Methods and systems for using bandwidth parts information during positioning of a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11006384-B2
Application number	US-202016826932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) are used for the transmission and measurement of positioning reference signals during a positioning session. A location server may obtain relevant BWP information, such as the active BWP or a list of configured BWPs, from one or more base stations and/or the user equipment (UE) for the positioning session. The location server may provide assistance data to the UE that is determined based on the BWP information, so that the UE may measure PRS signals from intra-frequency base stations. The location server may further determine a preferred BWP or prohibited BWPs, which may be forwarded to the serving base station to control the BWPs that are used during the positioning session.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for supporting location determination of a user equipment (UE) performed by a location server in a wireless network, the method comprising:
sending a request for Bandwidth Part (BWP) information to a first entity, wherein the first entity comprises the UE or a serving New Radio (NR) Node B (gNB) in the wireless network that is serving the UE;
receiving a response with BWP information from the first entity;
determining assistance data using the BWP information;
sending the assistance data to the UE;
receiving from the UE location information measured by the UE using the assistance data; and
determining a location of the UE based on the location information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first entity is the serving gNB and wherein the request for BWP information and the response with BWP information are transmitted using an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the BWP information comprises an active BWP for the UE, a list of configured BWPs or both.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the request for BWP information includes an estimate of a positioning session time for the UE, wherein the list of configured BWPs comprises BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the assistance data comprises assistance data for the active BWP, the list of configured BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time, or both.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the assistance data further comprises information for positioning reference signals transmitted by the serving gNB and neighbor gNBs in the wireless network that are intra-frequency with respect to the active BWP, the list of configured BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time, or both.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the BWP information further comprises a BWP switching pattern for the serving gNB.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the assistance data comprises information for positioning reference signals transmitted by the serving gNB and neighbor gNBs in the wireless network that are intra-frequency with respect to a new BWP, wherein the BWP switching pattern indicates a switch of the UE by the serving gNB to the new BWP.

9. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving BWP information from neighbor gNBs in the wireless network;
determining a preferred BWP for the UE using the BWP information from the serving gNB and the BWP information from the neighbor gNBs; and
sending the preferred BWP to the serving gNB.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the preferred BWP comprises a single BWP or a list of BWPs.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the serving gNB switches the UE to a BWP included in the preferred BWP.

12. The method of claim 2 , the method further comprising:
receiving BWP information from neighbor gNBs in the wireless network;
determining prohibited BWP for a positioning session with the UE using the BWP information from the serving gNB and the BWP information from the neighbor gNBs; and
sending the prohibited BWP to the serving gNB.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the prohibited BWP comprises a single BWP or a list of BWPs.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the prohibited BWP for the positioning session with the UE comprises identifying BWPs for which there are insufficient neighbor gNBs to transmit positioning reference signals that are intra-frequency with respect to the identified BWPs.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the BWP information comprises an identification of BWPs used for transmission and reception, wherein determining the prohibited BWP for the positioning session with the UE comprises identifying BWPs that will interfere with location information measurements performed by the UE during the positioning session.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first entity is the UE and wherein the request for BWP information and the response with BWP information are transmitted during a capability exchange using a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP).

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the BWP information comprises an active BWP for the UE, a list of configured BWPs, or both.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the BWP information further comprises an on-demand request for positioning reference signals on the active BWP so that the UE can measure location information using positioning signals that are intra-frequency with respect to the active BWP.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the BWP information further comprises an ordered list of BWPs based on a prior usage of BWPs by the serving gNB.

20. A location server in a wireless network configured to support location determination of a user equipment (UE) comprising:
a network interface configured to communicate with entities in the wireless network;
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the network interface and the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to:
send a request for Bandwidth Part (BWP) information to a first entity, via the network interface, wherein the first entity comprises the UE or a serving New Radio (NR) Node B (gNB) in the wireless network that is serving the UE;
receive a response with BWP information from the first entity via the network interface;
determine assistance data using the BWP information;
send the assistance data to the UE via the network interface;
receive from the UE, via the network interface, location information measured by the UE using the assistance data; and
determine a location of the UE based on the location information.

21. The location server of claim 20 , wherein the first entity is the serving gNB and wherein the request for BWP information and the response with BWP information are transmitted using an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa).

22. The location server of claim 21 , wherein the BWP information comprises an active BWP for the UE, a list of configured BWPs or both.

23. The location server of claim 22 , wherein the request for BWP information includes an estimate of a positioning session time for the UE, wherein the list of configured BWPs comprises BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time.

24. The location server of claim 23 , wherein the assistance data comprises assistance data for the active BWP, the list of configured BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time, or both.

25. The location server of claim 24 , wherein the assistance data further comprises information for positioning reference signals transmitted by the serving gNB and neighbor gNBs in the wireless network that are intra-frequency with respect to the active BWP, the list of configured BWPs that will be active during the positioning session time, or both.

26. The location server of claim 22 , wherein the BWP information further comprises a BWP switching pattern for the serving gNB.

27. The location server of claim 26 , wherein the assistance data comprises information for positioning reference signals transmitted by the serving gNB and neighbor gNBs in the wireless network that are intra-frequency with respect to a new BWP, wherein the BWP switching pattern indicates a switch of the UE by the serving gNB to the new BWP.

28. The location server of claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
recei

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Akash
• Edge Stephen William

Classifications

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W72/0457

  Variable allocation of band or rate · CPC title

• H04W72/0453

  Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA · CPC title

• H04W64/00 Primary

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