Positioning devices and methods in cellular communication systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9451575-B2
Application number	US-201113321211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2011
Priority date	Feb 22, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A method, performed in a positioning node, for performing uplink positioning comprises receiving ( 210 ) of a request for uplink positioning of a user equipment. Information about carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements for carriers used in a serving cell of the user equipment is obtained ( 220 ). The method further comprises deciding ( 230 ) of which carrier to be used for uplink positioning measurements, based at least on the information about carrier capabilities. An uplink positioning measurement request for the user equipment using the carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements is transmitted ( 250 ). Data representing said requested uplink positioning measurements is received ( 252 ). Complementing methods of cooperating network nodes are also disclosed as well as arrangements of the nodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, operated in a positioning node, for performing uplink positioning, comprising the steps of:
receiving a request for uplink positioning of a user equipment;
obtaining information about carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements for said user equipment;
deciding which carrier to be used for uplink positioning measurements, based at least on said information about carrier capabilities;
transmitting an uplink positioning measurement request for said user equipment using said carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements; and
receiving data representing said requested uplink positioning measurements.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising issuing a triggering request for enabling said user equipment to utilize said carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements for uplink communication, if said user equipment does not utilize said carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements for uplink communication.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising
deducing said uplink positioning of said user equipment from said received data representing said requested uplink positioning measurements; and
reporting said uplink positioning of said user equipment.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving data representing a respective load measure for a plurality of cells and carriers available for uplink positioning measurements of said user equipment, said load measures being determined in radio base stations possibly concerned by said uplink positioning;
said step of deciding being further based on said data representing a respective load measure.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said uplink positioning measurement is any one of:
a time of arrival measurement performed in the uplink,
a time difference of arrival measurement performed in the uplink,
a relative time measurement performed in the uplink, and
a relative time difference measurement performed in the uplink.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein obtaining information about the carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements for said user equipment comprises retrieving said information about carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements from a memory.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein obtaining information about the carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements for said user equipment comprises receiving said information about carrier capabilities for the uplink positioning measurements, signaled from location measuring units.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said information about carrier capabilities for uplink positioning measurements comprises information about at least one of:
frequency-related capabilities;
single-carrier capabilities;
multi-carrier capabilities; and
available frequencies for uplink positioning measurements.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said triggering request is associated with at least one of the following actions:
triggering inter-frequency handover,
switching a carrier,
configuring simultaneous transmissions on a subset of carriers, and
changing from/to single-carrier operation for uplink positioning.

10. The method according to claim 2 , wherein issuing said triggering request comprises signaling of said triggering request to a node, configured for being allowed to order an enabling for an user equipment to utilize a carrier.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said node, configured for being allowed to order an enabling for said user equipment to utilize said carrier, is a base station.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said node, configured for being allowed to order an enabling for said user equipment to utilize said carrier, is a radio network controller.

13. The method according to claim 3 , wherein reporting said positioning of said user equipment comprises reporting of said positioning as a reference position for an adaptive enhanced cell identification - AECID -positioning method.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein reporting said positioning of said user equipment is an inter-radio-access-technology reporting, providing said positioning as a reference position for an AECID positioning method for a system with a different access technology system.

15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein deciding which carrier to be used for uplink positioning measurements, based at least on said information about carrier capabilities comprises calculating a cost for each cell and carrier combination available for uplink positioning measurements of said user equipment according to a predetermined algorithm responsive to said data representing said load measures and said information about carrier capabilities;
said deciding which carrier to be used for uplink positioning measurements, based at least on said information about carrier capabilities further comprises selection of a carrier, having most beneficial costs, according to a predetermined criterion, for N cells, as said carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements, where N is a predetermined number, equal or larger than a minimum number of measurements needed to ensure an uplink positioning.

16. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said step of deciding is based on a time filtered said data representing a respective load measure.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein deciding which carrier to be used for uplink positioning measurements, based at least on said information about carrier capabilities further comprises determining of a minimum threshold value for each carrier such that the cost for N cells is lower than said minimum threshold value; said step of selection of a carrier comprises selecting the carrier having a lowest minimum threshold value as said carrier decided to be used for uplink positioning measurements.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said calculation of said cost is responsive to at least one of a pathloss between a reference point in a serving cell and the antenna subject to measurements, and an antenna gain of the cell in question relative to the serving cell.

19. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said uplink positioning measurement is a measurement for UTDOA positioning.

20. A method, in a node of a radio network subsystem, for assisting in uplink positioning, comprising:
receiving, from a positioning node, a triggering request for enabling a user equipment to utilize a carrier for uplink communication, said carrier being a carrier decided to be used by the positioning node and selected b the positioning node from a plurality of carriers for uplink positioning measurements; and
providing an order for enabling said user equipment to utilize said carrier for uplink communication as a response to said triggering request.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein said node of the radio network subsystem is a radio network controller.

22. The method according to claim 20 , wherein said node of the radio network subsystem is a radio base station.

23. The method according to claim 20 , wherein said enabling said user equipment to utilize a carrier for uplink communication is at least one of the following actions:
triggering inter-frequency handover,
switching a carrier,
configuring simultaneous transmissions on a subset of carriers, and
changing from/to si

Assignees

• Siomina Iana
• Wigren Torbjörn
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Siomina Iana
• Wigren Torbjörn

Classifications

• H04W24/10

  Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} · CPC title

• H04W64/00 Primary

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

• G01S5/06

  Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04W28/04

  Error control · CPC title

• H04W8/22

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title