Methods and Apparatus for Positioning Measurement in Multi-Antenna Transmission Systems

A wireless communication apparatus configured to perform positioning-related measurements in association with a wireless communication network that includes one or more first cells each transmitting a first type of reference signal but not a second type of reference signal and one or more second cells each transmitting at least the second type of reference signal, said method comprising:

• a transceiver configured to receive a mix of reference signals, including one or more of the first type of reference signals from one or more of said first cells, and one or more of the second type of reference signals from one or more of said second cells;
• and
• processing circuitry, including a reference signal measurement circuit, configured to perform positioning-related measurements at said wireless communication apparatus using said mix of reference signals;
• wherein said first type of reference signal can be transmitted without positioning-related measurement ambiguity from more than one antenna port at a time within any given cell, and wherein said second type of reference signal can be transmitted without positioning-measurement ambiguity from only one antenna port at a time within any given cell.

A wireless communication network comprising:

• one or more first base stations, each first base station having multiple antenna ports for providing network service in a corresponding cell;
• one or more second base stations, each second base station having a single antenna port for providing service in a corresponding cell;
• and
• wherein each of said one or more first base stations is configured to transmit a first type of reference signals but not a second type of reference signals, and each of said one or more second base stations is configured to transmit both the first and the second types of reference signals, and wherein said first type of reference signals can be transmitted from more than one antenna port in a given cell without positioning-related measurement ambiguity and said second type of reference signals can be transmitted from only one antenna port at a time within a given cell without positioning-related measurement ambiguity.

A method of reference signal transmission in wireless communication network base station in a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

• transmitting, in a cell associated with said wireless communication network base station, a first type of reference signals from any one or more of antenna ports in a plurality of antenna ports used for transmitting in said cell;
• and
• transmitting, in said cell, a second type of reference signals from only one of said antenna ports at a time according to a port configuration that determines which one of the antenna ports is selected for use in transmitting the second type of reference signals at any given one of the transmission occasions that are defined for transmission of the second type of reference signals;
• wherein said first type of reference signals can be transmitted without positioning-related measurement ambiguity from more than one antenna port at a time within said cell, and wherein said second type of reference signals can be transmitted, without positioning-related measurement ambiguity from only one antenna port at a time within said cell.

A method of performing positioning-related measurements in a wireless communication apparatus associated with a wireless communication network said method comprising:

• receiving a first type of reference signals that are transmitted from more than one antenna port at a time within a cell in said wireless communication network wherein a plurality of antenna ports are used for transmitting in said cell;
• receiving a second type of reference signals that are transmitted from only one antenna port at a time within the cell;
• and
• making positioning-related measurements with respect to said first and second types of reference signals for said cell, on a per-port basis.

A method of controlling positioning reference signal transmission from multiple antenna ports within each of one or more cells of a wireless communication network, said method performed by a reference signal controller associated with said wireless communication network and said method comprising:

• coordinating the use of antenna ports for transmission of positioning reference signals from one antenna port at a time within each such cell;
• and
• sending corresponding signaling to at least one of:
• the base stations involved in said step of coordinating, and wireless communication apparatuses that are measuring or will measure positioning reference signals transmitted in said cells.

A reference signal controller configured to control positioning reference signal transmission from multiple antenna ports within each of one or more cells of a wireless communication network, said reference signal controller comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to coordinate the use of said multiple antenna ports within each such cell for transmission of positioning reference signals from one antenna port at a time within each such cell;
• and
• one or more communication interfaces configured to send corresponding signaling to at least one of:
• the base stations involved in said coordination, and wireless communication apparatuses that are or will measure positioning reference signals transmitted in said cells.