Location techniques for user equipment in network

Abstract

The disclosure relates to positioning techniques for user equipment in a network. A location management function (LMF) of a network is provided that provides timing errors for user equipment and / or base stations for positioning purposes. The LMF: receives an indication of an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, where the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for DL-TDOA; and providing the valid timing error to a user equipment (UE) performing an operation related to the DL-TDOA.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of a Chinese invention patent application that entered the Chinese national phase of a PCT application with an international filing date of April 6, 2021, national application number 202180005707.X, and invention title "Positioning technology for user equipment in a network". Technical Field

[0002] This application generally relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to positioning technology for user equipment in a network. Background Technology

[0003] In 5G New Radio (5NR) networks, the network and / or user equipment (UEs) operating on the network may require accurate knowledge of the UE's physical location. Physical location can be used to provide the UE with necessary information about its specific location (e.g., emergency number, Mobile Country Code (MCC) information, etc.) to allow applications running on the UE to operate effectively. In some cases, this physical location can be based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). However, in other cases, the equipment of the 5G NR network (e.g., next-generation NodeB (gNB), network components, etc.) and the associated UE can be used to determine the UE's physical location. Accurate location information can be crucial for various operations performed by the UE and / or the network. Therefore, both UE users and network operators are interested in ways to improve the accuracy of the UE's location. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some exemplary implementations relate to a network location management function (LMF) configured to perform operations. These operations include: receiving an indication of a valid timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the valid timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for DL-TDOA; and providing the valid timing error to user equipment (UE) performing operations related to DL-TDOA.

[0005] Other exemplary embodiments relate to a location management function (LMF) of a network configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an indication of a valid timing error for an uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the valid timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to receive positioning reference signals for UL-TDOA from user equipment (UE); and providing the valid timing error to at least one base station in the set of base stations performing operations related to UL-TDOA.

[0006] Another exemplary embodiment relates to a network location management function (LMF) configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an indication of an effective timing error for a multi-station round-trip time (m-RTT) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with at least one base station and user equipment (UE) configured to transmit and receive positioning reference signals for m-RTT; and providing the effective timing error to one of the base station or the UE. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 Network arrangements according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0008] Figure 2 Exemplary UEs according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0009] Figure 3 Exemplary network cells according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0010] Figure 4 Examples of downlink (DL) time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning techniques according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0011] Figure 5 Examples of downlink (DL) departure angle (DL-AOD) positioning techniques according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0012] Figure 6 Examples of uplink (UL) time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0013] Figure 7 Examples of uplink (UL) angle of arrival (UL-AOA) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0014] Figure 8a and Figure 8b Examples of multi-station round-trip time (multi-RTT) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The exemplary embodiments can be further understood with reference to the following description and related figures, wherein similar elements have the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments describe operations related to improving positioning techniques for determining the physical location of user equipment (UE).

[0016] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to the UE. However, reference to the UE is provided for illustrative purposes only. The exemplary embodiments can be used with any electronic component capable of establishing a connection to a network and configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware for exchanging information and data with the network. Therefore, the UE as described herein is used to represent any suitable electronic component.

[0017] Furthermore, exemplary embodiments are described with reference to 5G New Radio (NR) networks. However, the reference to 5G NR networks is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments can be used with any network that implements the functionality described herein.

[0018] According to some exemplary embodiments described herein, various positioning technologies can be improved by taking into account timing errors associated with the devices (UE, gNB, network components, etc.) and / or signals used to perform positioning operations. Improvements to positioning technologies will be described with reference to examples of downlink (DL) time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), uplink (UL) time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA), and multi-station round-trip time (multi-RTT) technologies. However, it should be understood that the exemplary operations described below can also be applied to other types of positioning technologies. Furthermore, various exemplary methods of signaling information between devices performing positioning operations are described.

[0019] Figure 1 An exemplary network arrangement 100 according to various exemplary embodiments is illustrated. The exemplary network arrangement 100 includes user equipment (UE) 110. Those skilled in the art will understand that the UE can be any type of electronic component configured to communicate via a network, such as components of a connected car, mobile phone, tablet computer, smartphone, phablet, embedded device, wearable device, Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc. It should also be understood that a practical network arrangement can include any number of UEs used by any number of users. Therefore, for illustrative purposes, only an example with a single UE 110 is provided.

[0020] UE 110 can communicate directly with one or more networks. In the example of network configuration 100, the networks with which UE 110 can wirelessly communicate are 5G NR radio access network (5G NR-RAN) 120, LTE radio access network (LTE-RAN) 122, and wireless local area network (WLAN) 124. Therefore, UE 110 may include a 5G NR chipset communicating with 5G NR-RAN 120, an LTE chipset communicating with LTE-RAN 122, and an ISM chipset communicating with WLAN 124. However, UE 110 can also communicate with other types of networks (e.g., legacy cellular networks), and UE 110 can also communicate with networks via wired connections. Regarding an exemplary implementation, UE 110 can establish a connection with 5G NR RAN 122.

[0021] 5G NR-RAN 120 and LTE-RAN 122 may be portions of a cellular network that can be deployed by a cellular provider (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.). These networks 120, 122 may include, for example, cells or base stations (NodeB, eNodeB, HeNB, eNBS, gNB, gNodeB, macrocell base stations, microcell base stations, small cell base stations, femtocell base stations, etc.) configured to send and receive traffic from UEs equipped with appropriate cellular chipsets. WLAN 124 may include any type of wireless local area network (WiFi, hotspot, IEEE 802.11x network, etc.).

[0022] UE 110 can connect to the 5G NR-RAN via at least one of next-generation nodeB (gNB) 120A, gNB 120B, and / or gNB 120C. In the example described below, gNBs 120A-120C can be considered as neighboring gNBs that can be used to perform location operations. gNBs 120A, 120B, and 120C can be configured with the necessary hardware (e.g., antenna arrays), software, and / or firmware to perform massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) functionality. Massive MIMO can refer to a base station configured to generate multiple beams for multiple UEs. Reference to the three gNBs 120A-120C is for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary implementations can be applied to any suitable number of gNBs.

[0023] Furthermore, throughout this specification, the terms gNB and Transmit and Receive Point (TRP) are used interchangeably. Specifically, UE 110 can simultaneously connect to and exchange data with multiple gNBs (e.g., gNBs 120A-120C) in a multi-TRP configuration. The connection to gNBs 120A-120C can be, for example, a multi-TRP connection, where gNBs 120A-120C provide services to UE 110 on the same channel. This multi-TRP arrangement can also be used for positioning purposes, as described in more detail below.

