PRS Activity Reporting for Wireless Positioning Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current on-demand positioning reference signals (PRS) in wireless networks face challenges such as high signaling overhead, energy consumption, and interference due to unnecessary PRS transmissions in areas without active UEs, which complicates efficient PRS beam management and positioning services.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a positioning node aggregates PRS measurements from multiple UEs into a single report, enabling RAN nodes to selectively transmit PRS beams only to areas with active UEs and deactivate beams in other areas, using PRS activity reports to determine active PRS configurations and reduce unnecessary transmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PRS transmissions are continuously sent in all areas, then positioning coverage is improved, but signaling overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic PRS transmission where RAN nodes adjust PRS beam transmission based on real-time UE activity detection. When UEs are detected in a area, PRS beams are activated; when no UEs are present, transmission is deactivated. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining positioning coverage only where needed while reducing energy consumption in inactive areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by enabling PRS transmission selectively in specific geographic areas where UEs are detected, rather than uniformly across all coverage areas. Each RAN node independently controls PRS transmission in its local area based on UE presence, achieving localized positioning support while minimizing overall energy consumption.
2Reliability
If PRS transmissions are sent in all areas, then positioning service availability is improved, but interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by activating PRS transmission only in specific local areas where UEs are detected. Each RAN node independently determines which areas require positioning service and activates PRS beams only in those locations, ensuring positioning service availability where needed while minimizing interference in areas without UEs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts PRS transmission based on real-time UE detection. When UEs are present in an area, PRS transmission is activated to ensure positioning service availability. When no UEs are detected, transmission is deactivated to eliminate unnecessary interference. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between service availability and interference reduction.
3Measurement precision
If PRS activity reports are sent frequently, then positioning accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by having UEs send positioning measurements to RAN nodes at regular intervals rather than continuously. The RAN nodes then send PRS activity reports to positioning nodes periodically based on aggregated UE measurements. This periodic reporting maintains positioning accuracy through regular updates while significantly reducing signaling overhead compared to continuous reporting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies merging by aggregating positioning measurements from multiple UEs at the RAN node before forwarding to the positioning node. Multiple UE measurements are combined into a single PRS activity report, reducing the total number of signaling messages while maintaining positioning accuracy through collective measurement data.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include methods for a positioning node associated with a radio access network (RAN). Such methods include receiving, from a plurality of user equipment (UEs), measurements made by the respective UEs on positioning reference signals (PRS) transmitted by a plurality of transmission reception points (TRPs) in the RAN. Such methods also include sending, to one or more RAN nodes, respective PRS activity reports that include information about measurements made by the UEs on PRS transmitted by TRPs associated with the respective RAN nodes. Other embodiments include complementary methods for RAN nodes and UEs, as well as positioning nodes, RAN nodes, and UEs configured to perform such methods.