Position reporting method, system and related device

Abstract

The application discloses a position reporting method, system and related equipment, and relates to the field of wireless communication. The position reporting method comprises the following steps: a base station allocates a virtual cell identifier for a forwarding device in the coverage range of the base station; the base station receives a request message sent by a control plane entity of a core network, and the request message requires to report the position information of one or more user terminals; for each user terminal, the base station determines a first residence time of the user terminal in the forwarding device and a second residence time of the user terminal in the cell of the base station; and under the condition of meeting the reporting condition, the base station sends a position information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, wherein the position information report comprises the position information of the user terminal, the first residence time and the second residence time, and the identity, type and virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device. The application solves the problem of position reporting of the terminal residing in the forwarding device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication, and in particular to a location reporting method, system and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Repeaters are common devices used in wireless communication systems to extend coverage, with applications spanning from 2G to 5G. Currently, the primary function of radio frequency repeaters is to amplify signals without performing any signal analysis. Compared to base stations, wireless repeaters have a simpler structure, consisting of components or modules such as antennas, RF duplexers, low-noise amplifiers, mixers, electrically adjustable attenuators, filters, and power amplifiers, including both uplink and downlink amplification links. Because the function of a wireless repeater is solely to amplify signals, it amplifies noise and interference signals along with the useful signal.

[0003] As a technical means of coverage compensation, besides Layer 1 (L1) devices like repeaters, some coverage extension devices have been defined in the evolution and practice of wireless network standards. These include relay devices in the 4G era and Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) devices in the 5G era. These devices are characterized by possessing all Layer 1 to Layer 3 wireless protocol stacks and being opaque to the user interface (UE). That is, from the UE's perspective, a 4G relay or a 5G IAB is a single base station; while from the base station's perspective, a 4G relay or an IAB is a single terminal. Therefore, base station data transmission and reception are performed by scheduling the relay or IAB.

[0004] The 5G standard Rel-18 will introduce a new wireless repeater technology—the Network Controlled Repeater (NCR), also known as a smart repeater. Compared to existing radio frequency repeaters, smart repeaters have the following characteristics:

[0005] - Supports beamforming for terminals within the coverage area: Traditional radio frequency repeaters can only amplify and forward signals, and cannot implement beamforming technology for terminals within the coverage area. At the same time, since there is no longer channel reciprocity between macro base stations and terminals, it is also impossible to perform interference suppression operations for terminals.

[0006] - Supports receiving control information from macro stations: According to the preliminary discussion results of the current standard, the base station needs to have a certain interaction capability with the smart repeater, and the smart repeater needs to have at least a physical layer protocol stack. Therefore, the link between the repeater and the terminal can be adjusted based on this.

[0007] - Security Support: Traditional RF repeaters do not require authentication at the macro station, which leads to the presence of some unauthorized amplification devices in the system. To enhance security, it is necessary to support the authentication of repeater devices to prevent unauthorized devices from accessing the system. Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to a first aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, a location reporting method is provided, comprising:

[0009] The base station assigns virtual cell identifiers to the forwarding devices within its coverage area;

[0010] The base station receives a request message from the control plane entity of the core network, requesting the reporting of the location information of one or more user terminals;

[0011] For each user terminal, the base station determines the first dwell time of the user terminal camped on the forwarding equipment and the second dwell time of the user terminal camped on the cell of the base station;

[0012] When the reporting conditions are met, the base station sends a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network. The location information report includes:

[0013] -The user terminal's location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time; and

[0014] -The identity, type, and virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the base station assigns a virtual cell identifier to a forwarding device within its coverage area, which includes: the base station determining the type of the forwarding device within its coverage area; and the base station assigning a virtual cell identifier to the forwarding device based on the type of the forwarding device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the forwarding device accesses the base station through dedicated access resources, and the base station determines the type of forwarding device within its coverage area by: the base station determining the type of forwarding device based on the access resources of the forwarding devices within its coverage area.

[0017] In some embodiments, the base station determines the type of forwarding device within its coverage area by: receiving an identity identifier of the forwarding device sent by the forwarding device when it accesses the base station; and determining the type of the forwarding device based on the identity identifier.

[0018] In some embodiments, the base station determines the first dwell time of the user terminal camping on the forwarding device and the second dwell time of the user terminal camping on the cell of the base station by: the base station determining the first dwell time or the second dwell time in response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0019] In some embodiments, location information represents the cell of a base station or a forwarding device.

[0020] In some embodiments, the base station determines the first dwell time of the user terminal camping on the forwarding device and the second dwell time camping on the cell of the base station by: the physical layer entity of the base station reporting the location information, the first dwell time and the second dwell time of the user terminal to the statistical information entity of the base station in response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the base station determines a first dwell time or a second dwell time in response to detecting that a user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​a forwarding device: in response to the user terminal accessing the cell of the base station or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records a first access time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal leaving the cell of the base station or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records a first departure time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal accessing the forwarding device, the base station records a second access time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the base station records a second departure time of the user terminal; and determines the first dwell time or the second dwell time based on at least one of the first access time, the first departure time, the second access time, or the second departure time.

