Uplink SRS Positioning in Inactive Cellular Terminal Devices

Solution Overview

Problem

Current cellular network positioning technologies are unable to perform effective positioning measurements on terminal devices when they are in an inactive state, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.

Innovation Solution

The method involves transmitting an uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) based on a resource configuration provided by the service network device, allowing the terminal device to perform positioning measurements even in an inactive state, with the service network device and adjacent network devices collaborating for accurate measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the terminal device is in an inactive state to save energy and reduce network overhead, then energy consumption and network overhead are reduced, but positioning measurement capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidpositioning measurement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The network device pre-configures SRS resource configuration information for the terminal device before it enters the inactive state. This preliminary configuration enables the terminal device to perform positioning measurements using uplink SRS signals while in the inactive state, thereby maintaining positioning capability without requiring active network connection and avoiding energy consumption associated with maintaining connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the terminal device maintains a connected state to enable positioning measurements, then positioning measurement capability is maintained, but energy consumption and network overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning measurement capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The network device pre-configures SRS resource configuration information for the terminal device before it enters the inactive state. This preliminary configuration enables the terminal device to perform positioning measurements using uplink SRS signals while in the inactive state, thereby maintaining positioning capability without requiring active network connection and avoiding energy consumption associated with maintaining connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If the terminal device is in an inactive state to reduce network overhead, then network overhead is reduced, but positioning measurement efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork overheadVSAvoidpositioning measurement efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device autonomously performs positioning measurements by transmitting uplink SRS signals according to the pre-configured SRS resource configuration information while in the inactive state. The network device only needs to receive the SRS signals and perform measurements, without requiring continuous configuration or control signaling. This self-service mechanism enables positioning measurements to be conducted effectively in the inactive state with minimal network overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20240349224A1Positioning measurement method, communication device, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD

AI summary

A positioning measurement method may be performed by a terminal device in a cellular network. The terminal device transmits an uplink SRS (sounding reference signal), according to SRS resource configuration configured by a service network device for the terminal device to perform an SRS-based positioning measurement in an inactive state, such that the serving network device and a neighboring network device perform SRS-based positioning measurement.