Measurement and signaling for enabling position determination in networks including non-terrestrial components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12550105-B2
Application number	US-202318354019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2023
Priority date	Jan 22, 2021
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus for determining a position of a user device, UE, of a wireless communication network is described. The wireless communication network includes a radio access network, RAN, and a plurality of non-terrestrial network, NTN, components, like an airborne vehicle or a spaceborne vehicle, operating on a bent pipe principle for a transmission between the UE and the RAN. The wherein the apparatus is to receive (1) for bent pipe transmissions between the UE and the RAN via at least two different NTN components respective values indicative of a distance between the UE and the RAN, or (2) one or more Doppler values for each link between the UE and the at least two NTN components. The apparatus is to obtain positions of the at least two NTN components, and determine the position of the UE using the obtained positions of the at least two NTN components and the values or one or more Doppler values.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for verifying a position of a user device, UE, in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a radio access network, RAN, a core network, CN, and a plurality of non-terrestrial network, NTN, components,
wherein the apparatus is adapted to be located in a RAN entity or in a CN entity, and wherein the apparatus is adapted to
receive from the UE a transmission of a request for connection to the wireless communication network via at least two different NTN components, the request comprising
a UE reported position of the UE as determined by the UE, or
a UE reported information indicative of a logical coarse location of the UE, or
a UE reported measurement of one or more values indicative of a distance between the UE and the at least two different NTN components, and

verify a position of the UE using network, NW, measured values indicative of a distance between the respective NTN components and the UE.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to
receive from the UE a transmission of a request for connection to the wireless communication network via at least two different NTN components, the request comprising a UE reported position of the UE as determined by the UE, acquire for each transmission one or more first values indicative of a distance between the UE and the RAN, acquire a position of the at least two NTN components, determine, for each of the at least two NTN components, second values indicative of a distance between the UE and the NTN component using the one or more first values and a distance between the RAN and the NTN component, acquire a network, NW, computed position of the UE using the acquired positions of the at least two NTN components and the determined distances between the UE and the at least two NTN components, and verify the UE reported position in case UE reported position deviates from the NW computed position by less than a certain amount, or send the UE reported position and the NW computed position to the CN of the wireless communication network for the verification.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to
receive from the UE a transmission of a request for connection to the wireless communication network via at least two different NTN components, the request comprising a UE reported measurement of one or more first values indicative of a distance between the UE and the at least two different NTN components, acquire for each transmission a network, NW, measurement of one or more second values indicative of a distance between the UE and the NTN component, verify the UE reported measurement in case UE reported measurement deviates from the NW measurement by less than a certain amount, or send the UE reported measurement and the NW measurements to CN of the wireless communication network for the verification.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to
receive from the UE a transmission of a request for connection to the wireless communication network via at least two different NTN components, the request comprising a UE reported position of the UE as determined by the UE, acquire for each transmission one or more Doppler values for each link between the UE and the at least two NTN components, acquire a position of the at least two NTN components, determine, for each of the at least two NTN components, a distance between the UE and the NTN component using the one or more Doppler values, acquire a network, NW, computed position of the UE using the acquired positions of the at least two NTN components and the determined distances between the UE and the at least two NTN components, and verify the UE reported position in case the UE reported position deviates from the NW computed position by less than a certain amount, or send the UE reported position and the NW computed position to the CN of the wireless communication network for the verification.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus or the CN is adapted to allow the UE to connect to the wireless communication network only when the UE reported position is verified.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to signal to the CN of the wireless communication network one of more of the following:
a flag indicating whether the UE reported location is to be trusted by entities in the CN, a flag indicating that the UE reported location has been verified by the apparatus, one or more parameters describing a deviation of the UE-reported position from the NW computed position, one or more parameters describing a reliability of the process determining the UE reported location and/or the NW computed position, one or more parameters describing a reliability of measurements used in the process determining the UE reported location and/or the NW computed position.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to signal to the UE and/or to the RAN to use a certain integrity method and report the results.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive from the CN a threshold by which the UE reported position is allowed to deviate from the NW computed position.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the NTN component comprises one of more of
a spaceborne vehicle, and an airborne vehicle.

10 . A user device, UE, for a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a radio access network, RAN, a plurality of non-terrestrial network, NTN, components and an apparatus for verifying a position of the UE using network, NW, measured values indicative of a distance between the respective NTN components and the UE,
wherein the UE is adapted to send a transmission of a request for connection to the wireless communication network via at least two different NTN components, the request comprising
a UE reported position of the UE as determined by the UE, or
a UE reported information indicative of a logical coarse location of the UE, or
a UE reported measurement of one or more values indicative of a distance between the UE and the at least two different NTN components.

11 . The user device, UE, of claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication network provides a plurality of reference points, each reference points representing a geographical location and being mapped to one or more network parameters,
wherein, to determine one or more network parameters applicable to the UE at a current location of the UE, the UE is adapted to
receive assistance data indicating a location of some or all of the plurality of reference points,
determine from the plurality of reference points a reference point closest to the current location of the UE, and
derive the network parameters mapped to the closest reference point, and
wherein the UE is adapted to report the UE reported information indicative of a logical coarse location of the UE and comprising an identifier of the closest reference point or information derived from the assistance data corresponding to the identifier.

12 . The user device, UE, of claim 10 , wherein the request for connection comprises a REGISTRATION REQUEST to initiate a UE registration procedure for accessing a certain PLMN.

13 . The user device, UE, of claim 12 , wherein, responsive to the REGISTRATION REQUEST, the UE is adapted to receive a REGISTRATION ACCEPT or a REGISTRATION REJECT, dependent on whether the UE is allowed to access the PLMN.

14 . The user device, UE, of claim 13 , wherein the UE is adapted to receive
the REGISTRATION ACCEPT if it

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Ghimire Birendra
• Franke Norbert
• Hofmann Alexander

Classifications

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04W12/104

  Location integrity, e.g. secure geotagging · CPC title

• G01S19/38

  Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system · CPC title

• G01S5/0246 Primary

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

• H04W64/00 Primary

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