[0024] In addition to networks 120, 122, and 124, network deployment 100 also includes a cellular core network 130, an Internet 140, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 150, and a network services backbone 160. The cellular core network 130 can be viewed as an interconnected set of components that manage the operation and traffic of the cellular network. The cellular core network 130 also manages the traffic flowing between the cellular network and the Internet 140. The IMS 150 can generally be described as an architecture for delivering multimedia services to the UE 110 using IP protocols. The IMS 150 can communicate with the cellular core network 130 and the Internet 140 to provide multimedia services to the UE 110. The network services backbone 160 communicates directly or indirectly with the Internet 140 and the cellular core network 130. The network services backbone 160 can generally be described as a set of components (e.g., servers, network storage deployments, etc.) that implement a set of services that can be used to extend the functionality of the UE 110 to communicate with various networks.

[0025] Figure 1 Location Management Function (LMF) 170 is also shown. LMF 170 can be considered as a network component or function that performs any network-side operations related to the positioning technologies described herein. Figure 1 In network configuration 100, LMF 170 is shown connected to core network 130. However, LMF 170 can be configured as follows: Figure 1 The LMF 170 is a separate component connected to the core network 130 or the 5G NR RAN 120. Alternatively, the LMF 170 can be a network component or function residing within the core network 130 or the 5G NR RAN 120.

[0026] Figure 2 An exemplary UE 110 according to various exemplary embodiments is shown. Reference will be made to... Figure 1The network layout 100 is used to describe UE 110. UE 110 can represent any electronic device and may include processor 205, memory layout 210, display device 215, input / output (I / O) device 220, transceiver 225, and other components 230. Other components 230 may include, for example, audio input devices, audio output devices, batteries providing a limited power source, data acquisition devices, ports for electrically connecting UE 110 to other electronic devices, sensors for detecting the status of UE 110, etc.

[0027] Processor 205 may be configured to execute multiple engines of UE 110. For example, an engine may include positioning engine 235. Positioning engine 235 may perform operations including: receiving and measuring positioning reference signals; transmitting positioning reference signals; applying error correction to positioning calculations; and reporting positioning parameters to the network and / or gNB, etc. Exemplary operations performed by UE 110 will be described in further detail below.

[0028] The engine described above, as an application (e.g., a program) executed by processor 205, is merely exemplary. The functionality associated with the engine may also be represented as a separate integrated component of UE 110, or as a modular component coupled to UE 110, such as an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. The engine may also be embodied as a single application or multiple separate applications. Furthermore, in some UEs, the functionality described for processor 205 is distributed among two or more processors, such as a baseband processor and an application processor. Exemplary implementations may be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the UE. Memory 210 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by UE 110.

[0029] Display device 215 can be a hardware component configured to display data to a user, while I / O device 220 can be a hardware component enabling user input. Display device 215 and I / O device 220 can be separate components or integrated together (such as a touchscreen). Transceiver 225 can be a hardware component configured to establish connections with 5G NR RAN 120, LTE RAN 122, etc. Therefore, transceiver 225 can operate on various frequencies or channels (e.g., consecutive frequency groups).

[0030] Figure 3An exemplary network cell according to various exemplary embodiments is shown, in this example being gNB 120A. As described above with reference to UE 110, gNB 120A can represent a cell in a multi-TRP configuration with UE 110. gNB 120A can represent any access node in a 5G NR network through which UEs 110 and 112 can establish connections and manage network operations. Figure 3 The gNB120A shown can also represent gNB 120B-120C.

[0031] The gNB 120A may include a processor 305, a memory arrangement 310, input / output (I / O) devices 320, a transceiver 325, and other components 330. Other components 330 may include, for example, audio input devices, audio output devices, a battery, data acquisition devices, and ports for electrically connecting the gNB 120A to other electronic devices.

[0032] Processor 305 may be configured to execute multiple engines of gNB 120A. For example, an engine may include positioning engine 335. Positioning engine 335 may perform operations including: receiving and measuring positioning reference signals; transmitting positioning reference signals; applying error correction to positioning calculations; reporting positioning parameters to the network and / or UE 110; etc. Exemplary operations performed by the gNB will be described in further detail below.

[0033] The engines described above, each acting as an application (e.g., a program) executed by processor 305, are merely exemplary. The functionality associated with the engines may also be represented as a separate integrated component of gNB 120A, or as a modular component coupled to gNB 120A, such as an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. Furthermore, in some gNBs, the functionality described for processor 305 is split among multiple processors (e.g., a baseband processor, an application processor, etc.). Exemplary implementations may be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the gNB.

[0034] Memory 310 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by gNB 120A. I / O device 320 may be a hardware component or port enabling a user to interact with other devices. Transceiver 325 may be a hardware component configured to exchange data with UE 110 and any other UE in system 100. Transceiver 325 may operate on a variety of different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of consecutive frequencies). Therefore, transceiver 325 may include one or more components (e.g., radio components) to enable data exchange with various networks and UEs.

[0035] Exemplary implementations can be used with a variety of different types of positioning technologies. Examples of positioning technologies include downlink (DL) time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) technology, uplink (UL) time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) technology, UL angle of arrival (UL-AOA) technology, DL angle of departure (DL-AOD) technology, and multi-station round-trip time (multi-RTT) technology. Those skilled in the art will understand that these positioning technologies are merely exemplary, and exemplary implementations can be used with other types of positioning technologies.

[0036] Furthermore, throughout this specification, each positioning technology can be considered to fall into two categories. The first category is UE-based positioning technology. UE-based positioning technology typically involves the UE performing positioning calculations. The second category is UE-assisted positioning technology. UE-assisted positioning technology typically involves a network component or function (e.g., LMF) performing positioning calculations based on at least some information provided by the UE. It should be understood that exemplary embodiments can be applied to either UE-based positioning technology or UE-assisted positioning technology. The following description will identify any differences in implementing exemplary embodiments in the different categories of positioning technologies.

[0037] In addition, Figures 4 to 7 and Figure 8b Each of these examples shows three gNBs and a UE. It can be assumed that the gNB includes the functions of the aforementioned gNBs 120A-120C. Furthermore, the UE may include the functions of the aforementioned gNBs 120A-120C.

