Methods and arrangements for scrambling a timing advance value in a wireless communication system

A method, in a network node, for scrambling a timing advance value to be received by a mobile station, comprising:

• receiving a signal from the mobile station;
• estimating a timing advance value for the mobile station;
• determining an offset value to be added to the estimated timing advance value, wherein determining the offset value comprises determining the offset value randomly, to be valid for a period of time;
• computing a scrambled timing advance value by adding the determined offset value to the estimated timing advance value;
• transmitting the scrambled timing advance value to be received by the mobile station;
• receiving an establishment-cause value, dedicated to a mobile station positioning without access request, from the mobile station;
• and
• upon detection of the establishment-cause value:
• determining that no connection attempt is being performed by the mobile station and refraining from allocating resources to the mobile station;
• and
• estimating the timing advance value for the mobile station using more than 6 bits to enable at least 65 distinct timing advance values.

A network node operative to scramble a timing advance value to be received by a mobile station, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a signal from a mobile station;
• a processing circuit configured to:
• estimate a timing advance value for the mobile station;
• determine an offset value to be added to the estimated timing advance value;
• and
• compute a scrambled timing advance value by adding the determined offset value to the estimated timing advance value;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the scrambled timing advance value to be received by the mobile station;
• wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the offset value randomly, to be valid for a period of time.

A network node operative to scramble a timing advance value to be received by a mobile station, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a signal from a mobile station;
• a processing circuit configured to:
• estimate a timing advance value for the mobile station;
• determine an offset value to be added to the estimated timing advance value;
• and
• compute a scrambled timing advance value by adding the determined offset value to the estimated timing advance value;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the scrambled timing advance value to be received by the mobile station;
• wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the offset value randomly, to be valid for a period of time;
• and
• wherein the processing circuit is further configured to, upon detection of the establishment-cause value, estimate the timing advance value for the mobile station using more than 6 bits to enable at least 65 distinct timing advance values.

A method in a mobile station for utilizing a scrambled timing advance value received from a network node, comprising:

• transmitting a signal to be received by the network node;
• receiving a scrambled timing advance value comprising an offset value added to a timing advance value from the network node;
• determining the position of the mobile station, based on the scrambled timing advance value;
• sending the scrambled timing advance value, received from the network node, to a database to enable computation of an original timing advance value at the database, and to enable computation of the position of the mobile station, based on the original timing advance value;
• and
• receiving either the computed position of the mobile station or the original timing advance value from the database;
• wherein the determination of the position of the mobile station is further based on the original timing advance value if the position of the mobile station is not received from the database.

A mobile station operative to utilize a scrambled timing advance value received from a network node, comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a signal to be received by the network node;
• a receiver configured to receive, from the network node, a scrambled timing advance value comprising an offset value added to a timing advance value;
• and
• a processing circuit configured to determine the position of the mobile station based on the scrambled timing advance value;
• wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the scrambled timing advance value, received from the network node, to a database to enable computation of an original timing advance value at the database, and to enable computation of the position of the mobile station, based on the original timing advance value;
• wherein the receiver is further configured to receive either the computed position of the mobile station or the original timing advance value from the database;
• and
• wherein the determination of the position of the mobile station is further based on the original timing advance value if the position of the mobile station is not received from the database.