User Terminal Positioning via Base Station Pilot Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in providing high precision rendezvous services for users without GPS receivers, especially in closed areas where satellite-based positioning methods are ineffective, and for legacy terminals that do not support GPS-based navigation.
Innovation Solution
A method and arrangement that enable user terminals to determine and share their geographical coordinates using pilot signal measurements and radio base station coordinates, allowing for GPS-like navigation assistance between user terminals, regardless of their GPS capabilities, by broadcasting and reporting absolute geographical coordinates and performing pilot signal measurements to compute relative and absolute positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If satellite based positioning methods are used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the method becomes ineffective in closed areas where satellites are invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces radio base stations as intermediary objects to provide positioning assistance. Instead of relying directly on satellite signals, the system uses base stations that broadcast their geographical coordinates and timing information, serving as intermediaries between satellites and user terminals in environments where direct satellite visibility is blocked
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the satellite-based mechanical positioning system with a radio-based positioning system using base station signals. This substitution allows positioning to function in closed areas by replacing the physical line-of-sight requirement of satellite signals with radio frequency signals that can penetrate or be relayed through the radio access network infrastructure
2Measurement precision
If GPS based positioning is introduced in later releases of communication standards, then positioning capability is improved, but legacy terminals that cannot support GPS based services are excluded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal positioning mechanism that serves multiple types of terminals simultaneously. The base station broadcasts positioning assistance information that can be utilized by both GPS-capable terminals and legacy terminals without GPS, making the positioning system universally applicable across different terminal capabilities and standard releases
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the positioning functionality into separate components: base stations provide positioning assistance information independently, and user terminals can process this information according to their capabilities. This segmentation allows GPS-based positioning enhancements to be provided without requiring all terminals to have GPS receivers, as the positioning function is divided between network infrastructure and terminal processing
3Ease of operation
If location fingerprinting positioning method is used, then positioning service is provided, but the method requires extensive measurement campaigns and pre-established data bases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables user terminals to autonomously determine their geographical position using real-time measurements of base station signals. Instead of requiring pre-configured fingerprint databases from measurement campaigns, terminals self-determine their position by measuring timing information from base stations and calculating their location based on broadcast coordinates and measured time differences
4Measurement precision
If pilot signal measurements are performed by user equipment, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the user equipment must synchronize to multiple neighbour cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the synchronization requirement from the positioning measurement process. By having base stations broadcast their absolute geographical coordinates and timing information, the system removes the need for user equipment to synchronize to neighbour cell broadcast channels, extracting only the essential timing and position information needed for accurate positioning
Data Source
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AI summary
Method and arrangement in a first user terminal for providing location information associated with the first user terminal to a second user terminal, the first user terminal and the second user terminal are comprised within a wireless communication system, which wireless communication system further comprises a plurality of radio base stations of which one first radio base station at the moment is serving the first user terminal, the method comprises receiving a signal from one of the radio base stations, comprising the absolute geographical coordinates corresponding to the location of that radio base station, performing pilot signal measurements on the received signal, determining the absolute geographical coordinates corresponding to the location of the first user terminal, based on the performed pilot signal measurements and the received absolute geographical coordinates of the radio base station, and transmitting the determined absolute geographical coordinates to the second user terminal.