Systems and methods for determining a user equipment location based on measurements from multiple base stations

1. A method for determining a location of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, by a network element, UE position information from a UE being serviced by a plurality of base stations, the UE position information including a signal reception time and a signal transmission time or a timing advance for at least two of the plurality of base stations,

the signal transmission time being a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the UE to be received by a base station,

the signal reception time being a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the base station to be received by the UE, and

the timing advance being a difference between the signal transmission time and the signal reception time for the base station; and

determining, by the network element, a location of the UE based on the received UE position information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:

calculating a difference between the signal reception time and the signal transmission time for each of the at least two base stations; and

determining a distance from the UE to each of the at least two base stations, each distance based on half of the calculated difference for a respective one of the at least two base stations.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining further comprises:

determining a cell coverage area for the at least two base stations; and

determining an intersection point where each cell coverage area intersects, the location of the UE being based on the intersection point.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the intersection point is the location of the UE.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a respective cell coverage area has a radius based on the distance from the UE to a corresponding one of the at least two base stations.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises:

sending a request message to the UE, the request message including a request for the UE position information and a required response time;

determining if the required response time has lapsed; and

receiving a location message if the determining determines that the required response time has not lapsed, the location message including the UE position information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the receiving further comprises:

re-sending the request message if the determining determines that the required response time has lapsed and the location message has not been received.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving a location message including the UE position information, the location message being received on a periodic basis.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of base stations acts as a primary serving cell, and the other base stations of the plurality of base stations act as secondary serving cells.

10. A method for determining a location of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, by a network element, UE position information from a UE being serviced by a plurality of base stations, the UE position information including a signal reception time and a signal transmission time or a timing advance for at least two plurality of base stations,

the signal transmission time being a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the UE to be received by a base station,

the signal reception time being a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the base station to be received by the UE, and

the timing advance being a difference between the signal transmission time and the signal reception time for the base station; and

determining, by the network element, a location of the UE based on the received UE position information without requiring at least one of an angle of arrival (AoA) measurement, a reference signals received power (RSRP) measurement, and a reference signals received quality (RSRQ) measurement.

11. A location server for determining a location of a user equipment (UE), the network element configured to:

receive UE position information from a UE being serviced by a plurality of base stations, the UE position information including a signal reception time and a signal transmission time or a timing advance for at least two of the plurality of base stations,

the signal transmission time is a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the UE to be received by a base station,

the signal reception time is a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the base station to be received by the UE, and

the timing advance is a difference between the signal transmission time and the signal reception time for the base station; and

determine a location of the UE based on the received UE position information.

12. The location server of claim 11 , wherein in the determining, the server is configured to:

calculate a difference between the signal reception time and the signal transmission time for each of the at least two base stations; and

determine a distance from the UE to the at least two base stations, each distance is based on half of the calculated difference for a respective one of the at least two base stations.

13. The location server of claim 12 , wherein in the determining, the server is further configured to:

determine a cell coverage area for the at least two base stations; and

determine an intersection point where each cell coverage area intersects, the location of the UE is based on the intersection point.

14. The location server of claim 13 , wherein the intersection point is the location of the UE.

15. The location server of claim 13 , wherein a respective cell coverage area has a radius based on the distance from the UE to a corresponding one of the at least two base stations.

16. The location server of claim 11 , wherein in the receiving, the server is configured to:

send a request message to the UE, the request message including a request for the UE position information and a required response time;

determine if the required response time has lapsed; and

receive a location message if the required response time has been determined to have not lapsed, the location message including the UE position information.

17. The location server of claim 16 , wherein in the receiving, the server is further configured to:

re-send the request message if the required response time has been determined to have lapsed and the location message has not been received.

18. The location server of claim 11 , wherein in the receiving, the server is configured to:

receive a location message including the UE position information, the location message is received on a periodic basis.

19. The location server of claim 11 , wherein one of the plurality of base stations acts as a primary serving cell, and the other base stations of the plurality of base stations act as secondary serving cells.

20. A location server for determining a location of a user equipment (UE), the server configured to:

receive UE position information from a UE being serviced by a plurality of base stations, the UE position information including a signal reception time and a signal transmission time or a timing advance for at least two the plurality of base stations,

the signal transmission time is a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the UE to be received by a base station,

the signal reception time is a measured time for a signal being transmitted by the base station to be received by the UE, and

the timing advance is a difference between the signal transmission time and the signal reception time for the base station; and

determine a location of the UE based on the received UE position information without requiring at least one of an angle of arrival (AoA) measurement, a reference signals received power (RSRP) measurement, and a reference signals received quality (RSRQ) measurement.