[0022] In some embodiments, the location reporting method further includes: the core network control plane entity determining the forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station based on network management pre-configuration information or user initial access signaling of the forwarding devices.

[0023] In some embodiments, the network management pre-configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0024] The identifier of the forwarding device;

[0025] Virtual cell identifier for forwarding devices.

[0026] In some embodiments, the user initial access signaling includes at least one of the following:

[0027] Equipment type;

[0028] Reason for access;

[0029] Forwarding device location information;

[0030] The identifier of the forwarding device;

[0031] Virtual cell identifier for forwarding devices.

[0032] In some embodiments, the location reporting method further includes: the base station sending initial access information or a handover request message sent by the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, so that the control plane entity of the core network can send a request message to the base station when it determines that it needs to track the location information of the user terminal.

[0033] In some embodiments, the request message includes at least one of the following:

[0034] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) assigns an identifier to the user terminal;

[0035] The identifier assigned by the base station to the user terminal;

[0036] Location report request instruction information.

[0037] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes at least one of the following:

[0038] Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area;

[0039] The reporting area is used to indicate the cell of a base station or the area covered by a forwarding device;

[0040] A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information entries, each of which includes a report identifier and a region of interest;

[0041] Additional location information, including primary and secondary cells;

[0042] Additional location information extensions, including for forwarding devices.

[0043] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes additional location information and is set as a primary / secondary cell, and the user terminal is in dual-connectivity state, the location information report includes information about the primary / secondary cell where the user terminal is camped; when the location report request indication information does not include a list of areas of interest or additional location information extension indication:

[0044] - In the case of direct reporting of events, the second dwell time is the difference between the current time and the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells;

[0045] - In the case of an event type of serving cell change, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells and the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station.

[0046] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes an additional location information extension indication and is set as a forwarding device, the location information report includes information about the forwarding device accessed by the user terminal; when the event type is a change in serving cell, the location information report is sent when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0047] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes a list of regions of interest, the list of regions of interest includes the identifier of the forwarding device, and the event type is set to direct reporting or serving cell change, the location information report is sent when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0048] In some embodiments, the location information report includes at least one of the following:

[0049] The cell identifier that is camped is either the New Radio Cell Global Identifier (NR CGI) or the Long Term Evolution Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN CGI) information.

[0050] Tracking area identifier (TAI) for the residential community;

[0051] The identifier of the primary and secondary cells is NR CGI information. The identifier of the primary and secondary cells is carried when the location report request indication information of the request message includes additional location information and is set as primary and secondary cells.

[0052] The identifier of the residing forwarding device is the virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device. The identifier of the residing forwarding device is carried in the location report request indication information, which includes additional location information extension indications, and is set as a forwarding device.

[0053] Length of stay;

[0054] The location report request indication information is the same as the location report request indication information in the request message sent by the control plane entity of the core network.

[0055] In some embodiments, the location reporting method further includes: the core network control plane entity determining whether the user terminal is camped within the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device based on the location information report; and the core network control plane entity determining at least one of the user terminal's mobility policy or charging policy based on the determination result and pre-configuration information.

[0056] In some embodiments, the location reporting method further includes: the control plane entity of the core network sending the location information, first dwell time and second dwell time of the user terminal to the positioning platform.

[0057] According to a second aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, a base station is provided, comprising: an allocation module configured to allocate virtual cell identifiers to forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station; a receiving module configured to receive a request message sent by a control plane entity of a core network requesting the reporting of location information of one or more user terminals; a determining module configured to, for each user terminal, determine a first dwell time of the user terminal camping on the forwarding device and a second dwell time of the user terminal camping on a cell of the base station; and a sending module configured to, when reporting conditions are met, send a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, wherein the location information report includes:

[0058] -The user terminal's location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time; and

[0059] -The type, virtual identifier, and identity identifier of the forwarding device.

[0060] In some embodiments, the base station is a New Radio (NR) base station or a Next Generation Evolution (ng-eNB) base station.

[0061] According to a third aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, a location reporting system is provided, comprising: any of the aforementioned base stations; and a control plane entity of a core network.

[0062] In some embodiments, the location reporting system also includes a forwarding device.

[0063] In some embodiments, the repeater is a smart repeater.

[0064] According to a fourth aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute any of the aforementioned location reporting methods based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0065] According to a fifth aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the program, when executed by a processor, implements any of the aforementioned location reporting methods.

[0066] Some embodiments of the above invention have the following advantages or beneficial effects. The embodiments of the present invention solve the problem of location reporting for terminals residing in relay devices such as intelligent repeaters, achieving more accurate reporting of terminal location information and dwell time. The above solutions do not impose additional requirements on terminal positioning functionality. Through base station detection and reporting, the interoperability requirements between terminal devices and the network are reduced, thereby increasing the availability of the solution.

[0067] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0068] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0069] Figure 1A An exemplary schematic diagram of an RF repeater is shown.

[0070] Figure 1B An exemplary schematic diagram of the working scenario of an RF repeater is shown.

[0071] Figure 1C An exemplary schematic diagram of the working scenario of an intelligent repeater is shown.

