, whether currently existing or developed in the future, may also be used. In addition, other wireless devices (whether mobile or not) can be implemented within system 100 and can communicate with each other and / or with UE 105, BS 110a, 110b, 114, core network 140, and / or external client 130. For example, such other devices may include Internet of Things (IoT) devices, medical devices, home entertainment and / or automation devices, etc. Core network 140 can communicate with external client 130 (e.g., a computer system), for example, to allow external client 130 (e.g., via GMLC 125) to request and / or receive location information about UE 105.

[0042] UE 105 or other devices can be configured to communicate in various networks and / or for various purposes and / or using various technologies (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi communication, multi-frequency Wi-Fi communication, satellite positioning, one or more types of communication (e.g., GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), V2X (vehicle-to-everything, e.g., V2P (vehicle to pedestrian), V2I (vehicle to infrastructure), V2V (vehicle to vehicle) etc.), IEEE (e.g., 802.11p). V2X communication can be cellular (Cellular-V2X (C-V2X)) and / or WiFi (e.g., DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Connectivity)). System 100 can support operation on multiple carriers (waveform signals of different frequencies). A multi-carrier transmitter can transmit modulated signals on multiple carriers simultaneously. Each modulated signal can be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signal, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signal, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) signal, a Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) signal, etc. Each modulated signal can be transmitted on a different carrier and can carry pilot, overhead information, data, etc. UEs 105 and 106 can communicate with each other via UE-to-UE sidelink (SL) communication by transmitting on one or more sidelink channels (such as the Physical Sidelink Synchronization Channel (PSSCH), Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel (PSBCH), or Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH)).

[0043] UE 105 may include and / or may be referred to as a device, mobile device, wireless device, mobile terminal, terminal, mobile station (MS), Secure User Plane Positioning Enabled (SUPL) terminal (SET), or some other name. Furthermore, UE 105 may correspond to a cellular phone, smartphone, laptop device, tablet device, PDA, consumer asset tracking device, navigation device, Internet of Things (IoT) device, health monitor, security system, smart city sensor, smart meter, wearable tracker, or some other portable or mobile device. Typically, although not mandatory, UE 105 may support one or more Radio Access Technologies (RATs) such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), LTE, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), IEEE 802.11 WiFi (also known as Wi-Fi). Wireless communication can be achieved using technologies such as Bit-Band (BT), WiMAX, and 5G New Radio (NR) (e.g., using NG-RAN 135 and 5GC 140). UE 105 can support wireless communication using a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), which can connect to other networks (e.g., the Internet) using, for example, digital subscriber line (DSL) or packet cable. Using one or more of these RATs allows UE 105 (e.g., via elements of 5GC 140) to... Figure 1 (not shown in the diagram) or possibly via GMLC 125, communicate with external client 130 and / or allow external client 130 (e.g., via GMLC 125) to receive location information about UE 105.

[0044] UE 105 may include a single entity or may include multiple entities, such as in a personal area network, where the user may employ audio, video, and / or data I / O (input / output) devices, and / or body sensors, as well as separate wired or wireless modems. An estimate of the location of UE 105 may be referred to as location, location estimation, location locking, lock, positioning, location estimation, or location locking, and may be geographic, providing location coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude) of UE 105, which may or may not include an elevation component (e.g., height above sea level; height above ground level, floor level, or basement level, or depth below). Alternatively, the location of UE 105 may be expressed as a municipal location (e.g., expressed as a postal address or a designation of a point or smaller area within a building (such as a specific room or floor)). The location of UE 105 may be expressed as an area or volume (geographically or municipally defined) within which UE 105 is expected to be located with a certain probability or confidence level (e.g., 67%, 95%, etc.). The location of UE 105 can be expressed as a relative location, which includes, for example, distance and direction from a known location. A relative location can be expressed as relative coordinates (e.g., X, Y (and Z) coordinates) defined relative to an origin at a known location, which can be, for example, geographically, municipally, or with reference to a point, area, or volume indicated, for example, on a map, floor plan, or building plan. In the description contained herein, the use of the term "location" can include any of these variations unless otherwise indicated. When calculating the location of the 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., with respect to latitude, longitude, and elevation above or below mean sea level).

[0045] UE 105 can be configured to communicate with other entities using one or more of a variety of technologies. UE 105 can be configured to indirectly connect to one or more communication networks via one or more device-to-device (D2D) peer-to-peer (P2P) links. D2D P2P links can use any suitable D2D radio access technology (RAT) (such as LTE Direct (LTE-D), WiFi Direct (WiFi-D), etc.). Supported by (etc.). One or more UEs in a group of UEs using D2D communication may be within the geographic coverage area of ​​a Transmit / Receive Point (TRP) (such as one or more of gNB 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114). Other UEs in the group may be outside such geographic coverage area or may be unable to receive transmissions from the base station for other reasons. A group of UEs communicating via D2D communication may utilize a one-to-many (1:M) system, where each UE may transmit to other UEs in the group. The TRP facilitates the scheduling of resources for D2D communication. In other cases, D2D communication may be performed between UEs without involving the TRP. One or more UEs in a group of UEs using D2D communication may be within the geographic coverage area of ​​a TRP. Other UEs in the group may be outside such geographic coverage area or may be unable to receive transmissions from the base station for other reasons. A group of UEs communicating via D2D communication may utilize a one-to-many (1:M) system, where each UE may transmit to other UEs in the group. TRP facilitates the scheduling of resources used for D2D communication. In other cases, D2D communication can be performed between UEs without involving TRP.

[0046] Figure 1 The base stations (BSs) in the NG-RAN 135 shown include NRB nodes (referred to as gNBs 110a and 110b). Each pair of gNBs 110a and 110b in the NG-RAN 135 can be interconnected via one or more other gNBs. Access to the 5G network is provided to UE 105 via wireless communication between UE 105 and one or more of the gNBs 110a and 110b. gNBs 110a and 110b can use 5G to provide wireless communication access to the 5GC 140 on behalf of UE 105. Figure 1 In this context, it is assumed that the serving gNB of UE 105 is gNB 110a, but another gNB (e.g., gNB 110b) may act as the serving gNB or as a secondary gNB to provide additional throughput and bandwidth to UE 105 if UE 105 moves to another location.

[0047] Figure 1The base station (BS) in NG-RAN 135 shown may include ng-eNB 114 (also referred to as a next-generation evolved B node). ng-eNB 114 may be connected to one or more of gNBs 110a and 110b in NG-RAN 135 (possibly via one or more other gNBs and / or one or more other ng-eNBs). ng-eNB 114 may provide LTE radio access and / or evolved LTE (eLTE) radio access to UE 105. One or more of gNBs 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114 may be configured to act as a location-only beacon, transmitting signals to aid in determining the location of UE 105, but may not be able to receive signals from UE 105 or other UEs.

[0048] BS 110a, 110b, and 114 may each include one or more TRPs. For example, each sector within a BS cell may include a TRP, but multiple TRPs may share one or more components (e.g., share a processor but have separate antennas). System 100 may include only macro TRPs, or system 100 may have different types of TRPs, such as macro, pico, and / or femto TRPs. Macro TRPs may cover a relatively large geographic area (e.g., a radius of several kilometers) and allow unrestricted access by terminals with service subscriptions. Pico TRPs may cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a pico cell) and allow unrestricted access by terminals with service subscriptions. Femto or home TRPs may cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a femto cell) and allow restricted access by terminals associated with that femto cell (e.g., a user's terminal in a residence).

[0049] As mentioned, although Figure 1 The diagram depicts nodes configured to communicate according to 5G communication protocols, but nodes configured to communicate according to other communication protocols (such as, for example, LTE or IEEE 802.11x protocols) can also be used. For example, in an evolved packet system (EPS) providing LTE radio access to UE 105, the RAN may include an evolved universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), which may include base stations containing evolved B-nodes (eNBs). The core network for the EPS may include an evolved packet core (EPC). The EPS may include the E-UTRAN plus the EPC, where the E-UTRAN corresponds to... Figure 1 NG-RAN 135 and EPC corresponds to Figure 1 5GC 140 in the middle.

[0050] gNB 110a, 110b, and ng-eNB 114 can communicate with AMF 115; for positioning functionality, AMF 115 communicates with LMF 120. AMF 115 supports the mobility of UE 105 (including radio cell changes and handover) and can participate in supporting signaling connections to UE 105 and, possibly, data and voice bearers for UE 105. LMF 120 can communicate directly with UE 105, for example, wirelessly, or directly with BS 110a, 110b, and 114. LMF 120 supports UE 105 positioning when UE 105 accesses NG-RAN 135, and supports various positioning protocols / methods, such as Auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS), Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) (e.g., Downlink (DL) OTDOA or Uplink (UL) OTDOA), Round Trip Time (RTT), Multi-Cell RTT, Real-Time Kinematics (RTK), Precise Point Positioning (PPP), Differential GNSS (DGNSS), Enhanced Cellular ID (E-CID), Angle of Arrival (AoA), Angle of Departure (AoD), and / or other positioning methods. LMF 120 can process location service requests for UE 105 received, for example, from AMF 115 or GMLC 125. LMF 120 can connect to AMF 115 and / or GMLC 125. LMF 120 may be referred to by other names, such as Location Manager (LM), Location Function (LF), Commercial LMF (CLMF), or Value-Added LMF (VLMF). The node / system implementing LMF 120 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). At least some of the location functionality (including the derivation of the location of UE 105) can be performed at UE 105 (e.g., using signal measurements obtained by UE 105 for signals transmitted by radio nodes (such as gNB 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114), and / or auxiliary data provided to UE 105, for example, by LMF 120). AMF 115 can be used as a control node to process signaling between UE 105 and core network 140, and can provide QoS (Quality of Service) streaming and session management. AMF 115 can support the mobility of UE 105 (including cell changes and handovers) and can participate in supporting signaling connections to UE 105.

[0051] GMLC 125 can support location requests for UE 105 received from external client 130, and can forward such requests to AMF 115 for forwarding to LMF 120, or can forward them directly to LMF 120. A location response from LMF 120 (e.g., containing a location estimate for UE 105) can be returned to GMLC 125 directly or via AMF 115, and GMLC 125 can then return the location response (e.g., containing the location estimate) to external client 130. GMLC 125 is shown connected to both AMF 115 and LMF 120, but in some implementations, 5GC 140 may support only one of these connections.