[0038] Figure 4 Examples of downlink (DL) time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning techniques according to various exemplary implementations are shown. Figure 4 An arrangement 400 is shown, comprising three gNBs (or transmit and receive points (TRPs)) 410-430 and a UE 440 in position. To perform DL-TDOA, the multiple gNBs 410-430 transmit a Position Reference Signal (PRS). The UE 440 measures the Time of Arrival (TOA) of the reference signal received from each of the multiple gNBs 410-430. The UE 440 calculates the TDOA from each gNB 410-430 by subtracting the TOA of the reference gNB from the observed TOA from each gNB 410-430. Geometrically, a hyperbola, e.g., hyperbola 450 and hyperbola 460, is defined relative to the Received Signal Time Difference (RSTD) between the two gNBs. The point where these hyperbolas 450 and 460 intersect is the position of the UE 440.

[0039] In the following description of gNB PRS transmission, it will be assumed that gNB 410 and gNB 420 transmit PRS for DL-TDOA purposes. However, it should be understood that gNB 430 can perform any of the various operations described herein for gNB 410 and gNB 420.

[0040] When performing DL-TDOA, timing errors may be introduced. Timing errors may include synchronization errors between the UE and gNB and / or between gNBs. For example, gNB 410 and gNB 420 may be configured to transmit PRS simultaneously. However, in actual operation, gNB 410 and gNB 420 are unlikely to be perfectly synchronized. Therefore, a synchronization error exists between gNB 410 and gNB 420. This synchronization error can be defined as (D). In the DL-TDOA example, there is no synchronization error associated with the UE because any synchronization error will be eliminated based on RSTD measurements.

[0041] Timing errors may also include group timing delays, which comprise the receive and / or transmit delays from the device's radio frequency (RF) components to the device's baseband. These group timing delays are introduced independently at the UE and gNB, where the receive and transmit errors can differ for the UE and / or gNB. In the DL-TDOA example, there is no group delay associated with the UE because the UE will process the PRS received from both gNB 410 and gNB 420, and this processing should take the same amount of time. On the other hand, when transmitting the PRS, each of gNB 410 and gNB 420 will introduce its own group timing transmit delay. These group timing transmit delays can be defined as (d1) for gNB 410 and (d2) for gNB 420.

[0042] In TDOA calculation, RSTD can be calculated as follows:

[0043] RSTD = t1- t2 + d1- d2 – D,

[0044] Where t1 = the ideal arrival time of the PRS from the first gNB, and

[0045] t2 = Ideal arrival time of PRS from the second gNB.

[0046] Therefore, as can be seen from the above equation, the effective timing error (e) associated with the PRS transmitted by gNB 410 and gNB 420 and the PRS received by UE 440 can be considered as e = d1 - d2 - D. To obtain accurate positioning information, these timing errors must be addressed during positioning calculations. Exemplary embodiments provide multiple ways to handle timing errors associated with various positioning techniques. As mentioned above, the timing errors are different for each of the exemplary positioning techniques, and any differences in the contribution of the effective timing error to the positioning technique will be described herein.

[0047] In some exemplary embodiments, a UE with a known location may be introduced, and RSTD measurements from that UE may be compared with ideal measurements. This difference indicates an effective timing error (e) that needs correction, which becomes a known value, for example, by performing RSTD measurements from the known location and comparing these actual measurements with ideal measurements that should come from the known location. This known value can then be taken into account when performing positioning calculations. However, this known value (e) needs to be signaled to the component performing the positioning calculations and / or taking the positioning measurements, such as UE 440, one of the gNBs 410-430, and / or LMF 170.

[0048] In some exemplary implementations of DL-TDOA, the LMF 170 receives and stores known values ​​(e) for each location. The LMF provides the known values ​​(e) to the UE 440 via an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message (e.g., the LPP message Provide Assistance Data). The information provided in the Provide Assistance Data message is currently defined in Table 8.12.2.1-1 of 3GPP 38.305. New fields can be added to this table to further provide the known values ​​(e). The known values ​​(e) can be associated with a timestamp indicating when an error value is valid and / or when the error value should be applied. Valid errors can be absolute or cumulative, for example, relative to previously provided valid timing errors. This method of providing known values ​​(e) to the UE 440 can be used for UE-based positioning or US-assisted positioning.

[0049] Each known value (e) can be associated with a set of gNB (or TRP) IDs for the candidate gNBs used for measurement. Therefore, UE 440 can apply the known value (e) to the RSTD measurement reported to that set of gNBs. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, UE 440 can provide the RSTD measurement along with a correction for the known value (e) to LMF 170. LMF 170 can then use the corrected RSTD measurement (e.g., UE-assisted DL-TDOA) to perform positioning calculations.

[0050] In other exemplary implementations, LMF 170 may instruct gNBs (e.g., gNBs 410-430) to broadcast valid timing errors within a System Information Block (SIB) (e.g., posSIB). This type of signaling can reduce network overhead because it eliminates the need to notify each individual UE by signaling.

[0051] In some exemplary implementations of DL-TDOA, UE 440 may choose whether to apply a valid timing error to the location calculation. UE 440 may indicate to LMF 170, for example, via an LPP message (such as Provide Location Information) whether to apply a valid timing error to calculate the location. For example, when UE 440 performs UE-based positioning and provides the calculated location to LMF 170, UE 440 may indicate whether the calculated location takes into account a known value (e). In other exemplary implementations, if LMF 170 provides a known value (e), UE 440 may not have a choice and may need to apply a valid timing error in the location calculation.

[0052] In some exemplary implementations of DL-TDOA, when using UE-assisted DL-TDOA, the LMF 170 may not provide a valid timing error to the UE 440. In these exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 applies this error when performing positioning calculations.

[0053] In the exemplary implementation of US-assisted DL-TDOA described above, it is assumed that LMF 170 does not provide valid timing errors to UE 440. However, this may not guarantee that UE 440 has not previously stored valid timing errors; for example, UE 440 may possess information about valid timing errors from previous measurements, such as if UE 440 was in a previous UE-based mode. Therefore, in some exemplary implementations, even if LMF 170 does not expect UE 440 to have valid timing error information, UE 440 can still signal to LMF 170 whether or not valid timing errors were considered when performing and reporting RSTD measurements. The UE can indicate to LMF 170 via an LPP message (e.g., providing location information) whether valid timing errors were considered. If valid timing errors were considered, the indication may also include the error value applied to the positioning measurement. This type of reporting can also be applied to UE-based DL-TDOA positioning measurements to ensure that UE 440 applied the correct valid timing errors.

