Measurement of sounding reference signal via uplink relay

A method of operating an uplink relay, comprising:

• receiving one or more uplink wireless data communications from one or more user equipments (UEs);
• relaying, via a backhaul connection, the one or more uplink data communications to one or more serving network components configured to transmit downlink wireless data communications to the one or more UEs;
• receiving, from a network component, a request to measure an uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) for positioning from a target UE;
• measuring the uplink SRS for positioning from the target UE in accordance with the request;
• and
• transmitting, to the network component, a report comprising measurement information associated with the measured uplink SRS for positioning.

A network component, comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one transceiver;
• and
• at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:
• determine a coarse position estimate associated with a target user equipment (UE);
• determine location information associated with a set of uplink relays;
• and
• select a group of wireless nodes for a position estimation session of the target UE based on the coarse position estimate and the location information associated with the set of uplink relays, the group of wireless nodes comprising at least one uplink relay that is configured to relay uplink wireless data communications from UEs to one or more serving network components configured to transmit downlink wireless data communications to the one or more UEs;
• transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to the at least one uplink relay, at least one request to measure an uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) for positioning from the target UE in association with the position estimation session;
• receive, via the at least one transceiver, at least one report comprising measurement information associated with the uplink SRS for positioning from the target UE as measured by the at least one uplink relay;
• and
• determine a position estimate of the target UE based on the at least one report.

An uplink relay, comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one transceiver;
• and
• at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:
• receive, via the at least one transceiver, one or more uplink wireless data communications from one or more user equipments (UEs);
• relay, via a backhaul connection, the one or more uplink data communications to one or more serving network components configured to transmit downlink wireless data communications to the one or more UEs;
• receive, via the at least one transceiver, from a network component, a request to measure an uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) for positioning from a target UE;
• measure the uplink SRS for positioning from the target UE in accordance with the request;
• and
• transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to the network component, a report comprising measurement information associated with the measured uplink SRS for positioning.