Sidelink Positioning Relay for Out-of-Coverage UEs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 3GPP telecommunication standards do not specify positioning techniques for remote UEs that are out-of-coverage, limiting the ability to determine their location accurately.

Innovation Solution

Modeling a relay UE as a transmission/reception point (TRP) of the base station, enabling it to relay positioning messages between the base station and remote UEs, and using sidelink positioning reference signals (SL-PRS) to facilitate accurate positioning even for out-of-coverage UEs without altering the existing core network architecture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing 3GPP positioning techniques are used, then in-coverage UEs can be positioned accurately, but out-of-coverage remote UEs cannot be positioned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidcoverage range

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a relay UE as an intermediary entity between the out-of-coverage remote UE and the base station. The relay UE receives positioning reference signals from the base station and forwards them to the remote UE via sidelink communication, enabling positioning measurements for UEs that cannot directly communicate with the network infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extends the positioning architecture by adding a sidelink communication dimension. Instead of relying solely on traditional uplink/downlink communication between UE and base station, the system utilizes device-to-device sidelink channels to deliver positioning reference signals, creating an additional communication path that reaches out-of-coverage areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If relay UE is modeled as independent entity, then positioning can be achieved, but core network architecture must be altered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning capabilityVSAvoidnetwork architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the relay UE into the existing base station architecture by modeling it as a TRP under base station control. This integration allows the relay UE to function as part of the network infrastructure without requiring separate core network entities or protocols, thus avoiding architectural complexity while enabling positioning functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The base station is given a universal role that encompasses both direct communication with UEs and indirect communication through relay UEs. By modeling the relay UE as a TRP controlled by the base station, the system allows a single network entity to handle multiple positioning scenarios (in-coverage and out-of-coverage) without requiring specialized architecture for each case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260046809A1Sidelink positioning in partial coverage

Publication Date: 2026.02.12 APPLE INC

AI summary

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable media to perform operations including: receiving, from a second UE via a sidelink channel, a sidelink positioning reference signal (SL-PRS); performing a measurement on the SL-PRS to determine a measurement value of the SL PRS; and transmitting, to the second UE via the sidelink interface, the measurement value in a positioning protocol message, the positioning protocol message to be forwarded to a Location Management Function (LMF) of the wireless communication system.