Location determination using user equipment preconfigured with positioning reference signal information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10120060-B2
Application number	US-201715423526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) is preconfigured with Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configurations for a plurality of base stations. The UE receives a base station almanac including position information and identifies of local base stations. Using the PRS configurations and information from the base station almanac, the UE receives PRS signals from a first set of base stations. The UE may also receive cell-specific reference signals (CRS) from a second set of base stations. The UE performs location determination for the user equipment using the PRS signals from the first set of base stations, the CRS signals from the second set of base stations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of performing location determination comprising:
preconfiguring a user equipment with Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configurations for a plurality of base stations within at least one wireless communication network;
receiving from a location server a base station almanac including position information and identification of local base stations;
using the PRS configurations and information from the base station almanac to receive PRS signals from a first set of base stations;
receiving cell-specific reference signals (CRS) from a second set of base stations; and
performing location determination for the user equipment using the PRS signals from the first set of base stations, the CRS signals from the second set of base stations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information from the base station almanac used with the PRS configurations to receive the PRS signals from the first set of base stations comprises the identification of the local base stations.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the information from the base station almanac used with the PRS configurations to receive the PRS signals from the first set of base stations further comprises the position information for local base stations.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the location determination for the user equipment comprises:
determining ranging information to the first set of base stations using the PRS signals;
determining ranging information to the second set of base stations using the CRS signals; and
using the ranging information to the first set of base stations and the ranging information to the second set of base stations and the position information from the base station almanac for base stations in the first set of base stations and the second set of base stations to determine a location of the user equipment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the ranging information to the first set of base stations and the ranging information to the second set of base stations comprises one of time of arrival and time difference of arrival measurements.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a base station identifier to the location server, wherein the base station almanac including the position information and the identification of local base stations is received from the location server in response to the base station identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving satellite positioning system (SPS) assistance data from the location server and acquiring SPS signals using the SPS assistance data, wherein performing the location determination for the user equipment further uses the SPS signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations with which the user equipment is preconfigured comprises PRS Bandwidth, PRS Configuration Index, and Number of PRS Down-Link (DL) Frames.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations with which the user equipment is preconfigured comprises Muting Information.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein preconfiguring the user equipment with the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations comprises storing the PRS configurations in a subscriber identify module (SIM) card.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PRS configurations is for the plurality of base stations within a plurality of wireless communication networks having different carriers.

12. A user equipment for performing location determination comprising:
a memory preconfigured with Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configurations for a plurality of base stations within at least one wireless communication network;
a cellular transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with base stations; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and the cellular transceiver, the at least one processor configured to receive from the cellular transceiver a base station almanac transmitted by a location server, the base station almanac including position information and identification of local base stations, use the PRS configurations and information from the base station almanac to receive PRS signals from a first set of base stations with the cellular transceiver, receive cell-specific reference signals (CRS) from a second set of base stations with the cellular transceiver, and perform location determination using the PRS signals from the first set of base stations, the CRS signals from the second set of base stations.

13. The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the information from the base station almanac used with the PRS configurations to receive the PRS signals from the first set of base stations comprises the identification of the local base stations.

14. The user equipment of claim 13 , wherein the information from the base station almanac used with the PRS configurations to receive the PRS signals from the first set of base stations further comprises the position information for local base stations.

15. The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the location determination by being configured to determine ranging information to the first set of base stations using the PRS signals, determine ranging information to the second set of base stations using the CRS signals, and use the ranging information to the first set of base stations and the ranging information to the second set of base stations and the position information from the base station almanac for base stations in the first set of base stations and the second set of base stations to determine a location of the user equipment.

16. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the ranging information to the first set of base stations and the ranging information to the second set of base stations comprises one of time of arrival and time difference of arrival measurements.

17. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the cellular transceiver to transmit a base station identifier to the location server, wherein the base station almanac including the position information and the identification of local base stations is received from the location server in response to the base station identifier.

18. The user equipment of claim 15 , further comprising:
a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver for receiving SPS signals;
wherein the cellular transceiver receives SPS assistance data from the location server and the SPS receiver is configured to acquire the SPS signals using the SPS assistance data, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the location determination further based on the SPS signals.

19. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations preconfigured in memory comprises PRS Bandwidth, PRS Configuration Index, and Number of PRS Down-Link (DL) Frames.

20. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations preconfigured in the memory comprises Muting Information.

21. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the memory preconfigured with the PRS configurations for the plurality of base stations comprises a subscriber identify module (SIM) card.

22. The user equipment of claim 15 , wherein the PRS configurations is for the plurality of base stations within a plurality of wireless communication networks having different carriers.

23. A

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Jain Amit
• Subramani Dinesh
• Nirula Gautam

Classifications

• G01S1/20

  using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• G01S5/06

  Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S5/10

  Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements {, e.g. omega or decca systems}(G01S5/12 takes precedence {; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308}) · CPC title

• H04L5/0048

  Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091) · CPC title