Method for providing network-based measurements for user equipment-based positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9602990-B2
Application number	US-201213442734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2012
Priority date	Apr 11, 2011
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates in one particular implementation to a method, apparatus, and/or system for acquiring one or more network-based measurements at a location server from a radio access network serving a user equipment (UE). A first message may be transmitted to the UE from the location server, where the first message comprises at least one of the one or more network-based measurements. A location of the UE is capable of being determined by the UE-based at least in part on the one or more network-based measurements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for performing location services, comprising:
acquiring one or more network-based timing or Angle of Arrival (AOA) signal measurements, at a location server, of signals transmitted by a target user equipment (UE) to a radio access network serving the target UE, wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements include signal measurements made by one or more network elements within the radio access network; and
transmitting a first message to the target UE, from the location server, the first message comprising at least one of the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements;
wherein a location of the target UE is capable of being estimated by the target UE based at least in part on the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second message at the location server from the target UE requesting the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second message comprises an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Request Location Information message.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second message comprises a request for a periodic or event triggered network measurement delivery.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising transmitting the first message periodically or at least partially in response to the at least one of the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements changing by at least a threshold amount relative to one or more previously reported network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising notifying the target UE of capabilities of the location server to provide the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements prior to receiving the second message from the target UE.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transmitting the capabilities of the location server to the target UE via an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Provide Capabilities message.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message comprises an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Provide Location Information message.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise a round trip time measurement.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise a transmitter (Tx)-receiver (Rx) time difference measurement.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise an Uplink Time (Difference) Of Arrival measurement.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network elements include at least one base station.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network elements include at least one Location measurement Unit (LMU).

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network elements include at least one WiFi Access Point.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying the location server of capabilities of the target UE wherein the capabilities of the target UE indicate a capability of the target UE to use the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise one or more Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS)-based signal measurements.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise one or more Long Term Evolution (LTE) based signal measurements.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the location server comprises at least one of a Standalone Serving Mobile Location Center (SAS), an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC), or a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP).

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio access network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network and the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements are acquired using Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol Annex (LPPa).

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise at least a first network-based signal measurement obtained from a first network device and a second network-based signal measurement obtained from a second network device.

21. A location server, comprising:
a receiver to receive one or more messages;
a transmitter to transmit one or more messages; and
a processor to:
process one or more network-based timing or Angle of Arrival (AOA) signal measurements obtained from signals transmitted by a target user equipment (UE) to a radio access network serving the target UE, wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements include signal measurements made by one or more network elements within the radio access network, and
initiate transmission of a first message to the target UE comprising at least one of the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

22. The location server of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further capable of processing a second message received from the target UE requesting the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements.

23. The location server of claim 22 , wherein second message comprises an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Request Location Information message.

24. The location server of claim 22 , wherein the second message comprises a request for a periodic or event triggered network measurement delivery.

25. The location server of claim 22 , wherein the processor is further capable of initiating transmission, via the transmitter, of the first message periodically or at least partially in response to the at least one of the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements changing by at least a threshold amount relative to one or more previously reported measurements.

26. The location server of claim 22 , wherein the processor is further capable of initiating transmission of a message to the target UE to notify the target UE of capabilities of the location server to provide the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements prior to receiving the second message from the target UE.

27. The location server of claim 26 , wherein the capabilities of the location server are transmitted to the target UE via an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Provide Capabilities message.

28. The location server of claim 21 , wherein the first message comprises an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol extensions (LPPe) Provide Location Information message.

29. The location server of claim 21 , wherein one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise a round trip time measurement.

30. The location server of claim 21 , wherein the one or more network-based timing or AOA signal measurements comprise a transmitter (Tx)-receiver (Rx) time difference measurement.

31. The location server of claim 21 ,

Assignees

• Fischer Sven
• Edge Stephen W
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Fischer Sven
• Edge Stephen W

Classifications

• H04W80/085

  involving different upper layer protocol versions, e.g. LCS - SUPL or WSN-SOA-WSDP · CPC title

• H04W4/20 Primary

  Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W4/024

  Guidance services · CPC title

• H04W64/00

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