[0054] In other exemplary implementations of DL-TDOA, the network may not have a reference UE for calculating the known value (e). Therefore, other methods can be used to calculate the effective timing error. These other methods of calculating the effective timing error may include comparing the results of two different positioning techniques. For example, the DL-TDOA result can be compared with the DL departure angle (DL-AOD) result. As will be described in more detail below, the comparison of the DL-TDOA result and the DL-AOD result provides the network (e.g., LMF 170) with a known value of the effective timing error. The network can then provide this known value of the effective timing error to the UE to perform DL-TDOA measurement and / or positioning calculation. A brief overview of DL-AOD will be provided before describing and comparing the results of two different techniques to determine the effective timing error.

[0055] Figure 5 Examples of downlink (DL) departure angle (DL-AOD) positioning techniques according to various exemplary implementations are shown. Figure 5 An arrangement 500 is shown, including three gNBs (or TRPs) 510-530 and a UE 540 in position. To perform DL-AOD, the multiple gNBs 410-430 transmit DL-PRS using transmit beam scanning. The UE 540 uses a fixed reference beam to measure the DL-PRS received signal reference power (RSRP). The UE 540 can then report the DL-PRS RSRP to the network, such as the LMF170. The network can then use this information to calculate the azimuth DL-AOD and the zenith DL-AOD. The network can then use this information and the known positions of the gNBs to calculate the position of the UE 540.

[0056] Angle-based positioning technology is more robust to timing errors. Therefore, DL-AOD should optimally generate t1 - t2, where t1 and t2 are the arrival times of the DL-PRS for the two gNBs, respectively. As mentioned above, the DL-TDOA calculation is based on RSTD = t1 - t2 -d1 - d2 - D. Then the difference between the two results (DL-AOD - DL-TDOA) can be considered as d1 - d2 - D or the effective timing error (e) as described above. Therefore, the difference between the results of two measurements can be used to determine the effective timing error.

[0057] To perform a comparison between DL-AOD and DL-TDOA results, the UE can be signaled to perform measurements for both positioning technologies. The indication can be implicit; for example, if the auxiliary data provided by the LMF 170 supports all the required fields for both positioning technologies, the UE can then perform measurements for both. The indication can also be explicit, for example, via LPP messages such as a Provide Auxiliary Data message or a Request Location Information message.

[0058] Measurements can include at least DL-RSTD and DL-PRS-RSRP via a set of TRPs, antenna panels, PRS configurations, etc. Furthermore, for UE-based positioning technologies, once the UE is instructed to perform simultaneous positioning based on both DL-TDOA and DL-AOD positioning technologies, the UE can have additional capabilities, such as the number of PRS symbols processed within a time period.

[0059] In some exemplary embodiments, to calculate the effective timing error, the LMF 170 may instruct the gNB to provide panel and spatial orientation information for transmitting the PRS. This information is used to ensure that the effective timing error, later captured by the combination of DL-AOD and DL-TDOA measurements, is appropriate for the panel and filter. The LMF 170's instruction to the gNB can be provided via an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) TRP Information Request message. While the spatial orientation information for the gNB's DL-PRS is already specified, exemplary embodiments use the gNB to provide this information via an NRPPa TRP Information Response message. This information can be added as a new field to the NRPPa TRP Information Response message in Table 8.12.2.3-1 of 3GPP TS 38.305.

[0060] In other exemplary embodiments, to calculate the effective timing error, the LMF 170 may indicate to the UE the panel ID and / or spatial orientation information used by the gNB to transmit the PRS. This information can be used to mark each PRS measurement at the UE via the corresponding TRP panel. Similarly, the LMF 170 may provide this indication via an auxiliary data message provided through LPP information. For UE-assisted positioning techniques, the indication may further include a request for the UE to report the TRP panel ID associated with the DL-PRS-RSPR and DL-RSTD measurements at the UE.

[0061] Therefore, the UE will report measurements for DL-TDOA and DL-AOD, as well as for a set of TRPs, panels, and spatial orientations. The LMF 170 can then calculate the effective timing error associated with the same set of TRP IDs, panel IDs, and spatial orientations. Once the effective timing error is available at the LMF 170 for a set of TRP IDs, panel IDs, and / or spatial orientations, the LMF 170 can report the value of the effective timing error to other UEs measuring DL-TDOA for the same set of TRP IDs and the same set of TRP panels. Various methods for reporting known values ​​of the effective timing error to the UE have been described above, and any of these methods can also be used to report known values ​​of the effective timing error calculated according to the exemplary embodiments described above. Additionally, the following methods can also be used to report the effective timing error to the UE.

[0062] In some exemplary implementations, for UE-based DL-TDOA, the LMF 170 can indicate to the UE a valid timing error along with a TRP ID and panel ID for which the valid timing error is valid / calculated. In one example, this indication to the UE can be achieved by providing auxiliary data via an LPP message. In another example, this indication can be achieved via a SIB (e.g., PosSIB) broadcast by the gNB. The UE can apply the valid timing error if the measurement exceeds the PRS reception from the TRP ID and panel ID associated with the valid timing error. However, this is not required; TRP IDs and panel IDs with the same general characteristics as the reported TRP IDs and panel IDs may exist. The valid timing error can also be applied to measurements of these types of TRP IDs and panel IDs.

[0063] In other exemplary embodiments, for a given valid timing error associated with a set of TRP IDs and panel IDs, the LMF 170 may request the TRP to transmit a PRS on a specific panel ID associated with the valid timing error. To provide this information to the gNB, a new NRPPa message for DL-TDOA may be introduced, or the positioning information request message may be reused. The serving gNB and the corresponding TRP may then transmit the PRS in the panel ID / spatial direction requested by the LMF 170.

[0064] Figure 6 Examples of uplink (UL) time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown. Figure 6An arrangement 600 is shown, comprising three gNBs (or transmit and receive points (TRPs)) 610-630 and a UE 640 in position. To perform UL-TDOA, the UE 640 transmits a probe reference signal (SRS) that can be received by two or more gNBs 610-630. Similar to the DL-TDOA example, the UL-TDOA positioning technique is described with reference to gNBs 610 and 620 receiving the SRS; however, it should be understood that gNB 630 can perform the same operations as described for gNBs 610 and 620. gNBs 610 and 620 receive the SRS and measure the time of arrival (TOA) of the SRS. The gNBs can then calculate the relative TOA (RTOA) by subtracting the TOA measured at the reference gNB from the other TOA. Geometrically, the RTOA between two gNBs defines a hyperbola 650-660 between the gNBs. The point where hyperbolas 650 and hyperbolas 660 intersect is the location of UE 640.

