Aiots multilateration method

Abstract

An apparatus comprising means for sending, to a first device or a second device, a configuration associated with a reception transmission time difference; wherein the configuration comprises at least one of: information for determining a reception transmission time difference, or a request to determine a reception transmission time difference; and means for receiving, from the second device, a report associated with a reception transmission time difference.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to GB application No. 2401361.7, filed on February 2, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The exemplary and non-limiting example embodiments generally relate to communication, and more specifically to AIoT multi-point positioning methods. Background Technology

[0003] It is known that the communication equipment accesses the communication network via an access network node. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect, an apparatus includes components for transmitting to a first device or a second device a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; and components for receiving from the second device a report associated with the received transmission time difference.

[0005] According to one aspect, an apparatus includes components for receiving a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; components for determining the received transmission time difference; and components for sending a response to the apparatus including the determined received transmission time difference.

[0006] According to one aspect, an apparatus includes components for receiving from a network entity a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; components for determining the received transmission time difference; and components for sending to the network entity a report associated with the determined received transmission time difference.

[0007] According to one aspect, an apparatus includes components for receiving a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an indication for sending an activation signal; and components for sending the activation signal to a first device; wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with a second device. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The foregoing aspects and other features are explained in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Figure 1This is a block diagram of one possible, non-limiting system in which example embodiments can be practiced.

[0010] Figure 2 An example topology (Topology 1) for communication between a base station and an environmental IoT device is shown.

[0011] Figure 3 An example topology (Topology 2) is shown, illustrating communication between the base station and intermediate nodes, and communication between intermediate nodes and IoT devices in the environment.

[0012] Figure 4A An example topology with downlink assistance is shown (Topology 3).

[0013] Figure 4B An example topology with uplink assistance is shown (Topology 3).

[0014] Figure 5 An example topology (Topology 4) for communication between the UE and the AIoT devices in the environment is shown.

[0015] Figure 6 This is an example signaling diagram based on the examples described in this article.

[0016] Figure 7 It is an example device configured to implement the examples described herein.

[0017] Figure 8 A representation of an example of a non-volatile storage medium for storing instructions that implement the examples described herein is shown.

[0018] Figure 9 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0019] Figure 10 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0020] Figure 11 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0021] Figure 12 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0022] Figure 13 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0023] Figure 14 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article.

[0024] Figure 15 This is an example method based on the examples described in this article. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Turning Figure 1 The figure illustrates a block diagram of one possible, non-limiting example in which examples can be practiced. It shows a user equipment (UE) 110, a radio access network (RAN) node 170, and (multiple) network elements 190. Figure 1 In the example, User Equipment (UE) 110 wirelessly communicates with Wireless Network 100. The UE is a wireless device that can access Wireless Network 100. UE 110 includes one or more processors 120, one or more memories 125, and one or more transceivers 130 interconnected via one or more buses 127. Each of the one or more transceivers 130 includes a receiver Rx 132 and a transmitter Tx 133. The one or more buses 127 may be address, data, or control buses and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a series of lines on a motherboard or integrated circuit, fiber optic cables, or other optical communication devices. The one or more transceivers 130 are connected to one or more antennas 128. The one or more memories 125 include computer program code 123. UE 110 includes a module 140, which includes one or both of portions 140-1 and / or 140-2, and this module may be implemented in various ways. Module 140 may be implemented in hardware as module 140-1, such as being implemented as part of one or more processors 120. Module 140-1 can also be implemented as an integrated circuit or via other hardware such as a programmable gate array. In another example, module 140 can be implemented as module 140-2, which is implemented as computer program code 123 and executed by one or more processors 120. For example, one or more memories 125 and computer program code 123 can be configured, together with one or more processors 120, to cause user equipment 110 to perform one or more of the operations described herein. UE 110 communicates with RAN node 170 via radio link 111.

[0026] In this example, RAN node 170 is a base station that provides access to wireless network 100 for wireless devices such as UE 110. RAN node 170 can be, for example, a base station for 5G, also known as New Radio (NR). In 5G, RAN node 170 can be an NG-RAN node, which is defined as a gNB or ng-eNB. A gNB is a node that provides NR user plane and control plane protocol termination to the UE and is connected to 5GC (such as, for example, multiple network elements 190) via an NG interface (such as connection 131). An ng-eNB is a node that provides E-UTRA user plane and control plane protocol termination to the UE and is connected to 5GC via an NG interface (such as connection 131). An NG-RAN node can include multiple gNBs, which can also include a central unit (CU) (gNB-CU) 196 and multiple distributed units (DUs) (gNB-DU), of which DU 195 is shown. Note that DU 195 can include or be coupled to and control a radio unit (RU). gNB-CU 196 is a logical node that hosts the Radio Resource Control (RRC), SDAP, and PDCP protocols of the gNB, or controls the RRC and PDCP protocols of the en-gNB that control the operation of one or more gNB-DUs. gNB-CU 196 terminates the F1 interface connected to gNB-DU 195. The F1 interface is shown as reference numeral 198, although reference numeral 198 also shows links between remote elements of RAN node 170 and centralized elements of RAN node 170, such as the link between gNB-CU 196 and gNB-DU 195. gNB-DU 195 is a logical node hosting the RLC, MAC, and PHY layers of the gNB or en-gNB, and its operation is partially controlled by gNB-CU 196. One gNB-CU 196 supports one or more cells. A cell can be supported by one gNB-DU 195, or a cell can be supported / shared with multiple DUs under RAN sharing. gNB-DU 195 terminates the F1 interface 198 connected to gNB-CU 196. Note that DU 195 is considered to include transceiver 160, for example, as part of an RU; however, some examples in this regard could allow transceiver 160 to be part of a separate RU, for example, under the control of and connected to DU 195. RAN node 170 could also be an eNB (evolved NodeB) base station for LTE (Long Term Evolution), or any other suitable base station or node.

[0027] RAN node 170 includes one or more processors 152, one or more memories 155, one or more network interfaces (N / WI / F) 161, and one or more transceivers 160 interconnected via one or more buses 157. Each of the one or more transceivers 160 includes a receiver Rx 162 and a transmitter Tx 163. The one or more transceivers 160 are connected to one or more antennas 158. The one or more memories 155 include computer program code 153. CU 196 may include processor(s) 152, one or more memories 155, and network interfaces 161. Note that DU 195 may also include its own memory(s) and processor(s), and / or other hardware, but these are not shown.

[0028] RAN node 170 includes module 150, which comprises one or both of portions 150-1 and / or 150-2, and can be implemented in various ways. Module 150 can be implemented in hardware as module 150-1, such as being implemented as part of one or more processors 152. Module 150-1 can also be implemented as an integrated circuit or via other hardware such as a programmable gate array. In another example, module 150 can be implemented as module 150-2, which is implemented as computer program code 153 and executed by one or more processors 152. For example, one or more memories 155 and computer program code 153 are configured, together with one or more processors 152, to cause RAN node 170 to perform one or more operations as described herein. Note that the functionality of module 150 can be distributed, such as distributed between DU 195 and CU 196, or implemented solely in DU 195.

[0029] One or more network interfaces 161 communicate over a network, such as via links 176 and 131. Two or more gNBs 170 may communicate using, for example, link 176. Link 176 may be wired, wireless, or both, and may implement, for example, an Xn interface for 5G, an X2 interface for LTE, or other suitable interfaces for other standards.

[0030] One or more buses 157 may be address, data, or control buses and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a series of lines on a motherboard or integrated circuit, optical fiber or other optical communication equipment, wireless channels, etc. For example, one or more transceivers 160 may be implemented as a Remote Radio Header (RRH) 195 for LTE or a Distributed Unit (DU) 195 for a gNB implementation of 5G, wherein other elements of the RAN node 170 may be physically located in a different location from the RRH / DU 195, and one or more buses 157 may be partially implemented as, for example, fiber optic cables or other suitable network connections for connecting other elements of the RAN node 170 (e.g., Central Unit (CU), gNB-CU 196) to the RRH / DU 195. Reference numeral 198 also indicates these suitable network links(s).

[0031] A RAN node / gNB may include one or more TRPs, and the methods described herein can be applied to that TRP. Figure 1 The diagram shows RAN node 170 including TRP 51 and TRP 52 in addition to the TRP represented by transceiver 160. Similar to transceiver 160, each of TRP 51 and TRP 52 may include a transmitter and a receiver. RAN node 170 may host or include... Figure 1 Other TRPs not shown in the diagram.