[0072] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a location reporting method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0073] Figure 3 An embodiment of the core network and base station interaction process according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0074] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a forwarding device access method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0075] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of a location reporting method according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0076] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a base station according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0077] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a location reporting system according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0078] Figure 8A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0079] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0080] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0081] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0082] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0083] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0084] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0085] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0086] Figure 1A An exemplary schematic diagram of an RF repeater is shown. (e.g.) Figure 1A As shown, an RF repeater consists of components or modules such as an antenna, RF duplexer, low-noise amplifier, mixer, electrically adjustable attenuator, filter, and power amplifier, including uplink and downlink amplification links.

[0087] Figure 1B An exemplary schematic diagram of an RF repeater's operating scenario is shown. For example... Figure 1BAs shown, the RF repeater is within the coverage area of ​​the base station gNB, and the terminal UE is within the coverage area of ​​the RF repeater. The RF repeater forwards and amplifies signals between the gNB and the UE.

[0088] Figure 1C An exemplary schematic diagram of a smart repeater's working scenario is shown. For example... Figure 1C As shown, the intelligent repeater RF repeater is within the coverage area of ​​the base station gNB, and the terminal UE is within the coverage area of ​​the intelligent repeater RF repeater. The intelligent repeater RF repeater forwards and amplifies signals between the gNB and the UE. Compared to a traditional radio frequency repeater, the intelligent repeater can support data transmission based on beamforming.

[0089] After analysis, the inventors discovered that there is currently no solution for intelligent repeaters in the standards, and the current wireless devices and specifications also have the following problems.

[0090] First, there is the problem of ambiguous identity information for smart repeaters. Currently, in control plane positioning, the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) requires the reporting of indication information about the cell type. However, repeaters are usually registered in the network as a user, thus making it impossible to reuse previous control plane positioning methods.

[0091] Secondly, regarding the positioning function, the control plane currently supports methods such as auxiliary nodes, but does not support granular reporting of the repeater's coverage area. Furthermore, traditional repeaters are transparent to both the terminal and the network, therefore, it is impossible to accurately determine the terminal's location.

[0092] Based on the above analysis of requirements and reasons, the current 3GPP Rel-17 protocols cannot meet the design requirements of smart repeaters. Furthermore, given that the protocol stack architecture of repeaters is still unclear, it is necessary to enhance functionality through new standardization methods to meet the needs of network deployment and optimization.

[0093] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention proposes a location reporting method, system, and related equipment.

[0094] The following is for reference. Figure 2 An embodiment of the location reporting method of the present invention is described.

[0095] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a location reporting method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the location reporting method in this embodiment includes steps S202 to S208.

[0096] In step S202, the base station assigns virtual cell identifiers to the forwarding devices within its coverage area.

[0097] In some embodiments, during the Random Access Procedure (RACH), the forwarding device accesses the base station, and the base station assigns it a virtual cell identifier.

[0098] In some embodiments, the base station is an NR (New Radio) base station or an ng-eNB (Next Generation Evolution Base Station).

[0099] In some embodiments, the repeater is a smart repeater.

[0100] In some embodiments, the base station determines the type of forwarding devices within its coverage area; then, the base station assigns a virtual cell identifier to the forwarding device based on its type. That is, for devices of type forwarding device, a virtual cell identifier is assigned to them.

[0101] By using virtual cell identifiers, the problem of repeaters serving as user identifiers but not as coverage areas during the positioning process is solved.

[0102] Base stations can use various methods to determine the type of forwarding equipment.

[0103] In some embodiments, the forwarding device accesses the base station through dedicated access resources, and the base station determines the type of forwarding device based on the access resources of the forwarding devices within the base station's coverage area.

[0104] In some embodiments, the base station receives the identity identifier of the forwarding device sent by the forwarding device when it accesses the base station, and then determines the type of the forwarding device based on the identity identifier.

[0105] In step S204, the base station receives a request message from the control plane entity of the core network, requesting the reporting of location information of one or more user terminals.

[0106] In some embodiments, the control plane entity is an AMF.

[0107] In some embodiments, the request message includes at least one of the following:

[0108] -AMF is an identifier assigned to the user terminal, for example, an integer value;

[0109] - An identifier assigned by the base station to the user terminal, for example, an integer value;

[0110] - Location report request indication information.

[0111] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes at least one of the following:

[0112] - Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area;

[0113] - Reporting area, used to represent the cell of the base station or the area covered by the forwarding device, for example, an enumerated value;

[0114] - A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information, each configuration information including a report identifier (e.g., an integer from 1 to 64) and a region of interest (e.g., one of NR cell identifier, forwarding device identifier, TAI, or base station identifier);

[0115] - Additional location information, such as enumerated values, including primary and secondary cells (PSCell);

[0116] - Additional location information extension indication, such as enumeration values, including forwarding devices.

[0117] In step S206, for each user terminal, the base station determines the first dwell time of the user terminal camping on the forwarding device and the second dwell time camping on the cell of the base station.

[0118] In some embodiments, in response to detecting that a user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​a forwarding device, the physical layer entity of the base station reports the location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time of the user terminal to the statistical information entity of the base station.