[0052] like Figure 1 Further explanation is provided: the LMF 120 can use the new Radio Positioning Protocol A (which may be referred to as NPPa or NRPPa) to communicate with gNB 110a, 110b, and / or ng-eNB 114. This new Radio Positioning Protocol A is defined in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.455. NRPPa can be the same as, similar to, or an extension of the LTE Positioning Protocol A (LPPa) defined in 3GPP TS 36.455, where NRPPa messages are transmitted via AMF 115 between gNB 110a (or gNB 110b) and the LMF 120, and / or between ng-eNB 114 and the LMF 120. Figure 1Further explanation is provided: LMF 120 and UE 105 can communicate using the LTE Location Protocol (LPP), which is defined in 3GPP TS 36.355. LMF 120 and UE 105 can also communicate using a new radio positioning protocol (which may be referred to as NPP or NRPP), which may be the same as, similar to, or an extension of LPP. Here, LPP and / or NPP messages can be transmitted between UE 105 and LMF 120 via AMF 115 and UE 105's serving gNB 110a, 110b, or serving ng-eNB 114. For example, LPP and / or NPP messages can be transmitted between LMF 120 and AMF 115 using the 5G Location Services Application Protocol (LCS AP), and between AMF 115 and UE 105 using the 5G Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocol. The LPP and / or NPP protocols can be used to support the location of UE 105 using UE-assisted and / or UE-based location methods (such as A-GNSS, RTK, OTDOA, and / or E-CID). The NRPPa protocol can be used to support the location of UE 105 using network-based location methods (such as E-CID) (e.g., in conjunction with measurements obtained by gNB110a, 110b, or ng-eNB 114) and / or can be used by LMF 120 to obtain location-related information from gNB 110a, 110b, and / or ng-eNB 114, such as defining parameters for directional SS transmissions from gNB 110a, 110b, and / or ng-eNB 114. LMF 120 can coexist with or be integrated with the gNB or TRP, or can be configured to communicate directly or indirectly with the gNB and / or TRP, located away from the gNB and / or TRP.

[0053] Using a UE-assisted positioning method, UE 105 can obtain location measurements and send these measurements to a location server (e.g., LMF 120) for calculating the location estimate of UE 105. For example, location measurements may include one or more of the following: Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), Round-Trip Time (RTT), Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and / or Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) for gNB 110a, 110b, ng-eNB 114, and / or WLAN AP. Location measurements may additionally or alternatively include measurements of GNSS pseudorange, code phase, and / or carrier phase for SV 190-193.

[0054] Using a UE-based positioning method, UE 105 can obtain a location measurement (e.g., which may be the same as or similar to a location measurement for a UE-assisted positioning method) and can calculate the location of UE 105 (e.g., by means of auxiliary data received from a location server (such as LMF 120) or broadcast by gNB 110a, 110b, ng-eNB 114 or other base stations or APs).

[0055] Using a network-based positioning method, one or more base stations (e.g., gNB 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114) or APs can obtain location measurements (e.g., measurements of RSSI, RTT, RSRP, RSRQ, or Time of Arrival (ToA) of signals transmitted by UE 105) and / or can receive measurements obtained by UE 105. These base stations or APs can then send these measurements to a location server (e.g., LMF 120) for calculating a location estimate for UE 105.

[0056] The information provided to the LMF 120 by the gNB 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114 using NRPPa may include timing and configuration information for directional SS transmissions, as well as location coordinates. The LMF 120 may provide some or all of this information as supplementary data to the UE 105 in LPP and / or NPP messages via NG-RAN 135 and 5GC 140.

[0057] The LPP or NPP message sent from LMF 120 to UE 105 may instruct UE 105 to perform any of a variety of tasks, depending on the desired functionality. For example, the LPP or NPP message may contain instructions for UE 105 to obtain measurements for GNSS (or A-GNSS), WLAN, E-CID, and / or OTDOA (or some other positioning method). In the case of E-CID, the LPP or NPP message may instruct UE 105 to obtain one or more measurement parameters (e.g., beam ID, beamwidth, average angle, RSRP, RSRQ measurements) of directional signals transmitted within a specific cell supported by one or more of gNB 110a, 110b, and / or ng-eNB 114 (or supported by some other type of base station (such as eNB or WiFi AP)). UE 105 can send these measurement parameters back to LMF 120 via service gNB110a (or service ng-eNB 114) and AMF 115 in an LPP or NPP message (e.g., within a 5G NAS message).

[0058] As mentioned, while a communication system 100 is described in relation to 5G technology, the communication system 100 can be implemented to support other communication technologies (such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, etc.) used to support and interact with mobile devices (such as UE 105) (e.g., to enable voice, data, location, and other functionalities). In some such embodiments, the 5GC 140 can be configured to control different air interfaces. For example, non-3GPP interoperability functions (N3IWF) in the 5GC 150 can be used. Figure 1 (Not shown) Connect 5GC 140 to a WLAN. For example, the WLAN may support IEEE 802.11 WiFi access for UE 105 and may include one or more WiFi APs. Here, N3IWF may connect to the WLAN and other components in 5GC 140, such as AMF 115. In some embodiments, both NG-RAN 135 and 5GC 140 may be replaced by one or more other RANs and one or more other core networks. For example, in EPS, NG-RAN 135 may be replaced by E-UTRAN containing eNBs, and 5GC 140 may be replaced by EPC containing a Mobility Management Entity (MME) instead of AMF 115, an E-SMLC instead of LMF 120, and a GMLC similar to GMLC 125. In such EPS, the E-SMLC may use LPPa instead of NRPPa to send location information to and receive location information from eNBs in the E-UTRAN, and may use LPP to support UE 105's positioning. In these other embodiments, the location of UE 105 using directional PRS can be supported in a manner similar to that described herein for 5G networks, the difference being that the functions and procedures described herein for gNB 110a, 110b, ng-eNB 114, AMF 115 and LMF120 can be applied alternatively to other network elements, such as eNB, WiFi AP, MME and E-SMLC, in some cases.

[0059] As mentioned, in some embodiments, positioning functionality can be achieved at least in part using directional SS beams transmitted by base stations (such as gNB 110a, 110b and / or ng-eNB 114) to determine the location of the UE (e.g., Figure 1 Within the range of UE 105. In some instances, the UE can use directional SS beams from multiple base stations (such as gNB 110a, 110b, ng-eNB 114, etc.) to calculate the UE's location.

[0060] Also refer to Figure 2UE 200 is an example of one of UEs 105 and 106, and includes a computing platform containing a processor 210, a memory 211 containing software (SW) 212, one or more sensors 213, a transceiver interface 214 for a transceiver 215 (which includes a wireless transceiver 240 and a wired transceiver 250), a user interface 216, a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver 217, a camera 218, and a positioning device (PD) 219. The processor 210, memory 211, sensors 213, transceiver interface 214, user interface 216, SPS receiver 217, camera 218, and positioning device 219 can be communicatively coupled to each other via a bus 220 (which can be configured for, for example, optical and / or electrical communication). One or more of the illustrated devices (e.g., camera 218, positioning device 219, and / or one or more sensors 213, etc.) can be omitted from UE 200. Processor 210 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), microcontroller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.). Processor 210 may include multiple processors, including a general-purpose / application processor 230, a digital signal processor (DSP) 231, a modem processor 232, a video processor 233, and / or a sensor processor 234. One or more of processors 230-234 may include multiple devices (e.g., multiple processors). For example, sensor processor 234 may include processors for radar, ultrasonic, and / or lidar, etc. Modem processor 232 may support dual SIM / dual connectivity (or even more SIMs). For example, one SIM (subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module) may be used by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and another SIM may be used by an end user of UE 200 to obtain connectivity. Memory 211 is a non-transient storage medium, which may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk storage, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. Memory 211 stores software 212. Software 210 may be processor-readable, processor-executable software code containing instructions configured to cause processor 410 to perform the various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, software 212 may not be directly executable by processor 210, but may be configured (e.g., when compiled and executed) to cause processor 210 to perform various functions. This specification may refer only to processor 210 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as processor 210 performing software and / or firmware implementations. This specification may refer to processor 210 performing functions as an abbreviation for one or more of processors 230-234 performing the function. This specification may refer to UE 200 performing functions as an abbreviation for one or more appropriate components of UE 200 performing the function.Processor 210 may include memory with stored instructions as a supplement to and / or replacement of memory 211. The functionality of processor 210 is discussed more fully below.

[0061] Figure 2 The configuration of UE 200 shown is exemplary and not intended to limit this disclosure (including the claims), and other configurations may be used. For example, an exemplary configuration of the UE includes one or more of processors 230-234 in processor 210, memory 211, and wireless transceiver 240. Other exemplary configurations include one or more of processors 230-234 in processor 210, memory 211, wireless transceiver 240, and one or more of the following: sensor 213, user interface 216, SPS receiver 217, camera 218, PD 219, and / or wired transceiver 250.

[0062] UE 200 may include a modem processor 232, which may be capable of performing baseband processing on signals received and downconverted by transceiver 215 and / or SPS receiver 217. Modem processor 232 may also perform baseband processing on signals to be upconverted for transmission by transceiver 215. Alternatively, baseband processing may be performed by processor 230 and / or DSP 231. However, other configurations may be used to perform baseband processing.

[0063] UE 200 may include sensors 213, which may include one or more of various types of sensors, such as one or more inertial sensors, one or more magnetometers, one or more environmental sensors, one or more optical sensors, one or more weight sensors, and / or one or more radio frequency (RF) sensors. Sensors 213 may include radar systems, lidar systems, and / or sonar systems, and may include one or more antennas where appropriate. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) may include, for example, one or more accelerometers (e.g., collectively responding to acceleration of UE 200 in three dimensions) and / or one or more gyroscopes (e.g., three-dimensional gyroscopes). Sensors 213 may include one or more magnetometers (e.g., three-dimensional magnetometers) to determine orientation (e.g., relative to magnetic north and / or true north), which may be used for any of a variety of purposes (e.g., to support one or more compass applications). Environmental sensors may include, for example, one or more temperature sensors, one or more barometric pressure sensors, one or more ambient light sensors, one or more camera imagers, and / or one or more microphones. Sensors 213 can generate analog and / or digital signals, and indications of these signals can be stored in memory 211 and processed by DSP 231 and / or processor 230 to support one or more applications (such as, for example, applications involving positioning and / or navigation operations).

[0064] Sensors 213 can be used for relative position measurement, relative position determination, motion determination, etc. Information detected by sensors 213 can be used for motion detection, relative displacement, dead reckoning, sensor-based position determination, and / or sensor-assisted position determination. Sensors 213 can be used to determine whether the UE 200 is stationary or moving and / or whether to report certain useful information related to the mobility of the UE 200 to the LMF 120. For example, based on information obtained / measured by sensors 213, the UE 200 can notify / report to the LMF 120 that the UE 200 has detected movement or that the UE 200 has moved, and report relative displacement / distance (e.g., via dead reckoning implemented by sensors 213, or sensor-based position determination, or sensor-assisted position determination). In another example, for relative positioning information, sensors / IMUs can be used to determine the angle and / or orientation of another device relative to the UE 200, etc.

