Graphical positioning reference unit

1 . A positioning reference assistance entity (PRAE) for providing positioning data to a network entity of a communication network having at least one transmission/reception point (TRP), the PRAE comprising:

at least one sensor;

at least one transceiver;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor, in signal communication with the at least one transceiver and the at least one memory, configured to:

acquire physical sensory information, from the at least one sensor, of an environment in which the PRAE and the TRP are located, the physical sensory information including at least one of image data, acoustic data, and backscatter data;

determine the positioning data based on the physical sensory information, the positioning data including information corresponding to at least one of a first position of a target in the environment and a second position of an object in the environment; and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the positioning data to the network entity.

2 . The PRAE of claim 1 , further comprises

a positioning reference unit (PRU),

wherein the PRU is configured to

perform positioning measurements at a location of the PRAE within the environment and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the positioning measurements to the network entity as at least part of the positioning data.

3 . The PRAE of claim 2 , wherein

the PRU is further configured to

receive a first positioning reference signal (PRS) from the network entity, and

measure the first PRS, and

the positioning measurements include a second PRS based on the measured first PRS.

4 . The PRAE of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is selected from a group consisting of an image sensor, an acoustic sensor, a radar sensor, and any combination of two or more thereof.

5 . The PRAE of claim 4 , wherein

the at least one sensor comprises the image sensor, and

the image sensor is selected from a group consisting of

a visual camera,

a thermographic camera,

a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system, and

combinations thereof, and

the physical sensory information includes at least one image of the environment acquired by the image sensor.

6 . The PRAE of claim 4 , wherein

the at least one sensor comprises the acoustic sensor, and

the physical sensory information includes acoustic sensory information of the environment acquired by the acoustic sensor.

7 . The PRAE of claim 4 , wherein

the at least one sensor comprises the radar sensor, and

the physical sensory information includes backscatter information of the environment acquired by the radar sensor.

8 . The PRAE of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, via the at least one transceiver, measurement capabilities of the PRAE to the network entity.

9 . The PRAE of claim 8 , wherein

the at least one sensor is selected from a group consisting of an image sensor, an acoustic sensor, a radar sensor, and any combination of two or more thereof, and

the measurement capabilities include at least one of

image processing capabilities supported by the image sensor,

acoustic processing capabilities of the acoustic sensor, and

radar sensing capabilities of the radar sensor.

10 . The PRAE of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, via the at least one transceiver, a request from the network entity for the measurement capabilities of the PRAE.

11 . The PRAE of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, via the at least one transceiver, a request from the network entity for the positioning data.

12 . The PRAE of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one sensor includes a motion detector and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to enable or disable acquisition of the physical sensory information based on the motion detector.

13 . The PRAE of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, via the at least one transceiver, a command from the network entity to enable or disable acquisition of the physical sensory information.

14 . A method for providing positioning data to a network entity of a communication network having at least one transmission/reception point (TRP) utilizing a positioning reference assistance entity (PRAE), the method comprising:

acquiring physical sensory information, with at least one sensor of the PRAE, of an environment in which the PRAE and the TRP are located, the physical sensory information including at least one of image data, acoustic data, and backscatter data;

determining the positioning data based on the physical sensory information, the positioning data including information corresponding to at least one of a first position of a target in the environment and a second position of an object in the environment; and

transmitting the positioning data from the PRAE to the network entity.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

performing positioning measurements, with a positioning reference unit (PRU) of the PRAE, at a known location of the PRAE within the environment; and

transmitting the positioning measurements from the PRAE to the network entity as part of the positioning data.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further including

receiving a first positioning reference signal (PRS) from the network entity, and

measuring the first PRS,

wherein the positioning measurements includes a second PRS based on the measured first PRS.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the physical sensory information is selected from a group consisting of: at least one image of the environment; acoustic sensory information of the environment; backscatter information of the environment; and combinations thereof.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising transmitting measurement capabilities of the PRAE to the network entity.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the measurement capabilities include

image processing capabilities,

acoustic processing capabilities,

radar sensing capabilities, or

combinations thereof.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further including receiving a request for the measurement capabilities of the PRAE from the network entity.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further including receiving a request for the positioning data from the network entity.

22 . The method of claim 14 , further including enabling or disabling the acquisition of the physical sensory information based on a motion detector of the PRAE.

23 . The method of claim 14 , further including receiving a command from the network entity to enable or disable the acquisition of the physical sensory information.

24 . A positioning reference assistance entity (PRAE) for providing positioning data to a network entity of a communication network having at least one transmission/reception point (TRP), the PRAE comprising:

means for acquiring physical sensory information, with at least one sensor of the PRAE, of an environment in which the PRAE and the TRP are located, the physical sensory information including at least one of image data, acoustic data, and backscatter data;

means for determining the positioning data based on the physical sensory information, the positioning data including information corresponding to at least one of a first position of a target and a second position of an object in the environment; and

means for transmitting the positioning data from the PRAE to the network entity.

25 . The PRAE of claim 24 , further comprising:

means for performing positioning measurements, with a positioning reference unit (PRU) of the PRAE, at a known location of the PRAE within the environment; and

means for transmitting the positioning measurements from the PRAE to the network entity as part of the positioning data.

26 . The PRAE of claim 24 , wherein the physical sensory information is selected from a group consisting of: at least one image of the environment; acoustic sensory information of the environment; backscatter information of the environment; and combinations thereof.

27 . The PRAE of claim 24 , further including means for transmitting measurement capabilities of the PRAE to the network entity.

28 . The PRAE of claim 24 , further including means for enabling or disabling the acquisition of the physical sensory information based on a motion detector of the PRAE.

29 . The PRAE of claim 24 , further including means for receiving a command from the network entity to enable or disable the acquisition of the physical sensory information.

30 . A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to providing positioning data to a network entity of a communication network having a positioning reference assistance entity (PRAE) and at least one transmission/reception point (TRP), comprising:

code for acquiring physical sensory information, from at least one sensor, of an environment in which the PRAE and the TRP are located, the physical sensory information including at least one of image data, acoustic data, and backscatter data;

determine the positioning data based on the physical sensory information, the positioning data including information corresponding to at least one of a first position of a target and a second position of an object in the environment; and

code for transmitting, via at least one transceiver, the positioning data to the network entity.