Methods and apparatus for positioning measurement in multi-antenna transmission systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9204418-B2
Application number	US-201414168250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2014
Priority date	May 3, 2010
Publication date	Dec 1, 2015
Grant date	Dec 1, 2015

Abstract

This document discloses solutions for using a mix of reference signal types in a wireless communications network, e.g., a first type and a second type, in making positioning-related measurements. In one example, a UE uses a “mix” of CRS and PRS. As an example case, a UE receives PRS and, possibly, CRS from one or more cells, while it receives only CRS from one or more other cells. In this case, the UE determines, e.g., received signal timing values for CRS as received from some cells, on a per-cell basis, and for PRS as received from other cells, on a per-cell basis. The UE can measure and report on per-signal/per-cell basis and can perform calculations involving a mix of timing measurements made for both CRS and PRS. In a further aspect, reference signal transmissions are controlled or coordinated on a per-port basis in cells that use multiple antenna ports for transmitting within each such cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of performing positioning-related measurements in a wireless communication apparatus associated with a wireless communication network, said method comprising:
receiving a first type of reference signals that are transmitted from more than one antenna port at a time within a cell in said wireless communication network, wherein a plurality of antenna ports are used for transmitting in said cell;
receiving a second type of reference signals that are transmitted from only one antenna port at a time within the cell; and
making positioning-related measurements with respect to said first and second types of reference signals for said cell, on a per-port basis.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving assistance information for said cell that includes at least one of: information indicating which one or ones in said plurality of antenna ports are used for transmitting the second type of reference signals over one or more defined transmission occasions; information indicating a dynamic pattern defining which particular antenna port among the plurality of antenna ports that is used during any given transmission occasion for transmitting the second type of reference signals; and information indicating a muting pattern used to mute transmission of the second type of reference signals at certain ones of the transmission occasions, wherein said muting pattern applies to a given one of said antenna ports over a succession of said transmission occasions, or applies to multiple antenna ports among said plurality of antenna ports that are used one at a time according to a defined sequence, to transmit the second type of reference signals over said succession of said transmission occasions.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving muting configuration information on a per-port basis for one or more of said plurality of antenna ports, and controlling searching for or measurement of the second type of reference signals with respect to said one or more of said antenna ports, based on said muting configuration information.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving assistance data that includes information indicating positions of the antenna ports in said plurality of antenna ports, and using said indicated positions to determine a location of said wireless communication apparatus based on said indicated positions and based on said positioning-related measurements performed on said per-port basis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first type of reference signals are cell-specific reference signals, “CRS”, that are transmitted for channel estimation and said second type of reference signals are positioning reference signals, “PRS”, that are transmitted explicitly for positioning measurements.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first type of reference signals comprises reference signals on which the wireless communication apparatus is capable of performing positioning-related measurements without measurement ambiguity even if those reference signals are transmitted from more than one antenna port at a time within a cell, and wherein said second type of reference signals comprises reference signals on which the wireless communication apparatus is capable of performing positioning-related measurements without measurement ambiguity only if those reference signals are transmitted from one antenna port at a time within a cell.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second type of reference signals are transmitted from only one antenna port in any given positioning occasion within the cell, wherein a positioning occasion comprises one or more consecutive subframes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said second type of reference signals are positioning reference signals, “PRS”, that are transmitted explicitly for positioning measurements, and wherein the one or more consecutive subframes are one or more consecutive Long Term Evolution (LTE) subframes in which PRS are transmitted.

9. A wireless communication apparatus that is configured for performing positioning-related measurements on reference signals transmitted in a cell in a wireless communication network, said wireless communication apparatus comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a first type of reference signals that are transmitted from more than one antenna port at a time within said cell, wherein a plurality of antenna ports are used for transmitting in said cell, and to receive a second type of reference signals that are transmitted from only one antenna port at a time within the cell; and
a receiver processing circuit configured to make positioning-related measurements with respect to said first and second types of reference signals for said cell, on a per-port basis.

10. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said wireless communication apparatus is configured to receive and respond to assistance information for said cell that includes at least one of: information indicating which one or ones in said plurality of antenna ports are used for transmitting the second type of reference signals over one or more defined transmission occasions; information indicating a dynamic pattern defining which particular antenna port among the plurality of antenna ports that is used during any given transmission occasion for transmitting the second type of reference signals; and information indicating a muting pattern used to mute transmission of the second type of reference signals at certain ones of the transmission occasions, wherein said muting pattern applies to a given one of said antenna ports over a succession of said transmission occasions, or applies to multiple antenna ports among said plurality of antenna ports that are used one at a time according to a defined sequence, to transmit the second type of reference signals over said succession of said transmission occasions.

11. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said wireless communication apparatus is configured to receive muting configuration information on a per-port basis for one or more of said plurality of antenna ports, and to control searching for or measurement of the second type of reference signals with respect to said one or more of said antenna ports, based on said muting configuration information.

12. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said wireless communication apparatus is configured to receive assistance data that includes information indicating positions of the antenna ports in said plurality of antenna ports, and to use said indicated positions to determine a location of said wireless communication apparatus based on said indicated positions and based on said positioning-related measurements performed on said per-port basis.

13. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first type of reference signals are cell-specific reference signals, “CRS”, that are transmitted for channel estimation and said second type of reference signals are positioning reference signals, “PRS”, that are transmitted explicitly for positioning measurements.

14. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first type of reference signals comprises reference signals on which the wireless communication apparatus is capable of performing positioning-related measurements without measurement ambiguity even if those reference signals are transmitted from more than one antenna port at a time within a cell, and wherein said second type of reference signals comprises reference signals on which the wireless communication apparatus is capable of performing positioning-related measurements without measur

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Siomina Iana
• Selén Yngve

Classifications

• H04W64/00 Primary

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

• G01S5/10

  Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements {, e.g. omega or decca systems}(G01S5/12 takes precedence {; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308}) · CPC title