# US 11,444,732 B2 · Transmitting positioning reference signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,732 B2 - Document ID: US11444732B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/669,230 - Filed: 2019-10-30 - Published: 2020-04-23 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-07 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Yufei Blankenship; Meng Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444732B2 ## CPC - G01S 1/68: Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information - H04L 27/2602: {Signal structure} - G01S 5/02: using radio waves (using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00) - G01S 5/0226: {Transmitters} - G01S 5/0236: {Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac} - H04L 5/0048: {Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091)} - H04L 27/2613: {Structure of the reference signals} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04L 5/0007: {the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT} - H04L 5/0035: {Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment} - H04W 88/085: {Access point devices with remote components} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate wireless device positioning based on cell portion specific Positioning Reference Signals (PRSs) by multiple Transmit Points (TPs) in a shared cell. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a TP in a cellular communications network is provided. The TP is one of multiple of non-co-located TPs of a shared cell that has a shared cell identifier. The method of operation of the TP comprises transmitting a PRS having at least one parameter that is a function of a cell portion identifier of the TP, where the at least one parameter comprises a frequency-shift of the PRS, a portion of a system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted, and/or a PRS sequence used for the PRS. By transmitting cell-portion-specific PRSs, the TPs in the shared cell enable wireless device positioning based on PRSs transmitted by the non-co-located TPs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operation of a transmit point in a cellular communications network, the transmit point being one of a plurality of non-co-located transmit points of a shared cell that has a shared cell identifier, at least some of the plurality of non-co-located transmit points having different cell portion identifiers, comprising: transmitting a Positioning Reference Signal, PRS, having at least one parameter that is a function of a cell portion identifier of the transmit point, the at least one parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of: a frequency-shift of the PRS, a portion of a system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted, and a PRS sequence used for the PRS; where the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises the frequency-shift of the PRS and the function includes a modulo 6 operation performed on the cell portion identifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises the portion of the system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein a mapping between the portion of the system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted and the cell portion identifier is predefined. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein a mapping between the portion of the system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted and the cell portion identifier is randomly assigned. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises the PRS sequence used for the PRS. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a second PRS that is cell specific. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein a PRS pattern of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is different than a PRS pattern of the second PRS. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the PRS pattern of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is the same as the PRS pattern of the second PRS other than a last two resource element positions of the PRS. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point does not overlap, in time, the second PRS that is cell specific. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein each PRS occasion of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is separated in time from each PRS occasion of the second PRS that is cell specific. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein at least one PRS occasion of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is adjacent in time to at least one PRS occasion of the second PRS that is cell specific. ### Claim 12 A transmit point in a cellular communications network, the transmit point being one of a plurality of non-co-located transmit points of a shared cell that has a shared cell identifier, at least some of the plurality of non-co-located transmit points having different cell portion identifiers, comprising: a transmitter operable to transmit a Positioning Reference Signal, PRS, having at least one parameter that is a function of a cell portion identifier of the transmit point, the at least one parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of: a frequency-shift of the PRS, a portion of a system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted, and a PRS sequence used for the PRS; where the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises the frequency-shift of the PRS and the function includes a modulo 6 operation performed on the cell portion identifier. ### Claim 13 A base station for operation in a cellular communications network, the base station comprising: a plurality of non-co-located transmit points serving a shared cell having a shared cell identifier, at least some of the plurality of non-co-located transmit points having different cell portion identifiers; and a detection unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of non-co-located transmit points, the detection unit operable to, for each transmit point of the plurality of non-co-located transmit points: provide, to the transmit point for transmission, a Positioning Reference Signal, PRS, having at least one parameter that is a function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point, where the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises a frequency-shift of the PRS and the function includes a modulo 6 operation performed on the cell portion identifier; wherein the transmit point is operable to transmit the PRS. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The base station of claim 13 wherein the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises a portion of the system bandwidth in which the PRS is transmitted. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The base station of claim 13 wherein the at least one parameter of the PRS that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point comprises a PRS sequence used for the PRS. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The base station of claim 13 wherein the detection unit is further operable to provide, to each of the plurality of transmit points for transmission, a second PRS that is cell specific. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The base station of claim 16 wherein a PRS pattern of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is different than a PRS pattern of the second PRS. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The base station of claim 17 wherein the PRS pattern of the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point is the same as the PRS pattern of the second PRS other than a last two resource element positions of the PRS. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The base station of claim 16 wherein the PRS having the at least one parameter that is the function of the cell portion identifier of the transmit point does not overlap, in time, the second PRS that is cell specific.