[0032] In NR, relay nodes are called Integrated Access and Backhaul nodes. The mobile terminal portion of an IAB node facilitates backhaul (parent link) connections. In other words, the mobile terminal portion includes functions carrying UE capabilities. The distributed unit portion of an IAB node facilitates so-called access link (sub-link) connections (i.e., for access link UEs, and for backhaul to other IAB nodes in the case of multi-hop IABs). In other words, the distributed unit portion is responsible for certain base station functions. IAB scenarios can follow a so-called split architecture, where the central unit hosts higher-level protocols for the UE and terminates the control plane and user plane interfaces with the 5G core network.

[0033] Note that the description in this document indicates that a "cell" performs a function; however, it should be clear that the equipment forming the cell can perform this function. A cell constitutes part of a base station. That is, each base station can have multiple cells. For example, a single carrier frequency and associated bandwidth can have three cells, each covering one-third of a 360-degree area, thus the coverage area of ​​a single base station is approximately elliptical or circular. Furthermore, each cell can correspond to a single carrier, and a base station can use multiple carriers. So if each carrier has three 120-degree cells and there are two carriers, the base station has a total of six cells.

[0034] Wireless network 100 may include one or more network elements 190, which may include core network functions and provide connectivity to other networks, such as telephone networks and / or data communication networks (e.g., the Internet), via one or more links 181. Such core network functions for 5G may include location management functions (LMF) and / or (multiple) access and mobility management functions (AMF) and / or user plane functions (UPF) and / or (multiple) session management functions (SMF). Such core network functions for LTE may include MME (Mobility Management Entity) / SGW (Serving Gateway) functions. Such core network functions may include SON (Self-Organizing / Optimizing Network) functions. These are merely example functions that can be supported by (multiple) network elements 190, and it should be noted that both 5G and LTE functions may be supported. RAN node 170 is coupled to network element 190 via link 131. Link 131 may be implemented as, for example, an NG interface for 5G, or an S1 interface for LTE, or other suitable interfaces for other standards. Network element 190 includes one or more processors 175, one or more memories 171, and one or more network interfaces (N / WI / F) 180 interconnected via one or more buses 185. The one or more memories 171 include computer program code 173. The computer program code 173 may include SON and / or MRO functions 172.

[0035] Wireless network 100 can implement network virtualization, which is the process of combining hardware and software network resources and network functions into a single software-based management entity or virtual network. Network virtualization involves platform virtualization, which is often combined with resource virtualization. Network virtualization is divided into external network virtualization and internal network virtualization. External network virtualization combines many networks or network parts into virtual units, while internal network virtualization provides network-like functionality to software containers on a single system. Note that the virtualized entities created by network virtualization are still implemented to some extent using hardware such as processors 152 or 175 and memories 155 and 171, and such virtualized entities also produce technical effects.

[0036] Computer-readable storage devices 125, 155, and 171 can be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic storage devices and systems, optical storage devices and systems, non-transitory memory, transient memory, fixed memory, and removable memory. Computer-readable storage devices 125, 155, and 171 can be components for performing storage functions. Processors 120, 152, and 175 can be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and, by way of non-limiting example, can include one or more of general-purpose computers, special-purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), and processors based on multi-core processor architectures. Processors 120, 152, and 175 can be components for performing functions such as control of UE 110, RAN node 170, network element(s) 190, and other functions described herein.

[0037] Typically, various example embodiments of user equipment 110 may include, but are not limited to, cellular phones with wireless communication capabilities (such as smartphones, tablets, personal digital assistants (PDAs)), portable computers with wireless communication capabilities, image capture devices with wireless communication capabilities (such as digital cameras), gaming devices with wireless communication capabilities, music storage and playback devices with wireless communication capabilities, internet devices (including devices that allow wireless internet access and browsing), tablets with wireless communication capabilities, head-mounted displays (such as displays that implement virtual / augmented / mixed reality), and portable units or terminals combining such functions. UE 110 may also be a vehicle, such as an automobile, or a UE installed in a vehicle, a UAV, such as a drone, or a UE installed in a UAV. User equipment 110 may be a terminal device, such as a mobile phone, mobile device, sensor device, etc., which is a device used by the user or not used by the user.

[0038] UE 110, RAN node 170, and / or (multiple) network elements 190 (and associated memory, computer program code, and modules) can be configured to implement (e.g., in part) the methods described herein. Therefore, Figure 1 The computer program code 123, module 140-1, module 140-2, and other components / features of the UE 110 shown herein can implement the user equipment-related aspects of the examples described herein. Similarly, Figure 1 The computer program code 153, module 150-1, module 150-2 and other elements / features of the RAN node 170 shown herein can implement the gNB / TRP-related aspects of the examples described herein. Figure 1The computer program code 173 and other elements / features of the (multiple) network elements 190 shown can be configured to implement the network element-related aspects of the examples described herein.

[0039] Therefore, having introduced a suitable but non-limiting technical context for the practice of the example embodiments, the example embodiments will now be described in more detail.

[0040] Regarding IoT applications, 3GPP has already specified NB-IoT / eMTC and NR RedCap prior to Release 18 to meet the requirements of wide-area IoT communication for low-cost and low-power devices. These IoT devices typically consume tens or hundreds of milliwatts of power during transmission and reception, while costing only a few dollars. However, to achieve the Internet of Everything, IoT devices with costs and power consumption reduced to one-tenth or even one-hundredth are needed, especially for a large number of applications requiring battery-free devices.

[0041] 1. Typical Use Cases

[0042] The number of IoT connections has grown rapidly in recent years, and is projected to reach hundreds of billions by 2030. As more and more things are expected to connect to improve productivity and increase comfort, there is a demand for further reductions in the size, cost, and power consumption of IoT devices. In particular, regularly replacing the batteries of all IoT devices is impractical due to the enormous consumption of materials and manpower. Using energy harvested from the environment to power IoT devices for self-sustaining communication has become a trend, especially in applications with a large number of devices (e.g., ID tags and sensors).

[0043] 2. 3GPP technology

[0044] The most critical issue with existing 3GPP technologies in target use cases is their ability to collaborate with energy harvesting while considering finite device size. Cellular devices typically consume tens or even hundreds of milliwatts of power for transceiver processing. For example, in an NB-IoT module, typical current consumption for receive processing is approximately 60mA at a supply voltage above 3.1V, while transmit processing consumes 70mA at 0dBm transmit power. Furthermore, considering the small size of actual devices (a few square centimeters), typical energy harvesters provide output power mostly below 1 milliwatt. Since the available power is far less than the consumed power, directly powering cellular devices via energy harvesting is impractical in most cases.

[0045] One possible solution is to integrate energy harvesting with rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors. However, several issues remain. First, in practice, the lifespan of both rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors may be shortened. It's difficult to provide a constant charging current or voltage through energy harvesting, and due to the small output power of the energy harvester, long periods of continuous charging are required. Unstable charging current and prolonged continuous charging both negatively impact battery life. For supercapacitors, their lifespan at high temperatures will be significantly reduced (e.g., less than 3 years at 50 degrees Celsius). Second, device size will increase dramatically. Small coin cells can only provide tens of milliamps of current, while much larger batteries (e.g., AA batteries) are typically used to power cellular devices, and their size may even exceed that of the module itself. To store energy for a proper operating time (e.g., one second), supercapacitors require a capacity of one hundred millifarads. Such supercapacitors may be larger than NB-IoT modules. Third, both rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors may be more expensive than the module itself. Even with bulk purchases, the cost of suitable batteries or supercapacitors can reach one or several dollars, almost twice the cost of the device.

[0046] 3. Non-3GPP technologies

[0047] RFID is the most well-known technology supporting battery-free tags (devices). Commercial passive RFID tags can consume as little as 1 microwatt. This low power consumption is achieved through envelope detection for downlink data reception and backscatter communication for uplink data transmission. RFID is designed for short-range communication, with a typical effective range of less than 10 meters. Because the RFID air interface has remained virtually unchanged since 2005, its overly simplistic transmission scheme has become an obstacle to improving its link budget and supporting scalable network capabilities.

[0048] Attracted by the extremely low power consumption of backscatter communication, many non-3GPP technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, and LoRa, have begun to be researched. Various studies have shown that passive tags based on or slightly modified from these air interfaces can support power consumption of a few microwatts or tens of microwatts. A significant portion of the research focuses on long-range communication. LoRa tags, implemented using commercially available off-the-shelf components, can transmit their sensing data to a receiver up to 381 meters away. Currently, most research concentrates on individual, detailed techniques for various optimization objectives. It is difficult to see a comprehensive system design that fully meets the requirements of the target use case. However, standardization of these technologies is agile and rapid because these industries typically follow some de facto standards. This means that many products on the market can even adhere to proprietary standards after demonstrating competitiveness in certain applications.