[0065] The IMU can be configured to provide measurements of the UE 200's direction of motion and / or velocity, which can be used for relative position determination. For example, one or more accelerometers and / or one or more gyroscopes of the IMU can detect the UE 200's linear acceleration and rotational velocity, respectively. The UE 200's linear acceleration and rotational velocity measurements can be integrated over time to determine the UE 200's instantaneous direction of motion and displacement. The instantaneous direction of motion and displacement can be integrated to track the UE 200's position. For example, an SPS receiver 217 (and / or some other means) can be used to determine the UE 200's reference position at a given moment, and measurements acquired from the accelerometers and gyroscopes after that moment can be used for dead reckoning to determine the UE 200's current position based on its movement (direction and distance) relative to that reference position.

[0066] (A) Magnetometers can determine the strength of magnetic fields in different directions, which can be used to determine the orientation of UE 200. For example, this orientation can be used to provide a digital compass for UE 200. (A) Magnetometers may include two-dimensional magnetometers configured to detect and provide indications of magnetic field strength in two orthogonal dimensions. Alternatively, (A) Magnetometers may include three-dimensional magnetometers configured to detect and provide indications of magnetic field strength in three orthogonal dimensions. (A) Magnetometers may provide means for sensing magnetic fields and, for example, providing magnetic field indications to processor 210.

[0067] Transceiver 215 may include a wireless transceiver 240 and a wired transceiver 250 configured to communicate with other devices via wireless and wired connections, respectively. For example, wireless transceiver 240 may include a wireless transmitter 242 and a wireless receiver 244 coupled to one or more antennas 246 for transmitting (e.g., on one or more uplink channels and / or one or more sidelink channels) and / or receiving (e.g., on one or more downlink channels and / or one or more sidelink channels) wireless signals 248 and converting signals from wireless signals 248 to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signals 248. Thus, wireless transmitter 242 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or wireless receiver 244 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Although Figure 2A single antenna 246 is shown, but antenna 246 may include more than one antenna, for example, for diversity and / or providing a phased array antenna (although a single antenna can also be a phased array antenna). The wireless transceiver 240 can be configured to transmit signals according to various radio access technologies (RATs) (e.g., with TRP 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 can use millimeter-wave frequencies and / or sub-6 GHz frequencies. Wired transceiver 250 may include a wired transmitter 252 and a wired receiver 254 configured for wired communication (e.g., with network 135). The wired transmitter 252 may include multiple transmitters, which may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or the wired receiver 254 may include multiple receivers, which may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Wired transceiver 250 may be configured for, for example, optical and / or electrical communication. Transceiver 215 may be communicatively coupled to transceiver interface 214 (e.g., via optical and / or electrical connections). Transceiver interface 214 may be at least partially integrated with transceiver 215.

[0068] User interface 216 may include one or more of a number of devices, such as, for example, speakers, microphones, display devices, vibration devices, keyboards, touchscreens, etc. User interface 216 may include any device that includes more than one of these devices. User interface 216 may be configured to enable a user to interact with one or more applications stored in the main memory of UE 200. For example, user interface 216 may store indications of analog and / or digital signals in memory 211 in response to actions from the user, for processing by DSP 231 and / or general-purpose processor 230. Similarly, applications in the main memory of UE 200 may store indications of analog and / or digital signals in memory 211 to present output signals to the user. User interface 216 may include audio input / output (I / O) devices, including, for example, speakers, microphones, digital-to-analog circuitry systems, analog-to-digital circuitry systems, amplifiers, and / or gain control circuitry systems (any device including more than one of these devices). Other configurations of the audio I / O devices may be used. Alternatively or concurrently, the user interface 216 may include one or more touch sensors that respond to touch and / or pressure on, for example, the keyboard and / or touchscreen of the user interface 216.

[0069] SPS receiver 217 (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver) can receive and acquire SPS signal 260 via SPS antenna 262. Antenna 262 is configured to convert the wireless signal 260 into a wired signal (e.g., an electrical signal or an optical signal) and can be integrated with antenna 246. SPS receiver 217 can be configured to process the acquired SPS signal 260 fully or partially to estimate the location of UE 200. For example, SPS receiver 217 can be configured to determine the location of UE 200 by using trilateration with SPS signal 260. SPS receiver 217 can be combined with general-purpose processor 230, memory 211, DSP 231 and / or one or more dedicated processors (not shown) to process the acquired SPS signal fully or partially and / or calculate the estimated location of UE 200. Memory 211 may store indications (e.g., measurements) of SPS signal 260 and / or other signals (e.g., signals acquired from wireless transceiver 240) for use during positioning operations. General-purpose processor 230, DSP 231, and / or one or more dedicated processors, and / or memory 211 may provide or support a position engine for processing measurements to estimate the position of UE 200.

[0070] UE 200 may include a camera 218 for capturing still or moving images. Camera 218 may include, for example, an imaging sensor (e.g., a charge-coupled device or a CMOS imager), lenses, analog-to-digital circuitry, frame buffers, etc. Additional processing, conditioning, encoding, and / or compression of the signals representing the captured images may be performed by a general-purpose processor 230 and / or a DSP 231. Alternatively, video processor 233 may perform conditioning, encoding, compression, and / or manipulation of the signals representing the captured images. Video processor 233 may decode / decompress stored image data for presentation on a display device (not shown), for example, a user interface 216.

[0071] Positioning device (PD) 219 may be configured to determine the location of UE 200, the motion of UE 200, and / or the relative location of UE 200, and / or time. For example, PD 219 may communicate with SPS receiver 217, and / or include some or all of SPS receiver 217. PD 219 may appropriately cooperate with processor 210 and memory 211 to perform at least a portion of one or more positioning methods, although the description herein may only refer to PD 219 being configured to perform or to be performed according to a positioning method. PD 219 may additionally or alternatively be configured to: perform trilateration using ground-based signals (e.g., at least some signals 248), assist in acquiring and using SPS signal 260, or both, to determine the location of UE 200. PD 219 can be configured to determine the location of UE 200 using one or more other technologies (e.g., relying on the UE's self-reported location (e.g., part of the UE's positioning beacon)), and can use a combination of technologies (e.g., SPS and terrestrial positioning signals) to determine the location of UE 200. PD 219 may include one or more sensors 213 (e.g., gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, etc.) that sense the orientation and / or motion of UE 200 and provide an indication of such orientation and / or motion. Processor 210 (e.g., processor 230 and / or DSP 231) can be configured to use this indication to determine the motion of UE 200 (e.g., velocity vector and / or acceleration vector). PD 219 can be configured to provide an indication of the uncertainty and / or error of the determined positioning and / or motion. The functionality of PD 219 can be provided in a variety of ways and / or configurations, such as by a general-purpose / application processor 230, transceiver 215, SPS receiver 262 and / or another component of UE 200, and can be provided by hardware, software, firmware or various combinations thereof.

[0072] Also refer to Figure 3 Examples of TRP 300 of BS 110a, 110b, 114 include a computing platform containing processor 310, a memory 311 including software (SW) 312, and a transceiver 315. Processor 310, memory 311, and transceiver 315 are communicatively coupled to each other via bus 320 (which may be configured for, for example, optical communication and / or electrical communication). One or more of the illustrated devices (e.g., a wireless interface) may be omitted from TRP 300. Processor 310 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.). Processor 310 may include multiple processors (e.g., including such...). Figure 2(The general-purpose / application processor, DSP, modem processor, video processor, and / or sensor processor shown). Memory 311 is a non-transient storage medium, which may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk storage, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. Memory 311 stores software 312. Software 310 may be processor-readable, processor-executable software code containing instructions configured to cause processor 310 to perform the various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, software 312 may not be directly executable by processor 310, but may be configured (e.g., when compiled and executed) to cause processor 310 to perform the functions.

[0073] This specification may refer only to the processor 310 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as the processor 310 performing software and / or firmware implementations. This specification may refer to the processor 310 performing functions as a shorthand for one or more processors included in the processor 310 performing that function. This specification may refer to the TRP 300 performing functions as a shorthand for one or more appropriate components of the TRP 300 (and thus one of BS 110a, 110b, 114) (e.g., processor 310 and memory 311) performing that function. The processor 310 may include memory with stored instructions as a supplement and / or alternative to memory 311. The functionality of the processor 310 is discussed more fully below.

[0074] Transceiver 315 may include a wireless transceiver 340 and / or a wired transceiver 350 configured to communicate with other devices via wireless and wired connections, respectively. For example, wireless transceiver 340 may include a wireless transmitter 342 and a wireless receiver 344 coupled to one or more antennas 346 for transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals 348 (e.g., on one or more uplink channels and / or one or more downlink channels) and converting signals from wireless signals 348 to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signals 348. Thus, wireless transmitter 342 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or wireless receiver 344 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Although Figure 3A single antenna 346 is shown, but antenna 346 may include more than one antenna, for example, for diversity and / or to provide a phased array antenna (although a single antenna may be a phased array antenna). The wireless transceiver 340 can be configured to support various radio access technologies (RATs) 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). The wired transceiver 350 may include a wired transmitter 352 and a wired receiver 354 configured for wired communication, for example, a network interface configured to communicate with network 135 to send communications to and receive communications from LMF 120 (e.g., and / or one or more other network entities). The wired transmitter 352 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or the wired receiver 354 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. The wired transceiver 350 may be configured for, for example, optical communication and / or electrical communication.

[0075] Figure 3 The configuration of TRP 300 shown is exemplary and not intended to limit this disclosure (including the claims), and other configurations may be used. For example, the description herein discusses TRP 300 being configured to perform several functions or TRP 300 performing several functions, but one or more of these functions may be performed by LMF 120 and / or UE 200 (i.e., LMF 120 and / or UE 200 may be configured to perform one or more of these functions).

[0076] Also refer to Figure 4Server 400 (an example of LMF 120) includes a computing platform containing processor 410, a memory 411 containing software (SW) 412, and a transceiver 415. Processor 410, memory 411, and transceiver 415 are communicatively coupled to each other via bus 420 (which may be configured for, for example, optical and / or electrical communication). One or more of the illustrated devices (e.g., a wireless interface) may be omitted from server 400. Processor 410 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.). Processor 410 may include multiple processors (e.g., including such...). Figure 2 (The general-purpose / application processor, DSP, modem processor, video processor, and / or sensor processor shown). Memory 411 is a non-transient storage medium, which may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk storage, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. Memory 411 stores software 412, which may be processor-readable, processor-executable software code containing instructions configured to cause processor 410 to perform the various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, software 412 may not be directly executable by processor 410, but may be configured (e.g., when compiled and executed) to cause processor 410 to perform various functions. This specification may refer only to processor 410 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as processor 410 performing software and / or firmware implementations. This specification may refer to processor 410 performing functions as an abbreviation for one or more processors included in processor 410 performing that function. This specification may refer to server 400 performing functions as an abbreviation for one or more appropriate components of server 400 performing that function. Processor 410 may include memory with stored instructions as a supplement to and / or replacement of memory 411. The functionality of processor 410 is discussed more fully below.

