5G sidelink positioning bandwidth selection node and method

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for a node for positioning in communications. The method includes determining at least one of: a current environment type associated with the node, a current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels for one or more channels of the node; selecting at least one of a bandwidth or a positioning scheme based on at least one of: a current environment type associated with the node, a current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels for one or more channels of the node; and transmitting the one or more signals using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

Description

Cross-referencing of related patent applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 457,211, entitled “5G SIDELINK POSITIONING BANDWIDTHSELECTION”, filed April 5, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The apparatuses and methods conforming to this disclosure generally relate to communications, and more specifically, to methods, systems, and devices for nodes used in communications (e.g., for positioning in lateral link communications). Background Technology

[0003] Mobile nodes in communications (such as vehicles in Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications) need timely and accurate location information for various purposes, such as autonomous driving or requesting emergency services. A mobile node can, for example, request location information from a network node (e.g., a base station) via a Uu interface and obtain the required location information from the network node. However, if the mobile node is located in an area outside coverage, such as in a parking lot or a remote location where the connection to the network node is intermittent, unreliable, or infeasible, the mobile node may not be able to obtain location information from the network node. In this case, the mobile node can obtain location information by exchanging information with another node via sidelink (SL) communication.

[0004] Depending on the scenario, sidelink positioning may require different bandwidths for transmitting sidelink positioning reference signals. For example, in V2X scenarios, bandwidth requirements may vary between 20 MHz and 100 MHz depending on the environment and the required positioning accuracy (e.g., highways, cities). Typically, sidelink positioning in highway environments requires less bandwidth than in urban environments. Therefore, it can be difficult to perform bandwidth selection and determine the appropriate bandwidth for transmitting sidelink positioning reference signals in real-world sidelink deployments while meeting different accuracy requirements. Furthermore, different positioning schemes may exist, such as Uu-only, SL-only, or combined SL / Uu positioning schemes. For mobile nodes, it can be difficult to determine the appropriate positioning scheme for a given bandwidth used for transmitting positioning reference signals. Systems and methods for efficiently and accurately selecting bandwidth and / or positioning schemes for sidelink positioning are desired. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a node for communication is provided. The node includes: a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: determine at least one of: a current environment type associated with the node, a current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels for one or more channels of the node; select at least one of a bandwidth or a positioning scheme based on at least one of: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the one or more current congestion levels for one or more channels of the node; and transmit one or more signals using the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a second node for communication is provided. The second node includes: a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: receive from a first node in the communication a request for a current environment type associated with the first node; obtain, based on the request, the current environment type associated with the first node; and, based on the request, transmit the obtained current environment associated with the first node to the first node.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a method relating to a node in communication is provided. The method includes: determining at least one of: a current environment type associated with the node, a current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; selecting at least one of a bandwidth or a positioning scheme based on at least one of: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; and transmitting one or more signals using the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a method relating to a second node in communication is provided. The method includes: receiving from a first node in the communication a request for a current environment type associated with the first node; obtaining the current environment type associated with the first node based on the request; and transmitting the obtained current environment type associated with the first node to the first node based on the request.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided that stores instructions executable by one or more processors of a node for communication to perform a method. The method includes: determining at least one of: a current environment type associated with the node, a current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; selecting at least one of: a bandwidth or a positioning scheme based on at least one of: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; and transmitting one or more signals using the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided that stores instructions executable by one or more processors of a second node for communication to perform a method. The method includes: receiving from a first node in the communication a request for a current environment type associated with the first node; obtaining, based on the request, the current environment type associated with the first node; and, based on the request, transmitting to the first node the obtained current environment type associated with the first node. Attached Figure Description

[0011] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating positioning in a communication system conforming to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary data structures for selecting bandwidth and / or positioning schemes, conforming to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0013] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method involving nodes in communication that conforms to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0014] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method involving a second node in communication that conforms to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0015] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of a device 500 conforming to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which, unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals in different figures denote the same or similar elements. The implementations set forth in the following description of the exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations conforming to this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of systems, apparatuses, and methods that conform to the aspects of this disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating positioning in a communication system conforming to some embodiments of this disclosure. The term "node" is used as a general term in this disclosure and can refer to user equipment, relay node, roadside unit, vehicle, on-board module, or network infrastructure equipment (e.g., base station, relay equipment, wireless router, controller, access point). References Figure 1 In a communication system, node 102 (e.g., a vehicle) may need to obtain or provide accurate location information for various purposes. For example, node 102 could be a vehicle or in-vehicle navigation device that relies on accurate location information for autonomous driving or self-optimization of network deployment. As another example, node 102 could be a handheld user device or vehicle that needs to provide location information in a timely manner to request emergency services.

[0018] In some embodiments, node 102 may transmit a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) to network node (or entity) 104 to request location services. Network node 104 may be a network infrastructure node, such as a base station communicating with node 102. The Positioning Reference Signal transmitted to network node 104 may include metadata such as transmission time, one or more radio signal measurements performed by node 102, and / or coarse location information of node 102. The coarse location information of node 102 may be determined, for example, by positioning based on a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

[0019] Upon receiving a positioning reference signal, in some embodiments, network node 104 may calculate the coordinates of node 102 based on the received positioning reference signal and transmit positioning information to node 102. The positioning information may include the calculated coordinates of node 102. In some embodiments, instead of calculating the coordinates of node 102, network node 104 may provide auxiliary information to node 102, enabling node 102 to perform calculations and determine its own coordinates. For example, in one embodiment, the auxiliary information may be based on Assisted GNSS (A-GNSS) information. In this embodiment, network node 104 may have one or more GNSS receivers that continuously receive signals from GNSS satellites. Network node 104 may also have a powerful processor or server to process the received signals. Network node 104 may transmit the processed signal data to node 102, allowing node 102 to use the data to calculate its own coordinates or perform error correction to improve positioning accuracy. The radio interface used for communication between node 102 and network node 104 may be a Uu interface as described in the 3GPP specification. In one embodiment, network node 104 can be any existing base station, such as a base station for Long Term Evolution (LTE) or New Radio (NR), or for future generation (6G, 7G, or any other future generation) Radio Access Technology (RAT).

