# US 11,909,684 B2 · Signaling of reception-to-transmission measurements for round-trip-time (RTT)-based positioning

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- Number: US 11,909,684 B2
- Document ID: US11909684B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/717,828
- Filed: 2022-04-11
- Published: 2022-07-28
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-11
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Alexandros Manolakos; Sony Akkarakaran; Sven Fischer; Jay Kumar Sundararajan; Joseph Binamira Soriaga; Tingfang Ji
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909684B2

## CPC

- G01S 5/14: Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
- 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)}
- G01S 5/0263: {by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems}
- G01S 13/765: {with exchange of information between interrogator and responder}
- H04L 47/283: in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
- H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- H04W 64/003: {locating network equipment}
- H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination}
- H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
- H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
- H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
- H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers}
- H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space}
- H04L 5/0035: {Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment}
- H04L 27/2601: {Multicarrier modulation systems}
- 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

Disclosed are techniques for signaling of reception-to-transmission measurements from gNBs and user equipments (UEs) for round trip time (RTT) based positioning in wireless networks such as new radio (NR). In multi-RTT positioning, the flow of messages that are exchanged differ depending on the entity acting as the location server determining the position of the UE.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method performed by a positioning entity, comprising:
obtaining a plurality of transmission-reception point (TRP) round trip time (RTT) related measurements, the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements being one-to-one associated with a plurality of TRPs, wherein each TRP RTT-related measurement is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs;
obtaining a plurality of user equipment (UE) RTT-related measurements, wherein each of the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs; and
determining a position of a UE based on the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements and the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements,
wherein for each TRP of the plurality of TRPs,
the TRP RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between that TRP transmitting a downlink reference signal (DL RS) to the UE and that TRP receiving a corresponding uplink reference signal (UL RS) from the UE, and
the UE RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between the UE receiving the DL RS from that TRP and the UE transmitting the corresponding UL RS to that TRP,
wherein for each TRP k,
the associated TRP RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔgNBk=TgNB,Rxk−TgNB,Txk in which TgNB,Txk represents a transmission time of the DL RS from that TRP and TgNB,Rxk represents a reception time of the corresponding UL RS at that TRP, and
the associated UE RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔUEk=TUE,Rxk−TUE,Txk in which TUE,Rxk represents a reception time of the DL RS at the UE and TUE,Txk represents a transmission time of the corresponding UL RS from the UE,
wherein the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔgNB1, zero or more ΔgNB2, and zero or more ΔgNB3 such that a total number of TRP RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔgNB1 corresponding to a primary TRP in data communication with the UE, each ΔgNB2 corresponding to each secondary TRP in data communication with the UE, and each ΔgNB3 corresponding to a neighboring TRP not in data communication with the UE, and
wherein the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔUE1, zero or more ΔUE2, and zero or more ΔUE3 such that a total number of UE RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔUE1 corresponding to the primary TRP, each ΔUE2 corresponding to each secondary TRP, and each ΔUE3 corresponding to each neighboring TRP.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the DL RS is a positioning reference signal (PRS) and/or the UL RS is a sounding reference signal (SRS).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein for at least one TRP k,
the TUE,Rxk, TUE,Txk measurements are derived from a received timing at the UE of a downlink radio subframe i from the TRP k defined by a first detected path in time, and a transmit timing at the UE of an uplink radio subframe i corresponding to the downlink radio subframe i, and/or
the TgNB,Rxk, TgNB,Txk measurements are derived from a received timing at the TRP k of the uplink radio subframe i defined by a first detected path in time, and a transmit timing at the TRP k of the downlink radio subframe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is the positioning entity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprises:
receiving all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from a designated TRP, the designated TRP being the primary TRP or a secondary TRP.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the designated TRP is the primary TRP when a non-coherent coordinated multipoint (CoMP) is not in effect, and
wherein the designated TRP is a serving TRP among the primary and secondary TRPs with a highest link quality when the non-coherent CoMP is in effect.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprises:
receiving individually the TRP RTT-related measurement ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2 each of the primary TRP and secondary TRPs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements further comprises:
receiving the TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB3 of the neighboring TRP through the primary TRP or the secondary TRP.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 comprises:
receiving all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from the primary TRP; or
receiving all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from a secondary TRP.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements ΔUE1, ΔUE2, ΔUE3 comprises:
determining the UE RTT-related measurements ΔUE1, ΔUE2, ΔUE3 through direct measurements of the DL RS arrival times and the UL RS transmission times.

