Sidelink Positioning Signaling for Multi-TRP UE Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G New Radio (NR) sidelink protocols do not effectively address positioning sessions between heterogeneous UEs, including single-TRP and multiple-TRP devices, leading to inefficiencies in bandwidth use and resource management.
Innovation Solution
Implement methods for sidelink positioning that allow UEs to determine whether an initiator UE can associate each TRP with a target UE, enabling either single-TRP or multiple-TRP operations based on capability, using identifiers to facilitate communication and response handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current 5G NR sidelink protocols are used for positioning sessions between heterogeneous UEs, then basic positioning functionality is maintained, but positioning accuracy and resource utilization deteriorate due to lack of support for multiple-TRP scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multiple TRPs into individually addressable entities by introducing separate identifier fields (sl-Positioning-TRP-ID) for each TRP in positioning messages. This allows the system to handle multiple TRPs as distinct units rather than as a monolithic entity, enabling precise positioning measurements from each TRP while maintaining protocol compatibility with single-TRP UEs through optional message formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal positioning protocol framework that can accommodate both single-TRP and multiple-TRP scenarios through optional message formats and capability indication fields. The sl-Positioning-TRP-ID field and associated signaling mechanisms provide multi-functionality, allowing the same protocol to serve heterogeneous UE types (single-TRP and multiple-TRP) without requiring separate protocol stacks, thus improving adaptability while maintaining positioning accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If multiple TRPs are used in sidelink positioning sessions, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases due to enhanced signaling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the handling of multiple TRPs into existing sidelink positioning message structures by integrating sl-Positioning-TRP-ID fields within familiar message types (e.g., SL Positioning Session Establishment Request, SL Positioning Report). This consolidation approach allows multiple TRP information to be carried in unified messages rather than requiring separate signaling channels for each TRP, thereby improving positioning accuracy while controlling signaling complexity through efficient message packing.
3Productivity
If heterogeneous UE positioning is not addressed in the protocol, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but resource utilization deteriorates due to inefficient bandwidth use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic capability indication mechanisms where UEs can signal their TRP support capabilities (single-TRP or multiple-TRP) through optional fields in positioning messages. This dynamic approach allows the protocol to adapt its complexity level based on the capabilities of participating UEs, enabling efficient resource utilization for multiple-TRP scenarios when supported while maintaining simple implementations for single-TRP UEs, thus improving productivity without forcing complexity on all devices.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a target user equipment (UE) may receive, from an initiator UE via an SL interface, a discovery request corresponding to an SL positioning session, wherein the target UE comprises a plurality of transmission/reception points (TRPs). The target UE may determine, from the discovery request, the initiator UE is incapable of associating each TRP of the plurality of TRPs with the target UE. Responsive to determining the initiator UE is incapable of associating each TRP of the plurality of TRPs with the target UE, the target UE may participate in the SL positioning session with the target UE by either: (i) using only one TRP of the plurality of TRPs during the SL positioning session, or (ii) using each TRP of the plurality of TRPs such that each TRP operates as a distinct UE.