[0065] The UL-TDOA and DL TDOA have the same effective timing error formula, namely, e = d1 - d2 - D. In this equation, D is the same synchronization error between the two gNBs as described above. However, the group timing delay (d1 and D2) is now different between gNB410 and gNB... The group timing receive delay of each of the 420 is associated with (rather than with the group timing transmit delay in DL-TDOA).

[0066] Similar to DL-TDOA, in some exemplary implementations of UL-TDOA, a UE with a known location can be introduced, and the RTOA measurement based on the SRS transmitted by that UE is compared with an ideal measurement. This difference indicates the effective timing error (e) that needs correction. This known value can then be taken into account when performing positioning calculations. This effective timing error can be stored by the LMF170. As described in more detail below, the LMF170 can then report the effective timing error to the gNB. Similar to the effective timing error reported in DL-TDOA, the effective timing error in UL-TDOA may include a timestamp indicating the period during which the effective timing error value is valid. Furthermore, the effective timing error can be cumulative or absolute.

[0067] In some exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 provides a valid timing error to a selected gNB in ​​the NRPPa measurement request message. A gNB with an identifier included in the measurement request message can apply the valid timing error to its UL-RTOA measurement and report the corrected RTOA to the LMF 170. If a specific gNB is not identified in the measurement request message, the gNB for which the valid timing error is applied to the RTOA can be implicitly notified by signaling, for example, the service gNB, the first gNB in ​​the group, or the last gNB. Therefore, in this example, it is assumed that only one gNB in ​​the group will report the corrected RTOA.

[0068] In other exemplary embodiments, the LMF 170 may provide a valid timing error to the serving gNB via an NRPPa location information request message. In this case, only the serving gNB will apply the valid timing error to its UL-RTOA measurement and report the corrected RTOA to the LMF 170.

[0069] In another exemplary embodiment, the LMF 170 does not provide a valid timing error to the gNB. Instead, the LMF 170 applies the error when performing positioning calculations when it receives RTOA measurements from the gNB.

[0070] In some exemplary implementations of UL-TDOA, the timing error provided is not the full effective timing error as described above, but rather a partial effective timing error. When the gNB is a receiver (e.g., a receiver of the SRS from the UE), the individual gNB can be able to estimate and correct its group timing reception delay. The gNB can apply this self-correction to the measured RTOA. Therefore, the LMF 170 can provide the gNB with only the synchronization error (D) (e.g., a partial effective timing error) to further correct the RTOA. It should be understood that for UL-TDOA, the receiving device (e.g., the gNB) can estimate its reception group delay (e.g., d1 and d2). Therefore, when d1 - d2 + D is known based on the reference UE, D becomes a known value that the LMF 170 can report to the gNB.

[0071] Reporting and application of partial effective timing errors can be performed in the same manner as described above for effective timing errors (e.g., NRPPa Measurement Request messages, NRPPa Location Information Request messages, etc.). A gNB implicitly or explicitly identified in a message (e.g., by ID, as a serving cell, as the first or last cell in a list, etc.) can apply partial effective timing errors (e.g., in addition to the already applied individual group timing reception delay) in its report to the LMF 170. As mentioned above, in some exemplary embodiments, the LMF 170 may not provide partial effective timing errors to the gNBs, but the synchronization error (D) between gNBs can be applied when performing location calculations using the partially corrected RTOA received from the gNBs.

[0072] In some exemplary embodiments, when the gNB reports RTOA, the gNB may indicate whether a valid timing error or a partial valid timing error (e.g., group timing delay) is used to correct the RTOA. This indication may be provided via an NRPPa measurement response message. In other exemplary embodiments, when the LMF 170 reports a valid timing error or a partial valid timing error to the 5G NR-RAN 120, the LMF 170 may assume that the indicated error is taken into account in the reported RTOA measurement.

[0073] As described above in relation to DL-TDOA, the effective timing error (e) of UL-TDOA can also be determined by comparing the UL-TDOA positioning results with those of other types of positioning technologies. In some exemplary embodiments, the other type of positioning technology may be UL Angle of Arrival (UL-AOA) technology. As will be described in more detail below, the comparison of UL-TDOA and UL-AOA results will provide the network (e.g., LMF 170) with a known value of the effective timing error. The network can then provide this known value of the effective timing error to the gNB to perform UL-TDOA measurements and / or positioning calculations. Before describing exemplary embodiments related to the comparison of the results of the two different technologies to determine the effective timing error, a brief overview of UL-AOA will be provided.

[0074] Figure 7 Examples of uplink (UL) angle of arrival (UL-AOA) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown. Figure 7An arrangement 700 is shown, including three gNBs (or TRPs) 710-730 and a UE 740 in position. To perform UL-AOA, the UE 740 transmits SRS using a fixed reference beam. The gNBs 710-730 use a receive beam scan to measure the SRSRSRP. The gNBs 710-730 can then report the SRSRSRP to the network, such as an LMF 170. The network can then use this information to calculate the azimuth and zenith UL-AOA. The network can then use this information and the known positions of the gNBs to calculate the position of the UE 740.

[0075] Angle-based positioning techniques are more robust to timing errors. Therefore, UL-AOA should optimally generate t1 - t2, where t1 and t2 are the arrival times of the UL-SRS at the two gNBs, respectively. As mentioned above, the UL-TDOA calculation is based on RTOA = t1 - t2. t2- d1 - d2 - D. Then the difference between the two results (UL-AOA - UL-TDOA) can be considered as d1 - d2 - D or the effective timing error (e) as described above. Therefore, the difference between the results of two measurements can be used to determine the effective timing error.

[0076] To perform a comparison between UL-AOA and UL-TDOA results, a signal can be sent to the gNB to perform measurements for both positioning technologies. The measurements may include at least UL-RTOA and UL-SRS-RSRP measurements via a set of TRPs, antenna panels, PRS configurations, etc.

