UE Positioning During Handover via Source Base Station Forwarding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless networks, particularly in LTE systems with frequent handovers, the positioning process of User Equipment (UE) often conflicts with handover processes, leading to poor link quality or disconnection, resulting in failed positioning measurements and increased positioning delays due to the need for retriggering by the positioning server.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the source base station transmitting enhanced Cell-ID positioning measurement related information to the target base station after a successful handover, allowing the target base station to perform positioning measurements immediately, thereby eliminating the need for the positioning server to retrigger the process, reducing signaling costs and shortening delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the positioning process is performed during handover, then the positioning service can be provided, but the link quality deteriorates or disconnection occurs causing positioning failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning success rateVSAvoidlink quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The source base station performs positioning measurements on the UE before handover occurs, and forwards the positioning measurement information to the target base station in advance. This preliminary action ensures that positioning data is collected when the link quality is still good, avoiding positioning failure due to poor link quality during handover.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The source base station acts as an intermediary that collects positioning measurement information from the UE and transfers it to the target base station. This intermediary approach allows positioning measurements to be performed on the reliable source base station link while still providing positioning service continuity after handover to the target base station.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the positioning server retriggers positioning after handover, then positioning can be completed, but signaling overhead increases and positioning delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning completionVSAvoidpositioning delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Positioning measurement information is collected by the source base station before handover occurs and is forwarded to the target base station in advance. This preliminary collection and forwarding of positioning data eliminates the need for the positioning server to retrigger positioning after handover, thereby reducing positioning delay and signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning measurement process is made continuous across handover by having the source base station forward the collected positioning measurement information to the target base station. This continuity eliminates the interruption that would otherwise require retriggering by the positioning server, reducing both delay and signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the source base station forwards positioning measurement information to the target base station, then positioning success rate improves, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning success rateVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The existing handover signaling mechanism is made multi-functional by incorporating positioning measurement information forwarding into the same signaling messages used for handover coordination. This universal approach allows positioning information to be transmitted without requiring separate dedicated signaling, thereby minimizing additional signaling overhead while improving positioning success rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2736278B1User equipment positioning method and device in handover process

Publication Date: 2017.06.21 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for positioning a user equipment in a handover process. The method mainly includes: receiving, by a target base station of the user equipment in the handover process, positioning measurement related information of the user equipment transmitted from a source base station of the user equipment; and performing, by the target base station, a positioning measurement for the user equipment according to the positioning measurement related information after the user equipment has accessed the target base station successfully. Embodiments of the present invention enables the target base station to perform positioning measurement for the user equipment immediately after the UE has successfully accesses the target base station, and eliminates the need for a positioning server to retrigger a user equipment positioning process, thus reduces the signaling cost caused by retriggering the user equipment positioning process.