Anchor UE Selection Using Zone Identifiers for Low-Latency Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for improved methods to determine an anchor user equipment (UE) for positioning in wireless communication systems, particularly in next-generation wireless access technologies like New Radio (NR), to efficiently handle increased communication capacity and services sensitive to reliability and latency.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for determining an anchor UE in a wireless communication system involves receiving assistance information with zone identifiers from multiple candidate UEs, comparing these identifiers with a target UE's identifier, and selecting the anchor UE based on proximity or identical identifiers to perform positioning procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional positioning methods are used in wireless communication systems, then positioning can be performed, but the system cannot efficiently handle increased communication capacity and services sensitive to reliability and latency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoidpositioning latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the anchor UE selection process from traditional positioning methods by introducing zone identifier-based filtering. The target UE compares its own zone identifier with candidate UEs' zone identifiers to quickly identify suitable anchor UEs in the same zone, eliminating the need to evaluate all candidate UEs and thus reducing positioning latency while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by having candidate UEs pre-calculate and transmit their zone identifiers before the actual positioning procedure. This allows the target UE to perform quick filtering based on zone matching without needing to process complete positioning data from all candidates, thereby reducing positioning latency while ensuring reliable anchor UE selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If all candidate UEs are evaluated for anchor UE selection, then positioning accuracy can be maintained, but the complexity of the positioning procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpositioning procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the candidate UE set into different zones based on zone identifiers. Instead of evaluating all candidate UEs uniformly, the system divides them into geographic zones and only considers UEs in the same zone as potential anchor UEs. This segmentation maintains positioning accuracy for relevant UEs while dramatically reducing procedural complexity by eliminating unnecessary evaluations of UEs in other zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making the anchor UE selection process zone-specific rather than system-wide. Each target UE evaluates only candidate UEs located in its own zone, creating a localized selection process that reduces overall system complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through focused evaluation of geographically relevant candidates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of time

If zone identifiers are used to filter candidate UEs, then positioning latency is reduced, but the system requires additional assistance information exchange

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning latencyVSAvoidassistance information
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having candidate UEs transmit only their zone identifiers rather than complete positioning capability information. This partial information exchange is sufficient for the target UE to perform zone-based filtering and identify potential anchor UEs, significantly reducing positioning latency while minimizing the quantity of assistance information that needs to be exchanged.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4668921A1Method for determining anchor UE for positioning in wireless communication system, and device therefor
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4668921A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4668921A1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~4
  • EP4668921A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: receiving, from a plurality of candidate UEs, assistance information including a plurality of zone identifiers related to the plurality of candidate UEs; on the basis of the plurality of zone identifiers, determining at least one anchor UE among the plurality of candidate UEs; and performing a positioning procedure with the at least one anchor UE.