[0020] In some embodiments, node 102 may be located in an area outside coverage, such as in a parking lot or a remote location where connection to network node 104 is intermittent, unreliable, or infeasible. In such out-of-coverage scenarios, node 102 can obtain location information by exchanging signals with another node 106 via lateral link communication. The other node 106 may be the same as or different from node 102. For example, in some embodiments, node 102 and the other node 106 may be two vehicles in V2X communication. In some embodiments, node 102 may be a vehicle, and the other node 106 may be a handheld user equipment (UE). In some embodiments, the other node 106 may represent multiple lateral link nodes, and node 102 communicates with these multiple nodes using lateral link signals. In one positioning scheme, node 102 may perform positioning solely based on lateral link communication with the other node 106, without communicating with network node 104. In another positioning scheme, node 102 may perform positioning solely based on communication with network node 104 (e.g., via a Uu interface), as described above. In another positioning scheme, node 102 can perform positioning based on both lateral link communication with another node 106 and communication with network node 104. An example of such a positioning scheme is referred to herein as the joint SL / Uu scheme. The joint SL / Uu scheme allows node 102 to receive and utilize positioning reference signals from both network node 104 and the other node 106.

[0021] Depending on the use case and scenario, sidelink positioning may require different bandwidths for transmitting sidelink positioning reference signals. For example, in a V2X scenario, there are choices between various environment types where bandwidth requirements may vary between 20 MHz and 100 MHz depending on the environment and the required positioning accuracy. Environment types can include highway environments and urban environments. Typically, sidelink positioning in a highway environment requires less bandwidth than in an urban environment. Therefore, for node 102, it may be difficult to perform bandwidth selection and determine the required bandwidth for sidelink positioning reference signal transmission in a real sidelink deployment while meeting different accuracy requirements. Furthermore, as mentioned above, different positioning schemes may exist (e.g., Uu only, SL only, combined SL / Uu), and for node 102, it may be difficult to determine the appropriate positioning scheme for a given bandwidth and / or accuracy requirement. At least some embodiments of this disclosure address the above-mentioned challenges in selecting bandwidth and / or positioning schemes. However, this disclosure is not limited to sidelink positioning or selecting bandwidth and / or positioning schemes.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary data structures for selecting bandwidth and / or positioning schemes, conforming to some embodiments of this disclosure. Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments, data structure 200 may be a tabular data structure with multiple columns and rows. Each column may represent a positioning-related parameter. Positioning-related parameters may include, but are not limited to, environment type, bandwidth, positioning scheme, positioning accuracy requirements, channel congestion level, and sidelink resource pool type. For simplicity, data structure 200 only shows some of these parameters. Each row may represent content (e.g., value or type) corresponding to a parameter at different instances. For example, for the environment type parameter, data structure 200 includes content for a highway environment at the first instance (second row) and the second instance (third row), and includes content for an urban environment at the third instance (fourth row). For the PRS bandwidth parameter, data structure 200 includes content for 20 MHz at the first instance, 40 MHz at the second instance, and 100 MHz at the third instance. For the accuracy requirement parameter, data structure 200 includes content for the 1.5 m level at the first instance, the 1.0 m level at the second instance, and the 0.5 m level at the third instance.

[0023] For simplicity, data structure 200 is illustrated as having two different environment types: a highway environment and an urban environment. However, the environment type is not limited to these. In some embodiments, data structure 200 may include a variety of different environment types, such as a highway environment, an urban environment, an underground environment, traffic density level, altitude level, and radio signal interference level. Similarly, for simplicity, data structure 200 is illustrated as having horizontal accuracy (positioning accuracy in a generally horizontal direction). However, the type of accuracy requirement is not limited to this. In some embodiments, data structure 200 may include several different types of accuracy, such as horizontal accuracy, vertical accuracy (positioning accuracy in a generally vertical direction), or radial accuracy (positioning accuracy at an angle relative to the horizontal or vertical direction). In some embodiments, for a given parameter, data structure 200 may include multiple contents that satisfy the same accuracy requirement. For example, for the parameter of PRS bandwidth, data structure 200 includes 20 MHz and 40 MHz that satisfy 1.5 m horizontal accuracy.

[0024] Data structure 200 can be included in nodes (such as...) Figure 1In node 102). For example, in one embodiment, data structure 200 may be pre-stored in the memory of node 102. In one embodiment, data structure 200 may be pre-configured at node 102. For example, data structure 200 may be pre-configured in a Subscriber Identity Unit (SIM), Universal Subscriber Identity Unit (USIM), or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of node 102. In one embodiment, data structure 200 may be provided by a network node (such as...) Figure 1 The network node 104) can be configured. For example, the data structure 200 can be configured by the network node via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling or Medium Access Control (MAC) control element (CE).

[0025] Figure 2 The data structure 200 shown is exemplified as a tabular data structure. However, data structure 200 is not limited to this. Data structure 200 can be any collection of data values ​​(or types) and the mappings between them. For example, data structure 200 can be a graph, a tree (binary tree or balanced tree), an array, a linked list, a heap, a stack, a set, a hash table, a labeled union, or an entity-relationship model, etc.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method involving nodes in communication that conforms to some embodiments of this disclosure. See also Figure 3 Method 300 includes: step 302, determining at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node. The node can be any node in a communication system, such as a user equipment, a network infrastructure node such as a base station, a location management function, a relay node, a roadside unit, a vehicle, or an onboard module. For example, in one embodiment, the node is... Figure 1Node 102. The current environment type associated with the node can be represented as a highway environment, urban environment, underground environment, traffic density level in the environment surrounding the node, altitude level associated with the node, or radio signal interference level associated with the node. The current positioning scheme utilized by the node can be positioning based on sidelink communication (SL scheme only), positioning based on communication with network nodes (Uu scheme only), or positioning based on both sidelink communication and communication with network nodes (joint SL / Uu scheme). One or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node can be measured as at least one of the following: Channel BusyRatio (CBR) or Channel Occupancy Ratio (CR) in the sidelink resource pool associated with the node. One or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node can be represented as at least one of the following: one or more congestion values, one or more congestion ranges, or one or more congestion thresholds.

