Network-Stored UE Positioning Capabilities for Low-Latency 5G Location

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in reducing positioning latency and efficiently reporting UE capabilities for accurate 5G-based positioning, particularly in idle/inactive modes, due to the need for transitioning UEs to RRC_CONNECTED mode for capability reporting.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves directly reporting UE positioning capabilities to the AMF before a location request, allowing the AMF to store these capabilities and forward them to the LMF as needed, thereby bypassing the LPP session and reducing latency by enabling capability reporting in idle/inactive modes without requiring UE transition to RRC_CONNECTED mode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If positioning-related capabilities are stored in UE devices, then positioning service can be provided, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning service availabilityVSAvoidUE device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts positioning-related capabilities from the UE device and stores them in the network (specifically in the UDM entity). This separation reduces device complexity while maintaining positioning service availability, as the network now holds the positioning capabilities instead of the user equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the UDM (Unified Data Management) entity as an intermediary to store and manage positioning-related capabilities. This mediator enables the network to provide positioning services without requiring complex positioning functionality in the UE device, thus resolving the contradiction between service availability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If positioning-related capabilities are stored in UE devices, then positioning service can be provided, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning service availabilityVSAvoidUE device power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts positioning-related capabilities from the UE device and stores them in the network (specifically in the UDM entity). This separation reduces device complexity while maintaining positioning service availability, as the network now holds the positioning capabilities instead of the user equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the UDM (Unified Data Management) entity as an intermediary to store and manage positioning positioning-related capabilities. This mediator enables the network to provide positioning services without requiring complex positioning functionality in the UE device, thus resolving the contradiction between service availability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If positioning capabilities are determined individually for each UE, then positioning accuracy is improved, but network signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidnetwork signaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal approach where positioning-related capabilities are determined at the network level (in the UDM entity) and applied to multiple UEs. This allows the network to manage positioning services efficiently without requiring individual capability determination for each UE, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining positioning accuracy through network-controlled parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If network stores positioning capabilities for multiple UEs, then positioning service scalability is improved, but information management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning service scalabilityVSAvoidnetwork information management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal approach where positioning-related capabilities are determined at the network level (in the UDM entity) and applied to multiple UEs. This allows the network to manage positioning services efficiently without requiring individual capability determination for each UE, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining positioning accuracy through network-controlled parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4275367B1Storing positioning-related capabilities in the network
Publication Date: 2026.05.13 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4275367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4275367B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4275367B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Disclosed are techniques for wireless communication. In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) transmits (910) one or more positioning capability reports to a location server, the one or more positioning capability reports including a first set of values for a set of positioning capability parameters and a second set of values for the set of positioning capability parameters, wherein the first set of values indicate variable positioning capabilities of the UE represented by the set of positioning capability parameters, and wherein the second set of values indicate non-variable positioning capabilities of the UE represented by the set of positioning capability parameters.