# US 11,910,350 B2 · Physical layer signaling by base stations for provisioning positioning-resources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,350 B2 - Document ID: US11910350B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/496,306 - Filed: 2021-10-07 - Published: 2022-04-14 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-08 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Seyed Ali Akbar Fakoorian; Wei Zeng; Dawei Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910350B2 ## CPC - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04W 64/003: {locating network equipment} - 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 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04W 28/0975: {for reducing delays} - H04W 36/06: Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04L 5/005: {of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals} - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - 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) - 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 Improved positioning resolution and latency may be achieved via physical layer signaling between a mobile device (UE) and a base station. The physical layer procedures may aid target UEs in enhancing their positioning accuracy and latency, and/or reducing network overhead while boosting UE power efficiency. Accordingly, a base station may receive, via physical layer signaling from a UE, a request for positioning-resources, for example in response to a determination that current positioning-resources of the UE need to be adjusted. The base station may responsively transmit, via physical layer signaling to the UE, an indication of adjusted positioning-resources, and may optionally transmit an indication of corresponding allocated grant-resources. The base station may receive, via physical layer signaling from the UE, positioning information resulting from positioning measurements performed by the UE according to the adjusted positioning-resources. The base station may optionally receive the positioning information on the corresponding allocated grant-resources. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor in communication with the memory and configured to perform operations comprising: receiving, via physical layer signaling from a device, a request for positioning-resources for the device, responsive to a determination to adjust current positioning-resources of the device; transmitting, via physical layer signaling to the device and responsive to the request, an indication of adjusted positioning-resources; and receiving, from the device via physical layer signaling, positioning information on uplink resources starting at a specified number of symbols after an end of a measurement period during which positioning measurements are performed, wherein the positioning information is indicative of one or more of: positioning measurements performed by the device using the adjusted positioning-resources; or a location of the device determined using the adjusted positioning-resources. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination to adjust the current positioning-resources comprises one of: a determination that the current positioning-resources are insufficient for required positioning accuracy and/or positioning latency of the device; a determination that the current positioning-resources exceed what is necessary for required positioning accuracy and/or positioning latency of the device; or a determination that the device intends to reduce its power consumption. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the request is either implicitly indicated in specific positioning measurement and/or location information received via the physical layer signaling, or explicitly indicated as resource information received on one or more physical uplink channels via the physical layer signaling. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resource information is included as part of one or more of: control state information received on a physical uplink control channel; or data payload received on a physical uplink data channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the specific positioning measurement and/or location information comprises one or more of: an indication of a change in serving cell for the device; or a current positioning resolution for the device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resource information comprises one or more of: an index of positioning-resources and/or resource sets requested by the device; a spatial receive direction preferred by the device; a transmit/receive panel index corresponding to where the device expects to receive positioning reference signals (PRSs) from; PRS bandwidth; PRS duration per slot; PRS periodicity; number of PRS repetitions per periodicity; a PRS demand transmitted via a special scheduling request (SR) on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); a PRS demand transmitted via a special physical random access control channel (PRACH); or time duration for which the PRS is required by the device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: determining the adjusted positioning-resources based at least on the received request. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein transmitting the indication of adjusted positioning-resources comprises transmitting the indication of adjusted positioning-resources as part of one or more of: device specific downlink control information (DCI); group-common DCI; or a media access control (MAC) control element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: transmitting, to the device and responsive to the request, an indication of grant-resources on which the device is to transmit the positioning information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein transmitting the indication of grant-resources comprises transmitting the indication of grant-resources together with the indication of adjusted positioning-resources. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indication of grant-resources and the indication of adjusted positioning-resources are indicated by downlink control information transmitted to the device on a physical downlink control channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specified number is determined based on a capability. ### Claim 13 A base station, comprising: a radio; and a processing element operatively coupled to the radio; wherein the processing element is configured to cause the base station to: receive, via physical layer signaling from a device, a request for positioning-resources for the device, responsive to a determination to adjust current positioning-resources of the device; transmit, via physical layer signaling to the device and responsive to the request, an indication of adjusted positioning-resources; and receive, from the device via physical layer signaling, positioning information on uplink resources starting at a specified number of symbols after an end of a measurement period during which positioning measurements are performed, wherein the positioning information is indicative of one or more of: positioning measurements performed by the device using the adjusted positioning-resources; or a location of the device determined using the adjusted positioning-resources. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The base station of claim 13, wherein the specified number is determined based on a capability of the device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The base station of claim 13, wherein the measurement period is one of: a preconfigured measurement period reserved for performing measurements; or a measurement period specifically allocated for performing the positioning measurements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The base station of claim 15, wherein the processing element is further configured to cause the base station to: transmit positioning reference signals to the device according to the adjusted positioning resources without additional downlink communications during the specifically allocated measurement period. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing program instructions executable by processing circuitry to cause a base station to: receive, via physical layer signaling from a device, a request for positioning-resources for the device, responsive to a determination to adjust current positioning-resources of the device; transmit, via physical layer signaling to the device and responsive to the request, an indication of adjusted positioning-resources; and receive, from the device via physical layer signaling, positioning information on uplink resources starting at a specified number of symbols after an end of a measurement period during which positioning measurements are performed, wherein the positioning information is indicative of one or more of: positioning measurements performed by the device using the adjusted positioning-resources; or a location of the device determined using the adjusted positioning-resources. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 17, wherein the determination to adjust the current positioning-resources comprises one of: a determination that the current positioning-resources are insufficient for required positioning accuracy and/or positioning latency of the device; a determination that the current positioning-resources exceed what is necessary for required positioning accuracy and/or positioning latency of the device; or a determination that the device intends to reduce its power consumption. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 17, wherein the request is either implicitly indicated in specific positioning measurement and/or location information received by the base station via the physical layer signaling, or explicitly indicated as resource information received on one or more physical uplink channels via the physical layer signaling. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 19, wherein the resource information is included as part of one or more of: control state information received on a physical uplink control channel; or data payload received on a physical uplink data channel.