[0119] In some embodiments, the base station determines a first dwell time or a second dwell time in response to detecting that a user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​a forwarding device. At this time, the dwell location of the user terminal has changed, thus the first dwell time or the second dwell time can be accurately determined.

[0120] The following is an example of one way to determine the length of stay.

[0121] In some embodiments, in response to a user terminal accessing a cell of a base station or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​a cell, the base station records a first access time of the user terminal; in response to a user terminal leaving a cell of a base station or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​a cell, the base station records a first departure time of the user terminal; in response to a user terminal accessing a forwarding device, the base station records a second access time of the user terminal; in response to a user terminal leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the base station records a second departure time of the user terminal; and a first dwell time or a second dwell time is determined based on at least one of the first access time, the first departure time, the second access time, or the second departure time.

[0122] In step S208, if the reporting conditions are met, the base station sends a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network. The location information report includes:

[0123] -The user terminal's location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time; and

[0124] -The identity, type, and virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device.

[0125] In some embodiments, the location information report includes at least one of the following:

[0126] - The cell identifier to be camped is either NR CGI (New Radio Cell Global Identifier) ​​or E-UTRAN CGI (Long Term Evolution Radio Access Network Cell Global Identifier) ​​information;

[0127] - The TAI (Tracking Area Identity) of the residential area;

[0128] - The identifier of the primary and secondary cell where the cell is camped is NR CGI information. The identifier of the primary and secondary cell where the cell is camped is carried when the location report request indication information of the request message contains additional location information and is set as primary and secondary cell.

[0129] - The identifier of the residing forwarding device is the virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device. The identifier of the residing forwarding device is carried in the location report request indication information, which includes additional location information extension indications, and is set as a forwarding device.

[0130] - Length of stay;

[0131] - The location report request indication information is the same as the location report request indication information in the request message sent by the control plane entity of the core network.

[0132] In some embodiments, location information represents the cell of a base station or a forwarding device. The dwell time and location information in the location information report can be corresponding, for example, including dwell time 1 at location 1, dwell time 2 at location 2, etc.

[0133] The above embodiments solve the problem of location reporting for terminals residing in relay equipment such as intelligent repeaters, achieving more accurate reporting of terminal location information and dwell time. The above solution does not impose additional requirements on terminal positioning functionality. By using base station detection and reporting, the interoperability requirements between terminal devices and the network are reduced, thereby increasing the availability of the solution.

[0134] Regarding step S206, three methods for determining the first residence time or the second residence time are described below as examples.

[0135] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes additional location information indication and is set as a primary and secondary cell. When the user terminal is in a dual-connection state, the location information report includes information about the primary and secondary cells where the user terminal is camped.

[0136] When the location report request indication information does not include a list of areas of interest or additional location information extension indications:

[0137] - In the case of direct reporting of events, the second dwell time is the difference between the current time and the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells;

[0138] - In the case of an event type of serving cell change, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells and the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station.

[0139] Therefore, for terminals in dual-connection state, their dwell time at the base station can also be determined.

[0140] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes an additional location information extension indication and is configured as a forwarding device. In this case, the location information report includes information about the forwarding device accessed by the user terminal. When the event type is a serving cell change, the location information report is sent when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0141] In the above cases, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0142] Therefore, the behavior of terminals entering and leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device can be determined based on the content of the location information report, so as to accurately determine the dwell time at the base station or forwarding device.

[0143] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes a list of areas of interest, which includes the identifier of the forwarding device, and the event type is set to direct reporting or serving cell change. In this case, location information reports are sent when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0144] In the above cases, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0145] Therefore, the behavior of terminals entering and leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device can be determined based on the content of the location information report, so as to accurately determine the dwell time at the base station or forwarding device.

[0146] The following is for reference. Figure 3 and Figure 4 This describes the interaction process between the core network and the base station.

[0147] Figure 3 An embodiment of the core network and base station interaction process according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the interaction process of this embodiment includes steps S302 to S314.

[0148] In step S302, the core network control plane entity determines the forwarding devices within the base station's coverage area based on network management pre-configuration information or user initial access signaling from the forwarding devices. The core network control plane entity is, for example, the AMF (Advanced Management Function).

[0149] In some embodiments, the network management pre-configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0150] -Identification of the forwarding device;

[0151] - The virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device, for example, an integer value.

[0152] In some embodiments, the user initial access signaling includes at least one of the following:

[0153] - Device type, such as an enumeration or a boolean value, where a value of "yes" indicates that the device is a forwarding device;

[0154] - Reason for access, such as an enumerated value;

[0155] - Forwarding device location information, such as NR cell identifier information;

[0156] -Identification of the forwarding device;

[0157] - The virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device, for example, an integer value.

[0158] In step S304, the base station sends the initial access information or handover request message sent by the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network.

[0159] In step S306, the core network control plane entity, upon determining that it needs to track the location information of the user terminal, sends a request message to the base station to request the reporting of the terminal location.

[0160] In step S308, if the reporting conditions are met, the base station sends a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network.

[0161] In some embodiments, steps S310 to S312 are also included.

