Configuration of positioning reference signal for bandwidth aggregation

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide at least for transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

Description

CONFIGURATION OF POSITIONING REFERENCE SIGNAL FOR BANDWIDTH AGGREGATIONCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, US Provisional Application No. 63 / 529864, filed July 31st, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The examples and non-limiting example embodiments relate generally to communications and, more particularly, to a method for configuration of positioning reference signal for bandwidth aggregation. Some example embodiments may generally relate to mobile or wireless telecommunication systems, such as 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5thgeneration (5G) radio access technology (RAT), new radio (NR) access technology, 6thgeneration (6G), and / or other communications systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] It is known to estimate the location of devices such as terminal devices in a communication network. Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunication systems may include radio frequency (RF) 5G RAT, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), LTE Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE-Advanced (LTE- A), LTE-A Pro, NR access technology, and / or MulteFire Alliance. 5G wireless systems refer to the next generation (NG) of radio systems and network architecture. A 5G system is typically built on a 5G NR, but a 5G (or NG) network may also be built on E-UTRA radio. It is expected that NR can support service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency-communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). NR is expected to deliver extreme broadband, ultra- robust, low-latency connectivity, and massive networking to support the Internet of Things (loT). The next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) represents the radio access network (RAN) for 5G, which may provide radio access for NR, LTE, and LTE-A. It is noted that the nodes in 5G providing radio access functionality to a user equipment (e.g., similar to the Node B in UTRAN or the Evolved Node B (eNB) in LTE) may be referred to as nextgeneration Node B (gNB) when built on NR radio, and may be referred to as next-generationeNB (NG-eNB) when built on E-UTRA radio.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The foregoing aspects and other features are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0005] FIG. 1 is an illustration of PRS transmission over two PFLs.

[0006] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the overall procedure and signaling described herein.

[0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one possible and non-limiting system in which the example embodiments may be practiced.

[0008] FIG. 4 is an example apparatus configured to implement the examples described herein.

[0009] FIG. 5 shows a representation of an example of non-volatile memory media used to store instructions that implement the examples described herein.

[0010] FIG. 6 is an example method, based on the examples described herein.

[0011] FIG. 7 is an example method, based on the examples described herein.

[0012] FIG. 8 is an example method, based on the examples described herein.

[0013] FIG. 9 is an example method, based on the examples described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The Rel-18 NR positioning work item includes the bandwidth aggregation for DL and / or UL positioning measurements. The scope of the bandwidth aggregation from WID (RP-223549) includes the following: specify bandwidth aggregation for positioning measurements across up to three intra-band contiguous carriers, specify signaling and procedures to support aggregation of PRS / SRS (respectively) resources across PFLs / carriers (respectively) for positioning measurements under the assumption that the signals over aggregated resources are transmitted and received (respectively) using a single RF chain (same antenna) (NOTE: The support of bandwidth aggregation for positioning measurementsapplies only to timing related measurements (e.g., RSTD (Reference Signal Time Difference), RTOA, and UE / gNB Rx-Tx time difference)), and specify RRM requirements with measurement gaps in connected mode, and in inactive mode, including PRS measurement period / reporting [RAN4] .

[0015] In FR1, the maximum bandwidth is 100 MHz for DL PRS per PFL (positioning frequency layer). To improve the accuracy performance, 3GPP NR agreed to support joint measurements for the aggregated PRS bandwidth across two or three PFLs. RANI agreed to support joint measurement and reporting across multiple PFLs for DL PRS and similarly support joint measurement from aggregated SRS resources across multiple CCs. The same feature is also supported for FR2. The measurements mean positioning measurements, and the joint measurements imply performing the positioning measurements by aggregating multiple PRS resources across multiple PFLs or by aggregating multiple SRS resources across multiple component carriers (CCs). Examples of the positioning measurement are RSTD, RToA, UE / gNB Rx-Tx time difference, RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) and RSRPP (RSRP per path).

[0016] In the study item phase, it was identified that the UE needs a simultaneous reception for the multiple PRSs transmitted from multiple PFLs. FDM of different PFLs was explicitly precluded until now, but Rel-18 NR positioning supports simultaneous transmission and reception. Assuming two PFLs are in different CCs, FIG. 1 shows an example of PRS configuration on two PFLs (PFL #1 and PFL #2) to support bandwidth aggregation.

[0017] For the bandwidth aggregation of two DL PRS resources, phase continuity of the DL PRS resources should be maintained, so the gNB / TRP should take this into account for the PRS resources to be used for bandwidth aggregation.

[0018] The legacy UE does not support the bandwidth aggregation, and the bandwidth aggregation demands more processing at transmitters and receivers, so it was agreed to introduce linkage signaling between DL PRS resource sets and a list of conditions for the bandwidth aggregation. In case the conditions are satisfied for DL PRS resources within the linked DL PRS resource sets, the UE can assume that it can perform joint (positioning) measurements from the PRS resources.

[0019] The examples described herein relate to the LPP (LTE Positioning Protocol) specification TS 37.355 and the current agreement mentioned above, as the examplesdescribed herein relate to an issue from the recent agreement. The issue addressed by the examples described herein should be resolved to support bandwidth aggregation of positioning measurement across multiple PFLs.

[0020] For the bandwidth aggregation for DL PRS measurement, the LMF may provide a signal to inform the UE of the linked PRS Resource sets per TRP (Transmission and Reception Point). If the PRS resources within the linked PRS resource sets satisfy the agreed conditions such as the same QCL (Quasi-Co-Location), Comb-size and so forth, the UE will assume phase consistency of the PRS resources of different PFLs to perform positioning measurement from the aggregated PRS resources.

[0021] There are two different options about signaling on PFL aggregations, which is “per DL PRS resource basis” and “per DL PRS resource set basis”, but the configuration per TRP is the same for both options.

[0022] There is no explicit way to uniquely identify each TRP as there is no TRP ID in the LPP and NR positioning systems. Rel-15 NR has been pursuing to not introduce TRP in the specification and there is no RANI specification description on TRP. One reason was to support UE behavior transparent to TRP information, which might have given more flexibility to the network implementation. In the UE-transparent way, the UE just needs to receive and transmit signals as indicated by the network, and the network can use any TRPs that it wants. In Rel-16 / 17, the multi-TRP feature has been introduced in MIMO and positioning. In MIMO, two different TRP identifications are implicitly supported by using a CORESET pool index. However, the NR positioning supports up to 64 TRPs for a UE, and introduced a higher layer parameter “dl-PRS-ID” in TS 37.355 to support this, but it does not mean TRP ID and “dl- PRS-ID” is up to 256 which is over than the maximum number of TRPs in NR positioning. In TS 37.355, downlink positioning reference signal identifier (dl-PRS-ID) is defined as follows: This field is used along with a DL-PRS Resource Set ID and a DL-PRS Resources ID to uniquely identify a DL-PRS Resource. This ID can be associated with multiple DL-PRS Resource Sets associated with a single TRP for which the higher layer signaling parameter “RTD-InfoElement” is applicable. However, the agreed feature should be implemented in the specification, so the examples described herein address this issue. This issue should be addressed in Rel-18 NR positioning.

