PRS Processing Complexity Framework for 5G Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems, particularly in the transition to 5G, face challenges in enhancing spectral efficiency, reducing latency, and improving signaling efficiency while supporting a large number of connections and high data transfer speeds, especially in environments requiring precise location estimation and beamforming techniques.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of advanced wireless communications systems that utilize positioning reference signals (PRS) and beamforming technologies, including quasi-collocated reference signals, to enhance location estimation and data transmission efficiency, allowing for precise positioning and increased data transfer rates across multiple frequency ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If positioning reference signals are used for location estimation in 5G systems, then positioning accuracy is improved, but computation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidcomputation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PRS processing into distinct stages: signal generation at the base station, signal transmission through the wireless medium, and signal processing at the user equipment. Each stage handles specific computational tasks independently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through systematic division of processing responsibilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring PRS resources, pre-calculating positioning parameters, and pre-establishing measurement configurations before actual positioning operations. This allows the system to prepare computational frameworks in advance, reducing real-time computation complexity during actual positioning measurements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If beamforming techniques are implemented to enhance data transmission, then spectral efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing beamforming with direction-specific signal characteristics, where each beam is optimized for its specific transmission direction and target user. This allows spectral efficiency to be enhanced locally in each beam direction without requiring the entire system to operate at maximum complexity, as beams can be independently configured and processed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic action through beam sweeping and beam training procedures, where beamforming configurations are systematically cycled through different directions and patterns. This periodic approach allows the system to achieve high spectral efficiency during active transmission periods while reducing complexity during transition and measurement periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4014611B1Computation complexity framework for positioning reference signal processing
Publication Date: 2024.10.23 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4014611B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4014611B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4014611B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Disclosed are techniques for wireless communication. In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) sends, to a network entity, a report indicating positioning capabilities of the UE, the positioning capabilities indicating a number of positioning calculations that the UE can perform per unit of time, per unit of frequency, or both, and performs a first set of positioning-related measurements of a set of positioning reference signal (PRS) resources and reports a second set of positioning-related measurements based on the reported positioning capabilities of the UE, the set of PRS resources to be used for the first and second sets of positioning-related measurements, a set of reporting parameters, an accuracy configuration, a latency configuration, or any combination thereof.