PUSCH And SRS Resource Muting for UE Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and uplink reference signals (such as SRS) for user equipment localization and sensing, leading to lower range and velocity resolution due to the bursty nature of PUSCH and the sparse distribution of SRS, which affects energy efficiency and performance.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a subset of resources allocated for uplink reference signal transmission is muted, allowing for improved energy efficiency by reallocating energy to non-muted resources, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio and improving localization and sensing performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If resources are allocated for both PUSCH transmissions and uplink reference signal transmissions, then communication functionality is maintained, but energy efficiency deteriorates and signal-to-noise ratio decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidsignal-to-noise ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and mutes a subset of uplink reference signal resources that overlap with PUSCH resources in time-frequency domain. By removing these redundant reference signal transmissions, energy consumption is reduced while maintaining sufficient reference signals for localization and sensing functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the transmission parameters by muting specific reference signal resources and reallocating the energy to non-muted resources. This parameter adjustment increases the transmission power on remaining reference signals, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratio while reducing overall energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If PUSCH resources are allocated for data transmission, then communication throughput is improved, but localization and sensing performance deteriorates due to bursty nature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication throughputVSAvoidlocalization and sensing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the uplink resources by separating PUSCH data transmission resources from uplink reference signal resources. By ensuring non-overlapping allocation in time-frequency domain, the bursty PUSCH transmissions no longer interfere with the periodic reference signals, maintaining measurement precision for localization and sensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a resource coordination mechanism that acts as an intermediary between PUSCH scheduling and reference signal allocation. This coordination ensures proper resource separation and allocation, allowing both data transmission and localization/sensing functions to operate effectively without mutual interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If uplink reference signals are transmitted on all allocated resources, then localization accuracy is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocalization accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes redundant reference signal transmissions from overlapping resources. By muting reference signals only where PUSCH resources are allocated and keeping them on non-overlapping resources, the system maintains localization accuracy while reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting reference signals on only the necessary non-overlapping resources rather than all allocated resources. This partial transmission is sufficient to maintain localization and sensing performance while avoiding excessive energy consumption on redundant transmissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4641965A1Method, apparatus and computer program
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4641965A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4641965A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4641965A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a user equipment comprising means for: sending, to an access node, a message for requesting allocation of one or more physical uplink shared channel resources; receiving, from the access node, based on the sent message, information indicating resources allocated for one or more physical uplink shared channel transmissions and information indicating that a subset of a plurality of resources allocated for uplink reference signal transmission are to be muted; and sending, to the access node, one or more physical uplink shared channel transmissions using the resources allocated for the one or more physical uplink shared channel transmissions and one or more uplink reference signal transmissions using non-muted resources allocated for uplink reference signal transmission.