[0023] It should be further noted that as an example, dl-PRS-ID#l can be associated withmultiple DL PRS resources or DL PRS resource sets. The UE can assume that the DL PRSs associated with the same dl-PRS-ID (dl-PRS-ID=l ) are transmitted from a same TRP. Then, dl-PRS-ID#2 can be associated with multiple DL PRS resources or DL PRS resource sets.

[0024] The problem that the examples described herein solve, is that for DL PRS resource #1 associated with “dl-PRS-ID#l”, and for another DL PRS resource #2 associated with “dl- PRS-ID#2”, the UE assumption about TRP information is unclear. That is, whether the DL PRS resource #1 and DL PRS resource #2 are transmitted from the same TRP is not clear.

[0025] A DL PRS resource is composed of a set of time-domain resource (e.g., # of symbols, periodicity), frequency-domain resource (e.g., # of RBs, Comb-size), a sequence ID (PRS sequence ID), and a DL PRS resource ID. A specific DL PRS resource may be transmitted by a specific TRP Tx beam, and different DL PRS resources within a DL PRS resource set may be transmitted by different TRP Tx beams.

[0026] A DL PRS resource set comprises one or multiple DL PRS resources such as { DL PRS resource #1, DL PRS resource #2, . . . DL PRS resource #16} and a DL PRS resource set ID.

[0027] Accordingly, the concept of the examples described herein is to support bandwidth aggregation of the DL PRS.

[0028] The LMF (e.g. a network function 99 of the core network 90 as shown in FIG. 3) provides UE(s) with the information on dl-PRS-ID(s) and PRS resource(s) included in positioning assistance data for bandwidth aggregation for positioning measurement. The UE performs one or more joint measurements from aggregated PRS resources based on the provided information.

[0029] Option 1 : the LMF provides grouping information on a part or all of the configured dl-PRS-ID(s) associated with a same cell ID (physical cell ID or global cell ID). More details are provided herein regarding this option 1 (including the embodiments described herein associated with FIG. 2).

[0030] Option 2: the LMF does not explicitly provide the grouping information, but it provides information on how to make groups for the linked PRS resource sets (for bandwidth aggregation) associated with the different dl-PRS-IDs. The UE 10 (refer to FIG. 3) performsone or more measurements based on the provided assistance data, especially for the bandwidth aggregation. More details are provided herein regarding this option 2 (including the embodiments described herein associated with FIG. 2).

[0031] Option 3: The LMF configures association information on a set of (dl-PRS-ID, PRS resource set #ID), so that the UE assumes a same TRP for the associated set of (dl-PRS-ID, PRS resource set) and it can perform one or more timing measurements by aggregating the PRS resources of the set across associated PFLs. More details are provided herein regarding this option 3 (including the embodiments described herein associated with FIG. 2).

[0032] The UE is configured to report the group information of option 1 or the association information of option 3 when it reports one or more timing measurements from aggregated PRS resources across PFLs. When the UE reports one or more timing measurements without aggregation of PRS resources across PFLs, it does not report the group information or the association information.

[0033] The detailed steps of the herein described methods are now described with reference to FIG. 2, which shows the overall signaling flow.

[0034] The UE 10 may report its capability on DL PRS processing such as the maximum number of TRPs and DL PRS resources (210).

[0035] LMF 99 provides the UE 10 with the assistance data for positioning including DL PRS configurations.

[0036] LMF 99 provides one or more user equipments (UEs) 10 with information on one or more dl-PRS-IDs and one or more PRS resources included in positioning assistance data for bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement (230, 250). The UE 10 performs one or more joint measurements from aggregated PRS resources based on the provided information (270).

[0037] Option 1 (250-1): LMF 99 provides grouping information on a part or all of the configured one or more dl-PRS-IDs associated with a same cell ID (physical cell ID or global cell ID). That is, the LMF 99 informs which dl-PRS-IDs are associated with a specific one or more TRPs within a specific cell. For example, the grouping of dl-PRS-IDs can be provided as follows: Group #1: 1, 2, 3, and 4 of dl-PRS-IDs, Group #2: 5, 6, 7, and 8 of dl-PRS-IDs, and Group #3: 9 and 10 of dl-PRS-IDs.

[0038] If two PRS resource sets are linked for bandwidth aggregation purposes, the UE 10 is configured to consider that DL PRS resources within the two PRS resource sets associated with the same group are transmitted from a same TRP and / or a same ARP (antenna reference points (e.g. a part of TRP)). The different group index means the different TRP or ARP. If two DL PRS resource sets are linked but belong to different groups, the UE does not assume they can be aggregated (and vice versa). If two DL PRS resource sets are not linked but belong to the same group (and satisfy all other conditions) this does not imply that the UE can aggregate the resources.

[0039] In one embodiment, the LMF may provide the group to the UE but indicate that particular DL PRS resource sets are excluded from the group (meaning they may be from the same TRP but cannot be used for bandwidth aggregation). In another way, although in the assistance data, a specific PRS resource set is associated with a group, if the PRS resource set is not linked to another PRS resource set for bandwidth aggregation, the UE excludes the PRS resource set from the group.

[0040] Option 2 (250-2): LMF 99 does not explicitly provide the grouping information, but it provides information on how to make groups for the linked PRS resource sets (for bandwidth aggregation) associated with the different dl-PRS-IDs. The UE 10 performs one of the following alternatives on the provided assistance data, especially for the bandwidth aggregation.

[0041] Alt 1: UE 10 assumes two different PRSs are transmitted from a same TRP if two different dl-PRS-IDs associated with the PRSs have the same value of mod(dl-PRS-ID, ^TRpx)> where mod( ) and N^},xrepresent the modulo operation and the maximum number of TRPs supported from the UE, respectively. The modulo operation is such that mod(a,b) is equal to the remainder of a divided by b, or the remainder of b divided by a.

