User Device Positioning With Group PRACH Preambles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for determining user device positions in mobile communications systems are inefficient, particularly for idle or inactive UEs, leading to increased power consumption and potential delays due to multiple PRACH transmissions and hardware limitations.

Innovation Solution

A method for selecting a first network node requiring the highest transmission power and transmitting a group channel preamble message to a group of network nodes during a single random access channel occasion, minimizing power consumption and reducing the number of transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple separate PRACH transmissions are performed to different network nodes, then all network nodes can receive the preamble message, but power consumption increases and transmission delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple PRACH transmissions into a single group channel preamble message that is transmitted to multiple network nodes simultaneously during one random access channel occasion, thereby reducing power consumption while ensuring all nodes receive the positioning signal

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The group channel preamble message serves multiple network nodes universally in a single transmission, allowing the same message to be received by multiple target nodes for positioning purposes, eliminating the need for separate transmissions to each node

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple separate PRACH transmissions are performed to different network nodes, then all network nodes can receive the preamble message, but transmission delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple transmission operations into a single group channel preamble transmission that reaches multiple network nodes simultaneously, thereby minimizing transmission delay while ensuring all nodes receive the positioning signal for accurate positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If individual PRACH transmissions are performed to each network node, then positioning accuracy can be maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidtransmission complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual PRACH transmissions into a single group channel preamble message transmission, simplifying the device operations and reducing transmission complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through simultaneous reception at multiple network nodes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4319437B1User device positioning
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4319437B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4319437B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4319437B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

An apparatus, method and comprising device is described, comprising: in response to receiving, at a user device, a positioning message from one or more of a plurality of network nodes, selecting a first network node from the plurality of network nodes, wherein the first network node is selected based on determining that highest transmission power is required for transmission of a channel preamble message to said first network node in comparison with transmission to other ones of the plurality of network nodes; determining a first group of network nodes from the plurality of network nodes, wherein the first group of network nodes are suitable for receiving a first group channel preamble message from the user device during a same random access channel occasion as that of the first network node; and transmitting the first group channel preamble message to the first group of network nodes at a first random access channel occasion.