Techniques for handling loss of positioning information in a connected state

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026067977-A1
Application number	US-202418817039-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2024
Priority date	Aug 27, 2024
Publication date	Mar 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The described techniques provide for provide for a user equipment (UE) to operate according to one or more sub-states of a radio resource control (RRC) connected state when the UE loses positioning information, which may support the UE maintaining uplink synchronization with a network entity without transitioning to an RRC idle state. The UE may maintain one or more timers associated with operations in sub-states of the RRC connected state, and may use respective uplink synchronization parameters according to a current sub-state. For example, the UE may indicate location information status to the network entity and may receive resource adjustment parameters or random access channel (RACH) resources for determining resource adjustment values with or without location information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A first network entity for wireless communication, comprising:
a processing system configured to:
operate in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with a second network entity;
determine that location information associated with the first network entity is unavailable;
initiate a first timer based on a determination that the location information is unavailable;
transition to a first sub-state of the RRC connected state from a second sub-state of the RRC connected state based on expiration of the first timer, wherein the first sub-state is associated with the location information being unavailable and the second sub-state is associated with the location information being available; and
communicate with the second network entity in accordance with a first uplink synchronization procedure based on the transition to the first sub-state, wherein the first uplink synchronization procedure is configured for use by the first network entity to maintain uplink synchronization with the second network entity while the first network entity operates in the first sub-state of the RRC connected state.

2 . The first network entity of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive configuration information that indicates a first set of time-frequency adjustment parameters associated with the first uplink synchronization procedure and a second set of time-frequency adjustment parameters associated with a second uplink synchronization procedure, wherein the second uplink synchronization procedure is configured for use by the first network entity to maintain the uplink synchronization with the second network entity while the first network entity operates in the second sub-state of the RRC connected state.

3 . The first network entity of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive configuration information that indicates a duration of the first timer, wherein the duration is common to a set of one or more network entities that comprises the first network entity or the duration is configured in accordance with one or more capabilities of the first network entity.

4 . The first network entity of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
transmit, to the second network entity and prior to the expiration of the first timer, a first message that indicates that the location information associated with the first network entity is unavailable.

5 . The first network entity of claim 4 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive an uplink synchronization adjustment command from the second network entity based on transmission of the first message, wherein, to communicate with the second network entity in accordance with the first uplink synchronization procedure, the processing system is configured to:
communicate one or more uplink signals via one or more slots in accordance with a first timing advance adjustment and a first frequency adjustment indicated by the uplink synchronization adjustment command.

6 . The first network entity of claim 5 , wherein, to communicate the one or more uplink signals, the processing system is configured to:
determine the first timing advance adjustment and the first frequency adjustment according to a feedback loop, wherein the feedback loop is initialized based on a second timing advance adjustment and a second frequency adjustment used prior to the determination that the location information is unavailable.

7 . The first network entity of claim 4 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive, from the second network entity and based on transmission of the first message, a second message that comprises a command to perform a random access procedure via a first set of time-frequency resources, wherein the first set of time-frequency resources are associated with a physical random access channel configured for operations in the first sub-state of the RRC connected state.

8 . The first network entity of claim 4 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
initiate a second timer based on transmission of the first message; determine, prior to expiration of the second timer and while the first network entity operates in the first sub-state of the RRC connected state, that the location information is available; and transmit, to the second network entity, a second message that indicates that the location information is available based on the determination that the location information is available and expiration of the second timer.

9 . The first network entity of claim 8 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
refrain from transmission of the second message based on the second timer not being expired.

10 . The first network entity of claim 8 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive, from the second network entity and based on transmission of the second message, a third message that comprises a timing adjustment associated with the second uplink synchronization procedure.

11 . The first network entity of claim 8 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive, from the second network entity and based on transmission of the second message, a third message that comprises a command to perform a random access procedure via a second set of time-frequency resources, wherein the second set of time-frequency resources are associated with a physical random access channel configured for operations in the second sub-state of the RRC connected state.

12 . The first network entity of claim 4 , wherein, to communicate with the second network entity in accordance with the first uplink synchronization procedure, the processing system is configured to:
determine a first timing advance for communication of an uplink signal based on a second timing advance used prior to the determination that the location information is unavailable.

13 . The first network entity of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
determine that a second timer associated with the uplink synchronization between the first network entity and the second network entity has expired; determine that radio link failure has occurred at the first network entity; and perform a random access procedure via a first set of time-frequency resources based on the radio link failure.

14 . The first network entity of claim 1 , further comprising:
a position engine operable to obtain one or more measurements from a non-terrestrial navigation network, wherein the determination that the location information is unavailable is based on the one or more measurements.

15 . A method for wireless communication at a first network entity, comprising:
operating in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with a second network entity; determining that location information associated with the first network entity is unavailable; initiating a first timer based on a determination that the location information is unavailable; transitioning to a first sub-state of the RRC connected state from a second sub-state of the RRC connected state based on expiration of the first timer, wherein the first sub-state is associated with the location information being unavailable and the second sub-state is associated with the location information being available; and communicating with the second network entity in accordance with a first uplink synchronization procedure based on the transition to the first sub-state, wherein the first uplink synchronization procedure is configured for use by the first network entity to maintain uplink synchronization with the second netwo

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Saha Chiranjib
• Rico Alvarino Alberto
• Wang Xiao Feng

Classifications

• H04W74/0833

  Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access · CPC title

• H04L69/28

  Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols · CPC title

• H04W64/00

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

• H04W56/0005

  synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks · CPC title

• H04W56/0015

  one node acting as a reference for the others · CPC title