[0162] In step S310, the core network control plane entity determines whether the user terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device based on the location information report.

[0163] In step S312, the core network control plane entity determines at least one of the user terminal's mobility policy or charging policy based on the determination result and pre-configuration information.

[0164] In some embodiments, step S314 is also included.

[0165] In step S314, the core network's control plane entity sends the user terminal's location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time to the positioning platform. Thus, the positioning platform can use the information sent by the core network's control plane entity for positioning and related services.

[0166] The following is combined Figure 4 and Figure 5 The present invention is described in two exemplary application scenarios.

[0167] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a forwarding device access method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, there is a smart repeater SP within the coverage area of ​​a base station gNB. During the SP's initial access process, the base station determines its corresponding identity and assigns it a virtual cell identifier #1011. Subsequently, the AMF of the core network receives the access signaling and identifies the SP's identity. Figure 4 As shown, the forwarding device access method of this embodiment includes steps S402 to S408.

[0168] In step S402, when the SP accesses the gNB through the dedicated RACH access resource, it indicates the identity identifier #3456 to the gNB through the RRC connection request message.

[0169] In step S404, the gNB determines the device type of the access SP as a forwarding device type based on the RACH resource, and assigns a virtual cell identifier #1011 to the SP.

[0170] In step S406, the gNB sends the user initial access signaling to the AMF, including:

[0171] - Device type: Forwarding device;

[0172] - Reason for access: Signaling access;

[0173] - Location information of the forwarding device: #36 bits, FFFE345F;

[0174] - Forwarding device identification information: #3456;

[0175] - Virtual cell identifier for the forwarding device: #1011.

[0176] In step S408, the AMF determines that the gNB's coverage area contains an SP based on the SP's initial access signaling.

[0177] Therefore, the AMF can confirm that the base station's coverage area includes forwarding equipment, thus enabling signaling interaction in this scenario.

[0178] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of a location reporting method according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the location reporting method in this embodiment includes steps S502 to S522.

[0179] In step S502, after the UE accesses the first cell of the gNB, the gNB records the first time the UE accesses the first cell and the second time the UE leaves the first cell.

[0180] In step S504, after the UE moves to the coverage area of ​​the first forwarding device in the first cell, the gNB records the third time when it accesses the first forwarding device and the fourth time when it leaves the first forwarding device.

[0181] Therefore, gNB can calculate the UE's first dwell time and second dwell time based on the first time, second time, third time and fourth time.

[0182] In step S506, after the gNB physical layer entity detects that the UE has entered the coverage area of ​​the SP, it reports the location information of the UE and the corresponding dwell time to the statistical information entity in the gNB. The location information of the UE includes the first cell and the SP, and the corresponding dwell time includes the first dwell time and the second dwell time.

[0183] In step S508, the AMF receives the initial access information message sent by the UE from the gNB.

[0184] In step S510, the AMF determines the location information of the UE that needs to be tracked based on the triggering event of the positioning platform.

[0185] In step S512, the AMF sends a location reporting request message to the UE through the interface between the base station and the core network, requesting the gNB to report the UE's location information.

[0186] When a forwarding device exists in the base station, the location reporting request message also includes the location reporting request information of the forwarding device, including the following:

[0187] -AMF assigns the identifier #101 to the terminal;

[0188] -gNB is the identifier assigned to the terminal: #110;

[0189] -Location report request instruction information, including the following:

[0190] --Event Type: Service Cell Change;

[0191] --Reporting area: residential community;

[0192] --Additional location information extension indication: forwarding device.

[0193] In step S514, after receiving the location reporting request message, the gNB executes the location information reporting process for the corresponding UE. Since the location reporting request message includes an additional location information extension indication and is set as a forwarding device, the gNB needs to report the forwarding device information to the AMF when it detects that the UE is within the coverage area of ​​the SP. The UE's first dwell time is calculated as the difference between the UE's access time to the first cell and the UE's access time to the forwarding device.

[0194] In step S516, the gNB reports the UE's cell information and dwell time to the AMF via location reporting information, wherein the location information report includes the following information:

[0195] -Residential area identification: NR CGI;

[0196] -TAI residing in the community;

[0197] - Residing forwarding device identifier: #1011;

[0198] - Length of stay;

[0199] -Location report request indication information: Same as the indication information sent by AMF.

[0200] In step S518, the AMF determines whether the UE is camped within the forwarding device range of the gNB cell based on the location reporting information.

[0201] In step S520, the AMF determines the UE's mobility and / or charging policy based on the network management or platform pre-configuration information.

[0202] In step S522, the AMF will send the UE's camping information within the SP coverage area to the positioning platform.

[0203] Therefore, the gNB can accurately determine whether the UE is camped on the forwarding device or in the base station cell, and can accurately report the terminal's location information and camping time to the AMF.

[0204] The following is for reference. Figure 6 An embodiment of the base station of the present invention is described.