[0027] Method 300 includes: step 304, selecting at least one of the following based on at least one of: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node. In some embodiments, the selection of at least one of the bandwidth or positioning scheme is based on a mapping of one or more environment types to at least one of: one or more bandwidths, one or more positioning schemes, one or more accuracy requirements, or one or more channel congestion levels. For example, mapping one or more environment types may be based on mapping information. The mapping information may include, but is not limited to, data structures such as Figure 2 Data structure 200. Other examples of mapping information may include lookup tables, hard-coded program flows, etc. In one embodiment, the mapping information may be pre-configured at the node. In one embodiment, the data structure may be pre-configured at the node. For example, the data structure may be pre-configured in the node's Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). In one embodiment, the data structure may be configured by the network node. For example, the data structure may be configured by the network node via RRC signaling or Media Access Control (MAC) control element (CE). In one embodiment, the data structure may be pre-stored in the node's memory.

[0028] In some embodiments, a node may select at least one of the following based on a data structure and at least one of: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node. Using data structure 200 as an example, in one embodiment, the node may determine that the current environment type is a highway environment. If the required positioning accuracy in the generally horizontal direction is equal to or greater than 1.0 m, the node may select Instance 2 and use a bandwidth of 40 MHz for positioning reference signal transmission. In another embodiment, the node may determine that the current environment type is an urban environment. If the required positioning accuracy in the generally horizontal direction is equal to or greater than 0.5 m, the node may select Instance 3 and use a combined SL / Uu positioning scheme for positioning reference signal transmission.

[0029] In some embodiments, to determine the current environment type associated with a node, the node may first determine at least one of the following: node mobility information, node location information, or one or more radio measurement performed by the node. Node mobility information may include at least one of the following: node speed, node heading, node altitude, node acceleration, node wheel yaw angle, node path history, or node path prediction. Location information may be coarse location information of the node. Coarse location information may include information about the geographic region in which the node is located. The node may obtain geographic region information based on at least one of the following: GNSS positioning, or cell information obtained from the network. The node may also determine the current environment type associated with the node based on at least one of the following: node mobility information, node coarse location information, or one or more radio measurement performed by the node. Based on the determined current environment type associated with the node, the node may also, for example, use a data structure to select at least one of bandwidth allocation or positioning schemes.

[0030] In some embodiments, a node may obtain mobility information from one or more RRC mobility parameters based on monitoring at least one of the following: one or more cell selection rates, or one or more cell reselection rates. For example, monitoring one or more cell reselection rates may include monitoring one or more transmission powers of a cell. In some embodiments, a node may obtain mobility information based on changes in Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measured against one or more reference signals received from a cell. For example, a node may compare the measured change in RSRP to a threshold to determine the change, and obtain mobility information based on the result of the comparison. The threshold may be determined by a network node (e.g., Figure 1The network node 104) is configured or pre-configured at the node. In some embodiments, the node can obtain mobility information based on the number of beam changes within a given time period.

[0031] In some embodiments, a node may obtain mobility information based on information received from one or more sensors included in the node. In one embodiment, the one or more sensors included in the node may be speed sensors. In this embodiment, the node may use the speed sensors to determine the node's speed and compare the node's speed to a threshold speed. The threshold speed may be provided via at least one of the following: radio protocol configuration parameters, pre-configuration in the node's SIM, pre-configuration in the node's UICC, or hard-coded in the node's software. If the node's speed is greater than or equal to the threshold speed, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment type. On the other hand, if the node's speed is less than the threshold speed, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is an urban environment type.

[0032] In some embodiments, a node may obtain mobility information based on its velocity. For example, a node may estimate its velocity based on one or more changes in its location and one or more durations associated with those changes, and obtain mobility information based on the estimated velocity.

[0033] In some embodiments, after obtaining mobility information, a node can also adjust the mobility information. For example, a node can determine its relative position to the center of the current serving cell and adjust the mobility information based on the determined relative position. In another example, a node can determine the relationship between one or more of its speeds and one or more cell sizes to estimate the actual physical cell density and adjust the mobility information based on the estimated actual physical cell density.

[0034] After determining a node's mobility information, the node can also transmit the mobility information to another node in the communication system. In some embodiments, the node can transmit the mobility information via one or more discovery messages transmitted between the node and another node during the sidelink discovery phase. In some embodiments, the node can transmit the mobility information via LTE positioning protocol signaling. For example, the node can transmit the mobility information via the LPP by encapsulating the mobility information within the LTE positioning protocol (LPP) using a Sidelink Positioning Procedures (SLPP) payload, or by including the mobility information in an extension portion of the LPP.

[0035] In some embodiments, a node may determine the current environment type associated with the node based on the determination of the number of Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) indications. In response to determining that the number of NLOS indications determined based on one or more radio signal measurements is less than a threshold number, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment type. On the other hand, in response to determining that the number of NLOS indications determined based on one or more radio signal measurements is equal to or greater than a threshold number, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is an urban environment type. In some embodiments, the node may estimate the rate of arrival of NLOS indications or the interval between arrivals of NLOS indications and compare the estimated rate of arrival of NLOS indications to a first threshold, or compare the estimated interval between arrivals of NLOS indications to a second threshold. If the estimated rate of arrival of NLOS indications exceeds the first threshold, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is an urban environment type. If the estimated rate of arrival of NLOS indications is equal to or less than the first threshold, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment type. If the estimated interval of arrival (LOA) is less than the second threshold, the node can determine that the current environment type associated with the node is an urban environment. If the estimated LOA indicated by the NLOS is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the node can determine that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment. The first and second thresholds can be provided via at least one of the following: radio protocol configuration parameters, pre-configuration in the node's SIM, pre-configuration in the node's UICC, or hard-coded in the node's software.

[0036] In some embodiments, a node can determine the current environment type associated with the node based on a database or map that includes information about one or more environment types. The database or map can be stored within the node or external to the node. For example, in one embodiment, by performing a query in the database or map using the node's coordinates, the node can obtain the current environment type associated with the node from the database or map using the node's coordinates.