[0077] Transceiver 415 may include a wireless transceiver 440 and / or a wired transceiver 450 configured to communicate with other devices via wireless and wired connections, respectively. For example, wireless transceiver 440 may include a wireless transmitter 442 and a wireless receiver 444 coupled to one or more antennas 446 for transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals 448 (e.g., on one or more downlink channels) and converting signals from wireless signals 448 to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signals 448. Thus, wireless transmitter 442 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or wireless receiver 444 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. The wireless transceiver 440 can be configured to support various radio access technologies (RATs) such as 5G New Radio (NR), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), AMPS (Advanced Mobile Telephone System), 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). The wired transceiver 450 may include a wired transmitter 452 and a wired receiver 454 configured for wired communication, for example, a network interface that can be used to communicate with network 135 to send communications to and receive communications from TRP 300 (e.g., and / or one or more other entities). The wired transmitter 452 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or the wired receiver 454 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. The wired transceiver 450 may be configured for, for example, optical communication and / or electrical communication.

[0078] The description herein may refer only to the processor 410 performing a function, but this includes other implementations, such as the processor 410 performing an implementation of software and / or firmware (stored in memory 411). The description herein may refer to the server 400 performing a function as a shorthand for one or more appropriate components of the server 400 (e.g., processor 410 and memory 411) performing that function.

[0079] Positioning technology

[0080] For terrestrial positioning of UEs in cellular networks, techniques such as Advanced Forward Link Trilateral Measurement (AFLT) and Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) typically operate in a “UE-assisted” mode, where measurements of reference signals transmitted by the base station (e.g., PRS, CRS, etc.) are acquired by the UE and subsequently provided to a location server. The location server then calculates the UE's location based on these measurements and the known location of the base station. Because these techniques use a location server (rather than the UE itself) to calculate the UE's location, they are not frequently used in applications such as car or cellular phone navigation, which typically rely on satellite-based positioning instead.

[0081] UEs can use Satellite Positioning System (SPS) (Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)) to achieve high-accuracy positioning using Precise Point Positioning (PPP) or Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) techniques. These techniques use auxiliary data, such as measurements from ground-based stations. LTE Release 15 allows data to be encrypted so that only UEs subscribed to the service can read the information. This auxiliary data changes over time. Therefore, a UE with a subscribed service may not be able to easily "crack the encryption" for other UEs by passing the data to them without paying for the subscription. This transmission needs to be repeated every time the auxiliary data changes.

[0082] In UE-assisted positioning, the UE sends measurements (e.g., TDOA, Angle of Arrival (AoA), etc.) to a positioning server (e.g., LMF / eSMLC). The positioning server has a Base Station Almanac (BSA) containing multiple "entries" or "records," one record per cell, where each record contains the geographic cell location, but may also include other data. Identifiers of the "records" among the multiple "records" in the BSA can be referenced. The BSA and measurements from the UE are used to calculate the UE's positioning.

[0083] In conventional UE-based positioning, the UE calculates its own location, thus avoiding sending measurements to the network (e.g., a location server), which improves latency and scalability. The UE uses relevant BSA record information from the network (e.g., the location of the gNB (more broadly, the base station)). BSA information can be encrypted. However, since BSA information changes much less frequently than, for example, PPP or RTK auxiliary data described above, it may be easier (compared to PPP or RTK information) to make BSA information available to UEs that have not subscribed and are paying for decryption keys. The transmission of reference signals by the gNB makes BSA information potentially accessible to crowdsourcing or driving attacks, thus essentially enabling BSA information to be generated based on in-the-field and / or over-the-top observations.

[0084] Positioning technologies can be characterized and / or evaluated based on one or more criteria, such as positioning accuracy and / or latency. Latency is the time elapsed between the event that triggers the determination of positioning-related data and the availability of that data at the positioning system interface (e.g., the interface of the LMF120). The latency for the availability of positioning-related data during positioning system initialization is called the First Time Locked (TTFF) and is greater than the latency after the TTFF. The reciprocal of the time elapsed between two consecutive availability of positioning-related data is called the update rate, i.e., the rate at which positioning-related data is generated after the first lock. Latency can depend on (e.g., the UE's) processing capacity. For example, assuming an allocation of 272 PRBs (Physical Resource Blocks), the UE can report its processing capacity as the duration (in time units, e.g., milliseconds) of DL PRS symbols that it can process per T time units (e.g., T ms). Other examples of capabilities that may affect latency are the number of TRPs from which the UE can process PRS, the number of PRS the UE can process, and the UE's bandwidth.

[0085] One or more of many different positioning techniques (also known as positioning methods) can be used to determine the location of an entity (such as one of UE105, 106). Known positioning techniques include RTT, multiple RTT, OTDOA (also known as TDOA, and including UL-TDOA and DL-TDOA), Enhanced Cellular Identifier (E-CID), DL-AoD, UL-AoA, etc. RTT uses the time it takes for a signal to travel from one entity to another and back to determine the range between the two entities. This range, plus the known location of the first entity and the angle (e.g., azimuth) between the two entities, can be used to determine the location of the second entity. In multiple RTT (also known as multi-cell RTT), multiple ranges from one entity (e.g., UE) to other entities (e.g., TRP) and the known locations of those other entities can be used to determine the location of this one entity. In TDOA, the travel time difference between an entity and other entities can be used to determine the relative range with respect to those other entities, and those relative ranges, combined with the known locations of those other entities, can be used to determine the location of this one entity. Angle of arrival and / or angle of departure can be used to help determine the location of an entity. For example, the angle of arrival or angle of departure of a signal, combined with the range between devices (range determined using signals (e.g., signal travel time, signal received power, etc.)) and the known location of one of these devices, can be used to determine the location of the other device. The angle of arrival or angle of departure can be an azimuth angle relative to a reference direction (such as true north). The angle of arrival or angle of departure can be a zenith angle relative to directly upward from the entity (i.e., radially outward from the Earth's center). E-CID uses the identity of the serving cell, timing advance (i.e., the difference between the receive and transmit times at the UE), estimated timing and power of detected neighboring cell signals, and possible angles of arrival (e.g., the angle of arrival of signals from the base station at the UE, or vice versa) to determine the location of the UE. In TDOA, the time difference of arrival of signals from different sources at the receiving device, along with the known locations of these sources and the known offsets of the transmission times from these sources, are used to determine the location of the receiving device.

[0086] In network-centric RTT estimation, the serving base station instructs the UE to scan / receive RTT measurement signals (e.g., PRS) on serving cells of two or more adjacent base stations (and typically the serving base station, as at least three base stations are required). These one or more base stations transmit the RTT measurement signals on low-reuse resources (e.g., resources used by the base station to transmit system information) allocated by the network (e.g., a location server, such as an LMF 120). The UE records the arrival time (also referred to as reception time, time received, or time of arrival (ToA)) of each RTT measurement signal relative to the UE's current downlink timing (e.g., as derived by the UE from DL signals received from its serving base station), and (e.g., when instructed by its serving base station) transmits a shared or individual RTT response message (e.g., an SRS (probe reference signal) for positioning, i.e., UL-PRS) to these one or more base stations, and may transmit the time difference T between the ToA of the RTT measurement signal and the transmission time of the RTT response message. Rx→Tx (i.e., UE T) Rx-Tx or UE Rx-Tx This is included in the payload of each RTT response message. The RTT response message will include a reference signal from which the base station can infer the ToA of the RTT response. This is achieved by comparing the transmission time of the RTT measurement signal from the base station with the difference T between the ToA of the RTT response at the base station and the time taken. Tx→Rx Time difference T with UE report Rx→Tx The base station can infer the propagation time between the base station and the UE. From the propagation time, the base station can determine the distance between the UE and the base station by assuming that the propagation time is the speed of light.

[0087] UE-centric RTT estimation is similar to network-based methods, except that the UE transmits uplink RTT measurement signals (e.g., when instructed by a serving base station), which are received by multiple base stations near the UE. Each involved base station responds with a downlink RTT response message, which may include in its payload the time difference between the ToA of the RTT measurement signal at the base station and the transmission time of the RTT response message from the base station.

[0088] For both network-centric and UE-centric procedures, the side performing RTT calculation (network or UE) typically (but not always) transmits a first message or signal (e.g., an RTT measurement signal), while the other side responds with one or more RTT response messages or signals, which may include the difference between the ToA of the first message or signal and the transmission time of the RTT response message or signal.

[0089] Multiple-RTT (Multiple-Time To-Trip) techniques can be used to determine location. For example, a first entity (e.g., a UE) may emit one or more signals (e.g., unicast, multicast, or broadcast from a base station), and multiple second entities (e.g., other TSPs, such as a base station and / or the UE) may receive signals from the first entity and respond to those received signals. The first entity receives responses from the multiple second entities. The first entity (or another entity, such as an LMF) may use the responses from the second entities to determine the range to the second entities, and the location of the first entity may be determined by trilateration using the multiple ranges and the known locations of the second entities.

[0090] In some instances, additional information in the form of angle of arrival (AoA) or angle of departure (AoD) can be obtained, which defines a straight-line direction (e.g., it can be in a horizontal plane or in three dimensions) or a possible (e.g., the UE's direction as seen from the base station's location) range of directions. The intersection of the two directions can provide another estimate of the UE's location.

[0091] For positioning techniques that use PRS (Location Reference Signal) signals (e.g., TDOA and RTT), the PRS signals transmitted by multiple TRPs are measured, and the arrival time, known transmission time, and known location of the TRPs are used to determine the range from the UE to the TRPs. For example, RSTD (Reference Signal Time Difference) can be determined for PRS signals received from multiple TRPs, and these RSTDs are used in TDOA techniques to determine the UE's location. The Location Reference Signal may be referred to as the PRS or PRS signal. PRS signals are typically transmitted using the same power, and PRS signals with the same signal characteristics (e.g., the same frequency shift) may interfere with each other, such that a PRS signal from a more distant TRP may be overwhelmed by a PRS signal from a closer TRP, thus the signal from the more distant TRP may not be detected. PRS silencing can be used to help reduce interference by silencing some PRS signals (reducing the power of the PRS signal, e.g., reducing it to zero and thus not transmitting the PRS signal). In this way, the UE can more easily detect the weaker PRS signal (at the UE) without interference from a stronger PRS signal. The term RS and its variations (e.g., PRS, SRS) may refer to one or more reference signals.

[0092] Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) include Downlink PRS (DL PRS) and Uplink PRS (UL PRS) (which may be referred to as SRS (Detection Reference Signal) for positioning). PRS may include PRS resources or PRS resource sets of a frequency layer. A DL PRS positioning frequency layer (or simply frequency layer) is a collection of DL PRS resource sets from one or more TRPs, sharing common parameters configured by higher-layer parameters DL-PRS-PositioningFrequencyLayer, DL-PRS-ResourceSet, and DL-PRS-Resource. Each frequency layer has a DL PRS subcarrier spacing (SCS) for the DL PRS resource sets and DL PRS resources within that frequency layer. Each frequency layer also has a DL PRS cyclic prefix (CP) for the DL PRS resource sets and DL PRS resources within that frequency layer. In 5G, a resource block occupies 12 consecutive subcarriers and a specified number of symbols. Furthermore, the DL PRS point A parameter defines the frequency of the reference resource block (and the lowest subcarrier of the resource block), where DL PRS resources belonging to the same DL PRS resource set have the same point A, and all DL PRS resource sets belonging to the same frequency layer have the same point A. The frequency layers also have the same DL PRS bandwidth, the same starting PRB (and center frequency), and the same comb size value (i.e., the frequency of the PRS resource element for each symbol, such that for comb N, every Nth resource element is a PRS resource element).

