Methods and Arrangements for Enabling Continuation of Ongoing Positioning Measurements at Handover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016105831-A1
Application number	US-201414889777-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	May 10, 2013
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one of the aspects of the proposed technology, there is provided a method for enabling continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment, UE, at handover from a source base station to a separate target base station. The method comprises the steps of obtaining ( 11 ) a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements to enable continued positioning measurements in a target cell of the target base station after the handover has been completed, and participating ( 12 ) in continued positioning measurements in the target cell after the handover in response to the measurement context.

First claim

1 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . A method for enabling continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment (UE) at handover from a source base station to a separate target base station, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements to enable continued positioning measurements in a target cell of the target base station after the handover has been completed, wherein the step of obtaining a measurement context comprises the step of the target base station receiving a message from the source base station, which message comprises the measurement context associated with ongoing positioning measurements associated with the UE and the source base station; and participating in continued positioning measurements in the target cell after the handover in response to the measurement context, wherein the step of participating in continued positioning measurements is performed by at least the target base station in response to the received message and after the handover when the UE is served by the target base station.

34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising the step of the target base station sending a report to a positioning network node comprising the measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements and measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover.

35 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising the step of the target base station sending a report to the source base station comprising measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover.

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the measurement context provides the target base station with the information needed to identify measurement data as belonging to the same measurement session as before the handover.

37 . A method for enabling continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment (UE) at handover from a source base station to a separate target base station, the method comprising the step of providing a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements to enable continued positioning measurements in a target cell of the target base station after the handover has been completed,
wherein the step of providing the measurement context comprises the step of the source base station sending the measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements to the target base station.

38 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising the steps of:
the source base station receiving a report from the target base station comprising measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover; and the source base station sending a further report to a positioning network node comprising the measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements and the measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover.

39 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising the step of the source base station sending, in response to failure of continuing the ongoing positioning measurements associated with the UE and the source base station owing to handover, a failure indication to a positioning network node.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the measurement context is included in a HANDOVER REQUEST comprising a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Context Information Element (IE) into which the measurement context is incorporated.

41 . A method for enabling continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment (UE) at handover from a source base station to a separate target base station, the method comprising the steps of:
the UE participating in continued positioning measurements in a target cell of the target base station after the handover in response to a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurement; and the UE sending a report to a positioning network node comprising the measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements and measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the report is sent from the UE to an Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) over the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP).

43 . A method for enabling continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment (UE) at handover from a source base station to a separate target base station, the method comprising the steps of:
a positioning network node determining that the UE is subject to handover during the ongoing positioning measurements associated with the UE and the source base station; the positioning network node delaying removing of a measurement context and expecting to receive a report from the target base station; and the positioning network node receiving a report comprising a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements and measurement data resulting from continuation of the ongoing positioning measurements after the handover.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the step of determining that the UE is subject to handover is based on receiving a measurement failure message from the source base station indicating failure of continuing the ongoing positioning measurements associated with the UE and the source base station, or based on receiving an indication that handover may occur, will occur or has occurred, or based on determining that a requested measurement report has not been received within a certain time.

45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the measurement context includes at least one of:
a measurement configuration to continue the positioning measurements in the target cell; and a set of IDs identifying the positioning measurements for the UE.

46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the measurement configuration is a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) configuration and the set of IDs includes an Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) UE Measurement ID and an eNB UE measurement ID and an optional Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol annex (LPPa) Transaction ID.

47 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the handover is an inter-eNB handover, and the positioning protocol used for the ongoing positioning measurements is the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol annex (LPPa).

48 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the positioning method is based on Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID) or Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (UTDOA).

49 . A target base station configured to enable continuation of ongoing positioning measurements for a User Equipment (UE) at handover from a source base station,
wherein the target base station is configured to receive a measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements from the source base station to enable continued positioning measurements in a target cell of the target base station after the handover has been completed; and wherein the target base station is configured to participate in continued positioning measurements in the target cell after the handover in response to the received measurement context.

50 . The target base station of claim 49 , wherein the target base station is configured to prepare a report comprising the measurement context associated with the ongoing positioning measurements and measurement data resulting from continuation of th

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Masini Gino Luca
• Israelsson Martin
• Myhre Elena
• Siomina Iana

Classifications

• H04W76/27

  Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states · CPC title

• H04W64/00 Primary

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

• H04W36/08 Primary

  Reselecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W76/046

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W36/24

  Reselection being triggered by specific parameters · CPC title