PRS Muting for Reduced Capacity Device Location Estimation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G NR systems, face challenges in efficiently positioning reference signals (PRSs) for reduced capacity devices, which have limited processing capabilities and require frequency hopping with tone-overlap to maintain coherent stitching.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves configuring reduced capacity user equipment (UE) to report capabilities associated with positioning procedures, such as radio frequency retuning time and bandwidth switching needs, to the network. The network then provides a reference signal configuration that supports coherent stitching with tone-overlap, including additional repetitions and a scaling factor based on actual and desired bandwidths, and overlap indicated by the UE.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If frequency hopping with tone-overlap is used for reduced capacity devices, then positioning accuracy is improved through coherent stitching, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frequency bandwidth into multiple hopping segments with tone-overlap, allowing reduced capacity devices to process smaller subsets of tones at a time while maintaining coherent stitching across the full bandwidth. This segmentation enables positioning accuracy improvement without requiring the device to handle the entire bandwidth simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by using tone-overlap where only a portion of the total tones are active at any given time during frequency hopping. This allows the system to achieve coherent stitching benefits without requiring the device to process all tones simultaneously, thus reducing processing complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy.
2Reliability
If additional repetitions and scaling factors are configured for coherent stitching, then positioning reliability is improved, but signaling overhead and configuration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring repetition factors and scaling factors in the reference signal configuration before positioning measurements are performed. This allows the network to establish coherent stitching parameters in advance, improving positioning reliability without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the positioning procedure.
3Use of energy by moving object
If PRS resources are muted to accommodate limited device capabilities, then device energy consumption is reduced, but positioning measurement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through PRS muting patterns where reference signal transmissions are periodically interrupted. This allows reduced capacity devices to conserve energy by not continuously processing PRS resources while still maintaining positioning capability through the periodic transmissions that do occur, balancing energy consumption with measurement time.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning reference signals (PRSs) for reduced capacity devices, e.g., in 5G NR systems and beyond. A UE may be configured to may receive, from a network (e.g., from a base station and/or an LMF) a reference signal configuration for the positioning procedure, e.g., based on one or more capabilities reported by the UE. The reference signal configuration may support coherent stitching (e.g., frequency hopping) with tone-overlap. Additionally, the UE may be configured to receive downlink positioning reference signals and mute at least a portion of downlink positioning reference signal resources. A phase discontinuity may be generated by muting at least the portion of PRS resources and transmission of the PRS resources may continue without regard to the phase discontinuity or transmission of the PRS resources may be shifted to account for the phase discontinuity such that a PRS transmission immediately after the muted portion of PRS resources may be shifted to remain in phase with a transmission that occurred immediately prior to the muted portion of the PRS resources.