[0077] In some exemplary implementations, to calculate the effective timing error, the LMF 170 may instruct the gNB to provide panel and spatial orientation information for receiving the PRS. This information is used to ensure that the effective timing error, which will later be captured by the combination of UL-AOA and UL-TDOA measurements, applies to the appropriate panel and filter. The LMF 170's instruction to the gNB can be provided via a new field for the panel ID in the NRPPa TRP Information Request message. Therefore, the LMF 170 will understand the UE's location using both UL-TDOA and UL-AoA technologies, based on measurements performed using a set of (TRP, panel, spatial orientation). This means that when using UL-TDOA to measure the location of other UEs, the calculated effective timing error applies to the same set (TRP ID, panel ID, spatial orientation).

[0078] In some exemplary implementations of UL-TDOA, the LMF 170 can indicate a valid timing error, along with the TRP ID and panel ID, for which the valid timing error is valid / calculated. In one example, this indication to the gNB can be achieved via an NRPPa positioning information request message. The gNB can then receive the SRS requested by the LMF 170 on the panel ID and apply the valid timing error. However, this is not required; TRP IDs and panel IDs with the same general characteristics as the reported TRP IDs and panel IDs can exist. The valid timing error can also be applied to measurements of these types of TRP IDs and panel IDs.

[0079] Figure 8a and Figure 8b Examples of multi-station round-trip time (multi-RTT) positioning technologies according to various exemplary implementations are shown. The advantage of multi-RTT positioning technology is that it does not require strict synchronization between gNBs. The initiating device can be a gNB or a UE. Figure 8a An exemplary signaling diagram 800 for multi-RTT positioning technology is shown. Figure 8a In the example, gNB 805 can be considered the initiating device, and UE 810 the responding device. In 820, gNB 805 sends a control signal to UE 810 to instruct one or more gNBs to transmit an RTT measurement signal in the DL. In 825, at t0, gNB 805 transmits the RTT measurement signal, and UE 805 measures the TOA (e.g., t1) relative to its own timing. In 830, UE 810 transmits the UL RTT measurement signal at t2, and gNB 805 measures the TOA at t3. In 835, the UE may also transmit a t2 - t1 indication. In some exemplary embodiments, the t2 - t1 indication may be transmitted in the RTT measurement signal of 830. gNB 805 can then calculate the RTT as t3 - t0 - (t2 - t1).

[0080] The RTT can then be used to calculate the distance from the UE to the gNB. Since the RTT process does not include any direction information, the UE can be positioned anywhere on a circle with a radius equal to that distance around the gNB. Figure 8b Three gNBs, 805, 840, and 850, and a UE 810, are shown. (Example) Figure 8b As shown, UE 810 can be positioned at any location on circle 860, the radius of which is the distance (d1) calculated based on the above RTT.

[0081] The RTT process can be performed by all nearby gNBs to accurately measure the observed TOA. Therefore, gNBs 840 and 850 can perform their own RTT processes and calculate distances d2 and d3 respectively. Thus, as... Figure 8b As shown, UE 810 can be positioned at any location on circles 870 and 880, where the radius of circle 870 is the distance (d2) from gNB 840, and the radius of circle 880 is the distance (d3) from gNB 850. The actual position of UE 810 can then be determined based on multi-point positioning, such as the intersection of the three circles 860-880.

[0082] Unlike the aforementioned TDOA positioning technology, the synchronization error between devices (e.g., UE and gNB) is unrelated to multi-RTT positioning technology. Instead, since both devices perform both transmission and reception, the group error delay between the transmission and reception of both devices is the primary contributor to the timing error of multi-RTT. Therefore, the contributor to the timing error can be considered to be the reception delay at the UE (d...). UE-RX ) and launch (d UE-TX Timing delay and reception at gNB (d) gNB-RX ) and launch (d gNB-TX Timing delay. Mathematically, the effective timing error (e) of multi-RTT can be defined as:

[0083] e = 1 / 2 (d UE-RX + d UE-TX + d gNB-RX + d gNB-TX )

[0084] If we assume that the timing delay is the same during transmission and reception, then:

[0085] e = d UE + d gNB

[0086] In some exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 can provide a valid timing error to each gNB. For example, the valid timing error can be provided in the NRPPa measurement request message. When the valid timing error is indicated to the gNB by the LMF 170, the gNB can apply the valid timing error to the gNB Rx-Tx time difference measurement report destined for the LMF 170.

[0087] In some exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 can provide a valid timing error to the UE. For example, the valid timing error can be provided in the LPP (Local Time Shift) auxiliary data message. When the valid timing error is indicated to the UE by the LMF 170, the UE can apply the valid timing error to the UE Rx-Tx time difference measurement report sent to the LMF 170.

[0088] In some exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 provides only a portion of the timing error. For example, in some exemplary implementations, the LMF 170 can provide the UE transmit group delay (d UE-TX ) provide to the UE and delay the gNB transmission group (d gNB-TX This information is provided to the gNB. This information can be provided to the UE and gNB in, for example, the message described above for the complete valid timing error. In this example, it can be assumed that the UE and gNB are able to estimate and correct the corresponding receive group delay. Therefore, when reporting time difference measurements to the LMF 170, the UE and gNB will apply the corresponding portion of the valid timing error, including the transmit group delay.

[0089] In another example, the LMF 170 provides the UE with the sum of the transmit group delay at the gNB and the receive group delay at the UE. This can also be indicated via an auxiliary data message provided through the LPP. Similarly, the LMF 170 can provide the gNB with the sum of the transmit group delay at the UE and the receive group delay at the gNB, for example, via an NRPPa measurement request message. Then, when reporting time difference measurements to the LMF 170, the UE and gNB can apply these corresponding portions of the effective timing error.

[0090] In some exemplary implementations, the UE and / or gNB may indicate in the corresponding Rx-Tx time difference measurement report whether any timing error correction indicated by LMF 170 has been applied to the reported time difference measurement.

[0091] In some exemplary embodiments, the gNB can configure the associated group delay of its PRS transmission for each PRS and the associated group delay of its SRS reception for each SRS. In some exemplary embodiments, the gNB can make the group delay of the PRS transmission (or SRS reception) different from the configured delay without changing the panel / filter. In other exemplary embodiments, the gNB can change the panel / filter as long as d gNB-RX + d gNB-TX It is fixed.

[0092] In one example, the gNB can instruct the LMF 170 via NRPPa messages (e.g., TRP information response, location information response, TRP measurement response, etc.). gNB-RX + d gNB-TX ),d gNB-RX and / or d gNB-TX The value. This indication may include the reporting delay and whether the reported value is applied to the time difference measurement of the report.

