IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,245,503
Granted Patent B2
US 11,245,503 · App. 16/773,546 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Scheduling for positioning reference signal (PRS) in narrowband-internet of things (NB-IoT)

Inventors: Arul Durai Murugan Palanivelu (Bangalore, IN); Kapil Bhattad (Bangalore, IN); Manikandan Chandrasekar (Bangalore, IN); Alberto Rico Alvarino (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04L5/0048H04L5/0005H04L5/0053H04W4/70H04W56/001H04W64/00H04W72/042H04W72/044H04W72/0466H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,245,503
App. No.
16/773,546
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wireless communications systems and methods related to communicating positioning reference signals (PRSs) for narrowband communication are provided. A first wireless communication device determines a time-frequency PRS pattern based at least in part on a narrowband communication frequency band configuration and a PRS subframe configuration mode associated with a set of subframes. The first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, a plurality of PRSs using the determined PRS time-frequency pattern in the set of subframes. The PRS subframe configuration mode can indicate a first configuration including a bitmap indicating a set of PRS subframes positioned within a group of contiguous subframes, a second configuration indicating a subset of the group of contiguous subframes that may carry the PRSs, or a combination thereof. The first configuration and/or the second configuration can be used to indicate the set of subframes.

Claims (82)

1. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving a configuration including:

a first indication including a narrowband positioning reference signal (NPRS) bitmap for a group of subframes, the NPRS bitmap including a length corresponding to a number of subframes in the group of subframes, wherein the NPRS bitmap indicates a first subframe of the group of subframes, the first subframe including a first NPRS; and

a second indication indicating an NPRS subframe configuration periodicity, a starting NPRS subframe, and a number of NPRS subframes including the first subframe; and

receiving the first NPRS based on the first indication and the second indication both indicating the first subframe.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first indication is associated with a first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, wherein the second indication is associated with a second PRS time-frequency resource mapping different from the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and wherein the receiving the first NPRS comprises:

receiving, during the first subframe, the first NPRS based on the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first subframe includes a plurality of frequency tones in a plurality of symbols, and wherein the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping includes time-frequency resources in a subset of the plurality of frequency tones in a subset of the plurality of symbols.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first NPRS comprises:

receiving the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first NPRS comprises:

receiving the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a guard band of a wideband communication frequency band.

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

receiving the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a standalone band independent of a wideband communication frequency band.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first NPRS comprises:

receiving, in a narrowband communication frequency band, the first NPRS based on a PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band, a guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or a standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band; and

determining the PRS time-frequency resource mapping in response to determining whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within the in-band frequency band of the wideband communication frequency band, the guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or the standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 40 bits.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 10 bits.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the configuration further comprises:

receiving the configuration including an indication associated with at least one of a guard band, a standalone, or an in-band within an LTE band.

11. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a memory;

a transceiver; and

a processor, communicatively connected to the memory and transceiver, the user equipment configured to:

receive a configuration including:

a first indication including a narrowband positioning reference signal (NPRS) bitmap for a group of subframes, the NPRS bitmap including a length corresponding to a number of subframes in the group of subframes, wherein the NPRS bitmap indicates a first subframe of the group of subframes, the first subframe including a NPRS; and

a second indication indicating an NPRS subframe configuration periodicity, a starting NPRS subframe, and a number of NPRS subframes including the first subframe; and

receive a first positioning reference signal (PRS) based on the first indication and the second indication both indicating the first subframe.

12. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the first indication is associated with a first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, wherein the second indication is associated with a second PRS time-frequency resource mapping different from the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and wherein the processor configured to receive the first NPRS is configured to:

receive, during the first subframe, the first NPRS based on the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping.

13. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the first subframe includes a plurality of frequency tones in a plurality of symbols, and wherein the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping includes time-frequency resources in a subset of the plurality of frequency tones in a subset of the plurality of symbols.

14. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the UE configured to receive the first NPRS is configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band.

15. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the UE configured to receive the first NPRS is configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a guard band of a wideband communication frequency band.

16. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the UE configured to receive the first NPRS is configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a standalone band independent of a wideband communication frequency band.

17. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the UE configured to receive the first NPRS is configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band based on a PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band, a guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or a standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band; and

determine the PRS time-frequency resource mapping in response to determining whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within the in-band frequency band of the wideband communication frequency band, the guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or the standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band.

18. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 40 bits.

19. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 10 bits.

20. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the processor configured to receive the configuration is further configured to:

receive the configuration including an indication associated with at least one of a guard band, a standalone, or an in-band within an LTE band.

21. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

means for receiving a configuration including:

a first indication including a narrowband positioning reference signal (NPRS) bitmap for a group of subframes, the NPRS bitmap including a length corresponding to a number of subframes in the group of subframes, wherein the NPRS bitmap indicates a first subframe of the group of subframes, the first subframe including a NPRS; and

a second indication indicating an NPRS subframe configuration periodicity, a starting NPRS subframe, and a number of NPRS subframes including the first subframe; and

means for receiving a first positioning reference signal (PRS) based on the first indication and the second indication both indicating the first subframe.

22. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the first indication is associated with a first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, wherein the second indication is associated with a second PRS time-frequency resource mapping different from the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and wherein the means for receiving the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive, during the first subframe, the first NPRS based on the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping.

23. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band.

24. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a guard band of a wideband communication frequency band.

25. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive the first NPRS in a narrowband communication frequency band within a standalone band independent of a wideband communication frequency band.

26. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive in a narrowband communication frequency band, the first NPRS based on a PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and

wherein the UE further comprises:

means for determining whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within an in-band frequency band of a wideband communication frequency band, a guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or a standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band; and

means for determining the PRS time-frequency resource mapping in response to determining whether the narrowband communication frequency band is within the in-band frequency band of the wideband communication frequency band, the guard-band of the wideband communication frequency band, or the standalone frequency band independent of the wideband communication frequency band.

27. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 40 bits.

28. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 10 bits.

29. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the configuration is further configured to:

receive the configuration including an indication associated with at least one of a guard band, a standalone, or an in-band within an LTE band.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:

code for causing a user equipment (UE) to receive a configuration including:

a first indication including a narrowband positioning reference signal (NPRS) bitmap for a group of subframes, the NPRS bitmap including a length corresponding to a number of subframes in the group of subframes, wherein the NPRS bitmap indicates a first subframe of the group of subframes, the first subframe including a NPRS; and

a second indication indicating an NPRS subframe configuration periodicity, a starting NPRS subframe, and a number of NPRS subframes including the first subframe; and

code for causing the UE to receive a first positioning reference signal (PRS) based on the first indication and the second indication both indicating the first subframe.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the first indication is associated with a first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, wherein the second indication is associated with a second PRS time-frequency resource mapping different from the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping, and wherein the code for causing the UE to receive the first NPRS is further configured to:

receive, during the first subframe, the first NPRS based on the first PRS time-frequency resource mapping.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 40 bits.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the length of the NPRS bitmap is 10 bits.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the code for causing the UE to receive the configuration is further configured to:

receive the configuration including an indication associated with at least one of a guard band, a standalone, or an in-band within an LTE band.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2021
From: PALANIVELU, ARUL DURAI MURUGAN; BHATTAD, KAPIL; CHANDRASEKAR, MANIKANDAN; RICO ALVARINO, ALBERTO
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055890/0512 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2020
From: PALANIVELU, ARUL DURAI MURUGAN; BHATTAD, KAPIL; CHANDRASEKAR, MANIKANDAN; ALVARINO, ALBERTO RICO
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 052714/0734 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN IN201641033621 · Sep 30, 2016 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15718447 · Sep 28, 2017
Provisional Application 62451966 · Jan 30, 2017
Provisional Application 62423155 · Nov 16, 2016
Related Publication 20200169367A1 · May 28, 2020