[0042] Alt 2: For different PRS resource(s) and / or PRS resource set(s) associated with L(>0) consecutive dl-PRS-IDs, the UE assumes PRSs through the PRS resources are transmitted from a same TRP. For example, the UE makes a group of dl-PRS-IDs such as { 1,2, 3, 4} and {5, 6, 7, 8}, and the UE assumes each set of dl-PRS-IDs are associated with a same TRP. In the context of the examples described herein, dl-PRS-ID defined in LPP is referred to as downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0043] Alt 3: For PRS resources of two or more PRS resource sets associated with a different “dl-PRS-ID,” the UE determines the different “dl-PRS-ID” is associated with a different TRP or ARP (Antenna Reference Point), if the PRS resource sets are linked for bandwidth aggregation purposes. That is, the UE does not expect that multiple PRS resources across PFLs transmitted from a same TRP are associated with a different dl-PRS-ID. The legacy UE does not expect this behavior. That is, the legacy UE would assume different PRS resources associated with different dl-PRS-ID can be transmitted from a same TRP. Note that Rel-16 / 17 specify that only up to 2 DL PRS resource sets can be configured per dl-PRS- ID. This condition may be relaxed to support up to 3 DL PRS resource sets being aggregated together.

[0044] Option 3 (250-3): The LMF configures association information on a set of (dl-PRS- ID, PRS resource set #ID), so that the UE assumes a same TRP for the associated set of (dl- PRS-ID, PRS resource set) and it can perform timing measurement(s) by aggregating the PRS resources of the set across associated PFLs. For example, the following association information may be provided.

[0045] Association #1: (dl-PRS-ID #1, PRS resource set #1) and (dl-PRS-ID #2, PRS resource set #2) are associated for bandwidth aggregation.

[0046] Association #2: (dl-PRS-ID #3, PRS resource set #2) and (dl-PRS-ID #4, PRS resource set #1) are associated for bandwidth aggregation.

[0047] The UE is expected to perform a joint positioning measurement (e.g., joint timing measurement such as RSTD, ToA) from aggregated PRS resources from association #1, which may be a time of arrival (ToA), or Rx-Tx time difference measurement with respect to a single TRP. The UE is expected to perform a RSTD (Reference Signal Time Difference) measurement from the measurement association #1 and association #2.

[0048] The UE is configured to report to the LMF the group information of option 1 or the association information of option 3 when it reports timing measurement(s) from aggregated PRS resources across PFLs (280). When the UE 10 reports timing measurement(s) to the LMF without aggregation of PRS resources across PFLs, it does not report to the LMF 99 the group information or the association information. The UE reporting behavior is configured by the LMF 99.

[0049] Accordingly, FIG. 2 is a flow chart that shows the overall procedure and signaling between the UE 10, the LMF 99 and / or the gNB 70.

[0050] The signaling between UE 10 and LMF 99 would be exchanged via LPP (LTE Positioning Protocol). The signaling between UE 10 and gNB 70 would be exchanged via RRC (Radio Resource Control). The signaling between gNB 70 and LMF 99 would be exchanged via NRPPa (NR Positioning Protocol a).

[0051] At 210, the UE 10 reports DL PRS processing capability for PRS BW aggregation to the LMF 99. At 220, the LMF 99 determines the number of PFLs and TRPs for BW aggregation. At 230, the LMF 99 transmits to the UE 10 positioning information on linked PRS resource sets for BW aggregation. At 240, the LMF 99 transmits information on linked PRS resource sets for BW aggregation to the gNB 70.

[0052] At 250, the LMF 99 transmits and provides to the UE 10 information on PRS BW aggregation, which may include option 1 (250-1), option 2 (250-2), or option 3 (250-3). At 250-1 (option 1), the LMF 99 transmits one or more group IDs of dl-PRS-IDs to the UE 10. At 250-2 (option 2), the LMF 99 transmits a rule to make groups of dl-PRS-IDs to the UE 10. At 250-3 (option 3), the LMF 99 transmits association information on one or more sets, where a set of the one or more sets comprises a dl-PRS-ID and a PRS resource set ID, where the set is denoted as (dl-PRS-ID, PRS resource set ID). At 260, the gNB 70 transmits one or more multiple positioning reference signals for PRB bandwidth aggregation to the UE 10.

[0053] At 270, the UE 10 performs actions based on the information provided from the LMF 99 and / or the gNB 70, which includes option 1 (270-1), option 2 (270-2), and option 3 (270-3). Option 1 (270-1) corresponds to option 1 (250-1), option 2 (270-2) corresponds to option 2 (250-2), and option 3 (270-3) corresponds to option 3 (250-3). At 270-1 (option 1), the UE 10 performs one or more joint timing measurements for PRS within the linked PRS resource set per provided group. At 270-2 (option 2), the UE 10 determines groups of dl- PRS-IDs and performs one or more joint timing measurements for PRS within the linked PRS resource set for the determined group. At 270-3 (option 3), the UE 10 performs one or more joint timing measurements for PRS within the linked PRS resource based on the provided association information.

[0054] At 280, the UE 10 reports joint measurement information to the LMF 99, which includes option 1 or option 2 (280-12) and option 3 (280-3). Option 1 or option 2 (280-12)corresponds to option 1 (270-1), option 1 (250-2), option 2 (270-2), and option 2 (250-2), and option 3 (280-3) corresponds to option 3 (270-3) and option 3 (250-3). At 280-12, the UE 10 reports one or more joint measurements and information on one or more groups used for measurement to the LMF 99. Also at 280-12, in addition to reporting the joint measurement information, the UE 10 also reports to the LMF 99 group information or association information such as (dl-PRS-ID, PRS resource set ID) used for the joint measurement. At 280-3, the UE 10 reports to the LMF 99 one or more joint measurements and / or group information and / or information and / or association information related to the set of (dl-PRS- ID, PRS resource set ID) used for the joint measurement. At 290, the LMF 99 estimates the location of the UE based on the joint measurements.

[0055] It is to be noted that, within the description filed herein, a dl-PRS-ID does not mean a DL PRS resource ID or a DL PRS resource set ID. Rather, a dl-PRS-ID can be associated with one or multiple DL PRS resource set IDs and / or one or multiple DL PRS resource IDs.

[0056] Advantages and technical effects of the herein described examples include improved positioning performance, and avoidance of UE behavior which is not intended by the network. The solution described herein may be standardized.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of one possible and non-limiting example of a cellular network 1 that is connected to a user equipment (UE) 10. A number of network elements are shown in the cellular network of FIG. 3: a base station 70; and a core network 90.

