Target Node Positioning Measurement During UE Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

In user equipment positioning in radio networks, repeated positioning measurements occur during handovers, leading to increased signaling on the air interface and wastage of network resources due to the positioning server retriggering the measurement process after a UE is handed over to a new base station.

Innovation Solution

The target node receives user identification information from the source node during a handover and instructs the mobility management entity not to notify the positioning server, allowing it to perform positioning measurements on the UE and report the results directly, thereby avoiding repeated triggering of the positioning process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the positioning server retriggers positioning measurement after UE handover to ensure positioning accuracy, then positioning reliability is improved, but signaling overhead increases and network resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The source base station performs positioning measurement on the UE before handover and stores the measurement results. The target base station retrieves these pre-obtained results after handover, avoiding the need to retrigger positioning measurement. This preliminary action eliminates redundant signaling while maintaining positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the source base station's positioning measurement results are transferred to the target base station through the MME. This intermediary data transfer allows the positioning server to avoid retriggers while ensuring the target base station has accurate positioning data for the handed-over UE.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the positioning measurement is performed repeatedly after handover to maintain positioning continuity, then positioning reliability is improved, but the measurement time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning continuityVSAvoidmeasurement time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Positioning measurement is performed in advance by the source base station before the handover occurs. The measurement results are stored and then transferred to the target base station, which uses them immediately after handover. This eliminates the need for repeated measurements and reduces positioning interruption time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent ensures continuous positioning by transferring measurement results from the source to the target base station, maintaining the positioning process without interruption. The useful action of positioning measurement continues seamlessly across the handover event, avoiding repeated measurements and reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the MME notifies the positioning server of each handover to maintain positioning accuracy, then positioning reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the target base station's behavior conditional: it checks whether positioning measurement has been performed before deciding whether to notify the positioning server. This localized decision-making at the base station level reduces unnecessary notifications to the positioning server while maintaining positioning accuracy, thereby reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The target base station autonomously determines whether positioning measurement has been performed and handles the notification decision independently. This self-service capability at the base station level reduces the need for complex coordination with the positioning server, simplifying the overall system while maintaining positioning reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2890163B1Method, device and system for locating user equipment
Publication Date: 2016.09.14 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2890163B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2890163B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP2890163B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for user equipment positioning, which are applied to the field of communications technologies, so as to smoothly perform positioning measurement after a user equipment is handed over to a new base station and avoid performing positioning measurement on the user equipment repeatedly. The method includes: during positioning measurement of the UE, when the UE needs to be handed over from a source node to a target node, receiving, by the target node, user identification information of the UE; sending, by the target node, an indication of not notifying a positioning server to an MME; after the UE is handed over to the target node, performing, by the target node, positioning measurement on the UE according to the user identification information, and reporting obtained positioning measurement data and the user identification information to the positioning server. The present invention is mainly applied to an enhanced cell ID positioning method E-CID positioning technology.