PRU Activation via Threshold Detection for Low-Latency Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing positioning technologies face challenges in efficiently activating positioning reference units (PRUs) for accurate and low-latency location estimation, particularly in terrestrial networks, due to the complexity of associating the right PRUs with target UEs and ensuring similar radio conditions, leading to high latency and reduced accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A user device initiates an activation procedure for PRUs based on threshold values of detected network nodes or PRUs, or via sidelink communication, allowing for selective activation of PRUs that share similar measurement capabilities and radio conditions with the target UE, thereby optimizing positioning accuracy and reducing latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If positioning reference units are activated based on complex association procedures to ensure accurate matching with target UEs, then positioning accuracy is improved, but latency increases and procedure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidactivation latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network pre-identifies and pre-configures candidate positioning reference units that share similar measurement capabilities and radio conditions with the target UE. This preliminary preparation allows the activation procedure to simply select from pre-vetted candidates rather than performing complex real-time association, thereby reducing latency while maintaining positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The target UE autonomously determines whether to activate positioning based on independently evaluating the number of detected network nodes or positioning reference units against threshold values. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex network-coordinated association procedures, significantly reducing activation latency while ensuring positioning accuracy through UE-based threshold evaluation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If positioning reference units are activated based on complex association procedures to ensure accurate matching with target UEs, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidactivation procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network pre-identifies and pre-configures candidate positioning reference units that share similar measurement capabilities and radio conditions with the target UE. This preliminary preparation simplifies the activation procedure to a straightforward selection process, reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through pre-vetted candidate selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The target UE autonomously determines whether to activate positioning by independently evaluating detected network nodes or positioning reference units against threshold values. This self-service mechanism eliminates complex network-coordinated association procedures, significantly reducing device complexity while ensuring positioning accuracy through UE-based threshold evaluation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If positioning reference units are activated based on shared measurement capabilities and radio conditions, then positioning accuracy is improved, but activation procedure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidactivation procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The target UE autonomously determines whether to activate positioning by independently evaluating detected network nodes or positioning reference units against threshold values. This self-service mechanism eliminates complex network-coordinated association procedures, significantly reducing device complexity while ensuring positioning accuracy through UE-based threshold evaluation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4345488B1Positioning reference unit activation
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP4345488B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4345488B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4345488B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Disclosed is a method comprising initiating, by an apparatus, an activation procedure for activating one or more positioning reference units for a positioning session of the apparatus; wherein the activation procedure is initiated via a small data transmission based on at least one of: a number of detected network nodes being above a first threshold value, or a number of detected positioning reference units being above a second threshold value; or wherein the activation procedure is initiated by transmitting an activation request to the one or more positioning reference units over sidelink based on the number of detected positioning reference units comprising at least the one or more positioning reference units.