[0058] In FIG. 3, a user equipment (UE) 10 is in wireless communication via radio link 11 with the base station 70 of the cellular network 1. A UE 10 is a wireless communication device, such as a mobile device, that is configured to access a cellular network. The UE 10 is illustrated with one or more antennas 28. The ellipses 2 indicate there could be multiple UEs 10 in wireless communication via radio links with the base station 70. The UE 10 includes one or more processors 13, one or more memories 15, and other circuitry 16. The other circuitry 16 includes one or more receivers (Rx(s)) 17 and one or more transmitters (Tx(s)) 18. A program 12 is used to cause the UE 10 to perform the operations described herein. For a UE 10, the other circuitry 16 could include circuitry such as for user interface elements (not shown) like a display.

[0059] The base station 70, as a network element of the cellular network 1, provides the UE10 access to cellular network 1 and to the data network 91 via the core network 90 (e.g., viaa user plane function (UPF) of the core network 90). The base station 70 is illustrated as having one or more antennas 58. In general, the base station 70 is referred to as RAN node 70 herein. An example of a RAN node 70 is a gNB. There are, however, many other examples of RAN nodes including an eNB (LTE base station) or transmission reception point (TRP). The base station 70 includes one or more processors 73, one or more memories 75, and other circuitry 76. The other circuitry 76 includes one or more receivers (Rx(s)) 77 and one or more transmitters (Tx(s)) 78. A program 72 is used to cause the base station 70 to perform the operations described herein.

[0060] It is noted that the base station 70 may instead be implemented via other wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi (a wireless networking protocol that devices use to communicate without direct cable connections). In the case of Wi-Fi, the link 11 could be characterized as a wireless link.

[0061] Two or more base stations 70 communicate using, e.g., link(s) 79. The link(s) 79 may be wired or wireless or both and may implement, e.g., an Xn interface for fifth generation (5G), an X2 interface for LTE, or other suitable interface for other standards.

[0062] The cellular network 1 may include a core network 90, as a third illustrated element or elements, that may include core network functionality, and which provide connectivity via a link or links 81 with a data network 91, such as a telephone network and / or a data communications network (e.g., the Internet). The core network 90 includes one or more processors 93, one or more memories 95, and other circuitry 96. The other circuitry 96 includes one or more receivers (Rx(s)) 97 and one or more transmitters (Tx(s)) 98. A program 92 is used to cause the core network 90 to perform the operations described herein.

[0063] The core network 90 could be a 5GC (5G core network). The core network 90 can implement or comprise multiple network functions (NF(s)) 99, and the program 92 may comprise one or more of the NFs 99. A 5G core network may use hardware such as memory and processors and a virtualization layer. It could be a single standalone computing system, a distributed computing system, or a cloud computing system. The NFs 99, as network elements, of the core network could be containers or virtual machines running on the hardware of the computing system(s) making up the core network 90.

[0064] Core network functionality for 5G may include access and mobility management functionality that is provided by a network function 99 such as an access and mobilitymanagement function (AMF(s)), session management functionality that is provided by a network function such as a session management function (SMF). Core network functionality for access and mobility management in an LTE network may be provided by an MME (Mobility Management Entity) and / or SGW (Serving Gateway) functionality, which routes data to the data network. Many others are possible, as illustrated by the examples in FIG. 3: AMF; SMF; MME; SGW; gateway mobile location center (GMLC); location management functions (LMFs); unified data management (UDM); unified data repository (UDR); network repository function (NRF); and / or evolved serving mobile location center (E-SMLC). These are merely exemplary core network functionality that may be provided by the core network 90, and note that both 5G and LTE core network functionality might be provided by the core network 90. The radio access network (RAN) node 70 is coupled via a backhaul link 31 to the core network 90. The RAN node 70 and the core network 90 may include an NG interface for 5G, or an SI interface for LTE, or other suitable interface for other radio access technologies for communicating via the backhaul link 31.

[0065] In the data network 91, there is a computer-readable medium 94. The computer- readable medium 94 contains instructions that, when downloaded and installed into the memories 15, 75, or 95 of the corresponding UE 10, base station 70, and / or core network element(s) 90, and executed by processor(s) 13, 73, or 93, cause the respective device to perform corresponding actions described herein. The computer-readable medium 94 may be implemented in other forms, such as via a compact disc or memory stick.

[0066] The programs 12, 72, and 92 contain instructions stored by corresponding one or more memories 15, 75, or 95. These instructions, when executed by the corresponding one or more processors 13, 73, or 93, cause the corresponding apparatus 10, 70, or 90, to perform the operations described herein. The computer readable memories 15, 75, or 95 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, firmware, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The computer readable memories 15, 75, and 95 may be means for performing storage functions. The processors 13, 73, and 93, may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general-purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples. Theprocessors 13, 73, and 93 may be means for causing their respective apparatus to perform functions, such as those described herein.

[0067] The receivers 17, 77, and 97, and the transmitters 18, 78, and 98 may implement wired or wireless interfaces. The receivers and transmitters may be grouped together as transceivers.

[0068] FIG. 4 is an example apparatus 400, which may be implemented in hardware, configured to implement the examples described herein. The apparatus 400 comprises at least one processor 402 (e.g. an FPGA and / or CPU), one or more memories 404 including computer program code 405, the computer program code 405 having instructions to carry out the methods described herein, wherein the at least one memory 404 and the computer program code 405 are configured to, with the at least one processor 402, cause the apparatus 400 to implement circuitry, a process, component, module, or function (implemented with control module 406) to implement the examples described herein, including a method for configuration of positioning reference signal for bandwidth aggregation. The memory 404 may be a non-transitory memory, a transitory memory, a volatile memory (e.g. RAM), or a non-volatile memory (e.g. ROM). Provide or receive information 430 and perform or receive measurements 440 of the control module implement the herein described aspects related to a method for configuration of positioning reference signal for bandwidth aggregation.

[0069] The apparatus 400 includes a display and / or RO interface 408, which includes user interface (UI) circuitry and elements, that may be used to display aspects or a status of the methods described herein (e.g., as one of the methods is being performed or at a subsequent time), or to receive input from a user such as with using a keypad, camera, touchscreen, touch area, microphone, biometric recognition, one or more sensors, etc. The apparatus 400 includes one or more communication e.g. network (N / W) interfaces (I / F(s)) 410. The communication I / F(s) 410 may be wired and / or wireless and communicate over the Internet / other network(s) via any communication technique including via one or more links 424. The link(s) 424 may be the link(s) 11 and / or 79 and / or 31 and / or 81 from FIG. 3. The link(s) 11 and / or 79 and / or 31 and / or 81 from FIG. 3 may also be implemented using transceiver(s) 416 and corresponding wireless link(s) 426. The communication I / F(s) 410 may comprise one or more transmitters or one or more receivers.