[0205] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a base station according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the base station 600 in this embodiment includes: an allocation module 6100 configured to allocate virtual cell identifiers to forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station; a receiving module 6200 configured to receive a request message sent by the control plane entity of the core network, requesting the reporting of location information of one or more user terminals; a determining module 6300 configured to determine, for each user terminal, a first dwell time on the forwarding device and a second dwell time on the cell of the base station; and a sending module 6400 configured to send a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network when the reporting conditions are met, wherein the location information report includes:

[0206] -The user terminal's location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time; and

[0207] -The type, virtual identifier, and identity identifier of the forwarding device.

[0208] In some embodiments, base station 600 is an NR base station or an ng-eNB.

[0209] In some embodiments, the allocation module 6100 is further configured to determine the type of forwarding device within the coverage area of ​​the base station; and to allocate a virtual cell identifier to the forwarding device according to the type of the forwarding device.

[0210] In some embodiments, the forwarding device accesses the base station through dedicated access resources, and the allocation module 6100 is further configured to determine the type of forwarding device based on the access resources of the forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station.

[0211] In some embodiments, the allocation module 6100 is further configured to receive the identity identifier of the forwarding device sent by the forwarding device when it accesses the base station; the base station determines the type of the forwarding device based on the identity identifier.

[0212] In some embodiments, the determining module 6300 is further configured to determine a first dwell time or a second dwell time in response to detecting that a user terminal enters or leaves the cell of a base station or the coverage area of ​​a forwarding device.

[0213] In some embodiments, location information represents the cell of a base station or a forwarding device.

[0214] In some embodiments, the determining module 6300 includes a physical layer entity and a statistical information entity. The physical layer entity of the base station is configured to report the location information, first dwell time, and second dwell time of the user terminal to the statistical information entity of the base station in response to detecting that the user terminal has entered or left the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0215] In some embodiments, the determining module 6300 is further configured to: in response to the user terminal accessing a cell of the base station, or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records a first access time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal leaving a cell of the base station, or a primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records a first departure time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal accessing a forwarding device, the base station records a second access time of the user terminal; in response to the user terminal leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the base station records a second departure time of the user terminal; and determine a first dwell time or a second dwell time based on at least one of the first access time, the first departure time, the second access time, or the second departure time.

[0216] In some embodiments, the sending module 6400 is further configured to send initial access information or handover request messages sent by the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, so that the control plane entity of the core network can send a request message to the base station when it determines that it needs to track the location information of the user terminal.

[0217] In some embodiments, the request message includes at least one of the following:

[0218] -AMF is the identifier assigned to the user terminal;

[0219] - The identifier assigned by the base station to the user terminal;

[0220] - Location report request indication information.

[0221] In some embodiments, the location report request indication information includes at least one of the following:

[0222] - Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area;

[0223] - Reporting area, used to indicate the cell of the base station or the area covered by the forwarding equipment;

[0224] - A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information entries, each of which includes a report identifier and a region of interest;

[0225] - Additional location information, including primary and secondary cells;

[0226] - Additional location information extension indication, including forwarding devices.

[0227] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes additional location information and is set as a primary / secondary cell, and the user terminal is in dual-connectivity state, the location information report includes information about the primary / secondary cell where the user terminal is camped; when the location report request indication information does not include a list of areas of interest or additional location information extension indication:

[0228] - In the case of direct reporting of events, the second dwell time is the difference between the current time and the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells;

[0229] - In the case of an event type of serving cell change, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells and the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station.

[0230] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes an additional location information extension indication and is set as a forwarding device, the location information report includes information about the forwarding device accessed by the user terminal; when the event type is a change in serving cell, the sending module 6400 is further configured to send a location information report when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0231] In some embodiments, when the location report request indication information includes a list of regions of interest, the list of regions of interest includes the identifier of the forwarding device, and the event type is set to direct reporting or serving cell change, the sending module 6400 is further configured to send a location information report when the user terminal enters and leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

[0232] In some embodiments, the location information report includes at least one of the following:

[0233] - The cell identifier where the cell is located is either NR CGI or E-UTRAN CGI information;

[0234] -TAI residing in the community;

[0235] - The identifier of the primary and secondary cell where the cell is camped is NR CGI information. The identifier of the primary and secondary cell where the cell is camped is carried when the location report request indication information of the request message contains additional location information and is set as primary and secondary cell.

[0236] - The identifier of the residing forwarding device is the virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device. The identifier of the residing forwarding device is carried in the location report request indication information, which includes additional location information extension indications, and is set as a forwarding device.

[0237] - Length of stay;

[0238] - The location report request indication information is the same as the location report request indication information in the request message sent by the control plane entity of the core network.

[0239] The following is for reference. Figure 7 An embodiment of the location reporting system of the present invention is described.

[0240] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a location reporting system according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the location reporting system 70 in this embodiment includes a base station 710 and a control plane entity 720 of the core network. The specific implementation of the base station 710 is described in the foregoing embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0241] In some embodiments, the core network control plane entity 720 is further configured to determine the forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station based on network management pre-configuration information or user initial access signaling of the forwarding devices.

[0242] In some embodiments, the network management pre-configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0243] -Identification of the forwarding device;

[0244] - The virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device.

[0245] In some embodiments, the user initial access signaling includes at least one of the following:

[0246] - Device type;

[0247] -Reason for access;

[0248] - Forward the location information of the device;

[0249] -Identification of the forwarding device;

[0250] - The virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device.