### Claim 11

A positioning entity, comprising:
at least one network interface or at least one transceiver or a combination thereof;
a memory; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
obtain a plurality of transmission-reception point (TRP) round trip time (RTT) related measurements, the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements being one-to-one associated with a plurality of TRPs, wherein each TRP RTT-related measurement is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs,
obtain a plurality of user equipment (UE) RTT-related measurements, wherein each of the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs; and
determine a position of a UE based on the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements and the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements,
wherein for each TRP of the plurality of TRPs,
the TRP RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between that TRP transmitting a downlink reference signal (DL RS) to the UE and that TRP receiving a corresponding uplink reference signal (UL RS) from the UE, and
the UE RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between the UE receiving the DL RS from that TRP and the UE transmitting the corresponding UL RS to that TRP,
wherein for each TRP k,
the associated TRP RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔgNBk=TgNB,Rxk−TgNB,Txk in which TgNB,Txk represents a transmission time of the DL RS from that TRP and TgNB,Rxk represents a reception time of the corresponding UL RS at that TRP, and
the associated UE RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔUEk=TUE,Rxk−TUE,Txk in which TUE,Rxk represents a reception time of the DL RS at the UE and TUE,Txk represents a transmission time of the corresponding UL RS from the UE,
wherein the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔgNB1, zero or more ΔgNB2, and zero or more such that a total number of TRP RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔgNB1 corresponding to a primary TRP in data communication with the UE, each ΔgNB2 corresponding to each secondary TRP in data communication with the UE, and each ΔgNB3 corresponding to a neighboring TRP not in data communication with the UE, and
wherein the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔUE1, zero or more ΔUE2, and zero or more ΔUE3 such that a total number of UE RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔUE1 corresponding to the primary TRP, each ΔUE2 corresponding to each secondary TRP, and each ΔUE3 corresponding to each neighboring TRP.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The positioning entity of claim 11, wherein the DL RS is a positioning reference signal (PRS) and/or the UL RS is a sounding reference signal (SRS).

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The positioning entity of claim 11, wherein for at least one TRP k,
the TUE,Rxk, TUE,Txk measurements are derived from a received timing at the UE of a downlink radio subframe i from the TRP k defined by a first detected path in time, and a transmit timing at the UE of an uplink radio subframe i corresponding to the downlink radio subframe and/or
the TgNB,Rxk, TgNB,Txk measurements are derived from a received timing at the TRP k of the uplink radio subframe i defined by a first detected path in time, and a transmit timing at the TRP k of the downlink radio subframe.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The positioning entity of claim 11, wherein the UE is the positioning entity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The positioning entity of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor being configured to obtain the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprises the at least one processor being configured to:
receive all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from a designated TRP, the designated TRP being the primary TRP or a secondary TRP.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The positioning entity of claim 15, wherein the designated TRP is the primary TRP when a non-coherent coordinated multipoint (CoMP) is not in effect, and
wherein the designated TRP is a serving TRP among the primary and secondary TRPs with a highest link quality when the non-coherent CoMP is in effect.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The positioning entity of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor being configured to obtain the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprises the at least one processor being configured to:
receive individually the TRP RTT-related measurement ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from each of the primary TRP, the secondary TRPs, and the neighboring TRPs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The positioning entity of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor being configured to obtain the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements further comprises the at least one processor being configured to:
receive the TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB3 of the neighboring TRP through the primary TRP or the secondary TRP.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The positioning entity of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor being configured to obtain the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 comprises the at least one processor being configured to:
receive all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from the primary TRP; or
receive all of the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements ΔgNB1, ΔgNB2, ΔgNB3 from a secondary TRP.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The positioning entity of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor being configured to obtain the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements ΔUE1, ΔUE2, ΔUE3 comprises the at least one processor being configured to:
determine the UE RTT-related measurements ΔUE1, ΔUE2, ΔUE3 through direct measurements of the DL RS arrival times and the UL RS transmission times.

