Idle-State New Radio Positioning Through Two-Step RACH

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems do not support positioning procedures for user equipment (UEs) in a 'standby' or IDLE mode, requiring them to be 'woken up' for coordinate estimation, which increases latency and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a 2-step RACH (Random Access Channel) mechanism for UEs in RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE states, combining messages 1 and 3 of the 4-step RACH into MsgA and messages 2 and 4 into MsgB, enabling positioning requests and responses in these states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If conventional positioning procedures are used for UEs in IDLE mode, then positioning can be performed, but the UE must be woken up which increases latency and power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning latencyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the positioning request message with the RACH MsgA transmission and the positioning response with RACH MsgB, merging multiple signaling steps into a streamlined 2-step procedure that operates while the UE remains in idle state, thereby reducing both latency and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If conventional 4-step RACH positioning is used, then positioning accuracy can be achieved, but the signaling procedure is complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsignaling procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the 4-step RACH positioning procedure into a 2-step procedure by combining messages (Msg1+Msg3 into MsgA, Msg2+Msg4 into MsgB), reducing signaling complexity and time while maintaining positioning accuracy through integrated reference signal measurements and coordinate estimation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the positioning functionality into distinct message components: MsgA contains positioning request and uplink reference signal, MsgB contains positioning response with estimated coordinates and quality metrics, allowing independent optimization of each segment while maintaining overall accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12414074B2Systems and methods of providing new radio positioning

Publication Date: 2025.09.09 APPLE INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided to determine an estimated location of a user equipment (UE). For instance, a UE can provide a positioning request to a node while the UE is in a radio resource control idle (RRC_IDLE) or inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state. The positioning request can be implemented in a random access channel (RACH) message A (MsgA). The UE can then receive a positioning response from the node. The positioning response can be implemented in a RACH message B (MsgB).