Positioning using traffic control

1 . An apparatus comprising:

an input;

a memory; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the input and the memory and configured to:

obtain, via the input, traffic control information from one or more sensors of a user equipment (UE), the UE being a mobile device, one or more sensors comprising at least one camera, at least one microphone, or a combination thereof, and the traffic control information being indicative of transmission of a traffic control indication granting permission for vehicle motion, or permission for pedestrian motion, or a combination thereof; and

determine position-related information based on at least one image, at least one sound, or a combination thereof of the traffic control information, the position-related information comprising a location of the UE, a heading of the UE, or a combination thereof.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the heading of the UE based on a motion indication indicating a change in motion of the UE at a first time that is within a threshold amount of time relative to a second time corresponding to receipt of the traffic control indication at the UE or transmission of the traffic control indication by a traffic control indication source.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the heading of the UE based on a characteristic of a plurality of audible tones comprising the traffic control indication.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of audible tones is a frequency of each of the plurality of audible tones, or a duration of each of the plurality of audible tones, or a periodicity of the plurality of audible tones, or a combination thereof.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is configured to determine the position-related information based on a first reception magnitude of a first tone received by the UE from a first source and a second reception magnitude of a second tone received by the UE from a second source; or

the processor is configured to determine the position-related information based on a first reception time of the first tone at the UE relative to a second reception time of the second tone at the UE; or

the processor is configured to determine the heading of the UE based on a first frequency of the first tone perceived by the UE and a second frequency of the second tone perceived by the UE; or

any combination thereof.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a direction of a source of a sound relative to the UE, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the position-related information based on the direction of the source of the sound relative to the UE and a location of the source of the sound.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the location of the UE based on a traffic control indication source location indicated in a near-field communication received by the UE.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the position-related information is a first heading of the UE;

the apparatus is the UE;

the input comprises the one or more sensors of the UE, that comprise a plurality of UE sensors;

the processor is communicatively coupled to the plurality of UE sensors and further configured to determine a second heading of the UE based on measurements from the plurality of UE sensors; and

the processor is further configured to calibrate one or more of the plurality of UE sensors based on a difference between the first heading of the UE and the second heading of the UE.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the position-related information is the heading of the UE, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the heading of the UE based on speech received by the UE and based on map information.

10 . A positioning method comprising:

obtaining traffic control information from one or more sensors of a user equipment (UE), the UE being a mobile device, one or more sensors comprising at least one camera, at least one microphone, or a combination thereof, and the traffic control information being indicative of transmission of a traffic control indication granting permission for vehicle motion, or permission for pedestrian motion, or a combination thereof; and

determining position-related information based on at least one image, at least one sound, or a combination thereof of the traffic control information, the position-related information comprising a location of the UE, a heading of the UE, or a combination thereof.

11 . The positioning method of claim 10 , wherein determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on a change in motion of the UE at a first time that is within a threshold amount of time relative to a second time corresponding to receipt of the traffic control indication at the UE or transmission of the traffic control indication by a traffic control indication source.

12 . The positioning method of claim 10 , wherein determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on a characteristic of a plurality of audible tones comprising the traffic control indication.

13 . The positioning method of claim 12 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of audible tones is a frequency of each of the plurality of audible tones, or a duration of each of the plurality of audible tones, or a periodicity of the plurality of audible tones, or a combination thereof.

14 . The positioning method of claim 10 , wherein:

determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on a first reception magnitude of a first tone received by the UE from a first source and a second reception magnitude of a second tone received by the UE from a second source; or

determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on a first reception time of the first tone at the UE relative to a second reception time of the second tone at the UE; or

determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on a first frequency of the first tone perceived by the UE and a second frequency of the second tone perceived by the UE; or

any combination thereof.

15 . The positioning method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a direction of a source of a sound relative to the UE, wherein determining the position-related information comprises determining the position-related information based on the direction of the source of the sound relative to the UE and a location of the source of the sound.

16 . The positioning method of claim 10 , further comprising determining the location of the UE based on a traffic control indication source location indicated in a near-field communication received by the UE.

17 . The positioning method of claim 10 , wherein:

the position-related information is a first heading of the UE;

the one or more sensors of the UE comprise a plurality of UE sensors;

the positioning method further comprises determining a second heading of the UE based on measurements from the plurality of UE sensors; and

the positioning method further comprises calibrating one or more of the plurality of sensors based on a difference between the first heading of the UE and the second heading of the UE.

18 . The positioning method of claim 10 , wherein determining the position-related information comprises determining the heading of the UE based on speech received by the UE and based on map information.