[0070] The transceiver 416 comprises one or more transmitters 418 and one or morereceivers 420. The transceiver 416 and / or communication VF(s) 410 may comprise standard well-known components such as an amplifier, filter, frequency-converter, (de)modulator, and encoder / decoder circuitries and one or more antennas, such as antennas 414 used for communication over wireless link 426.

[0071] The control module 406 of the apparatus 400 comprises one of or both parts 406-1 and / or 406-2, which may be implemented in a number of ways. The control module 406 may be implemented in hardware as control module 406-1, such as being implemented as part of the one or more processors 402. The control module 406-1 may be implemented also as an integrated circuit or through other hardware such as a programmable gate array. In another example, the control module 406 may be implemented as control module 406-2, which is implemented as computer program code (having corresponding instructions) 405 and is executed by the one or more processors 402. For instance, the one or more memories 404 store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors 402, cause the apparatus 400 to perform one or more of the operations as described herein. Furthermore, the one or more processors 402, the one or more memories 404, and example algorithms (e.g., as flowcharts and / or signaling diagrams), encoded as instructions, programs, or code, are means for causing performance of the operations described herein.

[0072] The apparatus 400 to implement the functionality of control 406 may be UE 10, base station 70 (e.g. gNB 70), or core network 90 including the one or more network functions 99, which network functions 99 may be implemented by a network entity, such as a network entity in the core network 90. Thus, processor 402 may correspond to processor(s) 13, processor(s) 73 and / or processor(s) 93, memory 404 may correspond to one or more memories 15, one or more memories 75 and / or one or more memories 95, computer program code 405 may correspond to program 12, program 72, or program 92, communication I / F(s) 410 and / or transceiver 416 may correspond to other circuitry 16, other circuitry 76, or other circuitry 96, and antennas 414 may correspond to antennas 28 or antennas 58.

[0073] Alternatively, apparatus 400 and its elements may not correspond to either of UE 10, base station 70, or core network and their respective elements including one or more network functions 99, as apparatus 400 may be part of a self-organizing / optimizing network (SON) node or other node, such as a node in a cloud.

[0074] The apparatus 400 may also be distributed throughout the network (e.g. 91)including within and between apparatus 400 and any network element (such as core network 90 and / or the base station 70 and / or the UE 10).

[0075] Interface 412 enables data communication and signaling between the various items of apparatus 400, as shown in FIG. 4. For example, the interface 412 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 optics or other optical communication equipment, and the like. Computer program code (e.g. instructions) 405, including control 406 may comprise object-oriented software configured to pass data or messages between objects within computer program code 405. The apparatus 400 need not comprise each of the features mentioned, or may comprise other features as well. The various components of apparatus 400 may at least partially reside in a common housing 428, or a subset of the various components of apparatus 400 may at least partially be located in different housings, which different housings may include housing 428.

[0076] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of non-volatile memory media 500a (e.g. computer / compact disc (CD) or digital versatile disc (DVD)) and 500b (e.g. universal serial bus (USB) memory stick) and 500c (e.g. cloud storage for downloading instructions and / or parameters 502 or receiving emailed instructions and / or parameters 502) storing instructions and / or parameters 502 which when executed by a processor allows the processor to perform one or more of the steps of the methods described herein.

[0077] FIG. 6 is an example method 600, based on the example embodiments described herein. At 610, the method includes transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement. At 620, the method includes wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 630, the method includes wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers. At 640, the method includes receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers. At 650, the method includes wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 660, the method includes estimating alocation of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement. Method 600 may be performed by EMF 99 or apparatus 400.

[0078] FIG. 7 is an example method 700, based on the example embodiments described herein. At 710, the method includes receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement. At 720, the method includes wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 730, the method includes wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers. At 740, the method includes performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers. At 750, the method includes wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier. Method 700 may be performed by UE 10 or apparatus 400.

[0079] FIG. 8 is an example method 800, based on the examples described herein. At 810, the method includes transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 820, the method includes receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 830, the method includes estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement. Method 800 may be performed by LMF 99 or apparatus 400.

[0080] FIG. 9 is an example method 900, based on the examples described herein. At 910, the method includes receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 920, the method includes performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier. At 930, the method includes performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement. Method 900 may be performed by UE 10 or apparatus 400.

[0081] The following examples are provided and described herein.

[0082] Example 1. An apparatus including: at least one processor; and at least one memorystoring instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receive, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimate a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0083] Example 2. The apparatus of example 1, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources within one or more downlink positioning reference signal resource sets, wherein downlink positioning reference signals using the one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources are transmitted from a same transmission reference point or a same antenna reference point.

[0084] Example 3. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 2, wherein: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource; and the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource set.

[0085] Example 4. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine at least one group comprising one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; and transmit, to the user equipment, at least one group identifier that identifies the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers of the at least one group; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0086] Example 5. The apparatus of example 4, wherein the information indicates thatdownlink positioning reference signal resources within two positioning reference signal resource sets associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and that downlink positioning reference signal resources within a positioning reference signal resource set not associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a different transmission reception point or a different antenna reference point.

[0087] Example 6. The apparatus of any of examples 4 to 5, wherein the information indicates that downlink positioning reference signal resource sets are not associated with the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers in the at least one group.

[0088] Example 7. The apparatus of any of examples 4 to 6, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

[0089] Example 8. The apparatus of example 7, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

[0090] Example 9. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the user equipment, a rule configured to be used to determine at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0091] Example 10. The apparatus of example 9, wherein the rule indicates that a first positioning reference signal associated with a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal associated with a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are transmitted from a single transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are in the at least one group, if a first remainder of the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by a number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment is equal to a second remainder of the second downlink positioning reference signal identifierdivided by the number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment.

[0092] Example 11. The apparatus of any of examples 9 to 10, wherein the rule indicates that a specific number of consecutive downlink positioning reference signal identifiers are in the at least one group.

