Exploiting DRX/CDRX parameters to conserve power during an observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) session

• US 10,645,647 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bitra, Suresh Kumar, Aravapalli, Naveen Kumar, Kothapalli, Prudhvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosme, Natasha W
• Application Number:
  US15/960,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20190327673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 370311
• 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 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• 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 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed aspects and embodiments pertain to conserving power usage during an Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) measurement session. For example, a server or other network entity may receive information related to a Discontinuous Reception (DRx) or Connected Mode DRx (CDRx) configuration associated with a user equipment (UE) and provide, to the UE, information related to one or more base stations having Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) occasions that coincide with an OFF state associated with the DRx/CDRx configuration. Alternatively and/or additionally, the UE may receive OTDOA assistance information indicating when certain PRS occasions occur and a serving base station or other network entity may provide the UE with a DRx/CDRx configuration having an OFF state that coincides with the PRS occasions. As such, the DRx/CDRx parameters may be exploited to substantially reduce or eliminate measurement gaps and conserve power usage during an OTDOA session.

Claims

1. A method for exploiting discontinuous reception (DRx) parameters to conserve power during an Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) measurement session, comprising:

receiving, at a network server, information related to a DRx configuration associated with a user equipment (UE);

selecting, at the network server, one or more inter-frequency base stations having inter-frequency Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) occasions that coincide with an OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE; and

transmitting, by the network server to the UE, OTDOA assistance data that includes information related to the inter-frequency PRS occasions that coincide with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the network server receives the information related to the DRx configuration associated with the UE from the UE.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the network server receives the information related to the DRx configuration associated with the UE from one or more of a base station or a Mobility Management Entity (MME) serving the UE.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the DRx configuration comprises a Connected Mode DRx (CDRx) configuration.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the DRx configuration includes one or more cell-specific parameters configured at a base station serving the UE.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the DRx configuration includes one or more UE-specific parameters configured at a Mobility Management Entity (MME) serving the UE.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more inter-frequency base stations include multiple base stations that have inter-frequency PRS occasions that at least partially coincide with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising:

generating a list that orders the multiple base stations according to a priority based at least in part on an extent to which the inter-frequency PRS occasions align with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE, wherein the OTDOA assistance data transmitted to the UE includes the generated list.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive information related to a discontinuous reception (DRx) configuration associated with a user equipment (UE);

at least one processor configured to select one or more inter-frequency base stations having inter-frequency Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) occasions that coincide with an OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, to the UE, Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) assistance data that includes information related to the inter-frequency PRS occasions that coincide with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the information related to the DRx configuration associated with the UE is received from the UE.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the information related to the DRx configuration associated with the UE is received from one or more of a base station or a Mobility Management Entity (MME) serving the UE.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the DRx configuration comprises a Connected Mode DRx (CDRx) configuration.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the DRx configuration includes one or more cell-specific parameters configured at a base station serving the UE.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the DRx configuration includes one or more UE-specific parameters configured at a Mobility Management Entity (MME) serving the UE.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more inter-frequency base stations include multiple base stations that have inter-frequency PRS occasions that at least partially coincide with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate a list in which the multiple base stations are ordered according to a priority based at least in part on an extent to which the inter-frequency PRS occasions align with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration associated with the UE, wherein the OTDOA assistance data transmitted to the UE includes the generated list.

17. A method for exploiting discontinuous reception (DRx) parameters to conserve power during an Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) measurement session, comprising:

receiving, at a network device serving a user equipment (UE), information related to OTDOA assistance data provided to the UE, wherein the information related to the OTDOA assistance data provided to the UE includes timing associated with one or more inter-frequency Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) occasions;

selecting, at the network device, a DRx configuration in which an OFF duration at least partially coincides with the timing associated with the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions indicated in the OTDOA assistance data; and

transmitting, by the network device, one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration to the UE such that the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions are measured during the OFF duration of the DRx configuration.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the network device receives the information related to the OTDOA assistance data from the UE.

19. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the network device receives the information related to the OTDOA assistance data from one or more of a Location Server (LS) or a Position Determining Entity (PDE) that provided the OTDOA assistance data to the UE.

20. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the selected DRx configuration comprises a Connected Mode DRx (CDRx) configuration.

21. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the network device is a base station serving the UE and the one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration are cell-specific parameters broadcasted to all UEs served by the base station.

22. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the network device is a Mobility Management Entity (MME) serving the UE and the one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration are UE-specific parameters provided to the UE via non-access stratum (NAS) signaling.

23. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the DRx configuration is selected to maximize an extent to which the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions align with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive information related to Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) assistance data provided to a user equipment (UE) served by the apparatus, wherein the information related to the OTDOA assistance data provided to the UE includes timing associated with one or more inter-frequency Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) occasions;

at least one processor configured to select a discontinuous reception (DRx) configuration in which an OFF duration at least partially coincides with the timing associated with the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions indicated in the OTDOA assistance data; and

a transmitter configured to transmit one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration to the UE such that the UE is configured to measure the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions during the OFF duration of the DRx configuration.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the information related to the OTDOA assistance data is received from the UE.

26. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the information related to the OTDOA assistance data is received from one or more of a Location Server (LS) or a Position Determining Entity (PDE) that provided the OTDOA assistance data to the UE.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the selected DRx configuration comprises a Connected Mode DRx (CDRx) configuration.

28. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration are cell-specific parameters broadcasted to all UEs served by the apparatus.

29. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the one or more parameters related to the selected DRx configuration are UE-specific parameters that are transmitted to the UE via non-access stratum (NAS) signaling.

30. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select the DRx configuration to maximize an extent to which the one or more inter-frequency PRS occasions align with the OFF duration of the DRx configuration.