[0093] In another example, when using UE-based multi-RTT, the gNB can directly indicate group delay parameters to the UE. This indication can be achieved, for example, via RRC configuration, PosSIB, etc. Similar to the example above, the gNB can indicate to the UE whether the gNB time difference measurement has been corrected for group delay on the gNB side, or whether the UE should apply these corrections.

[0094] In some exemplary implementations, the UE can indicate to the LMF 170 the transmission group delay associated with each SRS transmission and the group delay associated with each PRS reception. As described above for the gNB, in some exemplary implementations, the UE can make the group delay of PRS reception (or SRS transmission) different from the reported delay without changing the panel / filter. In other exemplary implementations, the UE can change the panel / filter as long as d UE-RX + d UE-TX It is fixed.

[0095] In one example, the UE can provide a location information message to the LMF 170 via LPP to indicate (d UE-RX +d UE-TX ),d UE-RX and / or d UE-TX The value can include the reporting delay and whether the reported value is applied to the time difference measurement in the report.

[0096] For UE-based multi-RTT positioning technology, the UE can be configured, for example, via an LPP request location information message to provide the LMF 170 with the group delay applied in the calculation of the UE's location.

[0097] Example

[0098] In a first embodiment, a processor for a user equipment (UE) is provided, configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit a positioning reference signal (PRS) for DL-TDOA to the UE; measuring the PRS transmitted by the set of base stations; and applying the effective timing error to the PRS measurement of at least one base station in the set of base stations.

[0099] In the second embodiment, the processor according to the first embodiment receives a valid timing error in the auxiliary data message provided by the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP).

[0100] In the third embodiment, according to the processor of the second embodiment, the LPP provides auxiliary data messages that also include an indication of one of the base stations in the group of base stations and a panel identifier of one of the base stations in the group of base stations associated with an effective timing error.

[0101] In the fourth embodiment, according to the processor of the first embodiment, the effective timing error is received via broadcast of the System Information Block (SIB) to one of the base stations in the group of base stations.

[0102] In the fifth embodiment, the processor according to the fourth embodiment further includes an indication of one of the base stations in the group of base stations and a panel identifier of one of the base stations in the group of base stations associated with an effective timing error.

[0103] In a sixth embodiment, according to the processor of the first embodiment, the effective timing error includes a timestamp indicating when the effective timing error is valid or when the effective timing error should be applied.

[0104] In the seventh embodiment, the processor according to the first embodiment includes either the absolute value or the cumulative value to be added to the previously provided effective timing error value.

[0105] In the eighth embodiment, according to the processor of the first embodiment, the operation further includes: calculating the UE's location using DL-TDOA based on PRS measurement and effective timing error; transmitting an LPP providing location information message, the LPP providing location information message including an indication of the UE's location and an indication of whether the location has been calculated at least based on the effective timing error.

[0106] In the ninth embodiment, according to the processor of the first embodiment, the operation further includes: transmitting an LPP providing location information message, the LPP providing location information message including a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement performed by the UE based on DL-TDOA, wherein the LPP providing location information message also includes an indication of whether the RSTD measurement has been corrected at least based on a valid timing error.

[0107] In the tenth embodiment, according to the processor of the first embodiment, the operation further includes: transmitting a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement performed by the UE based on DL-TDOA; and transmitting a measurement performed by the UE associated with downlink departure angle (DL-AOD) positioning technology.

[0108] In the eleventh embodiment, the processor according to the tenth embodiment, wherein the RSTD measurement includes multiple RSTD measurements, and the measurement associated with DL-AOD includes multiple measurements associated with DL-AOD, wherein each of the multiple RSTD measurements and the multiple measurements associated with DL-AOD is associated with one of the configurations of the set of base stations, antenna panels, or positioning reference signals.

[0109] In the twelfth embodiment, the processor according to the tenth embodiment further includes: receiving a message indicating antenna panel and spatial orientation information for one of the base stations in the group to transmit a positioning reference signal, wherein the UE marks each of the RSTD measurement and the measurement associated with DL-AOD with the corresponding antenna panel and spatial orientation information.

[0110] In a thirteenth embodiment, a processor for a base station is provided, the processor being configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an effective timing error for uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technology from a network's location management function (LMF), wherein the effective timing error is associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) to be received from a user equipment (UE); and measuring the PRS transmitted by the UE and applying the effective timing error to the UE's PRS measurement.

[0111] In the fourteenth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment is wherein a valid timing error is received in the NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) measurement request message.

[0112] In the fifteenth embodiment, according to the processor of the fourteenth example, the NRPPa measurement request message further includes an identifier of a base station among a set of base stations to which a valid timing error should be applied.

[0113] In the sixteenth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment is wherein, when the base station is identified as a serving cell, a valid timing error is received in an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) positioning information request message.

[0114] In the seventeenth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the effective timing error includes a timestamp indicating when the effective timing error is effective or when the effective timing error should be applied.

[0115] In the eighteenth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the effective timing error includes either the absolute value or the cumulative value to be added to the previously provided effective timing error value.

[0116] In the nineteenth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the effective timing error consists only of the synchronization error between the base station and at least one other base station performing UL-TDOA positioning technology by receiving PRS from the UE.

[0117] In the twentieth embodiment, the processor according to the thirteenth embodiment further includes: transmitting an NRPPa measurement response message, the NRPPa measurement response message including a relative time of arrival (RTOA) measurement based on UL-TDOA and an indication of whether the RTOA has been corrected at least based on a valid timing error.

[0118] In the twenty-first embodiment, according to the processor of the thirteenth embodiment, receiving the effective timing error includes: transmitting a relative time of arrival (RTOA) measurement performed by the base station based on UL-TDOA; and transmitting a measurement associated with uplink angle of arrival (UL-AOA) positioning technology performed by the base station.

[0119] In the twenty-second embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-first embodiment, wherein the RTOA measurement includes multiple RTOA measurements, and the measurement associated with UL-AOA includes multiple measurements associated with UL-AOA, wherein each of the multiple RTOA measurements and the multiple measurements associated with UL-AOA is associated with one of the set of base stations, antenna panels, or spatial directions for receiving the positioning reference signal.

[0120] In the twenty-third embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-first embodiment further includes: receiving a message indicating an antenna panel and spatial orientation information to be used for receiving a positioning reference signal.

