Inactive-State UE Positioning With Paging-Based Configuration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing positioning procedures in wireless communication systems face challenges in reducing latency and power consumption when user equipment (UE) is in radio resource control (RRC) inactive or idle states, as transitioning to RRC active state for positioning can be time-consuming and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

Positioning procedures are initiated and performed while the UE remains in RRC inactive or idle state using new messages in paging information to indicate positioning methods, configurations, and transmissions, allowing for efficient location estimation without full transition to active state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE transitions to RRC active state for positioning procedures, then positioning accuracy and reliability are improved, but positioning latency and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoidpositioning latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network pre-configures positioning resources (reference signals, measurement configurations, reporting formats) while the UE is in RRC inactive state. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for resource configuration during the positioning procedure, enabling fast execution without state transition and reducing positioning latency while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic state management where the UE can flexibly transition between RRC inactive and active states based on positioning requirements. The network can trigger state transitions only when necessary, and the UE can perform positioning measurements in both states depending on the configured method, optimizing the balance between reliability and latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the UE transitions to RRC active state for positioning procedures, then positioning accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Positioning resources and configurations are pre-established while the UE is in power-saving RRC inactive state. The UE can perform measurements using pre-configured resources without transitioning to active state, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining positioning accuracy through adequate pre-setup of measurement parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic adjustment of positioning parameters such as measurement frequency, reference signal resources, and reporting configurations based on UE state and network requirements. This allows optimization of power consumption by reducing measurement intensity when high accuracy is not required, while maintaining accuracy when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If the UE performs positioning in RRC inactive state with pre-configured resources, then positioning latency is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning latencyVSAvoidpositioning procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs complex positioning configuration and resource allocation in advance while the UE is in inactive state. This shifts the complexity burden to the network side, allowing the UE to execute simple measurement and reporting procedures with minimal processing, thus reducing positioning latency without significantly increasing UE device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Measurement precision

If the network triggers positioning procedures frequently, then positioning accuracy is maintained, but network signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic positioning updates where the network triggers positioning procedures at predetermined intervals or based on mobility conditions rather than continuously. This periodic approach maintains positioning accuracy for moving UEs while significantly reducing signaling overhead compared to frequent or continuous triggering, by adapting the triggering frequency to actual positioning needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4088489B1Positioning procedures for user equipments in inactive state

Publication Date: 2026.01.28 ZTE CORP

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AI summary

Presented are systems, methods, apparatuses, or computer-readable media for performing positioning procedures. A wireless communication device may receive, from a wireless communication node, information to facilitate positioning of the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device may determine to initiate a positioning procedure while in radio resource control (RRC) inactive state. The wireless communication device may perform, while in RRC inactive state, the positioning procedure.