Base Station-Assisted UE Positioning for Direct Device Ranging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless positioning technologies face challenges in accurately determining the location of user equipment (UE) in complex environments, particularly in scenarios where direct UE-to-UE communication is necessary but not supported by traditional base station infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A base station-assisted UE-UE positioning method is introduced, where a base station facilitates direct UE-to-UE communication by transmitting and receiving signals to enhance positioning accuracy, utilizing beamforming and multi-carrier communication to manage and optimize signal transmission and reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If direct UE-to-UE communication is used for positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces base stations as intermediary nodes that facilitate UE positioning. Instead of requiring direct complex UE-to-UE communication protocols, the base stations act as mediators that receive positioning requests, coordinate signal exchanges between UEs, and process positioning measurements. This reduces the communication protocol complexity that UEs would otherwise need to implement directly while maintaining positioning accuracy through base station-assisted measurement coordination.
2Reliability
If base station assistance is added for UE positioning, then positioning reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the existing multi-functional capabilities of base stations in 5G networks. Base stations already perform scheduling, resource allocation, and communication management functions. The invention extends these existing functions to include positioning assistance, allowing base stations to serve multiple purposes (communication and positioning) simultaneously. This approach improves positioning reliability by utilizing established base station infrastructure without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If three-phase communication protocol is implemented, then positioning accuracy is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by having base stations pre-configure positioning resources and prepare measurement arrangements before actual UE positioning occurs. The base station receives positioning requests, identifies target UEs, and sets up the necessary communication resources in advance. This preliminary preparation reduces the time required during the actual three-phase positioning execution, as the infrastructure is already in place to support the measurement exchanges between UEs.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are techniques for wireless positioning. In an aspect, a first user equipment (UE) transmits a request to perform a UE-UE positioning procedure with a second UE, receives a radio resource configuration for the UE-UE positioning procedure, the radio resource configuration indicating first radio resources for transmitting positioning signals to the second UE and second radio resources for receiving positioning signals from the second UE, transmits one or more first positioning signals to the second UE on the first radio resources, receives one or more second positioning signals from the second UE on the second radio resources, and enables a distance between the first UE and the second UE to be estimated based on at least transmission times of the one or more first positioning signals and times of arrival (ToAs) of the one or more second positioning signals.