Optical Sensing for UE Positioning and Non-Line-of-Sight Beam Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in accurately determining the position of user equipment (UE) and aligning beams between wireless network devices, especially in non-line-of-sight environments, due to the lack of effective methods for utilizing optical sensory data for angular information and beam alignment.

Innovation Solution

The method involves sending configuration information to UE for optical data acquisition, receiving and processing optical sensory data to determine angular information regarding wireless transmissions between network nodes, and using this data for positioning and beam alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If optical sensory data is utilized for positioning and beam alignment, then positioning accuracy and beam alignment precision are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing optical sensory data and determining angular information in advance, before the actual positioning and beam alignment operations are needed. This allows the complex processing to be completed beforehand, reducing real-time computational requirements while maintaining high positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that converts raw optical sensory data into angular information about wireless transmissions. This intermediary step simplifies the data structure and makes it more suitable for subsequent positioning and beam alignment operations, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If optical sensory data is used in non-line-of-sight environments, then positioning reliability is improved, but measurement difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoidoptical data measurement difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or radio-based positioning systems with optical sensing mechanisms. By using optical sensors to detect angular information from visual data, the system achieves reliable positioning in non-line-of-sight environments where traditional methods fail, despite the increased complexity of optical measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12382426B2Positioning and beam alignment based on optical sensing

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Techniques for using optical sensing by wireless network nodes to assist with positioning of user equipment (UE) are provided. In some embodiments, such techniques may include sending first configuration information to the UE, the first configuration information indicative of how optical sensory data is to be obtained with the UE; receiving the optical sensory data from the UE; and based at least on the optical sensory data received from the UE, determining angular information regarding wireless transmissions between at least one wireless network node and the UE.