Apparatus and methods for target user equipment recommendation for sidelink-assisted positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022015057-A1
Application number	US-202117367112-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A target user equipment (UE) identifies other UEs that are available for a positioning reference signal (PRS) exchange for sidelink assisted positioning of the target UE. The target UE may provide to a network entity, such as a location server, the identifications of the UEs that are available for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the target UE. The network, entity may generate and provide for sidelink-assisted positioning the PRS configurations for UEs, which may include the one or more UEs recommended by the target UE. The target UE may provide a list of UEs, in response to a request from the network entity, in response to receipt of a network generated list provided to the target UE, or in response to a determination that PRS measurements based on previously acquired UE PRS configurations are inadequate. The sidelink-assisted positioning may be used when the target UE is present in a null-zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method performed by a first user equipment (UE) for initiating positioning reference signal exchange, the method comprising:
identifying one or more UEs available for a positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE; and providing to a network entity identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a null-zone presence of the first UE being at least one of a current presence of the first UE in a null zone or a future presence of the first UE in the null zone; and wherein the one or more UEs are available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE during the null-zone presence of the first UE.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE is based on one or more of range estimation between the first UE and the one or more UEs, sidelink signal quality, Geometric Dilution of Precision, the first UE being located within a convex hull defined by at least the one or more UEs, diversity in angle of arrival, and diversity in angle of departure, or a combination thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE comprises sending an availability request to each UE on a candidate list of UEs to request availability of each UE for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE over a sidelink channel.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from the network entity a request for identification of candidate UEs for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE are provided to the network entity in response to the request.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from the network entity a candidate list of UEs for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; wherein identifying the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE is at least partly based on the candidate list of the UEs; and wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE are provided to the network entity in response to receiving the candidate list of UEs.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a positioning reference signal configuration for at least one UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; generating a positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE; determining a characteristic of the positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE is less than a threshold; wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE are provided to the network entity in response to determining the characteristic of the positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE is less than the threshold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from a location server a positioning reference signal configuration for at least one UE in response to providing the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; generating a positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE; and providing a location report to the location server based on the positioning reference signal measurement.

9 . A first user equipment (UE) configured for initiating positioning reference signal exchange, comprising:
a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, and configured to:
identify one or more UEs available for a positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE; and
provide to a network entity, via the transceiver, identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE.

10 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a null-zone presence of the first UE being at least one of a current presence of the first UE in a null zone or a future presence of the first UE in the null zone; and wherein the one or more UEs are available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE during the null-zone presence of the first UE.

11 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE based on one or more of range estimation between the first UE and the one or more UEs, sidelink signal quality, Geometric Dilution of Precision, the first UE being located within a convex hull defined by at least the one or more UEs, diversity in angle of arrival, and diversity in angle of departure, or a combination thereof.

12 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE by being configured to send an availability request to each UE on a candidate list of UEs to request availability of each UE for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE over a sidelink channel.

13 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive from the network entity, via the transceiver, a request for identification of candidate UEs for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE are provided to the network entity in response to the request.

14 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive from the network entity, via the transceiver, a candidate list of UEs for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; wherein the processor is configured to identify the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE at least partly based on the candidate list of the UEs; and wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE are provided to the network entity in response to receiving the candidate list of UEs.

15 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, via the transceiver, a positioning reference signal configuration for at least one UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning for the first UE; generate a positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE; determine a characteristic of the positioning reference signal measurement for the at least one UE is less than a threshold; wherein the identifications of the one or more UEs available for the positioning reference signal exchange with the first UE for the sidelink-assisted positioning of the first UE are provided to the network entity in response t

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Bao Jingchao
• Akkarakaran Sony
• Manolakos Alexandros
• Luo Tao
• Montojo Juan

Classifications

• G01S5/0236

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

• G01S5/0205

  Details · CPC title

• H04W64/00 Primary

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

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · 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