[0093] The TRP can be configured, for example, by instructions received from a server and / or by software within the TRP, to transmit DL PRS according to a schedule. Based on this schedule, the TRP can transmit DL PRS intermittently (e.g., periodically at consistent intervals from the initial transmission). The TRP can be configured to transmit one or more PRS resource sets. A resource set is a collection of PRS resources across a TRP, wherein these resources have the same periodicity, a shared silent mode configuration (if any), and the same cross-slot repetition factor. Each PRS resource set comprises multiple PRS resources, wherein each PRS resource comprises multiple resource elements (REs), which may reside in multiple resource blocks (RBs) within N (or more) consecutive symbols in a time slot. An RB is a set of REs spanning one or more consecutive symbols in the time domain and a consecutive subcarrier number (12 for 5G) in the frequency domain. Each PRS resource is configured with an RE offset, a time slot offset, a symbol offset within a time slot, and a number of consecutive symbols that the PRS resource can occupy within a time slot. The RE offset defines the initial RE offset of the first symbol within a DL PRS resource in the frequency range. The relative RE offsets of the remaining symbols within a DL PRS resource are defined based on this initial offset. The slot offset is the starting slot of the DL PRS resource relative to the slot offset of the corresponding resource set. The symbol offset determines the starting symbol of the DL PRS resource within the starting slot. Transmitted REs can be repeated across slots, with each transmission referred to as a repetition, allowing for multiple repetitions within a PRS resource. DL PRS resources in a DL PRS resource set are associated with the same TRP, and each DL PRS resource has a DL PRS resource ID. The DL PRS resource ID in a DL PRS resource set is associated with a single beam transmitted from a single TRP (although a TRP can transmit one or more beams).

[0094] PRS resources can also be defined by quasi-co-location and starting PRB parameters. The quasi-co-location (QCL) parameter defines any quasi-co-location information of the DL PRS resource with other reference signals. The DL PRS can be configured to be QCL type D with DL PRS or SS / PBCH (Synchronization Signal / Physical Broadcast Channel) blocks from serving or non-serving cells. The DL PRS can also be configured to be QCL type C with SS / PBCH blocks from serving or non-serving cells. The starting PRB parameter defines the starting PRB index of the DL PRS resource relative to reference point A. The granularity of the starting PRB index is one PRB, and the minimum value can be 0 and the maximum value is 2176 PRBs.

[0095] A PRS resource set is a collection of PRS resources with the same periodicity, the same silent mode configuration (if any), and the same cross-slot repetition factor. Each time all repetitions of all PRS resources in a PRS resource set are configured for transmission is called an "instance". Therefore, an "instance" of a PRS resource set is a specified number of repetitions for each PRS resource and a specified number of PRS resources within the PRS resource set, such that the instance is completed once the specified number of repetitions have been transmitted for each of the specified number of PRS resources. An instance can also be referred to as an "opportunity". A DLPRS configuration, including DL PRS transmission scheduling, can be provided to the UE to facilitate DL PRS measurement (or even enable the UE to measure DL PRS).

[0096] Multiple frequency layers of a PRS can be aggregated to provide an effective bandwidth greater than any bandwidth of any individual layer. Multiple frequency layers belonging to component carriers (which can be coherent and / or separate) and satisfying criteria such as quasi-coexistence (QCL) and having the same antenna port can be stitched together to provide a larger effective PRS bandwidth (for DL ​​PRS and UL PRS), thereby improving the accuracy of time of arrival measurements. In the QCL case, different frequency layers behave similarly, resulting in a larger effective bandwidth for PRS stitching. A larger effective bandwidth (which may be referred to as the bandwidth of the aggregated PRS or the frequency bandwidth of the aggregated PRS) provides better time-domain resolution (e.g., the resolution of TDOA). An aggregated PRS comprises a collection of PRS resources, and each PRS resource in the aggregated PRS may be referred to as a PRS component, and each PRS component may be transmitted on different component carriers, frequency bands, or frequency layers, or on different portions of the same frequency band.

[0097] RTT positioning is an active positioning technology because RTT uses positioning signals sent by the TRP to the UE and by the UE (participating in RTT positioning) to the TRP. The TRP can send a DL-PRS signal received by the UE, and the UE can send an SRS (Probe Reference Signal) signal received by multiple TRPs. The Probe Reference Signal may be referred to as SRS or SRS signal. In 5G multi-RTT, coordinated positioning can be used, where the UE sends a single UL-SRS for positioning received by multiple TRPs, instead of sending a separate UL-SRS for positioning for each TRP. A participating TRP will typically search for UEs currently residing on that TRP (the served UE, where the TRP is the serving TRP) and also search for UEs residing on neighboring TRPs (neighbor UEs). A neighboring TRP can be a TRP of a single BTS (e.g., gNB), or it can be a TRP of a single BTS and a TRP of a single BTS. For RTT positioning (including multi-RTT positioning), the DL-PRS and UL-SRS positioning signals in the PRS / SRS positioning signal pair used to determine the RTT (and thus the range between the UE and TRP) may occur close to each other in time, so that the errors caused by UE movement and / or UE clock drift and / or TRP clock drift are within acceptable limits. For example, the signals in the PRS / SRS positioning signal pair may be transmitted from the TRP and the UE within approximately 10 ms of each other. In cases where the SRS positioning signal is being transmitted by the UE and the PRS and SRS positioning signals are transmitted close to each other in time, it has been found that this may lead to radio frequency (RF) signal congestion (which may result in excessive noise, etc.) (especially if many UEs are concurrently attempting positioning), and / or computational congestion at the TRP where many UEs are concurrently attempting to measure.

[0098] RTT positioning can be UE-based or UE-assisted. In UE-based RTT, UE 200 determines the RTT and corresponding range to each of TRP 300, and determines the location of UE 200 based on the range to TRP 300 and the known location of TRP 300. In UE-assisted RTT, UE 200 measures the positioning signal and provides the measurement information to TRP 300, and TRP 300 determines the RTT and range. TRP 300 provides the range to a location server (e.g., server 400), and the server determines the location of UE 200, for example, based on the range to different TRP 300s. RTT and / or range may be determined by TRP 300, which receives signals from UE 200, by TRP 300 in conjunction with one or more other devices (e.g., one or more other TRP 300 and / or server 400), or by one or more devices other than TRP 300 that receive signals from UE 200.

[0099] 5G NR supports various positioning technologies. Native NR positioning methods supported in 5G NR include DL-only positioning, UL-only positioning, and DL+UL positioning. Downlink-based positioning methods include DL-TDOA and DL-AoD. Uplink-based positioning methods include UL-TDOA and UL-AoA. Combined DL+UL positioning methods include RTT with one base station and RTT with multiple base stations (multi-RTT).

[0100] Location estimation (e.g., for a UE) may be referred to by other names, such as location estimate, location, positioning, location lock, lock, etc. Location estimation can be geodetic and include coordinates (e.g., latitude, longitude, and possible altitude), or it can be municipal and include street addresses, postal addresses, or some other verbal description of location. Location estimation can be further defined relative to some other known location or in absolute terms (e.g., using latitude, longitude, and possible altitude). Location estimation may include expected errors or uncertainties (e.g., by including the area or volume that the expected location will be included within with a specified or default confidence level).

[0101] Line of sight / non-line of sight determination and use

[0102] Various techniques can be implemented to determine whether a signal received by a target UE from another UE is a line-of-sight (LOS) transmission or a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) transmission, and thereby determine whether the UE is LOS or NLOS relative to that other UE. The target UE is the UE whose location is to be determined, and the anchor UE is a UE with a known location, even if that location may not be known during signal exchange between the target UE and the anchor UE. Using the NLOS signal between the anchor UE and the target UE to determine the range between the target UE and the anchor UE may result in an incorrect (longer than actual) range determination. If this incorrect range is used to determine the location of the target UE, the determined location will likely be incorrect, and potentially unacceptably incorrect (i.e., the error exceeds an acceptable threshold error). Situations arise where the target UE (e.g., a vehicle UE in a V2X context) is outside the coverage area of ​​the anchor UE, and the target UE uses the anchor UE to determine the range between itself and the anchor UE to determine its location. Determining whether the PRS from the anchor UE is LOS / NLOS without the assistance of infrastructure (such as a gNB) is useful in helping to ensure the accuracy of the determined target UE's location.

[0103] Reference Figure 5 And further refer to Figure 1-4 UE 500 includes a processor 510, an interface 520, a memory 530, and a reflection-based orientation ranging system 540, which are communicatively coupled to each other via a bus 550. UE 500 may include... Figure 5 The components shown may include one or more other components, such as Figure 2Any of the components shown can be used to make UE 200 an example of UE 500. For example, processor 510 may include one or more of the components of processor 210. Interface 520 may include one or more components of transceiver 215. For example, interface 520 includes wireless transmitter 522, wireless receiver 524, and antenna 526, for example, corresponding to wireless transmitter 242, wireless receiver 244, and antenna 246. Interface 520 may include more than one antenna 526, for example, to facilitate radio beam steering of a communication beam, and / or antennas 526 may be configured with multiple vibrators configured (e.g., in conjunction with wireless transmitter 522 and / or wireless receiver 524) for radio beam steering. In this example, three antennas 526 are shown (where two of the antennas 526 are shown as optional), but UE 500 may be configured with other numbers of antennas. Processor 510 is configured to direct antennas 526 in different directions. For example, processor 510 can electronically guide antennas 526 by controlling the phase of signals transmitted by different elements of antenna(s) 526 and / or different antennas in antenna(s) 526 (where there is more than one antenna 526) and controlling the phase of signals received by different antenna elements of antenna(s) 526 and / or the phase of different antennas in antenna(s) 526. When a signal (e.g., PRS) is received from another UE, processor 510 can determine the AoA of the signal, for example, based on the beam direction of antenna(s) 526. Alternatively or additionally, interface 520 may include wired transmitter 252 and / or wired receiver 254. Memory 530 may be configured similarly to memory 211, for example, including software with processor-readable instructions configured to cause processor 510 to perform functions.

