Line of sight detection based on channel impulse response reported

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12392859-B2
Application number	US-202017609468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2020
Priority date	May 15, 2019
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A method in a network node and a network is provided to determine line of sight, LOS, base stations for a user equipment (UE) is provided. A request is provided to at least one of the UE and a plurality of base stations to measure and report LOS detection measurements, wherein the plurality of base stations includes base stations of a serving cell of the UE. The LOS detection measurements are received from the at least one of the UE and the plurality of base stations. LOS base stations for the UE are determined based on the LOS detection measurements. An indication of the LOS base stations is transmitted to the UE.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method in a network node to determine line of sight (LOS) (LOS) base stations for a user equipment (UE) the method comprising:
transmitting a request to at least one of the UE and a plurality of base stations to measure and report LOS detection measurements, wherein the plurality of base stations includes base stations of a serving cell of the UE;
receiving the LOS detection measurements from the at least one of the UE and the plurality of base stations, wherein the LOS detection measurements includes a channel impulse response and further includes:
a relative strength of a first peak of a power delay profile (PDP) of the channel impulse response, wherein the PDP represents received signal power as a function of time delay, wherein the relative strength of the first peak is determined by comparing the power of a first arriving peak to the power of subsequent peaks of the PDP; and/or
a dynamic range of the first peak of the PDP, wherein the dynamic range is the difference in power between the first peak and a noise floor of the PDP;

determining LOS base stations for the UE based on the LOS detection measurements; and
transmitting an indication of the LOS base stations to the UE.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing LOS assistance information to the UE.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving positioning measurements from the at least one of the UE and the plurality of base stations; and
performing UE position estimation using results of the LOS detection measurements and the positioning measurements.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the UE and the plurality of base stations comprises the UE.

5. The method of any of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the UE and the plurality of base stations comprises the plurality of base stations.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a 3-dimensional model of terrain and buildings including a location of each of the plurality of base stations; and
determining, for each base station of the plurality of base stations, whether a LOS exists between the base station and the UE using the 3-dimensional model of terrain and buildings, an estimate of a position of the UE, and a location of the base station.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the LOS base stations based on the LOS detection measurements comprises determining the LOS base stations based on sequentially using the LOS detection measurements in order of descending probabilities, wherein a LOS detection measurement having highest probability is used first.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the LOS base stations based on the LOS detection measurements comprises weighting the LOS detection measurements based on probability of LOS detection.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the LOS base stations based on the LOS detection measurements comprises combining the LOS detection and determining if a base station is a LOS base station based on whether a majority of the LOS detection measurements for the base station indicate the base station is a LOS base station.

10. A network node configured to operate in a communication network, the CN node comprising:
processing circuitry; and
memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations according to claim 1 .

11. A method in a user equipment (UE) to determine line of sight (LOS) base stations for the UE, the method comprising:
performing LOS detection measurements associated with a plurality of base stations, the LOS detection measurements including a channel impulse response and further including:
a relative strength of a first peak of a power delay profile (PDP) of the channel impulse response, wherein the PDP represents received signal power as a function of time delay, wherein the relative strength of the first peak is determined by comparing the power of a first arriving peak to the power of subsequent peaks of the PDP; and/or
a dynamic range of the first peak of the PDP, wherein the dynamic range is the difference in power between the first peak and a noise floor of the PDP; and

determining at least one LOS base station based on the LOS detection measurements.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a request from a network node to measure and report the LOS detection measurements for the plurality of base stations;
transmitting results of the LOS detection measurements towards the network node; and
wherein determining the at least one LOS base station further comprises receiving an indication of the LOS base station from the network node.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving from a network node, LOS decision assistance information, and wherein determining the at least one LOS base station based on the LOS detection measurements comprises determining the at least one LOS base station based on the LOS detection measurements and on the LOS decision assistance information.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LOS detection measurements comprises:
the channel impulse response at the UE; and
at least one LOS detection measurement method.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the relative strength comprises one of a power variation and a signal magnitude.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LOS detection measurements further comprise a stability of an estimated Doppler spread of peaks of the PDP.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LOS detection measurement further comprise an angle of arrivals from base stations of neighboring base stations and a serving cell of the UE and angle of departure at base stations of a serving cell.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LOS detection measurements further comprise a time variation of a number of time of arrivals from the base stations of neighboring base stations and a serving cell base station over a time period.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the LOS detection measurements further comprise a received signal strength being within a margin of an expected received signal strength.

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Dwivedi Satyam
• Medbo Jonas
• Asplund Henrik
• Stare Erik
• Ernström Per
• Shrestha Deep

Classifications

• G01S5/0278

  involving statistical or probabilistic considerations (G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01S5/0273

  using multipath or indirect path propagation signals in position determination · CPC title

• G01S5/0236

  Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac · CPC title

• G01S5/0246

  involving frequency difference of arrival or Doppler measurements (G01S5/02685 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S5/0036 Primary

  of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station · CPC title