Position Reference Signal Subblock Segmentation for Fast UE Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing OTDOA positioning methods experience delays and inaccuracies when measuring the position of moving user equipment due to the RSTD measurement and reporting mechanisms, particularly for faster-moving UEs, as they move significantly during the measurement period.

Innovation Solution

The method involves dividing position reference signal blocks into subblocks in the time domain, allowing for muting in some subblocks and broadcasting in others, enabling multiple network nodes to share the same resource block and reducing the time period for position detection, thereby improving accuracy for fast-moving UEs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If PRS occasions are spaced 160 ms apart to allow different network nodes to be muted in different occasions, then resource sharing between nodes is enabled, but RSTD measurement time increases to at least 2560 ms causing position detection inaccuracies for moving UEs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource sharing between network nodesVSAvoidposition detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The PRS block is divided into multiple subblocks in the time domain, where each subblock can be independently muted or used for signal transmission. This segmentation allows different network nodes to transmit PRS signals in different subblocks within the same PRS occasion, enabling resource sharing while reducing the overall measurement time period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from muting at the PRS occasion level (coarse time granularity) to muting at the subblock level within PRS blocks (fine time granularity). This dimensional change in time resource allocation allows multiple nodes to share resources more efficiently while maintaining shorter measurement periods for accurate positioning of moving UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If PRS occasions occur more frequently to reduce measurement time for moving UEs, then position detection accuracy improves, but resource availability for multiple network nodes decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition detection accuracyVSAvoidresource sharing between network nodes

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the PRS block into multiple subblocks, the system can accommodate multiple network nodes transmitting PRS signals within a single PRS occasion. This enables frequent PRS occasions to be used without causing resource conflicts, thereby improving position detection accuracy for moving UEs while maintaining resource availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the RSTD measurement period is extended to accommodate measurements from multiple network nodes, then comprehensive position detection is achieved, but latency increases and accuracy deteriorates for fast-moving UEs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-node position detectionVSAvoidmeasurement latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The division of PRS blocks into multiple subblocks allows multiple network nodes to transmit PRS signals simultaneously within the same PRS occasion. This eliminates the need to extend the measurement period to accommodate multiple nodes, thereby reducing measurement latency while achieving comprehensive position detection from multiple nodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the PRS transmissions from multiple network nodes into a single PRS occasion by allocating different subblocks to different nodes. This combining approach enables comprehensive multi-node position detection without extending the measurement period, thus reducing latency for fast-moving UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10966175B2Position detection of user equipment within a wireless telecommunication network

Publication Date: 2021.03.30 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

A method network node, user equipment and location server are disclosed, the method performed at the network node comprises broadcasting position reference signals, the position reference signals being broadcast as a repeating pattern within a periodically repeating position reference signal time period, comprising: controlling the network node to broadcast during each of the position reference signal time periods, a plurality of position reference signal blocks each within a time frequency resource block, at least one of the plurality of position reference signal blocks comprising a plurality of consecutive subblocks, at least one position reference signal subblock comprising a time period in the time frequency resource block during which the network node broadcasts the position reference signal and at least one muted subblock comprising a different time period within the time frequency resource block during which the network node broadcasts no position reference or data signal in a frequency bandwidth of the time frequency resource block.