[0049] 4. 3GPP Activities in Environmental IoT

[0050] A passive radio is a device that utilizes the energy of a wireless signal transmitted on a specific carrier and / or bandwidth to charge a simple circuit system, which, when activated, transmits / reflects a signal that at least encodes the ID of the passive radio. Typical system architectures surrounding passive radios include (1-3):

[0051] 1. Activator: A device that sends an activation signal to wake up a passive radio.

[0052] 2. Passive radio: Utilizes energy within a specific frequency range and listens for activation signals. Upon detecting such a signal, the passive radio transmits / reflects a signal specific to that radio ID.

[0053] 3. Reader: A device for listening to and detecting passive radio signals. The reader may or may not be placed alongside the activator.

[0054] The RAN-level research project has been approved, and the following two main equipment categories have recently been identified in RAN#98-e (RP-223396):

[0055] The objectives of this research project can be grouped into three aspects: (i) deployment scenarios; (ii) design objectives; and (iii) performance evaluation. Regarding deployment scenarios, the focus is on operations in unlicensed spectrum:

[0056] 5. Overview of 3GPP protocols related to environmental IoT to date

[0057] In RAN#98ec, it is agreed that three types of equipment should be given priority (1-3): 1. Equipment A: Passive equipment without energy storage, 2. Equipment B: Passive equipment with energy storage, 3. Equipment C: Active equipment with energy storage.

[0058] Power consumption design targets: Device A ≤ 10μW, Device A < Device B < Device C, Device C ≤ 1mW

[0059] Device complexity design goals: Device A: Comparable to UHF RFID, Device A ≤ Device B ≤ Device C, Device C: Several orders of magnitude lower than NB-IoT.

[0060] During RAN#99, the rapporteur listed the following functionalities that need to be addressed for environmental IoT in the RAN:

[0061] 6. Topology agreed upon in FS_Ambient_IoT_RAN (TR 38.848)

[0062] For research purposes, the following connection topologies for environmental IoT networks and devices are defined. In all these topologies, environmental IoT devices can be provided with carriers from (multiple) other nodes inside or outside the topology. Links in each topology can be bidirectional or unidirectional. BS, UE, auxiliary nodes, or intermediate nodes can be multiple BSs or UEs accordingly. Such a mix of indoor and outdoor node placement is considered a network implementation option.

[0063] 6.1 Topology 1: BS <-> AIoT Devices

[0064] In topology 1 (such as) Figure 2 As shown, the environmental IoT device 202 communicates directly and bidirectionally with the base station 170. The communication between the base station 170 and the environmental IoT device 202 includes environmental IoT data and / or signaling (204). This topology allows for the possibility that the BS sent to the environmental IoT device is different from the BS received from the environmental IoT device.

[0065] 3.6.2 Topology 2: BS <-> Intermediate Node <-> AIoT Device

[0066] In topology 2 (e.g.) Figure 3 As shown, the environmental IoT device 202 communicates bidirectionally with an intermediate node 304 between the device 202 and the base station 170. In this topology, the intermediate node 304 can be a relay, IAB node, UE110, repeater, etc., capable of environmental IoT. The intermediate node 304 transmits information between the BS 170 and the environmental IoT device 202.

[0067] 6.3 Topology 3: BS <-> Auxiliary Node <-> AIoT Device <-> BS Device

[0068] In topology 3 (such as) Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, in this topology, the environmental IoT device 202 sends data / signaling 410 to the base station 170 and receives data / signaling 412 from the auxiliary node 406; or the environmental IoT device 202 receives data / signaling 414 from the base station 170 and sends data / signaling 416 to the auxiliary node 406. In this topology, the auxiliary node 406 can be a relay, IAB, UE 110, repeater, etc., capable of environmental IoT.

[0069] 6.4 Topology 4: UE <-> AIoT Device

[0070] In topology 4 (e.g.) Figure 5 As shown, the environmental IoT device 202 communicates bidirectionally with the UE 110. The communication between the UE 110 and the environmental IoT device 202 includes environmental IoT data and / or signaling 502.

[0071] 3GPP TS 37.355 defines a method for multi-RTT positioning in 5G NR. This method is designed for 5G UEs, where each RTT session is allocated individual resources and no interference is generated. However, this method has not yet been extended to any type of AIoT device.

[0072] Location AIoT devices are required to: (1) measure and report location signals from multiple sources, or (2) transmit location signals that can be detected and measured by multiple receivers after they have been charged and activated.

[0073] When synchronization is not possible, the only feasible method remains RTT, in which the AIoT devices must perform tasks 1 and 2 one after another. In addition to signal transmission and measurement, the AIoT devices also need to (3) report the RX-TX time difference through a separate communication channel.

[0074] Performing tasks 1, 2, and 3 by an AIoT device is challenging because: a) depending on the device type (A, B, or C), it may have sufficient charge and / or intelligence to perform only a subset of tasks 1, 2, and 3; and b) the transmission of location signals and RX-TX time differences from multiple AIoT devices can lead to high AIoT cross-interference because the density of these devices may be many orders of magnitude higher than that of a typical NR UE (and therefore orthogonality in the frequency domain is no longer feasible).

[0075] This paper describes a multi-point localization method for AIOTs that does not require known activator locations. The method consists of the following elements (1-4):

[0076] 1. AIoT devices are required to calculate the Hybrid RX-TX Time Difference (HRTTD), where (ab): a. RX time is the reception time of the activation signal, and b. TX time is the transmission time of the AIoT response. Note that the TX time includes all delays related to, for example, charging the device, switching the RX chain to the TX chain, etc. In this way, the activation signal replaces a positioning signal in the standard RTT. AIoT devices require continuous illumination signals for device types A and B, while device type C can operate without a continuous illumination source.

[0077] 2. AIoT devices are required to encode the quantized mixed RX-TX time difference in their own responses, for example, by modulating the responses using a bitstream encoded with a quantized version of HRTTD (called qHRTTD).

[0078] 3. The reader is required to report the mixed RX-TX time difference, where (ad): a. RX time is the reception time of the AIoT response, and b. TX time is the transmission time of the activation signal transmitted by the activator radio, not by the reader itself. c. To achieve this behavior, the activator and reader need to be synchronized, and the reader should know the TX time of the activation signal. This can be achieved through the pre-configuration of the reading session controlled by NR NW. d. In addition to its own measured HRTTD, the reader also reports qHRTTD. In an alternative implementation, the reader can dequantize qHRTTD itself and relay the result.

[0079] 4. The session control unit (e.g., LMF) receives HRTTD and qHRTTD, dequantizes qHRTTD and calculates the difference between the two, thereby eliminating the offset caused by the propagation delay activator AIOT device and the deviation of the AIOT clock relative to the reader.

[0080] The advantages and technical effects of the examples described in this article include AIoT positioning that does not require (e.g., no need) to synchronize AIoT devices to NW time, and AIoT devices do not need to explicitly report the RX-TX time difference, thus minimizing reporting overhead. AIoT devices may also be referred to as tags or tag devices.

[0081] Solution 1

[0082] The process is as follows Figure 6 The flowchart is shown, where new signaling elements are in red and new AIoT device methods are in purple. Specifically:

[0083] Signal 1 (601) element is a new IE in the LPP auxiliary data. B1 and B2 refer to the number of bits dedicated to quantizing the integer and fractional parts of the HRTTD calculated by the AIOT device. Note that if the activator 620 and / or reader 630 are instead located in the gNB 170, the auxiliary data is instead sent via the NRPPa interface. This configuration is performed by the LMF 190 and includes an explicit request for the HRTTD calculation 606 performed by the AIOT device 202 and reader 630.

[0084] AIOT HRTTD measurements need to be standardized so that AIOT device 202 understands how to obtain them after LMF 190 issues a request (e.g., new physical layer measurements in TS 38.215). AIOT HRTTD measurement requests can be made by defining a new IE in LPPRequestLocationInformation.

[0085] The definition of AIOT HRTTD can be standardized as the difference between the TX time of AIOT response 609 and the RX time of the activation signal (602) that triggers AIOT response 609, specifically, (i-ii): i) the RX time is the reception time of activation signal 602, ii) the TX time is the transmission time of AIOT response 609. Note that the TX time includes all delays related to, for example, charging the device, switching the RX chain to the TX chain, etc. In this way, activation signal 602 replaces a positioning signal from standard RTT. AIOT device 202 requires continuous illumination signals for device types A and B, while device type C can operate without a continuous illumination source.

[0086] Reader HRTTD measurements also need to be standardized (e.g., the new physical layer measurements in TS 38.215). Reader HRTTD measurement requests can be made by defining a new IE in the LPP RequestLocationInformation.

[0087] The definition of the reader HRTTD can be normalized as the difference between the TX time of the activation signal 602 and the RX time of the AIOT response 609 triggered by the aforementioned activation signal 602, specifically, (i-ii): i) the RX time is the reception time of the AIOT response 609, and ii) the TX time is the transmission time of the activation signal 602 by the activator radio 620 rather than by the reader 630 itself.