[0037] In some embodiments, a node may determine the current environment type associated with the node based on at least one of the following: the number of reference signals originating from network nodes and detected by the node, or the distribution of the received power of the reference signals in the time domain. In one embodiment, the reference signal is a location reference signal, and the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is an urban environment type in response to at least one of the following: determining that the number of reference signals is greater than or equal to a first threshold number, or determining that the number of reference signals with received power greater than a threshold power is greater than or equal to a second threshold number. The node may also determine that the environment type of the current environment associated with the node is a highway environment type in response to at least one of the following: determining that the number of reference signals is less than a first threshold number, or determining that the number of reference signals with received power greater than a threshold power is less than a second threshold number. In one embodiment, the reference signal is an L3 reference signal, and the node may determine the current environment type associated with the node based on at least one of the following: the number of L3 reference signals with a given cell identification (ID), and the power distribution of the L3 reference signals over time. For example, the node may determine that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment type in response to determining that the fluctuation level of the L3 reference signal is equal to or less than a threshold. The node can also determine whether the fluctuation level of the L3 reference signals is greater than a threshold, and whether the current environment type associated with the node is the urban environment type.

[0038] In some embodiments, a node can determine the current environment type associated with it based on another node. For example, in some embodiments, the node is a first node in communication, and the node can transmit its location information and a request for the current environment type associated with it to a second node in communication. In response to the request, the first node can receive the current environment type associated with it from the second node. The current environment type associated with the first node can be obtained by the second node from a database or map using the first node's location information. In one embodiment, the second node can be a network node, such as... Figure 1 The network node 104, and the current environment associated with the first node can be received as a response message via downlink signaling. In another embodiment, the second node (e.g., Figure 1 The other node (106) can be a mobile node, and the current environment type associated with the first node can be received as a response message via a sidelink signal. In some embodiments, the current environment type associated with the first node is configured or obtained by the second node. The second node can transmit the current environment type associated with the first node to the first node via unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

[0039] In some embodiments, a node may include one or more machine learning models, and the node may determine the current environment type associated with the node based on one or more machine learning models. In one embodiment, the node is a first node in communication, and the node may receive at least one of the following from a second node: training data for one or more machine learning models, or one or more trained machine learning models. The node may also transmit information about one or more trained machine learning models to the second node.

[0040] In some embodiments, a node can select a bandwidth and / or positioning scheme from a data structure by mapping the determined current environment type associated with the node to an environment type included in one or more environment types in the data structure with a given accuracy requirement, and select a bandwidth and / or positioning scheme corresponding to an environment type included in one or more environment types in the data structure with a given accuracy requirement.

[0041] In some embodiments, a node may select a bandwidth and / or positioning scheme based on a data structure and one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node. The node may associate the selected bandwidth and / or positioning scheme with one or more IDs of one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node, or one or more types of one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node. One or more types of one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node may include at least one dedicated resource pool dedicated to sidelink positioning, or at least one shared resource pool shared between sidelink communication and sidelink positioning.

[0042] In some embodiments, one or more positioning schemes included in the mapping information or included in the data structure include positioning based on sidelink communication. Positioning based on sidelink communication can be performed using at least one of the following: a method based on Round Trip Time (RTT), a method based on Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), or a method based on Angle of Arrival (AoA). In some embodiments, the node can iteratively determine step 302 and select step 304 to meet certain accuracy requirements.

[0043] Method 300 includes step 306, transmitting one or more signals using at least one of a selected bandwidth or a selected positioning scheme. For example, a node may use a selected bandwidth and / or a selected positioning scheme to transmit one or more positioning reference signals. In this way, the node can use a data structure for transmitting positioning reference signals to select the desired bandwidth and / or positioning scheme while meeting specific accuracy requirements, thereby improving positioning efficiency and accuracy.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method involving a second node in communication, conforming to some embodiments of this disclosure. The second node may be a node that communicates with a first node using a sidelink signal and assists in the positioning of the first node, such as... Figure 1 Network node 104 or another node 106. See also Figure 4 Method 400 includes: step 402, receiving from a first node in the communication a request for the current environment type associated with the first node. In one embodiment, the second node is a network node (such as...) Figure 1 The second node is a network node 104, and receives a request from a first node (such as node 102) for the current environment type associated with node 102. In another embodiment, the second node is a node in the side link communication (such as... Figure 1 Another node 106), and from the first node (such as Figure 1 Node 102 receives a request for the current environment type associated with Node 102.

[0045] Method 400 includes: step 404, obtaining the current environment type associated with the first node based on a request. For example, in some embodiments, the request for the current environment type associated with the first node may include the location information of the first node, and the second node may use the location information of the first node to obtain the current environment type associated with the first node from a database or map. The database or map may be stored in or outside the second node. In some embodiments, the request for the current environment type associated with the first node may include the mobility information of the first node, and the second node may use the mobility information of the first node to determine the current environment type associated with the first node. In some embodiments, the second node is a network node and is configured for the current environment type associated with the first node.

[0046] Method 400 includes: step 406, based on a request, transmitting to the first node the obtained current environment associated with the first node. For example, a second node (such as...) Figure 1The network node 104 or another node 106 can transmit the obtained current environment associated with the first node to the first node. In some embodiments, the second node is a network node and is configured with bandwidth and / or positioning schemes for the first node.

[0047] The methods described in this disclosure can be applied to any uplink / downlink and sidelink communication, such as LTE or NR or future generation (6G, 7G or any future generation) communication. The methods described in this disclosure can also be applied to other systems, such as systems conforming to other standards (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards).

[0048] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of a device 500 conforming to some embodiments of this disclosure. For example, device 500 may be a node, such as... Figure 1 Node 102 in the network (e.g., a node that needs to obtain location information). In another example, device 500 may be a network node that communicates with node 102 via a Uu interface and assists node 102 in its location, such as... Figure 1 Network node 104. In another example, device 500 may be a node that communicates with node 102 using sidelink signals and assists in the positioning of node 102, such as... Figure 1 Another node 106. Device 500 may take any form, including but not limited to, a vehicle, a component installed in a vehicle, a roadside unit, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server computer, a wireless terminal including a mobile phone, a wireless handheld device, or a wireless personal device, or any other form.

[0049] See Figure 5 The device 500 may include an antenna 502, which can be used to transmit electromagnetic signals to or receive electromagnetic signals from a network node or mobile node. The antenna 502 may include one or more antenna elements and may enable different input / output antenna configurations, such as Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Multiple Input Single Output (MISO), and Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO). In some embodiments, the antenna 502 may include multiple (e.g., dozens or hundreds) antenna elements and may enable multi-antenna functions such as beamforming. In some embodiments, the antenna 502 is a single antenna.

