Multi-Antenna Positioning Measurements for Accurate ToA and AoA

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for determining the position of user equipment (UE) based on time of arrival (ToA) and angle of arrival (AoA) measurements are limited in accuracy and efficiency, particularly when using antennas with multiple elements.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a method to estimate channel responses for a reference antenna using cross-correlation values and a projection matrix, minimizing the difference between cross-correlation values and the channel response, to determine ToA and/or AoA, leveraging the geometry and correlation properties of antennas with multiple elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional ToA and AoA measurement methods are used with multiple antenna elements, then positioning functionality is provided, but positioning accuracy is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidchannel estimation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel estimation problem by separating it into individual antenna element processing. Each antenna element's channel response is estimated independently using cross-correlation with the reference signal, allowing parallel processing and reducing overall system complexity while improving accuracy through coherent combining of results from multiple elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cross-correlation values as an intermediary between the received reference signal and the channel response estimation. By computing cross-correlation between the received signal and known reference signal at each antenna element, the system creates intermediate measurements that facilitate accurate channel response determination without requiring complex direct inversion methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If simple cross-correlation methods are used for channel estimation, then computational complexity is reduced, but positioning accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoidchannel response accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary cross-correlation operations between the received reference signal and the known reference signal before final channel response determination. This preliminary action at each antenna element prepares processed data that can be efficiently combined, reducing the complexity of subsequent positioning calculations while maintaining high accuracy through the use of correlation-based measurements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the channel response estimates from multiple antenna elements by combining their cross-correlation results. This combining process coherently integrates information from all antenna elements, improving the signal-to-noise ratio and channel estimation accuracy while maintaining computational efficiency through the use of simple addition or averaging operations on the cross-correlation values

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4145166B1Positioning measurements
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4145166B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4145166B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4145166B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed herein are systems, methods and/or computer programs for determining time and/or angle -based measurements for use in position determination. The apparatus may comprise means for receiving, at a plurality of antennae, a reference signal associated with positioning and determining cross-correlation values comprising a cross correlation between the reference signal received at each antenna and a known reference signal associated with positioning. There may also be provided means for estimating a channel response for a reference antenna of the plurality of antennae using the cross correlation values, the known reference signal and an antenna correlation comprising a known relationship between a channel response of each antenna of the plurality of antennae and the channel response of the reference antenna, and determining a time of arrival and / or an angle of arrival of the received reference signal based on the estimated channel response for the reference antenna.