[0104] The ranging system 540 is configured to determine the position of an object in terms of its angle relative to the coordinate system of the UE 500 and its distance to the object using the reflection of a transmitted signal. The ranging system 540 includes a wireless transmitter 542, a wireless receiver 544, and an antenna 546 (which may include a single antenna element, multiple antenna elements, and / or multiple antennas). For example, a single antenna may be used for signal transmission and reflected signal reception, although the discussion herein refers to a single antenna. The ranging system 540 transmits signals from the wireless transmitter 542 via the antenna 546 and receives the reflection of the transmitted signals by the wireless receiver 544 via the antenna 546. The ranging system 540 may include a processor 548 communicatively coupled to the wireless transmitter 542 and the wireless receiver 544 (and possibly coupled to a memory, not shown). The processor 548 is configured to direct the antenna 546 to different directions. For example, the processor 548 may electronically direct the antenna 546 by controlling the phase of signals transmitted by different elements of the antenna 546 and signals received by different elements of the antenna 546. Processor 548 can, for example, cause antenna 546 to rotate its beam, e.g., at a constant angular rate. Ranging system 540 can be turned off during periods when UE 500 does not collect information for determining the location of UE 500 (e.g., measuring PRS). Processor 548 can be configured to analyze the departure time of the transmitted signal and the arrival time of the reflected signal to determine the distance from UE 500 to an object, calculating the distance between UE 500 and the object as the difference between the arrival time and departure time divided by the speed of light. Alternatively or additionally, processor 548 can be configured to determine the distance between UE 500 and the object based on the transmitted signal power and the received signal power. Processor 548 is also configured, for each determined distance, to determine the orientation of the object relative to UE 500 based on the direction of the transmitted signal (e.g., as electronically guided by processor 548). Some or all of the processors in processor 548 can be housed within processor 510; that is, processor 548 may not be physically separated from processor 510.

[0105] The ranging system 540 can take various forms. For example, it can be a radar (radio detection and ranging) system, a lidar (light detection and ranging) system, a sonar (sound navigation and ranging) system, and / or a reflection-based ranging system. The ranging system 540 is directional because the beamwidth generated by the antenna 526 is narrow enough that the ranging system 540 can determine meaningful information about the orientation of an object relative to the UE 500. For example, the antenna 526 can have a beamwidth of approximately 1°–2°, and the ranging system 540 can provide the orientation of the object relative to the UE 500 with an error of approximately + / - 0.2°. These values ​​for beamwidth and angular error are merely examples, and ranging systems with other beamwidths and / or errors can be used.

[0106] The description herein may refer only to the processor 510 performing a function, but this includes other implementations, such as the processor 510 performing an implementation of software and / or firmware (stored in memory 530). The description herein may refer to the UE 500 performing a function as a shorthand for one or more appropriate components of the UE 500 (e.g., processor 510 and memory 530) performing that function. The processor 510 (possibly in conjunction with memory 530 and, where appropriate, with interface 520) includes a LOS / NLOS unit 550 (line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight unit). The LOS / NLOS unit 550 is configured to determine whether another UE is within the line of sight of the UE 500 or whether it is in a non-line-of-sight relationship with respect to the UE 500 (e.g., the line of sight between the UE 500 and the other UE is blocked or obstructed). LOS / NLOS unit 550 is configured to determine whether the angle between UE 500 and another UE, as determined by ranging system 540, corresponds (e.g., within an angle threshold difference) to an angle determined based on the reception of one or more communication signals, and for the corresponding angle, to determine whether the distances corresponding to the ranging and communication signals correspond (e.g., within a distance threshold difference). LOS / NLOS unit 550 is configured to infer the existence of a LOS condition between UE 500 and another UE based on distance correspondence, and to infer that the other UE is NLOS relative to UE 500 if the angles correspond but the distances do not. LOS / NLOS unit 550 is further discussed below, and this specification may generally refer to processor 510 or UE 500 performing any function of LOS / NLOS unit 550.

[0107] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 Further reference Figure 1-5The signaling and process flow 600, used to determine whether the PRS is a LOS, to determine location information based on the LOS PRS, and to determine map information based on that location information, includes the stages shown. Flow 600 is merely an example, as stages can be added, rearranged, and / or removed. For example, Figure 6 The timing shown is an example, as the phases can occur in a different order than shown (e.g., one or more reflection-based ranging phases may occur after one or more PRS exchanges). In procedure 600, target UE 700 interacts with anchor UE 710, anchor UE 720, anchor UE 730, building 740, building 750, and RSU 605 (roadside unit), where UEs 700, 710, 720, 730 and buildings 740, 750... Figure 7 The layout shown is merely an example, and other layouts and other numbers and types of entities are possible. The target UE 700 is an example of UE 500, and anchor UEs 710, 720, and 730 can be examples of UE 500, for example, with or without a ranging system 540. RSU 605 can be an example of TRP 300.

[0108] In phase 610, target UE 700 performs reflection-based ranging on anchor UE 710, anchor UE 730, building 740, and building 750. For illustrative purposes, ranging system 540 performs ranging from relative to... Figure 7 The target UE 700 shown in the diagram starts transmitting ranging signals from 0°, and from... Figure 7 The antenna is rotated 546 degrees clockwise. Therefore, due to Figure 7 In the layout shown, the ranging system 540 encounters building 740, building 750, anchor UE 710, and anchor UE 730 in sequence. The ranging system 540 transmits a ranging Tx signal 611 reflected by building 740 to generate a ranging reflected signal 612 received by the ranging system 540. Similarly, the ranging system 540 transmits ranging Tx signals 613, 615, and 617 reflected by building 750, anchor UE 710, and anchor UE 730, respectively, to generate ranging reflected signals 614, 616, and 618 received by the ranging system 540. The ranging Tx signals 611, 613, 615, and 617 can be, for example, radio frequency (RF) signals for radar systems, optical signals for lidar systems, and acoustic signals (e.g., ultrasonic signals) for sonar systems.

[0109] The range to buildings 740, 750 and to anchor UEs 710, 730 can be determined, for example, based on the receipt of corresponding ranging reflection signals 612, 614, 616, 618. For each received reflected ranging signal, ranging system 540 (e.g., processor 548) determines the angle of the object reflecting the ranging Tx signal relative to the target UE 700. For example, because the time for the ranging Tx signal to be transmitted, reflected, and received by the target UE 700 for any object within the range of ranging system 540 will be almost instantaneous (even considering beam rotation and possible movement of the target UE 700, such as a vehicle), ranging system 540 can determine the current angle of the beam from antenna 546 at the time of receiving the ranging reflection as the angle of the object relative to the target UE 700. The ranging system 540 can determine the distance to the object reflecting the ranging Tx signal (i.e., the distance to the reflector) using the round-trip time of the ranging Tx signal and the ranging reflected signal, and / or the transmit power of the ranging Tx signal and the received power of the ranging reflected signal. Further, the ranging system 540 (e.g., processor 548) determines the corresponding distance to the reflector for each angle that produces the reflection. See also... Figure 8 ,for Figure 7 The example layout, through analysis of the ranging Tx signal and ranging reflection, yields four angles and four corresponding distances to the reflecting objects (here, buildings 740, 750 and anchor UEs 710, 730). The ranging system 540 or processor 510 can store the determined angles and distances in memory 530. In this example, processor 548 determines, based on the ranging Tx signal 611 and ranging reflection 612, that the object (here, building 740) is at 10° (as in...). Figure 7 (As shown, with the orientation at 0° relative to the target UE 700), the target is located at a distance of 120m. The processor 548 determines, based on ranging Tx signals 613, 615, 617 and corresponding ranging reflection signals 614, 616, 618, that the target is positioned at 45°, 130°, and 164° relative to the target UE 700, at distances of 120m, 250m, and 427m from the target UE 700, respectively. Here, the angles and distances are stored in database 810 as entries 811, 812, 813, 814. The angles determined by the ranging system in database 810 form an angle set α, and the distances determined by the ranging system form a set β (although α or β may each contain a single value or multiple values).

[0110] In phase 620, target UE 700 receives PRS from anchor UEs 710, 720, and 730. Anchor UEs 710 and 730 are in LOS with target UE 700, such as... Figure 7As shown, the anchor UE 720 and the target UE 700 are in a non-linear relationship (NLOS), with a building 740 positioned between the target UE 700 and the anchor UE 720. Thus, the anchor UEs 710 and 730 transmit PRS 621 and 624 directly to the target UE 700, while the anchor UE 720 transmits a PRS 622 reflected by the building 750 to generate a PRS reflection 623 received by the target UE 700. The processor 510 can determine the AoA of each PRS, for example, by determining the steering angle of the antennas 526 when receiving the PRS (or PRS reflection). The processor 510 can also determine the corresponding distance traveled by each PRS from the respective anchor UE to the target UE 700. For example, anchor UEs 710, 720, and 730 can send corresponding PRS post-signals 625, 626, and 627, indicating the corresponding departure times of PRSs 621, 622, and 624 and the positions of the corresponding anchor UEs 710, 720, and 730. Processor 510 can receive the indication of the departure time and (e.g., from memory 530) obtain the corresponding first arrival time of each of PRSs 621, 624, and PRS reflections 623. Processor 510 can determine the distance traveled by PRSs 621, 624, and PRSs 622 and 623 based on the difference between the corresponding departure times of PRSs 621, 622, and 624 and the corresponding first arrival times of PRSs 621, 622, and PRS reflections 623 divided by the speed of light. If processor 510 is configured to detect multiple receptions of the same PRS (e.g., two strongest instances of the PRS), multiple angles can be brought close together. Here, the AOA and the corresponding distance are stored in memory 530 and in database 820 as entries 821, 822, and 823. The PRS-based angles in database 820 form an angle set γ, and the PRS-based distances in database 820 form a set δ (although γ or δ may each contain a single value or multiple values).

[0111] In phase 630, the target UE 700 determines whether each PRS in the received PRS comes from an anchor UE that is LOS or NLOS relative to the target UE 700. The LOS / NLOS unit 550 is configured to determine whether the AoA determined by the processor 510 corresponds to the object angle determined by the ranging system 540. For example, the LOS / NLOS unit 550 can be configured to determine whether the angles in set γ correspond to the angles in set α (i.e., whether γ...). x∈α). If the AoA is within an angle threshold range (e.g., within a threshold degree (e.g., 2°, 3°, or 5°)) determined by the ranging system, then the AoA can be considered to correspond to the angle determined by the ranging system. The angle threshold can be dynamic, for example, depending on the AoA accuracy achievable by the processor 510 based on the analysis of the PRS (e.g., based on the number of antenna elements of (the) antennas 526, the antenna element spacing, and / or the duration of the ranging session, which can be related to the AoA resolution achievable based on the analysis of the signal received by the antennas 526). The angle determined by the ranging system can be an angle range (e.g., the reflector can span the angle range). If the AoA is contained within the angle range, or within a threshold range at either end of the angle range, the AoA can be considered to correspond to this angle range. The LOS / NLOS unit 550 is configured to determine whether the distance determined by the processor 510 corresponds to the object distance determined by the ranging system 540 for the AoA corresponding to the angle determined by the ranging system. For example, the LOS / NLOS unit 550 can be configured to respond to an angle α determined by the ranging system. x AoAγ x , to determine AoAγ x PRS-based distance δ x Does it correspond to angle α? x The distance β determined by the ranging system x When the PRS-based distance is within a threshold proximity of the distance determined by the ranging system (e.g., within a threshold percentage (e.g., 5%, 10%, or 20%)), the PRS-based distance can be considered to correspond to the distance determined by the ranging system.