[0050] Device 500 may include a transceiver 504 coupled to antenna 502. Transceiver 504 may be a wireless transceiver at device 500 and may communicate bidirectionally with network nodes or mobile nodes. For example, transceiver 504 may receive / transmit wireless signals from / to a base station via downlink / uplink communication. Transceiver 504 may also receive / transmit wireless signals from / to a UE or roadside unit via sidelink communication. Transceiver 504 may include a modem for modulating data packets and providing the modulated data packets to antenna 502 for transmission, and for demodulating data packets received from antenna 502.

[0051] Device 500 may include memory 506. Memory 506 may be any type of computer-readable storage medium, including volatile or non-volatile memory devices, or combinations thereof. Computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, non-transitory computer storage media. Non-transitory storage media can be accessed by general-purpose or special-purpose computers. Examples of non-transitory storage media include, but are not limited to, portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), flash memory, compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, etc. Non-transitory media can be used to carry or store desired program code means (e.g., instructions and / or data structures) and can be accessed by general-purpose or special-purpose computers, or general-purpose or special-purpose processors. In some examples, software / program code may be transmitted from a remote source (e.g., a website, server, etc.) using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave. In such examples, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are within the scope of the defined medium. Combinations of the above examples are also within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0052] Memory 506 may store information related to the identification of device 500 and signals and / or data received by antenna 502. Memory 506 may also store post-processed signals and / or data. Memory 506 may also store computer-readable program instructions, mathematical models, and algorithms used in signal processing in transceiver 504 and calculations included in processor 508, which is part of device 500. Memory 506 may also store computer-readable program instructions for execution by processor 508 to operate device 500 to perform the various functions described in this disclosure. For example, memory 506 may store information for execution by processor 508 to operate device 500 to perform... Figure 3 Method 300 and / or Figure 4 The instructions of method 400. In some examples, memory 506 may include a Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) that controls basic hardware or software operations, such as interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0053] The computer-readable program instructions disclosed herein may be assembly instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​(including object-oriented programming languages ​​and traditional procedural programming languages). The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on a computing device as a standalone software package, or may execute partly on a first computing device and partly on a second computing device located remotely from the first computing device. In the latter scenario, the remote second computing device may be connected to the first computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

[0054] Processor 508 may include hardware devices with processing capabilities. Processor 508 may include at least one of a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or other programmable logic devices. Examples of general-purpose processors include, but are not limited to, microprocessors, any conventional processor, controllers, microcontrollers, or state machines. In some embodiments, processor 508 may be implemented using a combination of devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration). Processor 508 may receive downlink or sidelink signals from transceiver 504 and further process the signals. Processor 508 may also receive data packets from transceiver 504 and further process these data packets. In some embodiments, processor 508 may be configured to use a memory controller to operate memory. In some embodiments, the memory controller may be integrated into processor 508. Processor 508 can be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory (e.g., memory 506) to cause device 500 to perform various functions.

[0055] Device 500 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) 510. GPS 510 can be used to enable location-based services or other services based on the geographic location of device 500, and / or synchronization between nodes. GPS 510 can receive GNSS signals from a single or multiple satellites via antenna 502 and provide the geographic location of device 500 (e.g., the coordinates of device 500). In some embodiments, GPS 510 is omitted. In some embodiments, a timer is included.

[0056] Device 500 may include an input / output (I / O) device 512, which can be used to transmit the results of signal processing and calculation to a user or other device. I / O device 512 may include a user interface, including a display and input devices, for transmitting user commands to processor 508. The display may be configured to display the status of signal reception at device 500, data stored in memory 506, the status of signal processing, and the results of calculations, etc. The display may include, but is not limited to, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED), a plasma gas display, a touch screen, or other image projection devices for displaying information to the user. Input devices may be any type of computer hardware device for receiving data and control signals from the user. Input devices may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, mouse, scanner, digital camera, joystick, trackball, cursor arrow keys, touch screen monitor, or audio / video command device, etc.

[0057] Device 500 may also include machine interface 514, such as an electrical bus connecting transceiver 504, memory 506, processor 508, GPS 510 and I / O device 512.

[0058] In some embodiments, device 500 may be a node for communication (e.g., a node that needs to obtain location information). Processor 508 may be configured or programmed to execute instructions stored in memory 506 to: determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current location scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; select at least one of the following based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current location scheme utilized by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; and transmit one or more signals using the selected bandwidth or at least one of the selected location scheme.

[0059] In some embodiments, device 500 may be a second node in communication that assists the first node in positioning. Processor 508 may be configured or programmed to execute instructions stored in memory 506 to: receive from the first node a request for the current environment type associated with the first node; obtain the current environment type associated with the first node based on the request; and transmit the obtained current environment associated with the first node to the first node based on the request. In some embodiments, available or current bandwidth allocation or positioning schemes may be used as inputs in decision processing. Either of these may be used, possibly in combination with the environment type, to select another different entity in the bandwidth or positioning scheme.

[0060] As used in this disclosure, the use of the term "or" in a list of items indicates a comprehensive list. A list of items may be prefixed with phrases such as "at least one" or "one or more." For example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C includes A or B or C or AB (i.e., A and B) or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, as used in this disclosure, a list of conditions prefixed with the phrase "based on" should not be interpreted as "based only on" the set of conditions, but rather as "at least partially based on" the set of conditions. For example, a result described as "based on condition A" may be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0061] In this specification, the terms "comprising," "containing," or "including" are used interchangeably and have the same meaning, and are interpreted as inclusive and open-ended. The terms "comprising," "containing," or "including" may precede a list of elements and indicate that at least all listed elements are present, but other elements not listed may also be present. For example, if A includes B and C, then {B, C} and {B, C, D} are both within the scope of A.