[0088] Signal 12 (612) consists of a new IE in the LPP location information message. Note that if the activator 620 and / or reader 630 are changed to be located in gNB 170, the report is instead sent via the NRPPa interface. Signal 612 must be received from multiple readers 630 so that LMF 190 can perform triangulation / polygonal measurement of the location of AIOT device 202.

[0089] The following is a detailed description of the scenario where LMF 190 triggers a session. Figure 6 The gradual process.

[0090] In step 1, LMF 190 configures and triggers a session between activator 620, reader 630, and AIOT device 202. Specifically, via LPP auxiliary information, LMF 190 configures (ac): a. activates signal transmission, including time and frequency resources, waveforms, etc.; b. the AIOT ID to be localized; c. the IDs of the activator and(multiple) readers associated with the AIOT device localization. Then, via LPP RequestLocationInformation, LMF 190 can address AIOT device 202 and AIOT reader 630, and request the calculation of AIOT HRTTD, and accordingly calculate reader HRTTD and AIOT qHRTTD.

[0091] In step 2 (602), as a result of the above configuration (601), the activator 620 sends a corresponding activation signal that is received by at least the AIOT device 202.

[0092] d. Depending on the activator-reader distance, the activation signal can also be received by the reader 630. Specifically, if the reader 630 happens to be within the activation coverage area, then the reader 630 can receive the activation signal. In this case, if the activation signal 602 overlaps with the AIoT device signal (609) (the tag signal 609 is the signal received from the AIoT device 202), then the reader 630 should first cancel the activation signal 602 and then attempt tag detection. To achieve this, the reader 630 should know the activation signal in advance and apply any available interference cancellation method to subtract the contribution of the activation signal 602 from the total received signal (where the total received signal corresponds to the activation signal 602 and the AIoT response 609).

[0093] In step 3 (603), in response to activation signal 602, AIOT device 202 performs the calculation of HRTTD 606 and the generation of a response to the embedded quantized version (i.e., qHRTTD), regarding Figure 6 For details on steps 4 (604), 5 (605), 6 (606), 7 (607), and 8 (608), please refer to Solution 3.

[0094] In steps 10 (610) and 11 (611), reader 630 detects AIOT response 609 and calculates reader HRTTD as described above.

[0095] In step 11 (611), the reader 630 also reconstructs qHRTTD into a bit vector based on the waveform characteristics of the response.

[0096] In step 12 (612), reader 630 uses the new LPP ProvideLocationInformation IE to report both the HRTTD and qHRTTD for each detected AIOT device (including AIOT device 202). Therefore, the report contains the tuple: (AIOT device ID; reader HRTTD, AIOT qHRTTD).

[0097] In step 13 (613), LMF 190 dequantizes qHRTTD, now called AIOT HRTTD.

[0098] In step 14 (614), LMF 190 uses the AIOT HRTTD and the reported reader HRTTD, and calculates the propagation delay between AIOT device 202 and reader 630 as half the difference between the aforementioned amounts. It then converts the propagation delay into distance.

[0099] Finally, in step 15 (615), LMF 190 uses the distances to different readers to estimate the location of AIoT device 202 using state-of-the-art positioning methods.

[0100] Solution 2

[0101] If the AIoT device 202 can only reflect the activation signal, then qHRTTD will be fixed, approximately 0 for device A and a constant but known value for device B, regardless of the situation. In this case, if the type cannot be derived from the ID alone, the AIoT device 202 can be disregarded. Figure 6 Method 3 (603) in the document, and responds using only its ID and / or type (A or B).

[0102] Even in the case of pure backscattering, AIoT device 202 will reflect the incident wave in a pattern that indicates its ID. For example, AIoT device 202 can choose to reflect the incoming signal in an on / off manner to encode the ID in binary form. This type of encoding can be considered a form of attaching device-specific information. For active AIoT device 202, the device ID can be sent in a manner such as (e.g., to reader 630) or attached in a way that the device ID is carried by the actual payload.

[0103] Solution 3

[0104] The solution describes Figure 6 The AIOT 202 behavior is shown in box 3 (603). Specifically (1-8):

[0105] 1. At 604, the AIOT device 202 measures the reception time of the activation signal 602.

[0106] 2. Activation signal 602 is continuously sent during the positioning session.

[0107] 3. At 605, AIoT device 202 selects a time slot for sending a response. The subsequent time slot is called the TX time.

[0108] 4. At 606, device 202 then calculates the difference between the RX time and the TX time, where this difference is called HRTTD.

[0109] 5. Device 202 normalizes this value to the 5G NR sampling time Ts, i.e. .

[0110] 6. At 607, the AIoT device 202 quantizes the HRTTD to a precision of B1 bits for the integer part and B2 bits for the fractional part, as shown in the pre-configuration 601 (which is fixed or configurable by the implementation at the start of the location session): .

[0111] 7. At point 608, AIoT device 202 responds to... qHRTTD Encoding is performed. a. In one embodiment, if the response waveform is OOK, then the qHRTTD modulates the bit string. b. In another embodiment, if the response waveform is SC-FDM or OFDM, then (i-ii): i. qHRTTD Modulation is performed according to the QAM constellation diagram. ii. Complex signals are mapped to one or more subcarriers and converted into a time-domain sum of sine curves.

[0112] 8. At 609, AIOT device 202 sends its response (encoded qHRTTD) to the TX instance selected in step 2.

[0113] Examples (1-6):

[0114] 1. The AIoT device 202 measures the RX time = 6.5Ts, where Ts = 32.55ns.

[0115] 2. AIOT device 202 selects TX time = 12Ts.

[0116] 3. For equipment 202, the calculated HRTTD is 12TS - 6.5Ts = 5.5Ts.

[0117] 4. Apply normalization, and HRTTD=5.5.

[0118] 5. The integer part of the normalized HRTTD is quantized to B1=7 bits, the fractional part is quantized to B2=1 bit, and the result becomes qHRTTD=[0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1].

[0119] 6. Then, qHRTTD is modulated and upconverted to a carrier and transmitted.

[0120] The advantages and technical effects of the examples described in this article include the fact that it is not necessary (e.g., no need) to synchronize AIoT devices to the AIoT location of the NW, and that AIoT devices do not need to explicitly report the RX-TX time difference, thereby minimizing reporting overhead.

[0121] The examples described herein relate to Ambient IoT Rel.19 SI and are therefore related to standardized signaling. The estimated reception time of the activation signal described herein for an Ambient IoT device can be implemented using an Ambient IoT device (such as a Device Under Test (DUT) Ambient IoT device), a gNB, and a UE reader. This implementation connects a communication device (such as a communication tester) acting as both the gNB and the SCU for configuration and measurement reporting. The SCU also controls a signal generator capable of generating an RF signal that simulates the activation signal and decodes reflected signals from the AIoT device.

[0122] like Figure 6 The system described herein is configured as shown. The AIoT device measures the reception time of the activation signal. The AIoT device selects a time slot for sending a response. The AIoT device sends its response (encoded qHRTTD) on the selected TX instance. Based on this response, various aspects of Solution 3 can be implemented.

[0123] Figure 7 This is an example device 700 (which may be implemented in hardware) configured to implement the examples described herein. Device 700 includes at least one processor 702 (e.g., an FPGA and / or CPU), and one or more memories 704 including computer program code 705 having instructions for performing the methods described herein, wherein at least one memory 704 and computer program code 705 are configured, together with at least one processor 702, such that device 700 implements a circuit system, process, component, module, or function (implemented by control module 706) to implement the examples described herein. Memory 704 may be a non-transitory memory, a transient memory, a volatile memory (e.g., RAM), or a non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM).

[0124] The Position 730 can implement the example described in this article for AIoT multi-point positioning.

[0125] Device 700 includes a display and / or I / O interface 708, which includes a user interface (UI) circuitry and components that can be used to display aspects or states of the methods described herein (e.g., when one of these methods is executed or at a subsequent time), or to receive input from a user, such as using a keypad, camera, touchscreen, touch area, microphone, biometrics, one or more sensors, etc. Device 700 includes one or more communications, such as multiple network (N / W) interfaces (I / F) 710. The multiple communication I / Fs 710 can be wired and / or wireless and communicate over the multiple Internet / other networks via any communication technology, including via one or more links 724. The multiple links 724 can be from... Figure 1 Links (multiple) 131 and / or 176. From Figure 1 The multiple links 131 and / or 176 can also be implemented using multiple transceivers 716 and multiple corresponding wireless links 726. The multiple communication I / Fs 710 may include one or more transmitters or one or more receivers.

