Enhanced positioning reference signal transmission in wireless communication network

• US 9,479,303 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Wanshi, Gaal, Peter, Xu, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Mered, Habte
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Rownak
• Application Number:
  US13/839,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20140112261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/330, 370/328, 370/336, 370/281, 370/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for determining a PRS configuration in a dynamic TDD configuration adaptation are described. One example method generally includes determining a first PRS configuration for receiving PRS when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes, receiving an indication of a switch from the first subframe configuration to a second subframe configuration, and determining a second PRS configuration for receiving PRS when communicating according to the second subframe configuration.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes;

receiving an indication of a switch from the first subframe configuration to a second subframe configuration; and

determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS when communicating according to the second subframe configuration, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are the same.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising omitting receiving PRS in at least one PRS subframe based on the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second subframe configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises receiving signaling indicating the one or more common downlink subframes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration, and

the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one or more of the downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration are different from one or more of the downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a list of sets of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS that correspond to different subframe configurations; and

wherein determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises selecting a set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from the list of sets of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS that correspond to the second subframe configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises determining a cyclic prefix (CP) type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the CP type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises receiving an indication whether the CP type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is a normal CP or an extended CP.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a frequency location of PRSs transmitted in downlink subframes.

33. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the frequency locations of the PRSs are outside of a center region of a bandwidth of the downlink subframes.

11. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes;

means for receiving an indication of a switch from the first subframe configuration to a second subframe configuration; and

means for determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS for receiving PRS when communicating according to the second subframe configuration, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are the same.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising omitting receiving PRS in at least one PRS subframe based on the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second subframe configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises means for receiving signaling indicating the one or more common downlink subframes.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration, and

the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein one or more of the downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration are different from one or more of the downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving a list of sets of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS that correspond to different subframe configurations; and

wherein the means for determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises means for selecting a set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from the list sets of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS that correspond to the second subframe configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises means for determining a cyclic prefix (CP) type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for determining the CP type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS comprises means for receiving an indication whether the CP type for the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is a normal CP or an extended CP.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving an indication of a frequency location of PRSs transmitted in downlink subframes.

21. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes;

receive an indication of a switch from the first subframe configuration to a second subframe configuration; and

determine a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS for receiving PRS when communicating according to the second subframe configuration, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes;

instructions for receiving an indication of a switch from the first subframe configuration to a second subframe configuration; and

instructions for determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS for receiving PRS when communicating according to the second subframe configuration, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.

23. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment, comprising:

determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) from a first cell when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes; and

determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from a second cell when communicating according to a second subframe configuration,

wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are the same.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising omitting receiving PRS in at least one PRS subframe based on the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second subframe configuration.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration, and

the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

27. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment, comprising:

means for determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) from a first cell when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes; and

means for determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from a second cell when communicating according to a second subframe configuration,

wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are the same.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising omitting receiving PRS in at least one PRS subframe based on the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second subframe configuration.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein:

the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the first subframe configuration, and

the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS is defined based on downlink subframes associated with the second subframe configuration.

31. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) from a first cell when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes; and

determine a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from a second cell when communicating according to a second subframe configuration,

wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for determining a first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving positioning reference signals (PRS) from a first cell when communicating according to a first subframe configuration that defines one or more uplink subframes and one or more downlink subframes; and

instructions for determining a second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS from a second cell when communicating according to a second subframe configuration,

wherein the first set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS and the second set of one or more downlink subframes for receiving PRS are defined based on one or more common downlink subframes between the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.