[0062] With reference to the accompanying drawings, this disclosure describes example configurations that do not represent all possible examples or all configurations within the scope of this disclosure. The term "exemplary" should not be construed as "preferred" or "advantageous compared to other examples," but rather as "illustration, instance, or example." By reading this disclosure, including the description of embodiments and accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that alternative embodiments can be used to implement the techniques disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described herein or certain features of the embodiments can be combined to obtain other embodiments for practicing the techniques described in this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0063] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate examples of the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and apparatuses according to various embodiments. It should be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the boxes may occur outside the order in which they are marked in the figures. For example, depending on the functions involved, two boxes shown consecutively may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or these boxes may sometimes be executed in reverse order. Similarly, in methods conforming to various embodiments, such methods may include additional steps, and certain steps may be omitted or combined.

[0064] It should be understood that the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Elements, components, materials, or steps described in conjunction with an exemplary embodiment may be combined with or eliminated from other embodiments in a suitable manner to achieve a desired design purpose.

[0065] References to “some embodiments” or “some exemplary embodiments” herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. The phrases “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” or “another embodiment” appearing throughout this disclosure do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are they necessarily separate or alternative embodiments that must be mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0066] Furthermore, the articles “a” and “an” used in this disclosure and the appended claims should generally be understood to mean “one or more”, unless otherwise specified or explicitly pointed to in the singular form by the context.

[0067] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as approximate, just as the words "approximately" or "roughly" precede the value of a numerical value or range.

[0068] Although the elements in the following method claims (if any) are recited in a particular order, these elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular order unless the claims otherwise imply a particular order for implementing some or all of these elements.

[0069] It should be understood that certain features of this disclosure described in the context of various separate embodiments for clarity may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of this specification described in the context of a single embodiment for brevity may also be provided separately, or in any suitable sub-combination, or appropriately in any other described embodiment of this specification. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not essential features of those embodiments unless otherwise stated.

[0070] It will be further understood that those skilled in the art can make various modifications, substitutions, and alterations to the details, materials, and arrangements of the components described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of the described embodiments, without departing from the scope. Accordingly, the appended claims cover all such substitutions, modifications, and alterations falling on the aspects of the claims.

[0071] Clause 1: Nodes used for communication, said nodes comprising: Memory, which stores instructions; and A processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme used by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; At least one of the following is selected based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the current congestion level of one or more channels used by the node; and One or more signals are transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0072] Clause 2: The node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Based on the mapping information, perform mapping of one or more environment types to at least one of the following: one or more bandwidths, one or more positioning schemes, one or more accuracy requirements, or one or more channel congestion levels; and The bandwidth or the location scheme is selected based on the mapping and at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current location scheme utilized by the node, or the one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node.

[0073] Clause 3: The node as described in Clause 2, wherein performing the mapping includes: obtaining a data structure that maps the one or more environment types to at least one of the following: the one or more bandwidths, the one or more positioning schemes, the one or more accuracy requirements, or the one or more channel congestion levels.

[0074] Clause 4: The node as described in Clause 1, wherein the node is a user equipment, a network infrastructure node, a location management function, a relay node, a roadside unit, a vehicle, or an on-board module.

[0075] Clause 5: A node as described in Clause 2, wherein the mapping information is pre-stored at the node, pre-configured at the node, or configured by the network node.

[0076] Clause 6: The node as described in Clause 2, wherein the mapping information is pre-configured in the node’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

[0077] Clause 7: A node as described in Clause 2, wherein the mapping information is configured by the network node via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling or Media Access Control (MAC) control element (CE).

[0078] Clause 8: According to the node described in Clause 2, wherein the one or more environmental types include at least one of the following: highway environment, urban environment, underground environment, traffic density level, altitude level, or radio signal interference level.

[0079] Clause 9: A node according to Clause 2, wherein the one or more positioning schemes include at least one of the following: positioning based on sidelink communication, positioning based on communication with a network node, or positioning based on both the sidelink communication and the communication with the network node.

[0080] Clause 10: A node pursuant to Clause 2, wherein the one or more accuracy requirements include at least one of the following: one or more horizontal accuracy values, one or more vertical accuracy values, or one or more radial accuracy values.

[0081] Clause 11: The node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine at least one of the following: the node's mobility information, the node's location information, or one or more radio signal measurements performed by the node; The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on at least one of the following: the node's mobility information, the node's location information, or one or more radio signal measurements performed by the node; and The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the current environment type associated with the node.

[0082] Clause 12: A node as described in Clause 11, wherein the mobility information of the node includes at least one of the following: the node's speed, the node's heading, the node's altitude, the node's acceleration, the node's wheel yaw angle, the node's path history, or the node's path prediction.

[0083] Clause 13: The node of claim 11, wherein the location information of the node includes information about the geographical region in which the node is located, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Information about the geographic region is obtained based on at least one of the following: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning, or cell information obtained from network nodes.

[0084] Clause 14: The node as described in Clause 11, wherein the node is the first node in the communication, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information of the first node is transmitted to the second node via a discovery message or Long Term Evolution (LTE) location protocol signaling.

[0085] Clause 15: The node described in Clause 14, wherein the mobility information is transmitted via the LTE Location Protocol Signalling (LPP) by encapsulating the mobility information within the LPP using a sidelink positioning process payload or by including the mobility information in an extension portion of the LPP.

[0086] Clause 16: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained from one or more Radio Resource Control (RRC) mobility parameters based on monitoring of at least one of the following: one or more cell selection rates, or one or more cell reselection rates.

[0087] Clause 17: The node as described in Clause 16, wherein monitoring the one or more cell reselection rates includes: monitoring the transmission power of one or more cells.

[0088] Clause 18: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained based on the change in the reference signal received power (RSRP) measured from one or more reference signals received from the cell.

[0089] Clause 19: The node according to Clause 18, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The measured change in RSRP is compared to a threshold, which is configured by the network node or pre-configured at the node; and The mobility information is obtained based on the results of the comparison.

[0090] Clause 20: A node pursuant to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained based on the number of beam changes within a given time period.

[0091] Clause 21: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine the relative position of the node with respect to the center of the current serving cell; and The mobility information is adjusted based on the determined relative position of the node.

[0092] Clause 22: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine the relationship between one or more velocities of the node and one or more cell sizes to estimate the actual physical cell density; and The mobility information is adjusted based on the estimated actual physical cell density.