[0126] Transceiver 716 includes one or more transmitters 718 and one or more receivers 720. Transceiver 716 and / or (multiple) communication I / F 710 may include standard, well-known components such as amplifiers, filters, frequency converters, (de)modulators and encoder / decoder circuitry, and one or more antennas, such as antenna 714 for communication via wireless link 726.

[0127] The control module 706 of device 700 includes one or both of components 706-1 and / or 706-2, which can be implemented in various ways. Control module 706 can be implemented in hardware as control module 706-1, such as being implemented as part of one or more processors 702. Control module 706-1 can also be implemented as an integrated circuit or by other hardware such as a programmable gate array. In another example, control module 706 can be implemented as control module 706-2, which is implemented as computer program code (with corresponding instructions) 705 and executed by one or more processors 702. For example, one or more memories 704 store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors 702, cause device 700 to perform one or more of the operations described herein. Furthermore, one or more processors 702, one or more memories 704, and example algorithms (e.g., as flowcharts and / or signaling diagrams) (encoded as instructions, programs, or code) are components for performing the operations described herein.

[0128] The means 700 for implementing the functions of the control module 706 may be a UE 110, a RAN node 170 (e.g., a gNB) or (multiple) network elements 190 (e.g., an LMF 190). Therefore, processor 702 may correspond to processor(s) 120, processor(s) 152 and / or processor(s) 175, memory 704 may correspond to one or more memory(s) 125, one or more memory(s) 155 and / or one or more memory(s) 171, computer program code 705 may correspond to computer program code 123, computer program code 153 and / or computer program code 173, control module 706 may correspond to module 140-1, module 140-2, module 150-1 and / or module 150-2, and communication I / F(s) 710 and / or transceiver 716 may correspond to transceiver 130, antenna(s) 128, transceiver 160, antenna(s) 158, N / WI / F(s) 161, and / or N / WI / F(s) 180. Alternatively, the device 700 and its components may not correspond to any of the UE 110, RAN node 170, or network components(s) 190 and their respective components, as the device 700 may be part of a self-organizing / optimized network (SON) node or other nodes (such as nodes in the cloud).

[0129] Device 700 may also correspond to environmental IoT device 202, intermediate node 304, auxiliary node 406, activator 620 or reader 630.

[0130] Device 700 may also be distributed throughout the network (e.g., 100), including within and between device 700 and any network elements such as network control element (NCE) 190 and / or RAN node 170 and / or UE 110.

[0131] Interface 712 enables data communication and signaling between various items of device 700, such as... Figure 7As shown. For example, interface 712 may be one or more buses, such as address, data, or control buses, and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a series of lines on a motherboard or integrated circuit, fiber optic cables, or other optical communication devices. The computer program code (e.g., instructions) 705 including control module 706 may include object-oriented software configured to pass data or messages between objects within computer program code 705, or the computer program code (e.g., instructions) 705 including control module 706 may include function, script, or procedure code. Device 700 does not need to include every feature mentioned, or may include other features. Various components of device 700 may be at least partially located in a common housing 728, or a subset of various components of device 700 may be at least partially located in a different housing, which may include housing 728.

[0132] Figure 8 A schematic diagram is shown of non-volatile memory media 800a (e.g., a computer / optical disc (CD) or digital versatile optical disc (DVD)) and 800b (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Memory Stick) and 800c (e.g., cloud storage for downloading instructions and / or parameters 802 or receiving email instructions and / or parameters 802), which, when executed by a processor, allow the processor to perform one or more steps of the methods described herein. Instructions and / or parameters 802 may represent non-transitory computer-readable media.

[0133] Figure 9 This is an example method 900 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 910, the method includes sending a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference to a first device or a second device. At 920, the method includes wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference. At 930, the method includes receiving a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device. Method 900 may be performed using one or more network elements 190 (e.g., LMF 190) or apparatus 700.

[0134] Figure 10 This is an example method 1000 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1010, the method includes receiving a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference. At 1020, the method includes wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference. At 1030, the method includes determining the receive transmission time difference. At 1040, the method includes sending a response to a device including the determined receive transmission time difference. Method 1000 can be performed using AIoT device 202 or apparatus 700.

[0135] Figure 11 This is an example method 1100 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1110, the method includes receiving configuration associated with a received transmission time difference from a network entity. At 1120, the method includes wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference. At 1130, the method includes determining the received transmission time difference. At 1140, the method includes sending a report associated with the determined received transmission time difference to the network entity. Method 1100 may be performed using reader 630 or device 700.

[0136] Figure 12 This is an example method 1200 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1210, the method includes receiving a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an indication to send an activation signal. At 1220, the method includes sending an activation signal to a first device. At 1230, the method includes wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with the second device. Method 1200 may be performed using activator 620 or device 700.

[0137] Figure 13 This is an example method 1300 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1310, the method includes receiving information from a device, the information including at least one of: a device identifier, or a device type. At 1320, the method includes determining the device type. At 1330, the method includes determining the device type based on the device identifier, or based on information including the device type. At 1340, the method includes determining a receive transmission time difference associated with the device based on the device type. Method 1300 may be performed using one or more network elements 190 (e.g., LMF 190), reader 630, or device 700.

[0138] Figure 14This is an example method 1400 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1410, the method includes receiving an activation signal. At 1420, the method includes sending information to a network entity, the information including at least one of: a device identifier, or a device type. At 1430, the method includes sending information including at least one of a device identifier or a device type to the network entity within a response to an activation signal that triggers a response. At 1440, the method includes wherein the device type includes either a passive device without energy storage, or a passive device with energy storage. Method 1400 can be performed using AIoT device 202 or device 700.

[0139] Figure 15 This is an example method 1500 based on the example embodiments described herein. At 1510, the method includes measuring the reception time of an activation signal that triggers an acknowledgment. At 1520, the method includes determining the transmission time of the acknowledgment. At 1530, the method includes determining the reception-transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the acknowledgment and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the acknowledgment. Method 1500 can be performed using AIoT device 202 or apparatus 700.

[0140] The following examples are provided and described in this article.

[0141] Example 1. An apparatus comprising: components for transmitting to a first device or a second device a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference; and components for receiving from the second device a report associated with the received transmission time difference.

[0142] Example 2. The apparatus according to Example 1, wherein: the first device includes an Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, or the AIoT device includes the first device, or the second device includes a reader, or the reader includes the second device, or the apparatus includes a Location Management Function (LMF).

[0143] Example 3. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 2, wherein: when the report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference is received based on an activation signal sent from a gNB, or when the second device resides within at least one of the gNBs, the report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference is received from the second device within an information element (IE) of a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) location information message, or the report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference is received from the second device via a New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) interface.

[0144] Example 4. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the configuration associated with the received transmission time difference is sent within the information element (IE) of a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) Request Location Information message.

[0145] Example 5. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference includes at least one of the following: information related to the first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device, or information related to the second device receive transmission time difference associated with the second device.

[0146] Example 6. The apparatus according to Example 5 further includes: a component for determining the first device receiving transmission time difference based on the information related to the first device receiving transmission time difference.

[0147] Example 7. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 5 to 6 further includes: components for determining a propagation delay between the first device and the second device based on a transmission time difference received by the first device and a transmission time difference received by the second device; components for determining a distance between the first device and the second device based on the propagation delay; and components for determining the position of the first device based on the distance between the first device and the second device.

[0148] Example 8. The apparatus according to Example 7 further includes: a component for determining the propagation delay based on the difference between the first device receiving transmission time difference and the second device receiving transmission time difference.

[0149] Example 9. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 7 to 8 further includes: a component for determining a distance between the first device and the at least one other device based on a propagation delay between the first device and the at least one other device; and a component for determining the position of the first device based on the distance between the first device and the at least one other device.

[0150] Example 10. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 5 to 9 further includes: a component for sending to the first device the request to determine the first device receiving a transmission time difference; wherein the request to determine the first device receiving a transmission time difference includes an indication of the number of bits of the integer part of the transmission time difference received by the first device; wherein the request to determine the first device receiving a transmission time difference includes an indication of the number of bits of the fractional part of the transmission time difference received by the first device; and wherein the information related to the first device receiving the transmission time difference received from the second device is based on the number of bits of the integer part of the transmission time difference received by the first device and the number of bits of the fractional part of the transmission time difference received by the first device.

[0151] Example 11. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 10 further includes: a component for sending an identifier of the second device to the first device; and a component for sending the identifier of the first device to the second device.

[0152] Example 12. An apparatus comprising: components for receiving a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference; components for determining the received transmission time difference; and components for sending a response to the apparatus including the determined received transmission time difference.

[0153] Example 13. The apparatus according to Example 12 further includes: a component for determining the received transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

[0154] Example 14. The apparatus according to Example 13, wherein the transmission time of the response includes one or more of the following: a delay associated with charging the apparatus, or a delay associated with switching from the receiver chain of the apparatus to the transmission chain of the apparatus.

