Positioning Beacons Inhibiting Uplink Access for Legacy UE
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy UEs are unable to effectively utilize positioning beacons for OTDOA positioning due to attempting to establish uplink communication links, which are not supported by these beacons, limiting the benefits of deploying additional beacon nodes for improved location determination.
Innovation Solution
Positioning beacons transmit downlink signals that inhibit uplink communications by omitting certain LTE information blocks, such as the master information block (MIB), system information block one (SIB1), and system information block two (SIB2), and include closed subscriber group (CSG) indicators and access-barring indicators to prevent UEs from sending uplink signals, allowing legacy UEs to receive positioning signals without attempting uplink access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If positioning beacons transmit downlink signals that include complete LTE information blocks (MIB, SIB1, SIB2), then legacy UEs can establish uplink communication links, but positioning accuracy deteriorates because UEs attempt uplink access to beacons that do not support it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes specific LTE information blocks (MIB, SIB1, SIB2) from the downlink signals transmitted by positioning beacons. By taking out these information blocks that would otherwise enable uplink access, the system prevents legacy UEs from attempting uplink communication with beacons, thereby eliminating the positioning accuracy deterioration caused by such attempts while still allowing the UEs to receive and process positioning reference signals.
2Measurement precision
If positioning beacons omit LTE information blocks to prevent uplink access, then positioning accuracy improves, but legacy UEs cannot establish uplink links which were previously supported
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful behavior of legacy UEs attempting uplink access (which deteriorates positioning accuracy) into a beneficial outcome. By omitting LTE information blocks from beacon transmissions, the system guides legacy UEs to correctly interpret the beacons as non-accessible nodes, thereby preventing harmful uplink attempts and improving positioning accuracy. The omission of information blocks, which might seem to reduce functionality, actually benefits the overall positioning performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If positioning beacons support both legacy and new UEs, then network compatibility improves, but device complexity increases due to different signal configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by configuring positioning beacons to transmit downlink signals in a standardized manner that is compatible with both legacy UEs and new UEs. By using a common signal structure (omitting specific LTE information blocks) that both UE types can interpret correctly, the system achieves broad network compatibility without requiring separate beacon configurations for different UE categories, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods, devices, systems, nodes, apparatus, servers, computer-/processor-readable media, and other implementations, including a method, at a wireless node, for supporting positioning of one or more wireless devices. The method includes transmitting, by the wireless node configured as a positioning beacon, a first downlink signal for supporting positioning of the one or more wireless devices, and transmitting a second downlink signal that inhibits a receiving wireless device, from the one or more wireless devices, from sending uplink signals to the wireless node configured as the positioning beacon.