[0093] Clause 23: A node according to Clause 2, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Map the determined current environment type associated with the node to one or more environment types, given a given precision requirement; and Based on the given accuracy requirement, select at least one of the bandwidth or the positioning scheme that corresponds to the mapped environment type among the one or more environment types.

[0094] Clause 24: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Identify one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node; The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the determined sidelink resource pools associated with the node; and The selected bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is associated with one or more identifiers (IDs) of the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node, or one or more types of the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node.

[0095] Clause 25: A node as described in Clause 24, wherein the one or more types of the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node include at least one dedicated resource pool dedicated to sidelink positioning, or at least one shared resource pool shared between sidelink communication and the sidelink positioning.

[0096] Clause 26: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the one or more channel congestion levels and the determined current congestion levels of the one or more channels for the node. The one or more channel congestion levels include at least one of the following: one or more congestion values, one or more congestion ranges, or one or more congestion thresholds.

[0097] Clause 27: A node pursuant to Clause 26, wherein the one or more channel congestion levels are measured as at least one of the following: Channel Busy Ratio (CBR) or Channel Occupancy Ratio (CR).

[0098] Clause 28: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained from mobility history information associated with a list of multiple cells and the time spent in each of the multiple cells.

[0099] Clause 29: A node according to Clause 9, wherein the one or more positioning schemes include positioning based on the sidelink communication, and the positioning is performed based on at least one of the following: round-trip time associated with signal transmission between the node and another node in the sidelink communication, time difference of arrival associated with the node, or angle of arrival associated with the node.

[0100] Clause 30: A node pursuant to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained from multiple default values, which are configured by network nodes, pre-configured at the nodes, or hard-coded at the nodes.

[0101] Clause 31: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information is obtained based on information received from one or more sensors included in the node.

[0102] Clause 32: A node according to Clause 31, wherein the one or more sensors included in the node include a speed sensor, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The speed sensor is used to determine the speed of the node; Compare the speed of the node with the threshold speed; In response to determining that the speed of the node is greater than or equal to the threshold speed, it is determined that the current environment type associated with the node is a highway environment type; and In response to determining that the speed of the node is less than the threshold speed, the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be a city environment type.

[0103] Clause 33: A node as described in Clause 32, wherein the threshold speed is provided via at least one of: radio protocol configuration parameters, pre-configuration in the node's SIM, pre-configuration in the node's UICC, or hard-coded in the node's software.

[0104] Clause 34: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The velocity of the node is estimated based on one or more positional changes of the node and one or more durations associated with the one or more positional changes of the node; and The mobility information is obtained based on the estimated speed of the node.

[0105] Clause 35: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: In response to determining that the number of non-line-of-sight (NLOS) indications determined based on the one or more radio signal measurements is less than a threshold number, the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be a highway environment type; and In response to determining that the number of NLOS indications determined based on the one or more radio signal measurements is equal to or greater than the threshold number, the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be an urban environment type.

[0106] Clause 36: The node according to Clause 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Estimate the rate of arrival of the NLOS indication or the arrival interval of the NLOS indication; The estimated rate of arrival of the NLOS indication is compared with a first threshold, or the estimated arrival interval of the NLOS indication is compared with a second threshold; If the estimated NLOS arrival rate is equal to or less than the first threshold, or if the estimated NLOS arrival interval is equal to or greater than the second threshold, then the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be a highway environment type; and If the estimated arrival rate of the NLOS indication is greater than the first threshold, or if the estimated arrival interval of the NLOS indication is less than the second threshold, then the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be an urban environment type.

[0107] Clause 37: A node according to Clause 36, wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are provided via at least one of: radio protocol configuration parameters, pre-configuration in the node's SIM, pre-configuration in the node's UICC, or hard-coded in the node's software.

[0108] Clause 38: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on a database or map that includes information on one or more environment types, the database or map being stored in or outside the node.

[0109] Clause 39: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on at least one of the following: the number of reference signals originating from and detected by the network node, or the distribution of the received power of the reference signals in the time domain.

[0110] Clause 40: A node pursuant to Clause 39, wherein the reference signal is a positioning reference signal, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to determine at least one of the following: The current environment type associated with the node is determined to be an urban environment type in response to at least one of the following: determining that the number of reference signals is greater than or equal to a first threshold number, or determining that the number of reference signals with received power greater than a threshold power is greater than or equal to a second threshold; or The current environment type associated with the node is determined to be a highway environment type in response to at least one of the following: determining that the number of reference signals is less than the first threshold number, or determining that the number of reference signals with a received power greater than the threshold power is less than the second threshold number.

[0111] Clause 41: The node according to Clause 39, wherein the reference signal is an L3 reference signal, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on at least one of the following: the number of L3 reference signals with a given cell ID, and the power distribution of the L3 reference signals over time.

[0112] Clause 42: The node according to Clause 41, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: In response to determining that the fluctuation level of the L3 reference signal is equal to or less than a threshold, the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be a highway environment type; and In response to determining that the fluctuation level of the L3 reference signals is greater than the threshold, the current environment type associated with the node is determined to be an urban environment type.

[0113] Clause 43: A node pursuant to Clause 1, wherein the node is the first node of the communication, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Transmit the location information of the first node and a request for the current environment type associated with the first node to the second node of the communication; and The second node receives the current environment type associated with the first node, which is obtained by the second node from a database or map using the location information of the first node.

[0114] Clause 44: The node as described in Clause 43, wherein the second node is a network node or a mobile node, and the current environment type associated with the first node is received as a response to the request via a downlink signal from the network node or a sidelink signal from the mobile node.

[0115] Clause 45: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the node is the first node of the communication, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The second node receives the current environment type associated with the first node, which is configured or obtained by the second node.

[0116] Clause 46: A node as described in Clause 45, wherein the first node receives the current environment type associated with the first node via unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

[0117] Clause 47: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: iterate the determination and the selection to satisfy a certain precision requirement.

[0118] Clause 48: A node pursuant to Clause 1, wherein the node comprises one or more machine learning models, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on the one or more machine learning models.

[0119] Clause 49: A node pursuant to Clause 48, wherein the node is the first node in the communication, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Receive at least one of the following from the second node: training data for the one or more machine learning models, or one or more trained machine learning models.

