IAB TRP Positioning via Multi-TRP Timing Advance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) scenarios, conventional positioning methods for terminal devices in New Radio (NR) networks lack accuracy due to limited positioning measurements from neighboring cells, primarily relying on Timing Advance (TA) measurements from the serving cell only.
Innovation Solution
A method and network device that select and communicate with multiple Transmitting/Receiving Points (TRPs) based on node configuration and similarity metrics, obtaining Timing Advance and beam information from both the serving TRP and associated IAB TRPs to determine the terminal device's position through triangulation and fingerprint comparison.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional positioning methods relying only on serving cell TA measurements are used, then device complexity is low, but positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning measurement process is segmented into multiple independent measurement components from different TRPs (serving TRP and IAB TRPs). Each TRP independently provides TA measurements and beam information, which are then combined to improve overall positioning accuracy. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitation of single-cell positioning without requiring a complete redesign of the positioning architecture.
2Measurement precision
If multiple TRPs are selected and measured for positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network device performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring node information for multiple TRPs and pre-identifying candidate IAB TRPs based on historical positioning results and similarity metrics. This preliminary preparation reduces the complexity of real-time multi-TRP measurement management, as the system already has organized information about available TRPs and their characteristics before actual positioning measurements begin.
Solution Approach 2:
The network device acts as an intermediary that coordinates measurements between multiple TRPs and the terminal device. It manages the measurement requests, collects measurement reports from different TRPs, and processes the combined information to determine position. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system complexity by centralizing the coordination function rather than requiring direct complex interactions between all components.
3Measurement precision
If TA measurements from multiple TRPs are obtained, then positioning precision is improved, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential positioning information from multiple TRP measurements - specifically TA values and beam information - rather than processing all available measurement data. By extracting and focusing on these key parameters from each TRP, the system improves positioning precision while managing information processing requirements efficiently, avoiding the need to handle excessive redundant data.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method in a network device. The method includes: obtaining a node configuration associated with a set of Transmitting/Receiving Points, TRPs; selecting, from the set of TRPs, one or more IAB TRPs associated with a terminal device based on the node configuration and similarity metrics between an initial position estimate and historical positioning results for the terminal device; and transmitting a measurement request to a serving TRP associated with the terminal device and each of the one or more IAB TRPs; receiving, from each of the serving TRP and at least one of the one or more IAB TRPs, a measurement report indicating a Timing Advance, TA, associated with that TRP and the terminal device.