Regional UE Positioning Using Acknowledgement-Based Responses

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing UE positioning methods in cellular networks consume significant power and processing resources, and involve high signaling and reporting overhead.

Innovation Solution

A communication device transmits a positioning request to a region with distributed positioning supporting devices, receives an acknowledgement from a second communication device, and determines its position based on these responses, minimizing measurements and transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional positioning methods (TOA, ODTOA, AOA, RSS, fingerprinting) are used to achieve precise UE positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but power consumption and processing resources in the UE increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption in UE

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having the UE actively measure positioning reference signals or transmit sounding reference signals, the invention inverts the approach by having the network node transmit positioning requests and the UE simply respond with acknowledgements. This reverses the traditional measurement direction and significantly reduces UE power consumption while maintaining positioning capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses only the minimum necessary action for positioning - the UE transmits only simple acknowledgement signals rather than performing full positioning measurements. This partial action (minimal transmission) is sufficient for the network to determine UE position without requiring the UE to expend energy on comprehensive measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Measurement precision

If conventional positioning methods are used to obtain precise position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead and reporting requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts only the essential positioning information from the communication signals. By using existing uplink control signals (PUCCH, PUSCH) that already carry acknowledgements for downlink data, the system obtains positioning information without adding separate positioning signaling, thus reducing overall signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention makes existing uplink control signals serve dual purposes: both acknowledging downlink data reception and providing positioning information. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate positioning signaling channels, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining both communication and positioning functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If UE transmits sounding reference signals or measures positioning reference signals over large bandwidth to improve positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but processing resources and computational capacity in UE increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidprocessing resources in UE

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network node performs the complex processing tasks itself by analyzing which positioning requests the UE acknowledged and determining position based on this information. The UE does not need to perform computations, thereby reducing its processing resources and device complexity while the network handles the analytical workload.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Measurement precision

If multiple positioning measurements and transmissions are performed to improve positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but power consumption and signaling overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges positioning functionality with existing downlink-uplink communication procedures. The positioning requests are combined with downlink data transmissions, and positioning responses are combined with uplink acknowledgements, eliminating the need for separate positioning measurement and transmission cycles, thus reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260095887A1Positioning of communication device in region

Publication Date: 2026.04.02 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A first communication device transmits a positioning request in a region comprising a plurality of positioning supporting devices distributed in a plurality of sub-regions of the region. The first communication device receives a positioning response indicating an acknowledgement of the positioning request from a second communication device in the region. The positioning response may be received directly from the second communication device and/or via one or more of the plurality of positioning supporting devices. Based on the received positioning response, the first communication device determines a position of the second communication device in the region.