### Claim 21

A positioning entity, comprising:
means for obtaining a plurality of transmission-reception point (TRP) round trip time (RTT) related measurements, the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements being one-to-one associated with a plurality of TRPs, wherein each TRP RTT-related measurement is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs;
means for obtaining a plurality of user equipment (UE) RTT-related measurements, wherein each of the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs; and
means for determining a position of a UE based on the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements and the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements,
wherein for each TRP of the plurality of TRPs,
the TRP RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between that TRP transmitting a downlink reference signal (DL RS) to the UE and that TRP receiving a corresponding uplink reference signal (UL RS) from the UE, and
the UE RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between the UE receiving the DL RS from that TRP and the UE transmitting the corresponding UL RS to that TRP,
wherein for each TRP k,
the associated TRP RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔgNBk=TgNB,Rxk−TgNB,Txk in which TgNB,Txk represents a transmission time of the DL RS from that TRP and TgNB,Rxk represents a reception time of the corresponding UL RS at that TRP, and
the associated UE RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔUEk=TUE,Rxk−TUE,Txk which TUE,Rxk represents a reception time of the DL RS at the UE and TUE,Txk represents a transmission time of the corresponding UL RS from the UE,
wherein the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔgNB1, zero or more ΔgNB2, and zero or more ΔgNB3 such that a total number of TRP RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔgNB1 corresponding to a primary TRP in data communication with the UE, each ΔgNB2 corresponding to each secondary TRP in data communication with the UE, and each ΔgNB3 corresponding to a neighboring TRP not in data communication with the UE, and
wherein the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔUE1, zero or more ΔUE2, and zero or more ΔUE3 such that a total number of UE RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔUE1 corresponding to the primary TRP, each ΔUE2 corresponding to each secondary TRP, and each ΔUE3 corresponding to each neighboring TRP.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The positioning entity of claim 21, wherein the DL RS is a positioning reference signal (PRS) and/or the UL RS is a sounding reference signal (SRS).

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The positioning entity of claim 21, wherein the UE is the positioning entity.

### Claim 24

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for a positioning entity, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
one or more instructions causing the positioning entity to obtain a plurality of transmission-reception point (TRP) round trip time (RTT) related measurements, the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements being one-to-one associated with a plurality of TRPs, wherein each TRP RTT-related measurement is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs;
one or more instructions causing the positioning entity to obtain a plurality of user equipment (UE) RTT-related measurements, wherein each of the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements is associated with one TRP of the plurality of TRPs; and
one or more instructions causing the positioning entity to determine a position of a UE based on the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements and the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements,
wherein for each TRP of the plurality of TRPs,
the TRP RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between that TRP transmitting a downlink reference signal (DL RS) to the UE and that TRP receiving a corresponding uplink reference signal (UL RS) from the UE, and
the UE RTT-related measurement associated with that TRP represents a duration between the UE receiving the DL RS from that TRP and the UE transmitting the corresponding UL RS to that TRP,
wherein for each TRP k,
the associated TRP RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔgNBk=TgNB,Rxk−TgNB,Txk in which TgNB,Txk represents a transmission time of the DL RS from that TRP and TgNB,Rxk represents a reception time of the corresponding UL RS at that TRP, and
the associated UE RTT-related measurement is expressed as ΔUEk=TUE,Rxk−TUE,Txk in which TUE,Rxk represents a reception time of the DL RS at the UE and TUE,Txk represents a transmission time of the corresponding UL RS from the UE,
wherein the plurality of TRP RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔgNB1, zero or more ΔgNB2, and zero or more ΔgNB3 such that a total number of TRP RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔgNB1 corresponding to a primary TRP in data communication with the UE, each ΔgNB2 corresponding to each secondary TRP in data communication with the UE, and each ΔgNB3 corresponding to a neighboring TRP not in data communication with the UE, and
wherein the plurality of UE RTT-related measurements comprise quantities one ΔUE1, zero or more ΔUE2, and zero or more ΔUE3 such that a total number of UE RTT-related measurements is two or greater, the ΔUE1 corresponding to the primary TRP, each ΔUE2 corresponding to each secondary TRP, and each ΔUE3 corresponding to each neighboring TRP.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the DL RS is a positioning reference signal (PRS) and/or the UL RS is a sounding reference signal (SRS).

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the UE is the positioning entity.