[0112] LOS / NLOS unit 550 can be configured to determine the LOS / NLOS state of the anchor UE based on the following: AoA (denoted by γ) and corresponding distance (denoted by δ), and the angle determined by the ranging system (denoted by α) and corresponding distance (denoted by β):

[0113] If γ x ∈α (where γ) x ≈α y And δ x ≈β y Then the anchor UEx and the target UE are LOS; or

[0114] If γ x ∈α (where γ) x ≈α y )and Then the anchor UEx and the target UE are NLOS; or

[0115] if The LOS / NLOS state is therefore uncertain.

[0116] Therefore, if the determined AoA(γ) x ) are elements of set α, where AoA corresponds to the angle (α) determined by the ranging system. y (For example, within its threshold) (i.e., γ) x ∈α, where γ x ≈α y And based on the distance (δ) determined by the PRS for this AoA. x The distance (β) corresponding to the angle determined by the ranging system for the angle corresponding to AoA. y (For example, within its threshold) (i.e., δ) x ≈β y If the LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the corresponding anchor UE and target UE 700 are in LOS, then the LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the corresponding anchor UE and target UE are in LOS. For example, with an angle threshold of 3° and a distance threshold of 5%, the AOA (γ) of entry 822 at 127° is... x The angle (α) determined by the 130° ranging system in entry 813. y Within the threshold of ), and the distance (δ) determined by the PRS of 254m in entry 822. x The distance (β) determined by the 250m ranging system in entry 813. y Within the distance threshold of ), the LOS / NLOS unit 550 will thus conclude that the anchor UE 710 (which sent the PRS to determine the AoA at 127°) is a LOS relative to the target UE 700. Conversely, if the determined AoA (γ) x ) is an element of set α (e.g., γ) x ≈α y And the distance (δ) determined by the corresponding PRS x This does not correspond to the distance (β) determined by the ranging system. y (For example, outside its threshold proximity) (i.e., If the LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the corresponding anchor UE and target UE 700 are NLOS, then the LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the corresponding anchor UE and target UE 700 are NLOS. For example, with an angle threshold of 3° and a distance threshold of 5%, the 48° AOA (γ) of entry 821 is... x The angle (α) determined by the 45° ranging system in entry 812. y Within the threshold of ), and the distance (δ) determined by the PRS of 215m in entry 821. x The distance (β) determined by the 120m ranging system in entry 812. yThe distance threshold is outside the range of the target UE 700. Due to the additional path length of PRS 624 from anchor UE 720 to building 750, the distance determined by PRS 215m (for PRS reflection 626) is much longer than the distance determined by the ranging system 120m (to building 750). The LOS / NLOS unit 550 will therefore conclude that anchor UE 720 (which sent the PRS to determine the AoA at 48°) is NLOS relative to target UE 700.

[0117] If the AoA determined for the received PRS (or PRS reflection) does not correspond to the angle determined by the ranging system (i.e., Because γ x If the angle is not within the angle threshold of any angle in set α, then LOS / NLOS unit 550 will obtain the corresponding anchor UE (corresponding to AoAγ). x The LOS / NLOS state of the anchor UE 730 is determined to be uncertain using conventional techniques. For example, with an angle threshold of 3°, the 160° AoA of entry 823 is not within the angle threshold of any of the angles determined by the ranging system in database 810. The LOS / NLOS unit 550 will thus conclude that the LOS / NLOS state of the anchor UE 730 (which sent a PRS to determine the 160° AoA, for example, as determined according to the PRS mode corresponding to the anchor UE 730) is uncertain, and in response, one or more other techniques can be used to determine the LOS / NLOS state of the anchor UE 730.

[0118] LOS / NLOS unit 550 can be configured to determine the LOS / NLOS state of the PRS source using an angle set α and a distance set β within a finite time period. Therefore, the validity of the angle and distance sets can be time-limited, for example, because the angles and distances to the PRS source will change as the UE 500 moves. LOS / NLOS unit 550 can adjust the validity time based on the movement of the UE 500. For example, as long as the UE 500 is static, LOS / NLOS unit 550 can extend the validity time indefinitely.

[0119] Please refer to the following for details. Figure 6In stage 640, the target UE 700 determines location information. For example, processor 510 may determine one or more PRS measurements, one or more ranges, and / or one or more location estimates for the target UE 700. In stage 630, one or more measurements (e.g., PRS measurements) and one or more ranges are determined, and in stage 640, one or more additional measurements and / or one or more additional ranges may be determined. Processor 510 may use LOS / NLOS knowledge to select only the measurements used for the PRS for which the UE 700 is a LOS to determine location information, which may improve the accuracy of the location information.

[0120] In phase 650, the target UE provides capability information and location information to server 400. The target UE 500 may send a capability message 652 to server 400 indicating that the target UE 700 has a reflection-based ranging system. The capability message may be separate from or included with the location information report 654 sent by the target UE 700 to server 400. The capability message 652 may be explicit or implicit (e.g., by including one or more indications regarding the determination of LOS / NLOS for one or more corresponding PRS-based location information items via reflection-based ranging). If the LOS / NLOS determination is made by LOS / NLOS unit 550 (i.e., not uncertain), the location information report 654 may indicate that the location information was determined based on a PRS from a PRS source (e.g., the anchor UE) that is either LOS or NLOS. For example, for each PRS where the corresponding anchor UE is determined to be LOS or NLOS, the location information derived from that PRS can be associated with the indication of LOS or NLOS in the location information report 654, where appropriate. The location information report 654 may include a set of angles α determined by the ranging system and a set of distances β determined by the ranging system. Although the target UE 700 sends the location report 654 to the server 400 in process 600, the location report 654 may also be sent, or alternatively, to one or more other entities, such as stationary UEs, roadside units (RSUs), etc. Other UEs may use the Tx / Rx and LOS / NLOS pair information regarding the performance of ranging at the indicated locations(e.g., the Tx / Rx location and whether LOS or NLOS conditions exist at these locations) (e.g., if an NLOS condition is indicated for a location, energy can be saved by not attempting ranging at that location).

[0121] Reference Figure 9 Further reference Figure 1-8The method 900 for determining the line-of-sight relationship between the UE and the PRS source includes the phases shown. However, method 900 is merely an example and is not limiting. Method 900 can be modified, for example, by adding, removing, rearranging, combining, concurrently executing, and / or splitting a single phase into multiple phases.

[0122] In stage 910, method 900 includes transmitting a ranging signal. For example, ranging system 540 transmits a ranging signal, such as an RF signal, an optical signal, or an audio signal, via antenna 546. Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the ranging system 540 transmits ranging Tx signals 611, 613, 615, and 617 to buildings 740, 750 and anchor UEs 710, 730. The processor 548 (possibly combined with memory 530), as well as the wireless transmitter 542 and antenna 546, may include means for transmitting the ranging signals.

[0123] In stage 920, method 900 includes receiving reflections of ranging signals. For example, one or more ranging signals strike one or more reflective objects that reflect the ranging signals, and ranging system 540 receives the reflections of the ranging signals (Tx). Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the ranging Tx signals 611, 613, 615, and 617 are reflected into ranging reflected signals 612, 614, 616, and 618 received by the ranging system 540. The processor 548 (possibly combined with the memory 530 and / or the processor 510), the wireless receiver 544, and the antenna 546 may include means for receiving the reflections of the ranging signals.

[0124] At stage 930, method 900 includes: determining (1) a first direction between the UE and the reflector based on a ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal, and (2) a first distance between the UE and the reflector corresponding to the first direction. For example, processor 548 uses information from (a) ranging Tx signals and (a) ranging reflected signals to determine the angle and distance to the reflecting object (e.g., using the departure and arrival times of the transmitted and reflected signals and / or the power of the transmitted and reflected signals). Processor 548 may, for example, determine Figure 7 The example layout uses angles and distances from database 810. Processor 548 (possibly in conjunction with memory such as memory 530) may include means for determining a first direction and a first distance.

[0125] In stage 940, method 900 includes: determining (3) a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the PRS at the UE, and (4) a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the PRS source to the UE. For example, processor 510 may analyze the received PRS and post-PRS signaling to determine the AoA to the anchor UE and the distance from the anchor UE to UE 500 along the path of the PRS. For example, using PRS 621, 624 and PRS reflection 623, processor 510 may determine the time of arrival, and based on post-PRS signals 625-627, processor 510 determines the departure time of PRS 621, 622, 624, thereby determining the travel time and the distance between the target UE 700 and the anchor UEs 710, 720, 730, as shown in database 820. If the PRS used to determine the time of arrival is a PRS reflection, the determined distance will not be the LOS distance. The processor 548 (possibly in conjunction with memory such as memory 530) may include means for determining the direction and distance between the UE and the PRS source.

[0126] At stage 950, method 900 includes determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and a PRS source based on a first direction, a first distance, a second direction, and a second distance. For example, LOS / NLOS unit 550 analyzes the determined angles and distances (e.g., in databases 810, 820) to determine the LOS / NLOS state of one or more PRS sources (e.g., anchor UEs) relative to the UE. Processor 510 (possibly combined with memory 530) may include means for determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and a PRS source.

[0127] Implementations of method 900 may include one or more of the following features. In one example implementation, determining whether a second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes: determining that the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on a first direction and a second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity. For example, LOS / NLOS unit 550 selects an angle determined by the PRS (i.e., an AoA determined based on the received PRS) and first determines whether the angle determined by the ranging system corresponds to the angle determined by the PRS (e.g., within its threshold proximity). If the selected AoA corresponds to the angle determined by the ranging system, then LOS / NLOS unit 550 may determine whether the corresponding distances (i.e., the distance determined by the PRS and the distance determined by the ranging system) correspond (e.g., within the threshold proximity). If the distances correspond, then LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the PRS source is a LOS relative to the UE. In another example implementation, method 900 includes determining a first threshold based on the angle accuracy of the second direction. For example, the LOS / NLOS unit 550 may select a value for the first threshold based on one or more indications of the accuracy of the angle determined by the PRS (e.g., an indication of the error range of the determined angle). The processor 510 (possibly in conjunction with memory 530 and interface 520 (e.g., radio receiver 524 and antennas 526)) may include means for determining the first threshold. In another example implementation, determining the first threshold includes determining the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements used to determine a second direction between the UE and the PRS source. For example, the LOS / NLOS unit 550 may select a value for the first threshold based on an indication of the number of antenna elements used to receive the PRS, since this number may be directly related to the resolution of the AoA.