[0155] Example 15. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 12 to 14 further includes: means for approximating the received transmission time difference to generate an approximate received transmission time difference; and means for sending the response including the approximate received transmission time difference to the device.

[0156] Example 16. The apparatus according to Example 15 further includes: means for receiving, within the request to determine the received transmission time difference, an indication of the number of bits for the integer portion of the approximate received transmission time difference; means for receiving, within the request to determine the received transmission time difference, an indication of the number of bits for the fractional portion of the approximate received transmission time difference; and means for approximating the received transmission time difference based on the number of bits for the integer portion of the approximate received transmission time difference and the number of bits for the fractional portion of the approximate received transmission time difference.

[0157] Example 17. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 15 to 16, wherein approximating the receive transmission time difference to generate the approximate receive transmission time difference comprises: quantizing the receive transmission time difference to generate a quantized receive transmission time difference, the quantized receive transmission time difference being an approximation of the receive transmission time difference.

[0158] Example 18. An apparatus comprising: components for receiving from a network entity a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; components for determining the receive transmission time difference; and components for sending to the network entity a report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0159] Example 19. The apparatus according to Example 18 further includes: components for receiving a response from a device; components for determining the receive transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of an activation signal that triggers the response and the reception time of the response; and components for sending the report to the network entity, the report including the receive transmission time difference associated with the apparatus and an approximate receive transmission time difference associated with the device.

[0160] Example 20. The apparatus according to Example 19 further includes: means for receiving the response from the device, wherein the response includes the approximate receive transmission time difference associated with the device; and means for reconstructing the approximate receive transmission time difference based on waveform characteristics of the response received from the device.

[0161] Example 21. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 19 to 20 further includes: a component for receiving the activation signal when the apparatus is within the coverage area of ​​the activation signal; and a component for canceling the activation signal in response to overlap of the activation signal with the response received from the apparatus.

[0162] Example 22. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 19 to 21 further includes: a component for sending an identifier of the device to the network entity within the report.

[0163] Example 23. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 19 to 22 further includes: a component for receiving an identifier of the device from the device within the response received from the device.

[0164] Example 24. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an indication to send an activation signal; and means for sending the activation signal to a first device; wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with a second device.

[0165] Example 25. The apparatus according to Example 24, wherein: the first device receives a transmission time difference including the difference between the transmission time of a response from the first device and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response; and the second device receives a transmission time difference including the difference between the transmission time of the activation signal that triggers the response and the reception time of the response from the first device; wherein the apparatus includes an activator, or the activator includes the apparatus.

[0166] Example 26. A method comprising: sending a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference to a first device or a second device; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference; and receiving a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device.

[0167] Example 27. A method comprising: receiving a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending a response to a device including the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0168] Example 28. A method comprising: receiving from a network entity a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending to the network entity a report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0169] Example 29. A method comprising: receiving a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an indication to send an activation signal; and sending the activation signal to a first device; wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with a second device.

[0170] Example 30. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: send a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference to a first device or a second device; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference; and receive a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device.

[0171] Example 31. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending a response to the apparatus including the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0172] Example 32. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive from a network entity a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending to the network entity a report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0173] Example 33. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an instruction to send an activation signal; and send the activation signal to a first device; wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with a second device.

[0174] Example 34. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: sending to a first device or a second device a configuration associated with a received transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request to determine the received transmission time difference; and receiving from the second device a report associated with the received transmission time difference.

[0175] Example 35. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: receiving a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending a response to a device including the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0176] Example 36. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: receiving from a network entity a configuration associated with a receive transmission time difference; wherein the configuration includes at least one of: information for determining the receive transmission time difference, or a request to determine the receive transmission time difference; determining the receive transmission time difference; and sending to the network entity a report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference.

[0177] Example 37. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: receiving a configuration for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configuration includes an instruction to send an activation signal; and sending the activation signal to a first device; wherein the activation signal is configured to determine a first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and a second device receive transmission time difference associated with a second device.

[0178] Example 38. An apparatus comprising: components for receiving information from a device, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the device, or a type of the device; components for determining the type of the device; wherein the type of the device is determined based on the identifier of the device, or the type of the device is determined based on information including the type of the device; and components for determining a receive transmission time difference associated with the device based on the type of the device.

[0179] Example 39. The apparatus according to Example 38, wherein the component for receiving the information includes a component for receiving a response to an activation signal conveying the information.

[0180] Example 40. The apparatus according to Example 39 further includes: components for determining a pattern of the response to the activation signal; and components for determining at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device based on the pattern of the response to the activation signal.

[0181] Example 41. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 39 to 40, wherein: the response to the activation signal is received in a known mode; and the component for determining at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device based on the mode includes: a component for inferring at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device from the known mode.

[0182] Example 42. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 41 further includes: a component for sending a report to a network element, the report including the determined receive transmission time difference associated with the apparatus.

[0183] Example 43. The apparatus according to Example 42, wherein the report is sent within an information element (IE) of a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) providing location information messages.

[0184] Example 44. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 42 to 43, wherein the report is sent using a New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) interface in response to at least one of the following: the information including at least one of the device's identifier or the device's type is received based on an activation signal sent from a gNB, or the device resides within a gNB.

[0185] Example 45. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 42 to 44, wherein the network element includes a location management function (LMF).

[0186] Example 46. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 45 further includes: a component for determining the type of the device based on the identifier of the device.

[0187] Example 47. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 46 further includes: means for determining the receive-transmission time difference associated with the device to be substantially equal to zero in response to determining that the type of the device is a passive device without energy storage; and means for determining the receive-transmission time difference associated with the device to a known value in response to determining that the type of the device is a passive device with energy storage.

[0188] Example 48. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 47, wherein: the type of the apparatus is A when the type of the apparatus includes that the apparatus is a passive device without energy storage; and the type of the apparatus is B when the type of the apparatus includes that the apparatus is a passive device with energy storage.

[0189] Example 49. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 48 further includes: a component for receiving a response to an activation signal from the device, the response including a reflection of an activation signal that triggers the response; wherein the response to the activation signal that triggers the response includes: the information including at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device.

[0190] Example 50. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 49, wherein: the apparatus includes an Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, or the AIoT device includes the apparatus, or the apparatus includes a reader, or the reader includes the apparatus.

[0191] Example 51. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 38 to 50, wherein: the apparatus includes a reader, or the reader includes the apparatus, or the apparatus includes a location management function (LMF).

[0192] Example 52. An apparatus comprising: a component for receiving an activation signal; and a component for sending information to a network entity, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the apparatus, or a type of the apparatus; wherein the information, including at least one of the identifier of the apparatus or the type of the apparatus, is sent to the network entity in response to the activation signal triggering a response; wherein the type of the apparatus includes the apparatus being a passive device without energy storage, or the type of the apparatus includes the apparatus being a passive device with energy storage.

[0193] Example 53. The apparatus according to Example 52 further includes: a component for sending the response to the activation signal to the network entity as a reflection of the activation signal, wherein the pattern of the response to the activation signal indicates at least one of the identifier of the apparatus or the type of the apparatus.

[0194] Example 54. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 53, wherein the type of the apparatus is configured to determine a receive transmission time difference associated with the apparatus.

[0195] Example 55. A device according to any one of Examples 52 to 54, wherein the identifier of the device indicates the type of the device.

[0196] Example 56. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 55, wherein: the type of the apparatus is A when the type of the apparatus includes that the apparatus is a passive device without energy storage; and the type of the apparatus is B when the type of the apparatus includes that the apparatus is a passive device with energy storage.

[0197] Example 57. A device according to any one of Examples 52 to 56, wherein when the type of the device includes the device being a passive device without energy storage, the receive transmission time difference associated with the device is substantially zero.

[0198] Example 58. A device according to any one of Examples 52 to 57, wherein when the type of the device includes the device being a passive device with energy storage, the receive transmission time difference associated with the device is a known value.

[0199] Example 59. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 58 further includes: a component for encoding at least one of the identifier of the apparatus or the type of the apparatus in a known mode, and for sending the response to the activation signal to the network entity in the known mode.

[0200] Example 60. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 59, wherein: the apparatus comprises an Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, or the Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device comprises the apparatus.

[0201] Example 61. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 60, wherein: the network entity includes a reader, or the reader includes the network entity.

[0202] Example 62. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 52 to 61, wherein the activation signal is received from the activator.

[0203] Example 63. A method comprising: receiving information from a device, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the device, or a type of the device; determining the type of the device; wherein the type of the device is determined based on the identifier of the device, or the type of the device is determined based on information including the type of the device; and determining a receive transmission time difference associated with the device based on the type of the device.

