Home Base Station Positioning via UE Relay
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular communication networks, determining the position of a home base station is challenging, especially when it is moved without network operator knowledge, and GPS coverage may be unreliable indoors, hindering emergency services and positioning capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method where a first base station determines its position using position information from one or more UEs within its radio coverage and a second base station, employing techniques like averaging and trilateration based on RTT measurements, or where the second base station determines the position and sends it back to the first base station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used to determine base station position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but it fails in areas with poor GPS coverage such as indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses UEs as intermediary objects to determine the base station position. Instead of directly using GPS on the base station, the system obtains positions of multiple UEs that communicate with the base station and derives the base station position from these UE positions. This intermediary approach enables positioning in areas where direct GPS on the base station is unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional positioning approach by determining the base station position indirectly through UE positions rather than directly measuring the base station position with GPS. The system obtains UE positions through GPS and other means, then calculates the base station position based on the relationship between UE and base station, effectively reversing the conventional positioning direction.
2Ease of operation
If conventional positioning methods are used, then the process is simple, but the base station position cannot be determined when moved without network operator knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously obtaining positions of multiple UEs and using these position measurements to determine and update the base station position. This feedback mechanism from UE positions to base station positioning enables the system to adapt to base station movements and maintain accurate position information without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary positioning actions by obtaining UE positions through multiple methods (GPS, network measurements) before using these positions to determine the base station position. This preliminary collection of UE position data ensures that position information is available even when the base station moves, enabling continuous position tracking.
3Measurement precision
If multiple UEs are used for position determination, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the positioning system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple UE position measurements into a single base station position estimate. By combining position information from multiple UEs and processing them through averaging or trilateration algorithms, the system achieves improved positioning accuracy while managing complexity through unified processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses UE positions as copies or proxies to determine the base station position. Instead of directly measuring the base station position, the system obtains multiple UE position copies and derives the base station position from these copies, effectively using UE positions as surrogates for direct base station positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for performing positioning in a cellular network are described. In one design, a first base station (e.g., a home base station) determines its position based on position information for at least one user equipment (UE) within radio coverage of the first base station and a second base station. The first base station sends at least one position request for the at least one UE to the second base station, receives position information for the at least one UE from the second base station, and determines a position estimate for itself based on the position information. In another design, the second base station receives a position request for the first base station, obtains position information for at least one UE, determines a position estimate for the first base station based on the position information, and sends the position estimate to the first base station.