[0251] In some embodiments, the core network control plane entity 720 is further configured to determine, based on location information reports, whether a user terminal is residing within the coverage area of ​​a forwarding device; and to determine, based on the determination result and pre-configuration information, at least one of a mobility policy or a charging policy for the user terminal.

[0252] In some embodiments, the control plane entity 720 of the core network is further configured to send the location information of the user terminal, the first dwell time, and the second dwell time to the positioning platform.

[0253] In some embodiments, the location reporting system 70 further includes a forwarding device 730.

[0254] In some embodiments, the repeater 730 is a smart repeater.

[0255] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the electronic device 80 of this embodiment includes a memory 810 and a processor 820 coupled to the memory 810. The processor 820 is configured to execute the location reporting method of any of the foregoing embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory 810.

[0256] The memory 810 may include, for example, system memory, fixed non-volatile storage media, etc. The system memory may store, for example, the operating system, application programs, boot loader, and other programs.

[0257] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the electronic device 90 of this embodiment includes a memory 910 and a processor 920, and may also include an input / output interface 930, a network interface 940, a storage interface 950, etc. These interfaces 930, 940, 950, and the memory 910 and processor 920 can be connected, for example, via a bus 960. The input / output interface 930 provides a connection interface for input / output devices such as a display, mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen. The network interface 940 provides a connection interface for various networked devices. The storage interface 950 provides a connection interface for external storage devices such as SD cards and USB flash drives.

[0258] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that the program, when executed by a processor, implements any of the aforementioned location reporting methods.

[0259] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present invention can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the present invention can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable non-transitory storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0260] This invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or one or more blocks of the block diagrams.

[0261] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0262] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0263] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A location reporting method, comprising: The base station assigns virtual cell identifiers to the forwarding devices within its coverage area; The base station receives a request message from the control plane entity of the core network, requesting the reporting of location information of one or more user terminals; For each user terminal, the base station determines a first dwell time for the user terminal to camp on the forwarding device and a second dwell time for the user terminal to camp on the cell of the base station, including: the base station determining the first dwell time or the second dwell time in response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and When the reporting conditions are met, the base station sends a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, wherein the location information report includes: - The location information of the user terminal, the first dwell time, and the second dwell time; and -The identity and type of the forwarding device and the virtual cell identifier; The request message includes at least one of the following: an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the base station, and location report request indication information; The location report request indication information includes at least one of the following: Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area; The reporting area is used to indicate the cell of the base station or the area covered by the forwarding device; A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information entries, each of which includes a report identifier and a region of interest; Additional location information, including primary and secondary cells; and Additional location information extension indication, including the forwarding device.

2. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein, The base station assigns virtual cell identifiers to forwarding devices within its coverage area, including: The base station determines the type of forwarding device within its coverage area; The base station assigns a virtual cell identifier to the forwarding device according to the type of the forwarding device.

3. The location reporting method according to claim 2, wherein, The forwarding device accesses the base station via dedicated access resources, and the base station determines the types of forwarding devices within its coverage area, including: The base station determines the type of the forwarding device based on the access resources of the forwarding devices within its coverage area.

4. The location reporting method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The base station determines the types of forwarding devices within its coverage area, including: The base station receives the identity identifier of the forwarding device sent by the forwarding device when it accesses the base station; The base station determines the type of the forwarding device based on the identity identifier.

5. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein, The location information represents the cell of the base station or the forwarding device.

6. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein, The base station determines the first dwell time of the user terminal camped on the forwarding device and the second dwell time of the user terminal camped on the cell of the base station by including: In response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the physical layer entity of the base station reports the location information, the first dwell time and the second dwell time of the user terminal to the statistical information entity of the base station.

7. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein, In response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the base station determines the first dwell time or the second dwell time: In response to the user terminal accessing the cell of the base station, or the primary and secondary cells within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records the first access time of the user terminal; In response to the user terminal leaving the cell of the base station, or the primary or secondary cell within the coverage area of ​​the cell, the base station records the first departure time of the user terminal; In response to the user terminal accessing the forwarding device, the base station records the second access time of the user terminal; In response to the user terminal leaving the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device, the base station records a second departure time of the user terminal; The first dwell time or the second dwell time is determined based on at least one of the first access time, the first departure time, the second access time, or the second departure time.

8. The location reporting method according to claim 1 further includes: The base station sends the initial access information or handover request message sent by the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network, so that the control plane entity of the core network can send the request message to the base station when it determines that it needs to track the location information of the user terminal.

9. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein: When the location report request indication information includes the additional location information indication and is set as a primary and secondary cell, and the user terminal is in a dual-connection state, the location information report includes information about the primary and secondary cells where the user terminal is camped; In the case where the location report request indication information does not include the list of areas of interest or the additional location information extension indication: - In the case where the event type is direct reporting, the second dwell time is the difference between the current time and the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells; - In the case where the event type is a change in serving cell, the second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the primary and secondary cells and the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station.

10. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein: When the location report request indication information includes the additional location information extension indication and is set as a forwarding device, the location information report includes information about the forwarding device accessed by the user terminal; In the event type of serving cell change, the location information report is sent when the user terminal enters or leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and, The second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

11. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein: When the location report request indication information includes the list of regions of interest, the list of regions of interest includes the identifier of the forwarding device, and the event type is set to direct reporting or serving cell change, the location information report is sent when the user terminal enters or leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and... The second dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the cell of the base station and the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device, or the first dwell time is the difference between the time when the user terminal accesses the forwarding device and the time when the user terminal leaves the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device.

12. The location reporting method according to claim 1, wherein, The location information report includes at least one of the following: The cell identifier that is camped is either the New Radio Cell Global Identifier (NR CGI) or the Long Term Evolution Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN CGI) information. Tracking area identifier (TAI) for the residential community; The identifier of the primary and secondary cell is NR CGI information. The identifier of the primary and secondary cell is carried when the location report request indication information of the request message includes additional location information and is set as primary and secondary cell. The identifier of the residing forwarding device is the virtual cell identifier of the forwarding device. The identifier of the residing forwarding device includes additional location information extension indication in the location report request indication information and is carried when it is set as a forwarding device. Length of stay; The location report request indication information is the same as the location report request indication information in the request message sent by the control plane entity of the core network.

13. A location reporting method, comprising: The core network control plane entity sends a request message to the base station, the request message requesting the base station to report the location information of one or more user terminals, wherein the base station is configured to assign virtual cell identifiers to forwarding devices within its coverage area, and to determine a first dwell time or a second dwell time in response to detecting that a user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; and The control plane entity of the core network receives the location information report of the user terminal sent by the base station, wherein the location information report is sent under the condition of meeting the reporting requirements, and the location information report includes: - The location information of the user terminal, the first dwell time, and the second dwell time; and -The identity and type of the forwarding device and the virtual cell identifier; The request message includes at least one of the following: an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the base station, and location report request indication information; The location report request indication information includes at least one of the following: Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area; The reporting area is used to indicate the cell of the base station or the area covered by the forwarding device; A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information entries, each of which includes a report identifier and a region of interest; Additional location information, including primary and secondary cells; and Additional location information extension indication, including the forwarding device.

14. The location reporting method according to claim 13, further comprising: The core network control plane entity determines the forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station based on the network management pre-configuration information or the user initial access signaling of the forwarding devices.

15. The location reporting method according to claim 14, wherein, The network management pre-configuration information includes at least one of the following: The identifier of the forwarding device; Virtual cell identifier for forwarding devices.

16. The location reporting method according to claim 14, wherein, The initial user access signaling includes at least one of the following: Equipment type; Reason for access; Forwarding device location information; The identifier of the forwarding device; Virtual cell identifier for forwarding devices.

17. The location reporting method according to claim 13, further comprising: The core network control plane entity determines whether the user terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device based on the location information report. The core network control plane entity determines at least one of the user terminal's mobility policy or charging policy based on the determination result and pre-configuration information.

18. The location reporting method according to claim 13, further comprising: The control plane entity of the core network sends the location information of the user terminal, the first dwell time, and the second dwell time to the positioning platform.

19. A base station, comprising: The allocation module is configured to allocate virtual cell identifiers to forwarding devices within the coverage area of ​​the base station; The receiving module is configured to receive request messages sent by the control plane entity of the core network, requesting the reporting of location information of one or more user terminals; The determination module is configured to determine, for each user terminal, a first dwell time of the user terminal camping on the forwarding device and a second dwell time of the user terminal camping on the cell of the base station, including: the base station determining the first dwell time or the second dwell time in response to detecting that the user terminal enters or leaves the cell of the base station or the coverage area of ​​the forwarding device; The sending module is configured to send a location information report of the user terminal to the control plane entity of the core network when the reporting conditions are met, wherein the location information report includes: - The location information of the user terminal, the first dwell time, and the second dwell time; and -The type of the forwarding device, the virtual cell identifier, and the identity identifier; The request message includes at least one of the following: an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), an identifier assigned to the user terminal by the base station, and location report request indication information; The location report request indication information includes at least one of the following: Event type, used to indicate direct reporting, change of serving cell, user terminal appearing in area of ​​interest, stop reporting, stop reporting of change of serving cell, or stop user terminal appearing in target area; The reporting area is used to indicate the cell of the base station or the area covered by the forwarding device; A list of regions of interest, including one or more configuration information entries, each of which includes a report identifier and a region of interest; Additional location information, including primary and secondary cells; and Additional location information extension indication, including the forwarding device.

20. The base station according to claim 19, wherein, The base station is a New Radio (NR) base station or a Next Generation Evolution (ng-eNB) base station.

21. A location reporting system, comprising: The base station as described in claim 19 or 20; as well as The control plane entity of the core network.

22. The location reporting system according to claim 21, further comprising: Forwarding device.

23. The location reporting system according to claim 22, wherein, The repeater is a smart repeater.

24. An electronic device, comprising: Memory; as well as A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the location reporting method as described in any one of claims 1 to 18 based on instructions stored in the memory.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the location reporting method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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