Partial RF Band Location Determination for Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in accurately determining the location of mobile devices with varying RF capabilities, particularly those that only support partial RF bands, leading to reduced location accuracy or inability to locate the device.

Innovation Solution

A method where a mobile device sends its positioning capabilities, including identification of partial RF bands, to a location server. The server then provides location assistance data with configuration information for reference signals within the supported partial RF bands, allowing the device to obtain location measurements and send location information to the server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If location determination uses complete RF bands, then location accuracy is improved, but device compatibility deteriorates for devices with partial RF band support

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoiddevice compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the RF band into multiple sub-bands and enables the location server to select appropriate sub-bands based on the mobile device's capabilities. This allows the system to provide location determination services to devices with partial RF band support while maintaining accuracy by using only the sub-bands that the device can receive.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic adaptation where the location server receives capability information from the mobile device and dynamically adjusts the RF band configuration accordingly. The system transitions from a static complete RF band approach to a dynamic partial RF band approach based on real-time device capability assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If location determination is performed using partial RF bands, then device compatibility is improved, but location accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidlocation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by optimizing the RF band configuration specifically for each device's capabilities rather than using a uniform approach. The location server tailors the assistance data to match the device's partial RF band support, ensuring that the location determination process is optimized for the specific local conditions of each device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If location assistance data is provided for complete RF bands, then location determination completeness is improved, but information processing complexity increases for devices with partial RF band support

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation determination completenessVSAvoidinformation processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary RF band information that is relevant to the mobile device's capabilities. Instead of providing complete RF band assistance data, the location server extracts and provides only the sub-bands that the device can utilize, reducing information processing complexity while maintaining location determination completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3844520B1Methods and systems for location determination of a mobile device using partial RF bands
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3844520B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3844520B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3844520B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for location determination at a mobile device comprising sending positioning capabilities of the mobile device to a location server, where the positioning capabilities comprise an identification of a partial Radio Frequency (RF) band that is contained within a complete RF band. The positioning capabilities indicate that the mobile device can measure the partial RF band but cannot measure the complete RF band (510). The mobile device may subsequently receive location assistance data from the location server, where the location assistance data comprises configuration information for at least one reference signal (RS) in the partial RF band (520). The mobile device may then obtain at least one location measurement from the at least one RS based on the configuration information (530), and sends location information to the location server, where the location information is based on the at least one location measurement (540).