Positioning enhancements for locating a mobile device in a wireless network

A mobile device, comprising:

• a memory;
• a transceiver;
• at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and the transceiver and configured to:
• determine beam identification information for one or more radio beams received by the mobile device, wherein the one or more radio beams are transmitted with beamforming;
• transmit the beam identification information and an indication of a maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device to a network node;
• receive positioning reference signal beam information corresponding to a respective transmission angle relative to the network work for each of one or more positioning reference signals, wherein the positioning reference signal beam information is based at least in part on the beam identification information and the maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• generate one or more receive beams, each with a respective receive angle relative to the mobile device, based on the positioning reference signal beam information;
• obtain at least one measurement from at least one of the one or more positioning reference signals;
• and
• facilitate a location determination of the mobile device at a location-capable device based at least in part on the at least one measurement.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for determining beam identification information for one or more radio beams received by the apparatus, wherein the one or more radio beams are transmitted with beamforming;
• means for transmitting the beam identification information and an indication of a maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the apparatus to a network node;
• means for receiving positioning reference signal beam information corresponding to a respective transmission angle relative to the network work for each of one or more positioning reference signals, wherein the positioning reference signal beam information is based at least in part on the beam identification information and the maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• means for generating one or more receive beams, each with a respective receive angle relative to the mobile device, based on the positioning reference signal beam information;
• means for obtaining at least one measurement from at least one of the one or more positioning reference signals;
• and
• means for facilitating a location determination of the apparatus at a location-capable device based at least in part on the at least one measurement.

A method for determining a location of a mobile device, comprising:

• receiving, from the mobile device, one or more identification values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one base station with beamforming, wherein the one or more identification values include synchronization signal burst index values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one neighboring base station and received by the mobile device;
• receiving, from the mobile device, an indication of a maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• determining positioning reference signal information, indicative of one or more directions of one or more corresponding directional positioning reference signals, based on the one or more identification values and the maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• and
• providing the positioning reference signal information to the mobile device.

A base station, comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one external interface;
• at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and the at least one external interface and configured to:
• receive, from a mobile device, one or more identification values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one base station with beamforming, wherein the one or more identification values include synchronization signal burst index values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one neighboring base station and received by the mobile device;
• receive, from the mobile device, an indication of a maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• determine positioning reference signal information, indicative of one or more directions of one or more corresponding directional positioning reference signals, based on the one or more identification values and the maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• and
• provide the positioning reference signal information to the mobile device.

An apparatus for determining a location of a mobile device, comprising:

• means for receiving, from the mobile device, one or more identification values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one base station with beamforming, wherein the one or more identification values include synchronization signal burst index values associated with one or more radio beams transmitted by at least one neighboring base station and received by the mobile device;
• means for receiving, from the mobile device, an indication of a maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• means for determining positioning reference signal information, indicative of one or more directions of one or more corresponding directional positioning reference signals, based on the one or more identification values and the maximum number of simultaneous beams supported by the mobile device;
• and
• means for providing the positioning reference signal information to the mobile device.