[0120] Clause 50: A node pursuant to Clause 48, wherein the node is the first node in the communication, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Transmit information about one or more trained machine learning models to the second node.

[0121] Clause 51: A node as described in Clause 3, wherein the data structure is a tabular data structure comprising two or more columns, each column indicating parameters related to node positioning.

[0122] Clause 52: A node according to Clause 1, wherein the one or more signals transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme are one or more positioning reference signals.

[0123] Clause 53: A second node for communication, the second node comprising: Memory, which stores instructions; and A processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Receive a request for the current environment type associated with the first node in the communication; Based on the request, obtain the current environment type associated with the first node; and Based on the request, the obtained current environment associated with the first node is transmitted to the first node.

[0124] Clause 54: The second node as described in Clause 53, wherein the second node is a network node or a mobile node.

[0125] Clause 55: The second node as described in Clause 53, wherein the request for the current environment type associated with the first node includes location information of the first node, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The location information of the first node is used to obtain the current environment type associated with the first node from a database or map.

[0126] Clause 56: The second node as described in Clause 55, wherein the database or the map is stored in or outside the second node.

[0127] Clause 57: The second node as described in Clause 53, wherein the request for the current environment type associated with the first node includes mobility information of the first node, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The mobility information of the first node is used to determine the current environment type associated with the first node.

[0128] Clause 58: The second node as described in Clause 53, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to: Configure the current environment type associated with the first node; and Transmit the configured current environment type associated with the first node to the first node.

[0129] Clause 59: The second node as described in Clause 53, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to: Based on the request, configure at least one of the bandwidth or positioning scheme for the first node; and Transmit to the first node information of at least one of the configured bandwidth or the positioning scheme for the first node.

[0130] Clause 60: A method relating to nodes in communication, the method comprising: Determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme used by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; At least one of the following is selected based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the current congestion level of one or more channels used by the node; and One or more signals are transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0131] Clause 61: A method relating to a second node in communication, the method comprising: Receive a request for the current environment type associated with the first node in the communication; Based on the request, obtain the current environment type associated with the first node; and Based on the request, the obtained current environment associated with the first node is transmitted to the first node.

[0132] Clause 62: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a node for communication to perform a method comprising: Determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme used by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; At least one of the following is selected based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the current congestion level of one or more channels used by the node; and One or more signals are transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

[0133] Clause 63: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a second node for communication to perform a method comprising: Receive a request for the current environment type associated with the first node in the communication; Based on the request, obtain the current environment type associated with the first node; and Based on the request, the obtained current environment associated with the first node is transmitted to the first node.

Claims

1. A node for communication, the node comprising: Memory, which stores instructions; as well as A processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme used by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; At least one of the following is selected based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the current congestion level of one or more channels used by the node; and One or more signals are transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

2. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Based on the mapping information, perform mapping of one or more environment types to at least one of the following: one or more bandwidths, one or more positioning schemes, one or more accuracy requirements, or one or more channel congestion levels; and The bandwidth or the location scheme is selected based on the mapping and at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current location scheme utilized by the node, or the one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node.

3. The node according to claim 2, wherein, Performing the mapping includes: obtaining a data structure that maps the one or more environment types to at least one of the following: the one or more bandwidths, the one or more positioning schemes, the one or more accuracy requirements, or the one or more channel congestion levels.

4. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The nodes are user equipment, network infrastructure nodes, location management functions, relay nodes, roadside units, vehicles, or on-board modules.

5. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Determine at least one of the following: the node's mobility information, the node's location information, or one or more radio signal measurements performed by the node; The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on at least one of the following: the node's mobility information, the node's location information, or one or more radio signal measurements performed by the node; as well as The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the current environment type associated with the node.

6. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Identify one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node; The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node. as well as The selected bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is associated with one or more identifiers (IDs) of the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node, or one or more types of the one or more sidelink resource pools associated with the node.

7. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The bandwidth or at least one of the positioning schemes is selected based on the one or more channel congestion levels and the determined current congestion levels of the one or more channels for the node. The one or more channel congestion levels include at least one of the following: one or more congestion values, one or more congestion ranges, or one or more congestion thresholds.

8. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on a database or map that includes information on one or more environment types, the database or map being stored in or outside the node.

9. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on at least one of the following: the number of reference signals originating from and detected by the network node, or the distribution of the received power of the reference signals in the time domain.

10. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The node is the first node in the communication, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The location information of the first node and a request for the current environment type associated with the first node are transmitted to the second node of the communication. as well as The second node receives the current environment type associated with the first node, which is obtained by the second node from a database or map using the location information of the first node.

11. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The node is the first node in the communication, and the processor is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The second node receives the current environment type associated with the first node, which is configured or obtained by the second node.

12. The node according to claim 11, wherein, The first node receives the current environment type associated with the first node via unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

13. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to iterate over the determination and the selection to meet a certain accuracy requirement.

14. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The node includes one or more machine learning models, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The current environment type associated with the node is determined based on the one or more machine learning models.

15. The node according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more signals transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme are one or more positioning reference signals.

16. A second node for communication, the second node comprising: Memory, which stores instructions; as well as A processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: Receive a request for the current environment type associated with the first node in the communication; Based on the request, obtain the current environment type associated with the first node; as well as Based on the request, the obtained current environment associated with the first node is transmitted to the first node.

17. The second node according to claim 16, wherein, The second node is a network node or a mobile node.

18. The second node according to claim 16, wherein, The request for the current environment type associated with the first node includes the location information of the first node, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to: The location information of the first node is used to obtain the current environment type associated with the first node from a database or map.

19. A method relating to nodes in communication, the method comprising: Determine at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme used by the node, or one or more current congestion levels of one or more channels used by the node; At least one of the following is selected based on at least one of the following: the current environment type associated with the node, the current positioning scheme utilized by the node, or the current congestion level of one or more channels used by the node; and One or more signals are transmitted using at least one of the selected bandwidth or the selected positioning scheme.

20. A method relating to a second node in communication, the method comprising: Receive a request for the current environment type associated with the first node in the communication; Based on the request, obtain the current environment type associated with the first node; as well as Based on the request, the obtained current environment associated with the first node is transmitted to the first node.

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