[0093] Example 12. The apparatus of any of examples 9 to 11, wherein the rule indicates that a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a first transmission reception point or a first antenna reference point, and a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a second transmission reception point or a second antenna reference point, wherein the first transmission reception point or the first antenna reference point is different from the second transmission reception point or the second antenna reference point.

[0094] Example 13. The apparatus of any of examples 9 to 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

[0095] Example 14. The apparatus of example 13, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

[0096] Example 15. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the user equipment, information comprising at least one association between sets of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and one or more positioning reference signal resource set identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the information comprising the at least one association.

[0097] Example 16. The apparatus of example 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, a joint positioning measurement from aggregated positioning reference signal resources from a first association, wherein the joint positioning measurement comprises a time of arrival or a reception-transmission time difference measurement with respect to a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point; wherein the first association comprises anassociation between a first pair comprising a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a first positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a second pair comprising a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal resource set identifier; and wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment comprises a reference signal time difference measurement based on the first association and a second association; wherein the second association comprises an association between a third pair comprising a third downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a fourth pair comprising a fourth downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the first positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

[0098] Example 17. The apparatus of any of examples 15 to 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, association information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0099] Example 18. The apparatus of example 17, wherein the association information is based on an association between the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier and at least one positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

[0100] Example 19. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a location management function.

[0101] Example 20. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 19, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier comprises a plurality of downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0102] Example 21. The apparatus of any of examples 1 to 20, wherein the positioning reference signal resource sets are linked to inform to the user equipment that at least phase continuity between multiple positioning reference signal resources within the linked positioning reference signal resource sets is guaranteed by the apparatus for bandwidth aggregation.

[0103] Example 22. An apparatus including: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signalbandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and perform at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0104] Example 23. The apparatus of example 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine that the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources within one or more downlink positioning reference signal resource sets, wherein downlink positioning reference signals using the one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources are transmitted from a same transmission reference point or a same antenna reference point.

[0105] Example 24. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 23, wherein: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource; and the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource set.

[0106] Example 25. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 24, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, at least one group identifier that identifies at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers of the at least one group; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0107] Example 26. The apparatus of example 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the received information, that downlink positioning reference signal resources within two positioning reference signal resource sets associated with the at least one group are transmitted from atransmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and determine, based on the received information, that downlink positioning reference signal resources within a positioning reference signal resource set not associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a different transmission reception point or a different antenna reference point.

[0108] Example 27. The apparatus of any of examples 25 to 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the information, that downlink positioning reference signal resource sets are not associated with the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers in the at least one group.

[0109] Example 28. The apparatus of any of examples 25 to 27, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

[0110] Example 29. The apparatus of any of examples 25 to 28, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

[0111] Example 30. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 29, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, a rule configured to be used to determine at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; and determine the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers based on the rule; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0112] Example 31. The apparatus of example 30, wherein the rule indicates that a first positioning reference signal associated with a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal associated with a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are transmitted from a single transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are in the at leastone group, if a first remainder of the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by a number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment is equal to second remainder of the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by the number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment.

[0113] Example 32. The apparatus of any of examples 30 to 31, wherein the rule indicates that a specific number of consecutive downlink positioning reference signal identifiers are in the at least one group.

[0114] Example 33. The apparatus of any of examples 30 to 32, wherein the rule indicates that a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a first transmission reception point or a first antenna reference point, and a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a second transmission reception point or a second antenna reference point, wherein the first transmission reception point or the first antenna reference point is different from the second transmission reception point or the second antenna reference point.

[0115] Example 34. The apparatus of any of examples 30 to 33, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

[0116] Example 35. The apparatus of example 34, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

[0117] Example 36. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 35, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, information comprising at least one association between sets of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and one or more positioning reference signal resource set identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the information comprising the at least one association.

[0118] Example 37. The apparatus of example 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: perform a joint positioning measurement from aggregated positioning reference signal resources from a first association,wherein the joint positioning measurement comprises a time of arrival or a receptiontransmission time difference measurement with respect to a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point; wherein the first association comprises an association between a first pair comprising a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a first positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a second pair comprising a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal resource set identifier; and transmit, to the network entity, the joint positioning measurement; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity comprises a reference signal time difference measurement based on the first association and a second association; wherein the second association comprises an association between a third pair comprising a third downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a fourth pair comprising a fourth downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the first positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

[0119] Example 38. The apparatus of any of examples 36 to 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, association information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0120] Example 39. The apparatus of example 38, wherein the association information is based on an association between the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier and at least one positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

[0121] Example 40. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 39, wherein the network entity comprises a location management function.

[0122] Example 41. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 40, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier comprises a plurality of downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

[0123] Example 42. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 41, wherein the positioning reference signal resource sets are linked to inform to the apparatus that at least phase continuity between multiple positioning reference signal resources within the linked positioning reference signal resource sets is guaranteed by the network entity for bandwidth aggregation.

[0124] Example 43. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 42, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, the at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources that is based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0125] Example 44. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 43, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: estimate a location of the apparatus, based on the performed at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0126] Example 45. The apparatus of any of examples 22 to 44, wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment.

[0127] Example 46. An apparatus including: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receive, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimate a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

[0128] Example 47. The apparatus of example 46, wherein the information indicates that positioning reference signals that use at least one positioning reference signal resource are transmitted from a same transmission reception point or a same antenna reference point, when the downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with the at least one positioning reference signal resource.

[0129] Example 48. The apparatus of example 47, wherein the at least one positioning reference signal resource is within one or more linked positioning reference signal resource sets.

[0130] Example 49. The apparatus of any of examples 47 to 48, wherein: the positioning reference signals comprise downlink positioning reference signals; and the at least one positioning reference signal resource comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal resource.

[0131] Example 50. An apparatus including: at least one processor; and at least one memorystoring instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; perform at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and perform at least one of: transmit, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimate a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

[0132] Example 51. The apparatus of example 50, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the information, that positioning reference signals that use at least one positioning reference signal resource are transmitted from a same transmission reception point or a same antenna reference point, when the downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with the at least one positioning reference signal resource.

[0133] Example 52. The apparatus of example 51, wherein the at least one positioning reference signal resource is within one or more linked positioning reference signal resource sets.

