US 2025/0031179 A1 · MECHANISM FOR REFERENCE SIGNAL TRANSMISSION ALIGNMENT

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to reference signal transmission alignment. In particular, a target device determines whether a reference signal transmission alignment is needed among a set of anchor devices. If the reference signal transmission alignment is needed, an anchor device receives a request for the reference signal transmission alignment. The anchor device determines a transmission time window based on the request and transmits a reference signal as per the transmission time window. In this way, it can mitigate an impact of synchronization timing reference change at the target device in measurement. Consequently, the solution allows for high accuracy measurements and hence enables high accuracy sidelink positioning.

Claims21

Dependent claims

1-61. (canceled)

An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;
and
at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine a reference signal transmission alignment among a set of devices is needed, wherein the set of devices is participating in a positioning session with the apparatus, and wherein determining that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed based on the following:
a next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a duration of a sidelink measurement for reference signals from the set of devices,
the next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a configured time duration,
a reference signal received power for a current synchronization reference device of the apparatus is below a first reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the current synchronization reference device is below a first priority threshold,
a reference signal received power for a candidate synchronization reference device of the apparatus is above a second reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the candidate synchronization reference device is above a second priority threshold,
a clock-drift performance at the apparatus is below a performance threshold, and
a difference between a first time reference before a change of a time reference and a second time reference after the change of the time reference is to be above a difference threshold;
based on a determination that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed, transmit, to the set of devices, a request for the reference signal transmission alignment for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment is transmitted in a sidelink positioning protocol message and a sidelink control information, and wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment comprises:
an indication for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment, a time reference point for a transmission time window, and time window information indicating a start point and an end point of the transmission time window from the time reference point;
receive, from at least one device in the set of devices, a reference signal as per transmission time window that is determined by the at least one device based on a request for the reference signal transmission alignment;
and
perform a measurement using the received reference signal.

14 more elements

A system comprising:

an apparatus comprising:
at least one processor;
and
at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine a reference signal transmission alignment among a set of devices is needed, wherein the set of devices is participating in a positioning session with the apparatus, and wherein determining that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed based on the following:
a next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a duration of a sidelink measurement for reference signals from the set of devices,
the next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a configured time duration,
a reference signal received power for a current synchronization reference device of the apparatus is below a first reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the current synchronization reference device is below a first priority threshold,
a reference signal received power for a candidate synchronization reference device of the apparatus is above a second reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the candidate synchronization reference device is above a second priority threshold,
a clock-drift performance at the apparatus is below a performance threshold, and
a difference between a first time reference before a change of a time reference and a second time reference after the change of the time reference is to be above a difference threshold;
based on a determination that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed, transmit, to the set of devices, a request for the reference signal transmission alignment for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment is transmitted in a sidelink positioning protocol message and a sidelink control information, and wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment comprises:
an indication for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment, a time reference point for a transmission time window, and time window information indicating a start point and an end point of the transmission time window from the time reference point;
receive, from at least one device in the set of devices, a reference signal as per transmission time window that is determined by the at least one device based on a request for the reference signal transmission alignment;
and
perform a measurement using the received reference signal.

15 more elements

A method comprising:

determining a reference signal transmission alignment among a set of devices is needed, wherein the set of devices is participating in a positioning session with an apparatus, and wherein determining that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed based on the following:
a next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a duration of a sidelink measurement for reference signals from the set of devices,
the next synchronization search occasion at the apparatus is within a configured time duration,
a reference signal received power for a current synchronization reference device of the apparatus is below a first reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the current synchronization reference device is below a first priority threshold,
a reference signal received power for a candidate synchronization reference device of the apparatus is above a second reference signal received power threshold,
a synchronization priority of the candidate synchronization reference device is above a second priority threshold,
a clock-drift performance at the apparatus is below a performance threshold, and
a difference between a first time reference before a change of a time reference and a second time reference after the change of the time reference is to be above a difference threshold;
based on a determination that the reference signal transmission alignment among the set of devices is needed, transmitting, to the set of devices, a request for the reference signal transmission alignment for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment is transmitted in a sidelink positioning protocol message and a sidelink control information, and wherein the request for the reference signal transmission alignment comprises:
an indication for triggering the reference signal transmission alignment, a time reference point for a transmission time window, and time window information indicating a start point and an end point of the transmission time window from the time reference point;
receiving, from at least one device in the set of devices, a reference signal as per transmission time window that is determined by the at least one device based on a request for the reference signal transmission alignment;
and
performing a measurement using the received reference signal.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

18/776,616Filed 18 Jul 2024

Priority

18 Jul 2023

Published

23 Jan 2025

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04W 64/006
Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management: with additional information…
H04L 5/0048
Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path: allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
H04W 56/0015
Synchronization between nodes: one node acting as a reference for the others
H04W 56/006
Determining timing error of reception due to propagation delay: using known positions of transmitter and receiver

Mechanism for reference signal transmission alignment

Life of this patent

Mechanism for reference signal transmission alignment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21