Uplink Positioning Beamforming via Expected Angle of Arrival
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current positioning methods in 3GPP 5G NR networks face challenges in achieving high accuracy, especially in indoor scenarios like factory automation and warehouse management, where GNSS techniques are insufficient, leading to the need for alternative RAT-dependent methods based on downlink/uplink signals.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a location management apparatus that determines an expected angle of arrival for a user device and sends network assistance signaling to a first network apparatus, allowing for the selection of reception beams and performance of positioning measurements using uplink positioning reference signals, thereby improving positioning accuracy without the need for complex beam sweeping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If beam sweeping is performed to achieve high positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but beam training overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The location management apparatus pre-determines the expected angle of arrival based on approximate location information before the actual positioning measurement. This preliminary calculation allows the first network apparatus to pre-configure reception beams, eliminating the need for time-consuming beam sweeping during the positioning process while maintaining high positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The expected angle of arrival acts as an intermediary parameter that bridges the approximate location information and the precise positioning measurement. By calculating this intermediate value, the system can guide the reception beam selection without requiring exhaustive beam sweeping, thus reducing overhead while preserving measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If multiple reception beams are tested to improve positioning accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the expected angle of arrival at the location management apparatus before the actual positioning measurement. This advance preparation allows the first network apparatus to directly select the appropriate reception beam based on the pre-calculated angle, eliminating complex real-time beam training procedures while maintaining high positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the beam selection decision-making process from the first network apparatus and relocates it to the location management apparatus. By having the location management apparatus calculate the expected angle of arrival and provide guidance information, the complex beam training operations are removed from the positioning path, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive signal reception is performed to improve positioning accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but interference from non-line-of-sight signals increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using omnidirectional or comprehensive signal reception, the system focuses reception resources on a specific directional sector determined by the expected angle of arrival. This localized beamforming approach concentrates signal energy from the line-of-sight direction while naturally suppressing signals from other directions, including non-line-of-sight paths, thereby improving positioning accuracy while reducing interference.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining, at a location management apparatus of a wireless communications system, information indicating an approximate location of a user device; determining network assistance signaling based on the obtained information of the approximate location of a user device; and sending the determined network assistance signaling to a first network apparatus of the wireless communications system, the determining of the network assistance signaling including determining an expected angle of arrival for the first network apparatus and including the expected angle of arrival in the network assistance signaling, the expected angle of arrival being an angle, or a range of angles, corresponding to a direction from which wireless transmissions from the user device arrive at the first network apparatus.