Method and device for transmitting/receiving positioning reference signal in heterogeneous communication system

A device for transmitting a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) in a communication system where one or more macro cells exist and one or more non-macro cells located within the one or more macro cells exist, the device comprising:

• a PRS sequence generator for generating a PRS sequence unique to each macro cell or each non-macro cell;
• a PRS resource allocator for allocating or mapping the generated PRS sequence to a time-frequency resource area by using PRS transmission information, and allocating or mapping the generated PRS sequence to the time-frequency resource area which does not overlap a PRS allocation resource area of a corresponding non-macro cell or a corresponding macro cell which is matched to each macro cell or each non-macro cell in which the PRS sequence has been generated;
• and
• an OFDM processor for generating an OFDM signal including the allocated or mapped PRS sequence and transmitting the generated signal.

A method for receiving a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) by a user equipment in a communication system where one or more macro cells exist and one or more non-macro cells located within the one or more macro cells exist, the method comprising:

• receiving and demodulating a signal transmitted while including a PRS sequence mapped to a time-frequency resource region which does not overlap a resource region allocated a PRS sequence of a corresponding macro cell or a corresponding non-macro cell, by the user equipment;
• extracting PRS sequences of one or more cells among the one or more macro cells and the one or more non-macro cells, by the user equipment;
• and
• estimating location information of the user equipment by using the extracted PRS sequences, by the user equipment.

A device for receiving a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) in a communication system where one or more macro cells exist and one or more non-macro cells located within the one or more macro cells exist, the device comprising:

• a reception processor for receiving a signal transmitted while including a PRS sequence mapped to a time-frequency resource region which does not overlap a resource region allocated a PRS sequence of a corresponding macro cell or a corresponding non-macro cell;
• a PRS sequence extractor for demapping information allocated to each resource element of the received signal, and extracting a PRS sequence of a cell which has transmitted the relevant signal;
• and
• a location measurement unit for estimating location information of a user equipment by using the one or more extracted PRS sequences.