Relay Node Location Reporting for Accurate UE Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inaccurate location determination of user equipment (UE) in LTE-A systems, particularly when a Relay Node (RN) remains stationary while the UE moves, as existing methods rely solely on serving cell information, leading to incorrect assumptions of UE stationarity.

Innovation Solution

The RN is configured to report location information to the control plane management apparatus, including details about its donor cell or serving cell with a TAI and/or ECGI value related to the donor cell, enabling the network to obtain the latest location information of the UE, even when the RN is moving.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the RN reports only serving cell information to the network side, then the reporting procedure is simple, but the location determination accuracy deteriorates when the RN is moving

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereporting procedure complexityVSAvoidlocation determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The location information reporting is segmented into two parts: serving cell information (which the RN is currently serving) and donor cell information (which indicates the RN's own location). This segmentation allows the network to separately track both the UE's serving cell and the RN's position, resolving the contradiction between simple reporting and accurate location determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The donor cell information acts as an intermediary indicator for the RN's location. Instead of directly reporting the RN's geographical coordinates or complex position data, the system uses the donor cell identifier as an intermediary that indirectly but accurately represents the RN's position, thereby maintaining reporting simplicity while improving location accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the network side uses only serving cell information to determine UE location, then the positioning method is simple, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates in high mobility scenarios with RNs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning method complexityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning method is segmented to consider two levels: the serving cell level (for UE location relative to RN) and the donor cell level (for RN location relative to network). This two-level segmentation enables accurate UE positioning even when RNs are mobile, as the network can track changes in donor cell assignments to infer RN movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds another dimension to positioning by introducing donor cell information as a higher-level contextual layer. Instead of only considering the traditional serving cell dimension, the network now operates in a two-dimensional positioning space that includes both serving cell and donor cell identifiers, enabling accurate location determination in mobile RN scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the RN remains stationary while serving moving UE, then the serving cell information remains unchanged, but the network incorrectly assumes the UE is stationary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveserving cell information stabilityVSAvoidUE movement status information
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by having the RN report donor cell information to the network. When the RN moves to a different donor cell, this change is fed back to the network, allowing the network to distinguish between RN movement and UE movement, thereby preventing incorrect assumptions about UE stationarity despite stable serving cell information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2725833B1Method and apparatus for sending user equipment location information
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 CHINA ACAD OF TELECOMM TECH
  • EP2725833B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2725833B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2725833B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed is a method for sending user equipment location information, used for a network side to accurately determine the location of a user equipment. The method comprises: a relay node (RN) receives configuration information representing the reporting condition of user location information from a control interface management device; and when the reporting condition is satisfied, the RN sends cell-related information representing the user location information to the control interface management device. Also disclosed is an apparatus for implementing the method.