[0121] In a twenty-fourth embodiment, a processor for a user equipment (UE) is provided, the processor being configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an effective timing error for a multi-station round-trip time (m-RTT) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with at least one base station, the UE being configured to transmit and receive a positioning reference signal (PRS) for m-RTT; measuring the PRS transmitted by the base station and receiving from the base station a PRS measurement performed by the base station in response to the PRS transmitted by the UE; and determining the location of the UE based at least on the UE's PRS measurement, the base station's PRS measurement, and the effective timing error.

[0122] In the twenty-fifth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-fourth embodiment is wherein a valid timing error is received in the auxiliary data message provided by the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP).

[0123] In the twenty-sixth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-fifth embodiment, wherein the effective timing error includes one of the following: (i) the transmit group delay of the UE only or (ii) the sum of the transmit group delay of the UE and the receive group delay of the base station.

[0124] In a twenty-seventh embodiment, a processor for a base station is provided, the processor being configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving an effective timing error for a multi-station round-trip time (m-RTT) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with at least one user equipment (UE), the base station being configured to transmit and receive a positioning reference signal (PRS) for m-RTT; measuring the PRS transmitted by the UE; receiving from the UE a PRS measurement performed by the UE in response to the PRS transmitted by the base station; and determining the location of the UE based at least on the UE's PRS measurement, the base station's PRS measurement, and the effective timing error.

[0125] In the twenty-eighth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-seventh embodiment is wherein a valid timing error is received in an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) measurement request message that includes a valid timing error.

[0126] In the twenty-ninth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-eighth embodiment, wherein the effective timing error includes one of the following: (i) the transmit group delay of the base station only or (ii) the sum of the transmit group delay of the base station and the receive group delay of the UE.

[0127] In a thirtieth embodiment, a processor for a base station is provided, the processor being configured to perform operations. The operations include: receiving from a network location management function (LMF) a message indicating a valid timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the valid timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit a positioning reference signal (PRS) for DL-TDOA to a UE; and broadcasting a system information block (SIB) including the valid timing error.

[0128] In the thirty-first embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment, wherein the effective timing error is associated with the antenna panel and spatial orientation of the base station, wherein the operation further includes: receiving from the LMF a message indicating the antenna panel and spatial orientation that the base station should use to transmit the PRS.

[0129] In the thirty-second embodiment, a user equipment (UE) with a transceiver configured to communicate with a network is provided. The UE also has any one of the processors described in the first to twelfth embodiments or the twenty-fourth to twenty-sixth embodiments.

[0130] In the thirty-third embodiment, a base station with a transceiver configured to communicate with a network is provided. The base station also includes any one of the processors described in embodiments thirteen through twenty-third or twenty-seven through thirty-first.

[0131] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments described above can be implemented with any suitable software or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Exemplary hardware platforms for implementing the exemplary embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, and mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS, Android, etc. In other examples, exemplary embodiments of the methods described above may be embodied as programs comprising lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, at compile time, can be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0132] Although this patent application describes various combinations of various embodiments, each with different features, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of an embodiment can be combined with features of other embodiments or features that are not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation or function of the device of the disclosed embodiment of the invention in any manner not explicitly denied.

[0133] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0134] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to this disclosure without departing from its spirit or scope. Therefore, this disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and variations thereof, provided that such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry coupled to a memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: Based on signaling from the network's location management function (LMF), the effective timing error of downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technology is processed, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for the DL-TDOA. Based on signaling from the LMF, the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Provides Auxiliary Data Message is processed, which includes the effective timing error associated with a set of Transmit and Receive Point (TRP) identifiers; as well as An LPP message indicating whether the effective timing error is applied is generated for transmission to the LMF.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LPP providing auxiliary data messages further includes an indication of one of the base stations in the group of base stations and a panel identifier of the one base station in the group of base stations associated with the effective timing error.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Based on signaling from one of the base stations in the group, the system information block (SIB) including the effective timing error is processed.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the SIB further includes an indication of one of the base stations in the group of base stations and a panel identifier of the one of the base stations in the group of base stations associated with the effective timing error.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the effective timing error includes a timestamp indicating when the effective timing error is valid or when one of the effective timing errors should be applied.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the effective timing error includes either a cumulative value or an absolute value to be added to a previously provided effective timing error value.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: The location of the device is calculated based on the DL-TDOA, wherein the LPP message is an LPP-provided location information message, which includes an indication of the location of the device and an indication of whether the location has been calculated at least based on the effective timing error.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement is performed based on the DL-TDOA, wherein the LPP message is an LPP location information message, the LPP location information message including the RSTD measurement and an indication of whether the RSTD measurement has been corrected at least based on the effective timing error.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement is performed based on the DL-TDOA. The RSTD measurement is generated for transmission to the LMF; Perform downlink departure angle (DL-AOD) positioning technology measurements; and The DL-AOD positioning technology measurement is generated for transmission to the LMF.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the RSTD measurement comprises a plurality of RSTD measurements, and the DL-AOD measurement comprises a plurality of associated DL-AOD measurements, wherein each of the plurality of RSTD measurements and the plurality of DL-AOD measurements is associated with one of the configurations of the set of base stations, antenna panels, or the positioning reference signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Based on signaling from the LMF, a message instructing one of the group of base stations to use its antenna panel and spatial direction information to transmit the positioning reference signal is processed; and Each of the RSTD measurement and the associated DL-AOD measurement is labeled using the corresponding antenna panel and spatial orientation information.

12. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry coupled to a memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: Based on signaling from the network's location management function (LMF), the effective timing error of multi-station round-trip time (m-RTT) positioning technology is processed, wherein the effective timing error is associated with at least one base station and user equipment (UE) configured to transmit and receive positioning reference signals for the m-RTT. Based on signaling from the LMF, the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Provides Auxiliary Data Message is processed, which includes the effective timing error associated with a set of Transmit and Receive Point (TRP) identifiers; as well as A message indicating whether the effective timing error is applied is generated for transmission to the LMF.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the effective timing error comprises one of the following: (i) the transmit group delay of the at least one base station only or (ii) the sum of the transmit group delay of the at least one base station and the receive group delay of the UE.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the effective timing error comprises one of the following: (i) the transmit group delay of the UE only or (ii) the sum of the transmit group delay of the UE and the receive group delay of the at least one base station.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the message includes a time difference measurement associated with the m-RTT, and wherein the message further includes an indication of whether the time difference measurement has been corrected using the effective timing error.

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