[0128] Alternatively or concurrently, implementations of method 900 may include one or more of the following features. In an example implementation, determining whether a second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source includes: determining that the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the UE and the PRS source based on a first direction and a second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on a first distance and a second distance outside a second threshold proximity. For example, LOS / NLOS unit 550 selects an angle determined by the PRS (i.e., an AoA determined based on the received PRS) and first determines whether the angle determined by the ranging system corresponds to the angle determined by the PRS (e.g., within its threshold proximity). If the selected AoA corresponds to the angle determined by the ranging system, then LOS / NLOS unit 550 may determine whether the corresponding distances (i.e., the distance determined by the PRS and the distance determined by the ranging system) correspond (e.g., within the threshold proximity). If the distances do not correspond, then LOS / NLOS unit 550 determines that the PRS source is NLOS relative to the UE. In another example implementation, method 900 includes sending a report that includes location information determined according to one or more PRS and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the location information is based on line-of-sight measurements or non-line-of-sight measurements. For example, LOS / NLOS unit 550 may send location information report 654 to another entity (e.g., server 400, TRP 300, roadside unit, etc.), wherein report 654 indicates location information (e.g., one or more measurements and / or one or more location estimates for UE 500) and that the location information was determined using a PRS from a source relative to whether UE 500 is LOS or NLOS. A processor (possibly in conjunction with memory and interface 520 (e.g., wireless transmitter 522 and / or antennas 526 and / or wired transmitters)) may include means for sending the report.

[0129] Other considerations

[0130] Other examples and implementations fall within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software and computers, the above-described functions can be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, hardwired, or any combination thereof executed by a processor. Features implementing the functions can also be physically located in various locations, including being distributed such that different parts of the function are implemented at different physical locations.

[0131] As used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “some,” and “the” also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and / or “containing” indicate the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0132] As used herein, the term RS (reference signal) may refer to one or more reference signals and may be appropriately applied to any form of the term RS, such as PRS, SRS, CSI-RS, etc.

[0133] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a description of a function or operation “based on” an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the described item or condition and may be based on one or more items and / or conditions other than the described item or condition.

[0134] Similarly, as used herein, the "or" used in an enumeration of items followed by "at least one of" or "one or more of" indicates a disjunctive enumeration, such that an enumeration of, for example, "at least one of A, B, or C" or "one or more of A, B, or C" represents A or B or C or AB (A and B) or AC (A and C) or BC (B and C) or ABC (i.e., A and B and C), or a combination having more than one feature (e.g., AA, AAB, ABBC, etc.). Thus, a reference to an item (e.g., a processor) being configured to perform a function with respect to at least one of A or B indicates that the item can be configured to perform a function with respect to A, or can be configured to perform a function with respect to B, or can be configured to perform a function with respect to both A and B. For example, the phrase "the processor is configured to measure at least one of A or B" indicates that the processor can be configured to measure A (and may or may not be configured to measure B), or can be configured to measure B (and may or may not be configured to measure A), or can be configured to measure both A and B (and can be configured to select which or both of A and B to measure). Similarly, a description of a means for measuring at least one of A or B includes: a means for measuring A (which may or may not measure B), or a means for measuring B (and may or may not be configured to measure A), or a means for measuring A and B (which may be able to select which or both of A and B to measure). As another example, a description of an item (e.g., a processor) being configured to perform at least one of function X or function Y indicates that the item can be configured to perform function X, or can be configured to perform function Y, or can be configured to perform both function X and function Y. For example, the phrase "the processor is configured to measure at least one of X or Y" indicates that the processor can be configured to measure X (and may or may not be configured to measure Y), or can be configured to measure Y (and may or may not be configured to measure X), or can be configured to measure X and measure Y (and can be configured to select which or both of X and Y to measure).

[0135] Substantial modifications can be made to suit specific requirements. For example, custom hardware can be used, and / or specific elements can be implemented in the hardware, in processor-executed software (including portable software such as applets), or both. Furthermore, connections to other computing devices (such as network input / output devices) can be employed. Unless otherwise stated, the interconnected or communicating components (functionally or otherwise) shown in the figures and / or discussed herein are communicatively coupled. That is, they can be directly or indirectly connected to enable communication between them.

[0136] The systems and devices discussed above are examples. Various configurations may appropriately omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components. For example, features described with reference to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of a configuration may be combined in a similar manner. Furthermore, technology evolves, and thus many elements are examples and do not limit the scope of this disclosure or the claims.

[0137] A wireless communication system is a system in which communication is transmitted wirelessly, that is, through the atmospheric space via electromagnetic waves and / or sound waves rather than through wires or other physical connections. A wireless communication network may not necessarily transmit all communications wirelessly, but may be configured to transmit at least some communications wirelessly. Furthermore, the term "wireless communication device" or similar terms do not require that the device's functionality be exclusively or uniformly primarily used for communication, or that the device is a mobile device, but rather indicate that the device includes wireless communication capabilities (one-way or two-way), for example, including at least one radio (each radio being part of a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver) for wireless communication.

[0138] Specific details are provided in this specification to provide a thorough understanding of the example configurations (including implementations). However, these configurations can be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring these configurations. This specification provides only example configurations and does not limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claims. Rather, the preceding description of the configurations provides a description for implementing the techniques. Various changes can be made to the function and arrangement of the elements.

[0139] As used herein, the terms “processor-readable medium,” “machine-readable medium,” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providing data that enables a machine to operate in a particular manner. Using a computing platform, various processor-readable media may involve providing instructions / code to (such as) processors for execution, and / or being used to store and / or carry such instructions / code (e.g., as signals). In many implementations, processor-readable media are physical and / or tangible storage media. Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical discs and / or magnetic disks. Volatile media include, but are not limited to, dynamic memory.

[0140] After describing several example configurations, various modifications, substitutions, constructs, and equivalents can be used. For example, the above elements can be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Furthermore, several operations may be performed before, during, or after considering the above elements. Accordingly, the above description does not limit the scope of the claims.

[0141] A statement whose value exceeds (or is greater than or higher than) a first threshold is equivalent to a statement whose value meets or exceeds a second threshold slightly greater than the first threshold. For example, in the resolution of the computing system, the second threshold is one value higher than the first threshold. A statement whose value is less than the first threshold (or within or below the first threshold) is equivalent to a statement whose value is less than or equal to a second threshold slightly lower than the first threshold. For example, in the resolution of the computing system, the second threshold is one value lower than the first threshold.

Claims

1. A user equipment comprising: Memory; Wireless transceiver; A reflection-based orientation ranging system is configured to determine the direction between the user equipment and the reflector, and the corresponding distance between the user equipment and the reflector. as well as A processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the wireless transceiver, and the reflection-based directional ranging system, and the processor is configured to: The ranging system obtains a first direction between the user equipment and the specific reflector, and a first distance between the user equipment and the specific reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the wireless transceiver from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. The processor is configured to determine, based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity, that the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source.

2. The user equipment of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction.

3. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements of the wireless transceiver used to receive one or more positioning reference signals.

4. The user equipment of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a report via the wireless interface, the report including positioning information determined based on one or more positioning reference signals and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the positioning information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement.

5. The user equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the positioning information includes a location estimate of the user equipment.

6. A user equipment comprising: Memory; Wireless transceiver; A reflection-based orientation ranging system is configured to determine the direction between the user equipment and the reflector, and the corresponding distance between the user equipment and the reflector. as well as A processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the wireless transceiver, and the reflection-based directional ranging system, and the processor is configured to: The ranging system obtains a first direction between the user equipment and the specific reflector, and a first distance between the user equipment and the specific reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the wireless transceiver from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. The processor is configured to determine that the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source, based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance outside a second threshold proximity.

7. A user equipment comprising: Memory; Wireless transceiver; A reflection-based orientation ranging system is configured to determine the direction between the user equipment and the reflector, and the corresponding distance between the user equipment and the reflector. as well as A processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the wireless transceiver, and the reflection-based directional ranging system, and the processor is configured to: The ranging system obtains a first direction between the user equipment and the specific reflector, and a first distance between the user equipment and the specific reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the wireless transceiver from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. The processor is configured to: The ranging system obtains multiple first directions between the user equipment and the corresponding multiple reflectors, and multiple first distances corresponding to the multiple first directions; as well as Whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source is determined based on the second direction relative to each of the plurality of first directions, beyond a threshold proximity, without using any of the plurality of first direction indicators.

8. A user equipment comprising: A device for transmitting ranging signals and receiving reflections of the ranging signals; A means for determining a first direction between the user equipment and the reflector based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal, and a first distance between the user equipment and the reflector corresponding to the first direction; A means for determining, based on a positioning reference signal received by the user equipment from a positioning reference signal source, a second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction traveled by the positioning reference signal from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment; as well as A means for determining whether the second distance is a line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance. The means for determining whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source includes: means for determining that the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity.

9. The user equipment of claim 8, further comprising means for determining the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction.

10. The user equipment of claim 9, wherein the means for determining the first threshold includes means for determining the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements of the means for determining the second direction between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source.

11. A method for determining the line-of-sight relationship between user equipment and a positioning reference signal source, the method comprising: Transmitting ranging signals; Receive the reflection of the ranging signal; A first direction between the user equipment and the reflector is determined based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal, and a first distance between the user equipment and the reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the user equipment from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. Determining whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source includes determining that the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the first threshold based on the angular accuracy of the second direction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the first threshold comprises determining the first threshold based on the number of antenna elements in the second direction used to determine the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending a report, the report including positioning information determined based on one or more positioning reference signals and at least one line-of-sight / non-line-of-sight indication indicating whether the positioning information is based on line-of-sight measurement or non-line-of-sight measurement.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the positioning information includes a location estimate of the user equipment.

16. A method for determining the line-of-sight relationship between user equipment and a positioning reference signal source, the method comprising: Transmitting ranging signals; Receive the reflection of the ranging signal; A first direction between the user equipment and the reflector is determined based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal, and a first distance between the user equipment and the reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the user equipment from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. Determining whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source includes determining whether the second distance is a non-line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source based on the first direction and the second direction being within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance being outside a second threshold proximity.

17. A non-transient processor-readable storage medium including processor-readable instructions, said instructions causing a processor of a user equipment to perform the following operations to determine a line-of-sight relationship between the user equipment and a positioning reference signal source: Transmitting ranging signals; A first direction between the user equipment and the reflector is determined based on the ranging signal and the reflection of the ranging signal received by the user equipment, and a first distance between the user equipment and the reflector corresponding to the first direction; A second direction corresponding to the angle of arrival of the positioning reference signal at the user equipment is determined based on the positioning reference signal received by the user equipment from the positioning reference signal source, and a second distance corresponding to the second direction from the positioning reference signal source to the user equipment. as well as Based on the first direction, the first distance, the second direction, and the second distance, it is determined whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source. The instruction that causes the processor to determine whether the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source includes an instruction that causes the processor to determine that the second distance is the line-of-sight distance between the user equipment and the positioning reference signal source based on the first direction and the second direction within a first threshold proximity and based on the first distance and the second distance within a second threshold proximity.

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