[0204] Example 64. A method comprising: receiving an activation signal; and sending information to a network entity, the information including at least one of: an identifier of a device, or a type of the device; wherein the information, including at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device, is sent to the network entity in a response to the activation signal triggering a response; wherein the type of the device includes the device being a passive device without energy storage, or the type of the device includes the device being a passive device with energy storage.

[0205] Example 65. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive information from a device, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the device, or a type of the device; determine the type of the device; wherein the type of the device is determined based on the identifier of the device, or the type of the device is determined based on information including the type of the device; and determine a receive transmission time difference associated with the device based on the type of the device.

[0206] Example 66. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive an activation signal; and send information to a network entity, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the apparatus, or a type of the apparatus; wherein the information, including at least one of the identifier of the apparatus or the type of the apparatus, is sent to the network entity in response to the activation signal triggering a response; wherein the type of the apparatus includes the apparatus being a passive device without energy storage, or the type of the apparatus includes the apparatus being a passive device with energy storage.

[0207] Example 67. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: receiving information from a device, the information including at least one of: an identifier of the device, or a type of the device; determining the type of the device; wherein the type of the device is determined based on the identifier of the device, or the type of the device is determined based on information including the type of the device; and determining a receive transmission time difference associated with the device based on the type of the device.

[0208] Example 68. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon for performing at least the following: receiving an activation signal; and sending information to a network entity, the information including at least one of the following: an identifier of a device, or a type of the device; wherein the information, including at least one of the identifier of the device or the type of the device, is sent to the network entity in response to the activation signal triggering a response; wherein the type of the device includes the device being a passive device without energy storage, or the type of the device includes the device being a passive device with energy storage.

[0209] Example 69. An apparatus comprising: means for measuring the reception time of an activation signal that triggers a response; means for determining the transmission time of the response; and means for determining a reception-transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

[0210] Example 70. The apparatus according to Example 69, wherein the activation signal is continuously received during a positioning session.

[0211] Example 71. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 69 to 70 further includes: a component for determining the received transmission time difference as the determined received transmission time difference divided by the sampling time.

[0212] Example 72. The apparatus according to Example 71, wherein the sampling time includes the sampling time of the fifth-generation new radio.

[0213] Example 73. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 69 to 72 further includes: a component for approximating the received transmission time difference to generate an approximate received transmission time difference.

[0214] Example 74. The apparatus according to Example 73, wherein approximating the receive transmission time difference to generate the approximate receive transmission time difference comprises: quantizing the receive transmission time difference to generate a quantized receive transmission time difference, the quantized receive transmission time difference being an approximation of the receive transmission time difference.

[0215] Example 75. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 74 further includes: a component for approximating the receive transmission time difference using the number of bits for the integer portion of the approximate receive transmission time difference to generate the approximate receive transmission time difference.

[0216] Example 76. The apparatus according to Example 75 further includes: a component for determining, based on configuration, the number of bits for the integer portion of the approximate received transmission time difference.

[0217] Example 77. The apparatus according to Example 76 further includes: a component for receiving the configuration from a location management function.

[0218] Example 78. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 76 to 77 further includes: a component for determining the configuration based on the implementation of the apparatus.

[0219] Example 79. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 78 further includes: a component for approximating the receive transmission time difference using the number of bits for the fractional part of the approximate receive transmission time difference to generate the approximate receive transmission time difference.

[0220] Example 80. The apparatus according to Example 79 further includes: a component for determining, based on configuration, the number of bits for the fractional portion of the approximate received transmission time difference.

[0221] Example 81. The apparatus according to Example 80 further includes: a component for receiving the configuration from a location management function.

[0222] Example 82. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 80 to 81 further includes: a component for determining the configuration based on the implementation of the apparatus.

[0223] Example 83. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 82 further includes: a component for encoding the approximate received transmission time difference within the response.

[0224] Example 84. The apparatus according to Example 83 further includes: a component for sending the response, comprising an encoded approximate reception transmission time difference, to a reader at a selected transmission time of the response.

[0225] Example 85. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 84 further includes: a component for modulating the approximate receive transmission time difference based on bits for the approximate receive transmission time difference when the waveform of the response is based on an on / off keying.

[0226] Example 86. The apparatus according to Example 85, wherein the bits for the approximate reception transmission time difference include bits for the integer portion of the approximate reception transmission time difference.

[0227] Example 87. An apparatus according to any one of Examples 85 to 86, wherein the bits for the approximate reception transmission time difference include bits for the fractional part of the approximate reception transmission time difference.

[0228] Example 88. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 87 further includes: a component for modulating the approximate receive transmission time difference based on an orthogonal amplitude modulation constellation diagram when the waveform of the response is based on single-carrier frequency division multiplexing.

[0229] Example 89. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 88 further includes: a component for modulating the approximate receive transmission time difference based on an orthogonal amplitude modulation constellation diagram when the waveform of the response is based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.

[0230] Example 90. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 89 further includes: a component for mapping the approximate received transmission time difference to one or more subcarriers.

[0231] Example 91. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 73 to 90 further includes: a component for converting the approximate received transmission time difference into a time-domain sum of a sine curve.

[0232] Example 92. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 69 to 91, wherein the apparatus includes an environmental Internet of Things (IoT) device.

[0233] Example 93. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 69 to 92, wherein an environmental IoT device includes the apparatus.

[0234] Example 94. A method comprising: measuring the reception time of an activation signal that triggers a response; determining the transmission time of the response; and determining a reception-transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

[0235] Example 95. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the apparatus to at least: measure the reception time of an activation signal that triggers a response; determine the transmission time of the response; and determine a reception-transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

[0236] Example 96. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to perform at least the following: measuring the reception time of an activation signal that triggers a response; determining the transmission time of the response; and determining the reception-transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

[0237] References to “computer,” “processor,” etc., should be understood to encompass not only computers with different architectures (such as single / multiprocessor architectures and sequential or parallel architectures), but also special-purpose circuits, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific circuits (ASICs), signal processing devices, and other processing circuitry systems. References to computer programs, instructions, code, etc., should be understood to encompass software or firmware used with programmable processors, such as the programmable content of hardware devices, whether instructions for the processor or configuration settings for fixed-function devices, gate arrays, or programmable logic devices.

[0238] The memory described herein can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, non-transitory memory, transient memory, fixed memory, and removable memory. The memory may include a database for storing data.

[0239] As used herein, the term "circuit system" can refer to: (a) a hardware circuit implementation, such as an implementation in an analog and / or digital circuit system; and (b) a combination of circuitry and software (and / or firmware), such as (if applicable): (i) a combination of (multiple) processors, or (ii) a portion of (multiple) processors / software, including (multiple) digital signal processors, software, and memory, which work together to enable a device to perform various functions; and (c) circuitry that requires software or firmware to operate (even if the software or firmware does not physically exist), such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion of (multiple) microprocessors. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit system" will also cover an implementation of only one processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, if applicable to a particular element, the term "circuit system" will also cover a baseband integrated circuit or application processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone, or a similar integrated circuit in a server, cellular network device, or another network device.

[0240] It should be understood that the above description is illustrative only. Those skilled in the art can devise various alternatives and modifications. For example, the features recited in the various dependent claims can be combined with each other in any suitable combination(s). Furthermore, the features of the different exemplary embodiments described above can be selectively combined to form new exemplary embodiments. Therefore, this specification is intended to cover all such alternatives, modifications, and variations falling within the scope of the appended claims.