[0134] Example 53. A method including: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0135] Example 54. A method including: receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least onedownlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0136] Example 55. A method including: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

[0137] Example 56. A method including: receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

[0138] Example 57. An apparatus including: means for transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; means for receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means for estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0139] Example 58. An apparatus including: means for receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for jointpositioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and means for performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0140] Example 59. An apparatus including: means for transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; means for receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means for estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

[0141] Example 60. An apparatus including: means for receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; means for performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

[0142] Example 61. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations including: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning referencesignal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

[0143] Example 62. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations including: receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

[0144] Example 63. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations including: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

[0145] Example 64. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations including: receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

[0146] References to a ‘computer’, ‘processor’, etc. should be understood to encompass not only computers having different architectures such as single / multi-processor architectures and sequential or parallel architectures but also specialized circuits such as field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific circuits (ASICs), signal processingdevices and other processing circuitry. References to computer program, instructions, code etc. should be understood to encompass software for a programmable processor or firmware such as, for example, the programmable content of a hardware device whether instructions for a processor, or configuration settings for a fixed-function device, gate array or programmable logic device etc.

[0147] The memories as described herein may 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, transitory memory, fixed memory and removable memory. The memories may comprise a database for storing data.

[0148] As used herein, the term ‘circuitry’ may refer to the following: (a) hardware circuit implementations, such as implementations in analog and / or digital circuitry, and (b) combinations of circuits and software (and / or firmware), such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of processor(s) or (ii) portions of processor(s) / software including digital signal processor(s), software, and memories that work together to cause an apparatus to perform various functions, and (c) circuits, such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation, even if the software or firmware is not physically present. As a further example, as used herein, the term ‘circuitry’ would also cover an implementation of merely a processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a processor and its (or their) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term ‘circuitry’ would also cover, for example and if applicable to the particular element, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, or another network device.

[0149] It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative. Various alternatives and modifications may be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, features recited in the various dependent claims could be combined with each other in any suitable combination(s). In addition, features from different example embodiments described above could be selectively combined into a new example embodiment. Accordingly, this description is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0150] The following acronyms and abbreviations that may be found in the specificationand / or the drawing figures are given as follows (the abbreviations and acronyms may be appended with each other or with other characters using e.g. a dash, hyphen, slash, or number, or the text ‘s’ to indicate plurality, and may be case insensitive):3GPP third generation partnership project4G fourth generation5G fifth generation5GC 5G core network6G sixth generationAMF access and mobility management functionARP antenna reference pointASIC application- specific integrated circuitBW bandwidthCC component carrierCD compact / computer discCORESET control resource setCPU central processing unitDL downlinkDL-PRS downlink positioning reference signal dl-PRS-ID downlink positioning reference signal identifierDSP digital signal processorDVD digital versatile disc eMBB enhanced mobile broadband eNB evolved Node B (e.g., an LTE base station)EPC evolved packet coreE-SMLC evolved serving mobile location centerE-UTRA evolved UMTS terrestrial radio accessE-UTRAN LTE evolved UTRANFDM frequency division multiplexingFPGA field-programmable gate arrayFR frequency rangeGMLC gateway mobile location center gNB generation node B, or base station for 5G / NR, i.e., a node providingNR user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards theUE, and connected via the NG interface to the 5GCID identifierI / F interfaceI / O input / output loT internet of thingsLMF location management functionLPP LTE positioning protocolLTE long term evolution (4G)LTE-A LTE advancedMIMO multiple input multiple outputMME mobility management entity mMTC massive machine type communicationNF network functionNG new generationNG-RAN new generation radio access networkNR new radioNRF network repository functionNRPPa NR positioning protocol aN / W networkPFL positioning frequency layerPRB physical resource blockPRS positioning reference signalQCL quasi co-locationR1 RAN document (e.g. R1 -2304935)RAM random access memoryRAN radio access networkRANI radio layer 1RAN4 radio performance and protocol aspectsRAT radio access technologyRel releaseRF radio frequencyROM read-only memoryRP RAN plenaryRRC radio resource controlRRM radio resource managementRSRP reference signal received powerRSRPP reference signal received power per pathRSTD reference signal time differenceRTD relative time differenceRTOA relative time of arrivalRx receiver or receptionSI interface connecting the eNB to the EPCSCS subcarrier spacingSGW serving gatewaySMF session management functionSON self-organizing / optimizing networkSRS sounding reference signalToA time of arrivalTRP transmission reception pointTS technical specificationTx transmitter or transmissionUDM unified data managementUDR unified data repositoryUE user equipment (e.g., a wireless, typically mobile device)UI user interfaceUL uplinkUMTS universal mobile telecommunications systemUPF user plane functionURLLC ultra-reliable low latency communicationUSB universal serial busUTRAN UMTS terrestrial radio access networkWID work item descriptionWi-Fi wireless networking protocol that devices use to communicate without direct cable connectionsX2 network interface between RAN nodes and between RAN and the core networkXn network interface between NG-RAN nodes

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receive, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimate a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources within one or more downlink positioning reference signal resource sets, wherein downlink positioning reference signals using the one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources are transmitted from a same transmission reference point or a same antenna reference point.

3. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 2, wherein: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource; andthe at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource set.

4. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine at least one group comprising one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; and transmit, to the user equipment, at least one group identifier that identifies the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers of the at least one group; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the information indicates that downlink positioning reference signal resources within two positioning reference signal resource sets associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and that downlink positioning reference signal resources within a positioning reference signal resource set not associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a different transmission reception point or a different antenna reference point.

6. The apparatus of any of claims 4 to 5, wherein the information indicates that downlink positioning reference signal resource sets are not associated with the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers in the at least one group.

7. The apparatus of any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

9. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the user equipment, a rule configured to be used to determine at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rule indicates that a first positioning reference signal associated with a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal associated with a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are transmitted from a single transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are in the at least one group, if a first remainder of the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by a number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment is equal to a second remainder of the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by the number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment.

11. The apparatus of any of claims 9 to 10, wherein the rule indicates that a specific number of consecutive downlink positioning reference signal identifiers are in the at least one group.

12. The apparatus of any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the rule indicates that a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a first transmission reception point or a first antenna reference point, and a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a second transmission reception point or a second antenna reference point, wherein the first transmission reception point or the first antenna reference point is different from the second transmission reception point or the second antenna reference point.

13. The apparatus of any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

15. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the user equipment, information comprising at least one association between sets of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and one or more positioning reference signal resource set identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment is based on the information comprising the at least one association.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the user equipment, a joint positioning measurement from aggregated positioning reference signal resources from a first association, wherein the joint positioning measurement comprises a time of arrival or a reception-transmission time difference measurement with respect to a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point; wherein the first association comprises an association between a first pair comprising a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a first positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a second pair comprising a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal resource set identifier; and wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement received from the user equipment comprises a reference signal time difference measurement based on the first association and a second association; wherein the second association comprises an association between a third pair comprising a third downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a fourth pair comprising a fourth downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the first positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

17. The apparatus of any of claims 15 to 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:receive, from the user equipment, association information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the association information is based on an association between the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier and at least one positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

19. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a location management function.

20. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 19, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier comprises a plurality of downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

21. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 20, wherein the positioning reference signal resource sets are linked to inform to the user equipment that at least phase continuity between multiple positioning reference signal resources within the linked positioning reference signal resource sets is guaranteed by the apparatus for bandwidth aggregation.

22. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and perform at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine that the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources within one or more downlink positioning reference signal resource sets, wherein downlink positioning reference signals using the one or more downlink positioning reference signal resources are transmitted from a same transmission reference point or a same antenna reference point.

24. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 23, wherein: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource; and the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier is not used to identify a downlink positioning reference signal resource set.

25. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 24, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, at least one group identifier that identifies at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers of the at least one group; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the received information, that downlink positioning reference signal resources within two positioning reference signal resource sets associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and determine, based on the received information, that downlink positioning reference signal resources within a positioning reference signal resource set not associated with the at least one group are transmitted from a different transmission reception point or a different antenna reference point.

27. The apparatus of any of claims 25 to 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by theat least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the information, that downlink positioning reference signal resource sets are not associated with the one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers in the at least one group.

28. The apparatus of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

29. The apparatus of any of claims 25 to 28, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

30. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 29, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, a rule configured to be used to determine at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers; and determine the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers based on the rule; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the at least one group of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the rule indicates that a first positioning reference signal associated with a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal associated with a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are transmitted from a single transmission reception point or an antenna reference point, and the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier are in the at least one group, if a first remainder of the first downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by a number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment is equal to second remainder of the second downlink positioning reference signal identifier divided by the number of transmission reception points supported by the user equipment.

32. The apparatus of any of claims 30 to 31, wherein the rule indicates that a specific number of consecutive downlink positioning reference signal identifiers are in the at least one group.

33. The apparatus of any of claims 30 to 32, wherein the rule indicates that a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a first transmission reception point or a first antenna reference point, and a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with a second transmission reception point or a second antenna reference point, wherein the first transmission reception point or the first antenna reference point is different from the second transmission reception point or the second antenna reference point.

34. The apparatus of any of claims 30 to 33, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement, wherein the group information is associated with the at least one group.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the group information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement comprises at least one of: the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier, or a positioning signal resource set identifier.

36. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 35, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the network entity, information comprising at least one association between sets of one or more downlink positioning reference signal identifiers and one or more positioning reference signal resource set identifiers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity is based on the information comprising the at least one association.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: perform a joint positioning measurement from aggregated positioning reference signal resources from a first association, wherein the joint positioning measurement comprises a time of arrival or a reception-transmission time difference measurement with respect to a transmission reception point or an antenna reference point; wherein the first association comprises an association between a first paircomprising a first downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a first positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a second pair comprising a second downlink positioning reference signal identifier and a second positioning reference signal resource set identifier; and transmit, to the network entity, the joint positioning measurement; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement transmitted to the network entity comprises a reference signal time difference measurement based on the first association and a second association; wherein the second association comprises an association between a third pair comprising a third downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the second positioning reference signal resource set identifier, and a fourth pair comprising a fourth downlink positioning reference signal identifier and the first positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

38. The apparatus of any of claims 36 to 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, association information used for the at least one joint positioning measurement.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the association information is based on an association between the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier and at least one positioning reference signal resource set identifier.

40. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 39, wherein the network entity comprises a location management function.

41. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 40, wherein the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier comprises a plurality of downlink positioning reference signal identifiers.

42. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 41, wherein the positioning reference signal resource sets are linked to inform to the apparatus that at least phase continuity between multiple positioning reference signal resources within the linked positioning reference signal resource sets is guaranteed by the network entity for bandwidth aggregation.

43. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 42, wherein the instructions, when executed by theat least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to the network entity, the at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources that is based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

44. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 43, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: estimate a location of the apparatus, based on the performed at least one joint positioning measurement.

45. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 44, wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment.

46. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: transmit, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receive, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimate a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the information indicates that positioning reference signals that use at least one positioning reference signal resource are transmitted from a same transmission reception point or a same antenna reference point, when the downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with the at least one positioning reference signal resource.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the at least one positioning reference signal resource is within one or more linked positioning reference signal resource sets.

49. The apparatus of any of claims 47 to 48, wherein: the positioning reference signals comprise downlink positioning reference signals; andthe at least one positioning reference signal resource comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal resource.

50. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; perform at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and perform at least one of: transmit, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimate a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on the information, that positioning reference signals that use at least one positioning reference signal resource are transmitted from a same transmission reception point or a same antenna reference point, when the downlink positioning reference signal identifier is associated with the at least one positioning reference signal resource.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the at least one positioning reference signal resource is within one or more linked positioning reference signal resource sets.

53. A method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurementrelated to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

54. A method comprising: receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

55. A method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

56. A method comprising: receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; andperforming at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

57. An apparatus comprising: means for transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; means for receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means for estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

58. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and means for performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least onedownlink positioning reference signal identifier.

59. An apparatus comprising: means for transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; means for receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means for estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

60. An apparatus comprising: means for receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; means for performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and means performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

61. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one joint positioning measurement related to the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; andestimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one joint positioning measurement.

62. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations comprising: receiving, from a network entity, information related to positioning reference signal bandwidth aggregation for joint positioning measurement; wherein the information comprises information related to a higher layer signaling parameter, wherein the higher layer signaling parameter comprises at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier; wherein the information comprises an indication of positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; and performing at least one joint positioning measurement by aggregating the positioning reference signal resources of linked positioning reference signal resource sets across positioning frequency layers; wherein the at least one joint positioning measurement is based on the at least one downlink positioning reference signal identifier.

63. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, information related to a downlink positioning reference signal identifier; receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement based on the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and estimating a location of the user equipment, based on the received at least one measurement.

64. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations comprising: receiving, from a network entity, information related to a downlink positioningreference signal identifier; performing at least one measurement related to the downlink positioning reference signal identifier; and performing at least one of: transmitting, to the network entity, the at least one measurement, or estimating a location of the apparatus based on the at least one measurement.

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