# US 11,310,762 B2 · Method for idle-mode positioning of UEs using observed time difference of arrival > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,762 B2 - Document ID: US11310762B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/703,051 - Filed: 2019-12-04 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-11 - Assignees: Nokia Technologies Oy - Applicants: Nokia Technologies Oy - Inventors: Ryan Keating; Rapeepat Ratasuk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310762B2 ## CPC - H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination} - H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} - H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal} - H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method includes receiving positioning configuration information from a base station or location server while in an RRC_connected mode; transitioning to an RRC_idle or RRC_inactive mode, while saving the positioning configuration information; receiving a reference signal for positioning from the base station; performing positioning measurements, while in the RRC_idle or RRC_inactive mode; and sending a location report to the base station or location server while remaining in the RRC_idle or RRC_inactive mode. A related method includes sending positioning configuration information to a user equipment in an RRC_connected mode; sending the user equipment to RRC_idle or RRC_inactive mode by an RRC suspend procedure; sending a reference signal for positioning to the user equipment; receiving a location report from the user equipment in the RRC_idle or RRC_inactive mode; and forwarding the location report from the user equipment to a location server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, by a user equipment, positioning configuration information from a base station or location server while in a radio resource control connected mode; receiving, by the user equipment, a suspend identification via a radio resource control suspend or release procedure, wherein the suspend identification is reserved for positioning when the user equipment is in a radio resource control idle or inactive mode; transitioning to the radio resource control idle or inactive mode, while saving said positioning configuration information; receiving, by the user equipment in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode, a paging message comprising an indication to perform positioning measurement; receiving a reference signal for positioning from the base station; performing positioning measurements based at least in part on the positioning configuration information and the reference signal, while in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode; and sending a location report to the base station or location server while remaining in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location report is sent using a data transmission scheme during random access procedure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning configuration information comprises observed time difference of arrival and reference signal for positioning configuration information, and wherein said positioning measurements are reference signal time difference measurements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location report comprises the suspend identification. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspend identification is one of a predetermined set of identifications reserved for positioning in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode. ### Claim 6 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: receive positioning configuration information from a base station or location server while in a radio resource control connected mode; receive a suspend identification via a radio resource control suspend or release procedure, wherein the suspend identification is reserved for positioning when the apparatus is in a radio resource control idle or inactive mode; transition to the radio resource control idle or inactive mode, while saving said positioning configuration information; receive, by the apparatus in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode, a paging message comprising an indication to perform positioning measurement; receive a reference signal for positioning from the base station; perform positioning measurements based at least in part on the positioning configuration information and the reference signal, while in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode; and send a location report to the base station or location server while remaining in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the location report is sent using a data transmission scheme during random access procedure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said positioning configuration information comprises observed time difference of arrival and reference signal for positioning configuration information, and wherein said positioning measurements are reference signal time difference measurements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the location report comprises the suspend identification. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: in response to determining the apparatus has moved to another cell served by another base station, send the location report with the suspend identification to the other base station. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the suspend identification is one of a predetermined set of identifications reserved for positioning in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data transmission scheme is an early data transmission scheme or small data transmission scheme. ### Claim 13 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: send positioning configuration information to a user equipment in a radio resource control connected mode; assign a suspend identification via a radio resource control suspend or release procedure, wherein the suspend identification is reserved for positioning when the user equipment is in a radio resource control idle or inactive mode; cause the user equipment to transition to the radio resource control idle or inactive mode by a radio resource control release or suspend procedure; send, to the user equipment in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode, a paging message comprising an indication to perform positioning measurement; send a reference signal for positioning to the user equipment; receive a location report from the user equipment in the radio resource control idle or inactive mode; and forward the location report to a location server. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: receive a request from the location server for a position of the user equipment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said positioning configuration information comprises observed time difference of arrival and reference signal for positioning configuration information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the location report comprises the suspend identification. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the suspend identification is one of a predetermined set of identifications reserved for positioning in radio resource control idle or inactive mode.