Method and apparatus for supporting positioning measurements

• US 10,064,156 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stern-Berkowitz, Janet A., Rudolph, Marian, Dennean, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US15/414,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321, 4554323, 455434, 4554351, 4554352, 4554353, 455436, 455446, 455447, 455502, 4554561, 4554562, 4554563, 4554565, 370329, 370335, 370338, 370350
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting positioning measurements. The methods include designating a reference cell, choosing a positioning signal, and, for inter-frequency measurements, determining which inter-frequency cell to measure and how to make such an inter-frequency positioning measurement.

Claims

1. A method for supporting positioning measurements, comprising:

designating a first base station cell as a reference cell;

designating a second base station cell as a non-reference cell;

determining whether to present an indication of support of positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission in reference cell information; and

transmitting reference cell information and non-reference cell information to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for performing positioning measurements with respect to the reference cell and the non-reference cell,

wherein the reference cell information includes PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is present and does not include PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is absent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference cell is a non-serving cell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the PRS information includes PRS subframe allocation information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-reference cell information includes an indication of a time offset between a start of a first PRS subframe transmitted by the reference cell and a start of a first PRS subframe transmitted by the non-reference cell.

5. A location server, comprising:

a processor configured to;

designate a first base station cell as a reference cell;

designate a second base station cell as a non-reference cell; and

determine whether to present an indication of support of positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission in reference cell information; and

a transmit/receive unit configured to;

transmit reference cell information and non-reference cell information to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for performing positioning measurements with respect to the reference cell and the non-reference cell,

wherein the reference cell information includes PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is present and does not include PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is absent.

6. The location server of claim 5, wherein the reference cell is a non-serving cell.

7. The location server of claim 5, wherein the PRS information includes PRS subframe allocation information.

8. The location server of claim 5, wherein the non-reference cell information includes an indication of a time offset between a start of a first PRS subframe transmitted by the reference cell and a start of a first PRS subframe transmitted by the non-reference cell.

9. A location server, comprising:

a processor configured to;

designate a first base station cell as a reference cell; and

designate a second base station cell as a non-reference cell; and

a transmit/receive unit configured to transmit reference cell information and non-reference cell information to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for performing positioning measurements with respect to the reference cell and the non-reference cell,

wherein the non-reference cell information includes an indication of a time offset between a start of a first positioning reference signal (PRS) subframe transmitted by the reference cell and a start of a first PRS subframe transmitted by the non-reference cell.

10. The location server of claim 9, wherein the reference cell is a non-serving cell.

11. The location server of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether to present an indication of support of PRS transmission in reference cell information.

12. The location server of claim 11, wherein the reference cell information includes PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is present and does not include PRS information for the reference cell on a condition that the indication is absent.

13. The location server of claim 12, wherein the PRS information includes PRS subframe allocation information.