# US 12,216,223 B2 · Determining an orientation of a user equipment with a cellular network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,223 B2 - Document ID: US12216223B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/941,238 - Filed: 2022-09-09 - Published: 2024-03-14 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-09 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Yuxiang Peng; Ning Luo; Yuhua Hu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216223B2 ## CPC - G01S 5/0247: {Determining attitude} - G01S 5/02585: {at least one of the measurements being a non-radio measurement} - G01S 7/006: {using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas (G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence)} - G01S 13/765: {with exchange of information between interrogator and responder} - G01S 5/06: Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) - G01S 5/10: Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements {, e.g. omega or decca systems}(G01S5/12 takes precedence {; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308}) - 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 ## Abstract Techniques are provided for utilizing reference signals transmitted by network stations to determine the orientation of a wireless node. An example method for determining an orientation of a user equipment includes determining a first location associated with the user equipment, determining a second location associated with a first wireless node, receiving, with the user equipment, a radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node, determining two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the second location, and angle of arrival information associated with the radio frequency signal, determining a gravity vector based on inertial measurements obtained with the user equipment, and computing the orientation of the user equipment based at least in part on the gravity vector and the two measurements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining an orientation of a user equipment, comprising: determining a first location associated with the user equipment; determining a second location associated with a first wireless node; receiving, with the user equipment, a radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node; determining two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the second location, and angle of arrival information associated with the radio frequency signal; determining a gravity vector based on inertial measurements obtained with the user equipment; and computing the orientation of the user equipment based at least in part on the gravity vector and the two measurements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first wireless node is a base station and the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node is a positioning reference signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first wireless node is a mobile device and the radio frequency signal is transmitted from the first wireless node via a sidelink channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a trigger condition, and wherein computing the orientation of the user equipment is in response to the trigger condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein detecting the trigger condition includes detecting a static lockdown state, determining an uncertainty of an orientation angle exceeds a threshold value, receiving a request from an application, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 6 A method for determining an orientation of a user equipment, comprising: determining a first location associated with the user equipment; determining a second location associated with a first wireless node; determining a third location associated with a second wireless node; determining a first angle of arrival information associated with a radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and received by the user equipment; determining a first two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the second location, and the first angle of arrival information; determining a second angle of arrival information associated with a radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node and received by the user equipment; determining a second two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the third location, and the second angle of arrival information; and computing the orientation of the user equipment based at least in part on the first two measurements and the second two measurements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first wireless node and the second wireless node is a base station and at least one of the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and the radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node is a network reference signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first wireless node and the second wireless node is a mobile device and at least one of the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and the radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node utilizes a sidelink channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein determining the first location includes measuring a plurality of signals associated with a satellite navigation system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising detecting a trigger condition, and wherein computing the orientation of the user equipment is in response to detecting the trigger condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the detecting the trigger condition includes detecting a static lockdown state, determining an uncertainty of an orientation angle exceeds a threshold value, receiving a request from an application, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising: obtaining a gravity vector based on an inertial measurement unit in the user equipment; and computing an inertial measurement calibration value based at least in part on the orientation of the user equipment and the gravity vector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising calibrating one or more sensors in the user equipment based on the inertial measurement calibration value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the one or more sensors include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 15 An apparatus, comprising: a memory; an inertial measurement unit; at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the inertial measurement unit, and the at least one transceiver, and configured to: determine a first location associated with the apparatus; determine a second location associated with a first wireless node; receive a radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node; determine two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the second location, and angle of arrival information associated with the radio frequency signal; determine a gravity vector based on inertial measurements obtained with the inertial measurement unit; and compute an orientation of the apparatus based at least in part on the gravity vector and the two measurements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node is a positioning reference signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node via a sidelink channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to measure a plurality of signals associated with a satellite navigation system to determine the first location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect a trigger condition and compute the orientation of the apparatus in response to the trigger condition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect a static lockdown state, determine an uncertainty of an orientation angle exceeds a threshold value, receive a request from an application, or any combination thereof to detect the trigger condition. ### Claim 21 An apparatus, comprising: a memory; at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, and configured to: determine a first location associated with the apparatus; determine a second location associated with a first wireless node; determine a third location associated with a second wireless node; determine a first angle of arrival information associated with a radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and received by the apparatus; determine a first two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the second location, and the first angle of arrival information; determine a second angle of arrival information associated with a radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node and received by the apparatus; determine a second two measurements based at least in part on the first location, the third location, and the second angle of arrival information; and compute an orientation of the apparatus based at least in part on the first two measurements and the second two measurements. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of the first wireless node and the second wireless node is a base station. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of the first wireless node and the second wireless node is a mobile device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and the radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node is a network reference signal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of the radio frequency signal transmitted from the first wireless node and the radio frequency signal transmitted from the second wireless node utilizes a sidelink channel. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to measure a plurality of signals associated with a satellite navigation system to determine the first location. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect a trigger condition, and compute the orientation of the apparatus in response to the trigger condition. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect a static lockdown state, determine an uncertainty of an orientation angle exceeds a threshold value, receive a request from an application, or any combination thereof to detect the trigger condition. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising an inertial measurement unit, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: obtain a gravity vector based on the inertial measurement unit; and compute an inertial measurement calibration value based at least in part on the orientation of the apparatus and the gravity vector. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to calibrate one or more sensors in the apparatus based on the inertial measurement calibration value.