Methods and arrangements for positioning in wireless communications systems

• US 9,408,026 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wigren, Karl Torbjrn, Muiz Garcia, Claudia
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): TACSIK, ERNEST G
• Application Number:
  US14/349,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method of reporting hidden sector information from a base station node in a wireless communication system. The base station node has an internal multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system. The hidden sector information has sector information of the multi-sector structure is only internally available in the base station node. Enhanced cell-ID measurements associated with a first user equipment communicating with the base station are obtained, and formatted into information elements of a measurement report, each such information element having a plurality of symbols. Subsequently, hidden sector information for the first user equipment is retrieved and has an indication of an antenna sector of the base station in which the first user equipment is located. The retrieved dormant/latent sector information uses at least one selected symbol of the plurality of symbols of the measurement report to provide a transformed measurement report.

Claims

1. A method of reporting hidden sector information from a base station node in a wireless communication system, said base station node being an omni base station node with an internal multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system, and said hidden sector information comprising sector information of said multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system and only internally available in said omni base station, and said method comprising:

obtaining, in said base station node, enhanced cell-ID measurements associated with a first user equipment communicating with said base station node;

formatting in said base station node, said obtained enhanced cell-ID measurements into information elements of a measurement report, each such information element comprising a plurality of symbols;

retrieving in said base station node, hidden sector information for said first user equipment, said hidden sector information comprising an indication of an antenna sector of said base station in which said first user equipment is located;

encoding in said base station node, said retrieved hidden sector information using at least one selected symbol of said plurality of symbols of said measurement report to provide a transformed measurement report; and

reporting from said base station node, said transformed measurement report.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said enhanced cell-ID measurements comprise at least one of an indication of a received signal strength from said base station in said first user equipment and an indication of an angular orientation of said first user equipment relative a predetermined reference direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said angular orientation comprises an angle of arrival relative said predetermined reference direction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said hidden sector information further comprises at least sector identifying information associated with said antenna sector.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said hidden sector identifying information comprises an ID.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said hidden sector identifying information comprises an angular orientation relative said reference direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said enhanced cell-ID measurements comprise at least one of an angle of arrival and received signal strength for said first user equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one selected symbol of said measurement report comprises at least one symbol with a predetermined bit significance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one selected symbol is selected to be a least significant symbol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said base station is an eNodeB in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting is performed using a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol annex (LPPa) protocol between said base station node and a positioning node in the system.

12. A base station node in a wireless communication system, said base station node being an omni base station node with an internal multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system, said base station node comprising:

an enhanced cell-ID measurement obtainer configured for providing enhanced cell-ID measurements associated with a first user equipment communicating with said base station node;

a formatter configured for formatting said obtained enhanced cell-ID measurements information elements of a measurement report, each such information element comprising a plurality of symbols;

a sector information retriever configured for retrieving hidden sector information for said first user equipment, said hidden sector information comprising an indication of an antenna sector of said base station node in which said first user equipment is positioned, said hidden sector information comprising sector information of said multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system and only internally available in said omni base station;

an encoder configured for encoding said retrieved hidden sector information using at least one selected symbol of said plurality of symbols of said measurement report to provide a transformed measurement report; and

a reporting unit configured for reporting said transformed measurement report.

13. The base station node of claim 12, wherein said enhanced cell-ID measurement obtainer is configured for obtaining at least one of an indication of a received signal strength from said base station in said first user equipment and an indication of an angular orientation of said user equipment relative a predetermined reference direction.

14. The base station node of claim 13, wherein said hidden sector information comprises an angle of arrival relative said predetermined reference direction.

15. The base station node of claim 14, wherein said hidden sector information further comprises at least sector identifying information associated with said antenna sector.

16. The base station node of claim 15, wherein said hidden sector identifying information comprises an ID.

17. The base station node of claim 15, wherein said hidden sector identifying information comprises an angular orientation relative said reference direction.

18. The base station node of claim 13, wherein said enhanced cell-ID measurements comprise at least one of an angle of arrival and received signal strength for said first user equipment.

19. The base station node of claim 13, wherein said encoder is configured for selecting said at least one selected symbol of said measurement report to comprise at least one symbol with a predetermined bit significance.

20. The base station node of claim 13, wherein said encoder is configured for selecting said at least one selected symbol to be a least significant symbol.

21. The base station node of claim 13, wherein said base station node is an eNodeB in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.

22. The base station node according to claim 12, wherein said reporting is performed using a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol annex (LPPa) protocol between said base station node and a positioning node in the system.

23. A method of positioning of a first user equipment in a wireless communication system, said method comprising:

receiving, at a positioning node, at least one transformed measurement report from a base station node, said transformed measurement report comprising formatted enhanced cell-ID measurements associated with said first user equipment and hidden sector information comprising an indication of an antenna sector of said base station node in which said first user equipment is located, said base station node being an omni base station node with an internal multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system, and said hidden sector information comprising sector information of said multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system and only internally available in said omni base station;

retrieving, at the positioning node, said enhanced cell-ID measurements and hidden sector information from said measurement report; and

estimating, at the positioning node, a position of said first equipment based on said enhanced cell-ID measurements and said hidden sector information.

24. A positioning node in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless communication system, said node comprising:

a receiver configured for receiving a measurement report concerning a first user equipment communicating with a base station node in said system, said measurement report comprising enhanced cell-ID measurements associated with said first user equipment, and hidden sector information comprising an indication of an antenna sector of said base station node in which said first user equipment is located, said base station node being an omni base station node with an internal multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system, and said hidden sector information comprising sector information of said multi-sector structure that is hidden from the rest of the system and only internally available in said omni base station;

a retriever configured for retrieving said enhanced cell-ID measurements and said hidden sector information; and

an estimator configured for estimating a position of said first user equipment based on said enhanced cell-ID measurements and said hidden sector information.