[0241] The following abbreviations and acronyms may appear in the instruction manual and / or accompanying drawings (abbreviations and acronyms may be appended / combined with each other and other characters, such as dashes, hyphens, forward slashes, letters or numbers, and may not be case-sensitive): 3GPP: Third Generation Partnership Project 4G: Fourth Generation 5G: Fifth Generation 5GC: 5G Core Network AMF: Access and Mobility Management Functions AIoT: Internet of Things for the Environment ASIC: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit B1: Number of bits dedicated to quantizing the integer part of the mixed receive transmission time difference. B2: Number of bits specifically used for quantizing the fractional part of the mixed receive transmission time difference. BS: Base Station CD: Optical Disc / Computer Optical Disc CN: Core Network CPU: Central Processing Unit CU: Central Unit or Centralized Unit DL: Downlink DRX: Discontinuous Receiver DSP: Digital Signal Processor DU: Distributed Unit DUT: Device Under Test DVD: Digital Multifunction Disc eMTC: Enhanced Machine Type Communication eNB: Evolved Node B (e.g., LTE base station) EN-DC: E-UTRAN New Radio - Dual Connectivity en-gNB: A node that provides NR user plane and control plane protocol termination to the UE and acts as a secondary node in EN-DC. E-UTRA: Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access, i.e., LTE radio access technology. E-UTRAN: E-UTRA Network F1: Interface between CU and DU FDD: Frequency Division Duplex FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array FS: Feasibility Study gNB: A base station used for 5G / NR, i.e., a node that provides NR user plane and control plane protocol termination to the UE and connects to the 5GC via the NG interface. HRTTD: Hybrid Receive Transmission Time Difference IAB: Integrated Access and Backhaul ID: Identifier IE: Information Elements IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers I / F: Interface I / O: Input / Output IoT: Internet of Things LMF: Location Management Function LORA, LoRa: A remote or standardized communication protocol of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). LPP: LTE Location Protocol LS: Contact Statement LTE: Long Term Evolution (4G) MAC: Media Access Control MME: Mobility Management Entity MRO: Mobility Robustness Optimization NB-IoT: Narrowband Internet of Things NCE: Network Control Element ng or NG: the new generation ng-eNB: The next generation of eNB NG-RAN: Next Generation Radio Access Network NR: New Radio NRPPa: NR Positioning Protocol A N / W: Network NW: Network OFDM: Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing OOK: On / off switch PDA: Personal Digital Assistant PDCP: Packet Data Convergence Protocol PHY: Physical Layer QAM: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation qHRTTD: Quantized Hybrid Receive Transmission Time Difference R: Version (e.g., R18) RAM: Random Access Memory RAN: Radio Access Network RAN#: RAN meeting or document RedCap: Reduced Capability Rel: Version RF: Radio Frequency RFID: Radio Frequency Identifier RLC: Radio Link Control ROM: Read-Only Memory RP: RAN Plenary Meeting RRC: Radio Resource Control RTT: Round Trip Time RU: Radio Unit Rx, RX: Receive or Reception SA: Independent SA1: System-related Working Group 1 SC-FDM: Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiplexing SCU: Session Control Unit SDAP: Service Data Adaptation Protocol SGW: Service Gateway SI: Research Project SMF: Session Management Function SON: Self-organizing / optimizing network TDD: Time Division Duplex TR: Technical Report TRP: Transmitter / Receiver Point TS: Technical Specification Tx, TX: Transmitter or transmitter or transmission UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UE: User Equipment (e.g., wireless equipment, typically mobile equipment) UHF: Ultra-High Frequency UI: User Interface UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunication System UPF: User Plane Functionality USB: Universal Serial Bus UTRAN: UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network UWB: Ultra Broadband WG: Working Group Wi-Fi: A family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 standard family. X2: Network interfaces between RAN nodes and between the RAN and the core network. Xn: Network interface between NG-RAN nodes

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: A component for sending a configuration associated with the received transmission time difference to a first device or a second device; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; as well as A component for receiving a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The first device includes an Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, or the AIoT device includes the first device, or The second device includes a reader, or the reader includes the second device, or The device includes a location management function (LMF).

3. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The report associated with the determined received transmission time difference is received from the second device within the Information Element (IE) of the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) Location Information Message, or The report associated with the determined receive-transmission time difference is received from the second device via the New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) interface when at least one of the following occurs: the report associated with the determined receive-transmission time difference is received based on an activation signal sent from the gNB, or the second device resides within the gNB.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the configuration associated with the received transmission time difference is sent within the information element (IE) of a Long Term Evolution (LPP) Request Location Information message.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the report associated with the determined receive transmission time difference includes at least one of the following: information related to the first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device, or information related to the second device receive transmission time difference associated with the second device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: A component for determining the transmission time difference of the first device based on the information related to the transmission time difference received by the first device.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 6, further comprising: A component for determining the propagation delay between the first device and the second device based on the time difference between the first device's received transmission and the time difference between the second device's received transmission; A component for determining the distance between the first device and the second device based on the propagation delay; as well as A component for determining the position of the first device based on the distance between the first device and the second device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: A component for determining the propagation delay based on the difference between the transmission time difference received by the first device and the transmission time difference received by the second device.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 8, further comprising: A component for determining the distance between the first device and at least one other device based on the propagation delay between the first device and at least one other device; as well as A component for determining the position of the first device based on the distance between the first device and the at least one other device.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 9, further comprising: Components for sending the request to the first device to determine the time difference of transmission received by the first device; The request used to determine the transmission time difference received by the first device includes: an indication of the number of bits for the integer part of the transmission time difference received by the first device; The request used to determine the transmission time difference received by the first device includes: an indication of the number of bits for the fractional part of the transmission time difference received by the first device; and The information received from the second device in relation to the transmission time difference received by the first device is based on the number of bits for the integer part of the transmission time difference received by the first device and the number of bits for the fractional part of the transmission time difference received by the first device.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: A component for sending the identifier of the second device to the first device; as well as A component for sending the identifier of the first device to the second device.

12. An apparatus comprising: Components used to receive configurations associated with the time difference of transmission; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Components used to determine the received transmission time difference; as well as A component used to send a response to the device, including the determined time difference between the received and transmitted data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: A component for determining the received transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the response and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transmission time of the response includes one or more of the following: a delay associated with charging the apparatus, or a delay associated with switching from the receiver chain of the apparatus to the transmission chain of the apparatus.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising: A component used to approximate the received transmission time difference to generate an approximate received transmission time difference; as well as A component for sending the response to the device, including the approximate time difference of reception transmission.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: A component for receiving an indication of the number of bits for the integer portion of the approximate receive transmission time difference within the request used to determine the receive transmission time difference; A component for receiving an indication of the number of bits for the fractional part of the approximate received transmission time difference within the request used to determine the received transmission time difference; as well as A component for approximating the receive transmission time difference based on the number of bits for the integer part of the approximate receive transmission time difference and the number of bits for the fractional part of the approximate receive transmission time difference.

17. The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 16, wherein approximating the received transmission time difference to generate the approximate received transmission time difference comprises: The receive-transmission time difference is quantized to generate a quantized receive-transmission time difference, which is an approximation of the receive-transmission time difference.

18. An apparatus comprising: A component used to receive configurations associated with the time difference of transmission from network entities; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Components used to determine the received transmission time difference; as well as A component for sending a report to the network entity that is associated with the determined received transmission time difference.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising: Components used to receive responses from the device; A component for determining the received transmission time difference as the difference between the transmission time of the activation signal that triggers the response and the reception time of the response; as well as Components for sending the report to the network entity, the report including the receive-transmission time difference associated with the device and the approximate receive-transmission time difference associated with the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: Components for receiving the response from the device, wherein the response includes the approximate receive transmission time difference associated with the device; as well as A component for reconstructing the approximate received transmission time difference based on the waveform characteristics of the response received from the device.

21. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 20, further comprising: A component for receiving the activation information when the device is within the coverage area of ​​the activation signal; as well as A component for canceling the activation signal in response to the overlap of the activation signal and the response received from the device.

22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21, further comprising: A component used to send the identifier of the device to the network entity within the report.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 22, further comprising: A component for receiving the identifier of the device from the device within the response received from the device.

24. An apparatus comprising: Components for receiving configurations for multi-hop positioning, wherein the configurations include an indication for sending an activation signal; as well as Components for sending the activation signal to the first device; The activation signal is configured to determine the first device receive transmission time difference associated with the first device and the second device receive transmission time difference associated with the second device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: The first device receives the transmission time difference, which includes the difference between the transmission time of the response from the first device and the reception time of the activation signal that triggers the response; and The second device receives the transmission time difference, which includes the difference between the transmission time of the activation signal that triggers the response and the reception time of the response from the first device. The device may include an activator, or the activator may include the device.

26. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, said instructions, when executed by said at least one processor, cause the means to at least: Send a configuration associated with the received transmission time difference to the first or second device; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; as well as Receive a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device.

27. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, said instructions, when executed by said at least one processor, cause the means to at least: The configuration associated with the receive transmission time difference; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Determine the received transmission time difference; as well as Send a response to the device including the determined received transmission time difference.

28. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, said instructions, when executed by said at least one processor, cause the means to at least: Receive configuration associated with the time difference of transmission from the network entity; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Determine the received transmission time difference; as well as Send a report to the network entity that is associated with the determined received transmission time difference.

29. A method comprising: Send a configuration associated with the received transmission time difference to the first or second device; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; as well as Receive a report associated with the received transmission time difference from the second device.

30. A method comprising: The configuration associated with the receive transmission time difference; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Determine the received transmission time difference; as well as Send a response to the device including the determined received transmission time difference.

31. A method comprising: Receive configuration associated with the time difference of transmission from the network entity; The configuration includes at least one of the following: information for determining the received transmission time difference, or a request for determining the received transmission time difference; Determine the received transmission time difference; as well as Send a report to the network entity that is associated with the determined received transmission time difference.

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