Method and node for positioning in combined cell

• US 9,445,390 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Zhao, Yufeng, Busin, ke, Tilver, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US14/434,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20150282114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 4554121-4142, 455418-4221, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/457, 370328-332, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• 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 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method in a first radio base station of a wireless communication system, for transmitting a reference signal for positioning in a cell. The cell is hosted by the first radio base station and served by a plurality of transmission points. Each transmission point is associated with a value of a first attribute indicating whether transmission of the reference signal for positioning is enabled for the associated transmission point. The method comprises selecting at least one transmission point among the plurality of transmission points based on the values of the first attribute, and transmitting the reference signal for positioning in the cell from the selected at least one transmission point only.

Claims

1. A method in a first radio base station of a wireless communication system, for transmitting a reference signal for positioning in a cell hosted by the first radio base station and served by a plurality of transmission points, the method comprising:

associating each transmission point with a value of a first attribute of a managed object indicating whether transmission of the reference signal for positioning is enabled for the associated transmission point;

selecting at least one transmission point among the plurality of transmission points based on the values of the first attribute;

transmitting the reference signal for positioning in the cell from the selected at least one transmission point only; and

setting the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points based on a value of a second attribute of the managed object associated with the cell, wherein the value of the second attribute indicates a type of the cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the value of the first attribute is configured for each of the plurality of transmission points at setup of the cell.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the value of the first attribute is set based also on at least one of a maximum transmission power or an antenna position of each of the plurality of transmission points.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the value of the second attribute is configured at setup of the cell.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a coverage of each of the plurality of transmission points based on at least one of the following transmission point characteristics;

a carrier frequency, a maximum transmission power, an antenna height, or a path loss; and

setting the value of the second attribute based on the estimated coverage and on an antenna position for each of the plurality of transmission points.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of transmission points is managed by a second radio base station, and wherein setting the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points comprises:

setting the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points managed by the first radio base station; and

transmitting a request to the second radio base station to set the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points managed by the second radio base station.

7. A first radio base station of a wireless communication system, configured to transmit a reference signal for positioning in a cell hosted by the first radio base station and served by a plurality of transmission points, the first radio base station comprising:

a processing circuit configured to;

associate each transmission point with a value of a first attribute of a managed object indicating whether transmission of the reference signal for positioning is enabled for the associated transmission point;

select at least one transmission point among the plurality of transmission points based on the values of the first attribute;

a transmitter configured to transmit the reference signal for positioning in the cell from the selected at least one transmission point only; and

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to set the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points based on a value of a second attribute of the managed object associated with the cell, wherein the value of the second attribute indicates a type of the cell.

8. The first radio base station according to claim 7, wherein the value of the first attribute is configured for each of the plurality of transmission points at setup of the cell.

9. The first radio base station according to claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is configured to set the value of the first attribute based also on at least one of a maximum transmission power or an antenna position of each of the plurality of transmission points.

10. The first radio base station according to claim 7, wherein the value of the second attribute is configured at setup of the cell.

11. The first radio base station according to claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

estimate a coverage of each of the plurality of transmission points based on at least one of the following transmission point characteristics;

a carrier frequency, a maximum transmission power, an antenna height, or a path loss; and

set the value of the second attribute based on the estimated coverage and on an antenna position for each of the plurality of transmission points.

12. The first radio base station according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of transmission points is configured to be managed by a second radio base station, wherein the first radio base station further comprises a communication interface to the second radio base station, and wherein the processing interface is configured to set the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points by being configured to:

set the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points managed by the first radio base station; and

transmit a request to the second radio base station via the communication interface to set the value of the first attribute for each of the plurality of transmission points managed by the second radio base station.