IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,647,231
Granted Patent B2
US 12,647,231 · App. 17/220,728 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Sidelink-based ranging and positioning utilizing positioning reference signal (PRS) messages

Inventors: Dan Vassilovski (Del Mar, CA); Kapil Gulati (Belle Mead, NJ); Hong Cheng (Basking Ridge, NJ)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04L5/0051H04L5/0048H04W8/24H04W64/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,647,231
App. No.
17/220,728
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A UE transmits, to at least one UE, a PRS request message, the transmitted PRS request message including one or more parameters including at least one of: an SL ranging protocol version, one or more supported PRS channels, a supported per-channel PRS bandwidth, an initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, or a post-PRS Tx time. The UE receives, from the at least one UE, a PRS response message based on the transmitted PRS request message. The UE transmits, to the at least one UE, a PRS confirmation message based on the received PRS response message, the transmitted PRS confirmation message including one or more parameters including at least one of: the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth, the initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, or the post-PRS Tx time.

Claims (68)

1 . An apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one memory;

at least one transceiver; and

at least one processor, communicatively connected to the at least one memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:

transmit, to at least one second UE, a positioning reference signal (PRS) request message, the transmitted PRS request message including an initiator UE-assigned PRS transmission (Tx) time, a post-PRS Tx time, a sidelink (SL) ranging protocol version, one or more supported PRS channels, and a supported per-channel PRS bandwidth;

receive, from the at least one second UE, a PRS response message based on the transmitted PRS request message; and

transmit, to the at least one second UE, a PRS confirmation message based on the received PRS response message, the transmitted PRS confirmation message including the initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, the post-PRS Tx time, the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, to the at least one second UE, a first capability message; and

receive, from the at least one second UE, a second capability message, wherein each of the transmitted capability message and the received capability message includes the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, to the at least one second UE, a first set of PRSs and receive, from the at least one second UE, a second set of PRSs based at least in part on at least one of the transmitted PRS request message or the transmitted PRS confirmation message; and

transmit, to the at least one second UE, a first post-PRS message and receive, from the at least one second UE, a second post-PRS message based on the transmitted first set of PRSs and the received second set of PRSs, wherein each of the transmitted post-PRS message and the received post-PRS message includes at least one of: a PRS transmission-reception (Tx-Rx) time difference, a UE velocity, a first accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, a UE acceleration, a second accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration, an angle-of-arrival (AoA), an angle-of-departure (AoD), a UE antenna identifier (ID), or a UE antenna location.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a PRS Tx-Rx time difference based on a difference between a Tx time of the transmitted first set of PRSs and a Rx time of the received second set of PRSs.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the transmitted post-PRS message or the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity or the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the transmitted post-PRS message or the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity, the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, the UE acceleration, or the accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration.

7 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one second UE is a roadside unit (RSU) or includes the RSU.

8 . A method of wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE), comprising:

transmitting, to at least one second UE, a positioning reference signal (PRS) request message, the transmitted PRS request message including an initiator UE-assigned PRS transmission (Tx) time, a post-PRS Tx time, a sidelink (SL) ranging protocol version, one or more supported PRS channels, and a supported per-channel PRS bandwidth;

receiving, from the at least one second UE, a PRS response message based on the transmitted PRS request message; and

transmitting, to the at least one second UE, a PRS confirmation message based on the received PRS response message, the transmitted PRS confirmation message including the initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, the post-PRS Tx time, the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the at least one second UE, a first capability message; and

receiving, from the at least one second UE, a second capability message, wherein each of the transmitted capability message and the received capability message includes the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the at least one second UE, a first set of PRSs and receiving, from the at least one second UE, a second set of PRSs based at least in part on at least one of the transmitted PRS request message or the transmitted PRS confirmation message; and

transmitting, to the at least one second UE, a first post-PRS message and receiving, from the at least one second UE, a second post-PRS message based on the transmitted first set of PRSs and the received second set of PRSs, wherein each of the transmitted post-PRS message and the received post-PRS message includes at least one of: a PRS transmission-reception (Tx-Rx) time difference, a UE velocity, a first accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, a UE acceleration, a second accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration, an angle-of-arrival (AoA), an angle-of-departure (AoD), a UE antenna identifier (ID), or a UE antenna location.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining a PRS Tx-Rx time difference based on a difference between a Tx time of the transmitted first set of PRSs and a Rx time of the received second set of PRSs.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the transmitted post-PRS message or the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity or the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the transmitted post-PRS message or the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity, the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, the UE acceleration, or the accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one second UE is a roadside unit (RSU) or includes the RSU.

15 . An apparatus for wireless communication at a second user equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one memory;

at least one transceiver; and

at least one processor, communicatively connected to the at least one memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:

receive, from a first UE, a positioning reference signal (PRS) request message, the received PRS request message including an initiator UE-assigned PRS transmission (Tx) time, a post-PRS Tx time, a sidelink (SL) ranging protocol version, one or more supported PRS channels, and a supported per-channel PRS bandwidth;

transmit, to the first UE, a PRS response message based on the received PRS request message; and

receive, from the first UE, a PRS confirmation message based on the transmitted PRS response message, the received PRS confirmation message including the initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, the post-PRS Tx time, the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the first UE, a first capability message; and

transmit, to the first UE, a second capability message, wherein each of the received capability message and the transmitted capability message includes the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the first UE, a first set of PRSs and transmit, to the first UE, a second set of PRSs based at least in part on at least one of the received PRS request message or the received PRS confirmation message; and

receive, from the first UE, a first post-PRS message and transmit, to the first UE, a second post-PRS message based on the received first set of PRSs and the transmitted second set of PRSs, wherein each of the received post-PRS message and the transmitted post-PRS message includes at least one of: a PRS transmission-reception (Tx-Rx) time difference, a UE velocity, a first accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, a UE acceleration, a second accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration, an angle-of-arrival (AoA), an angle-of-departure (AoD), a UE antenna identifier (ID), or a UE antenna location.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a PRS Tx-Rx time difference based on a difference between a Rx time of the received first set of PRSs and a Tx time of the transmitted second set of PRSs.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity or the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity.

20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity, the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, the UE acceleration, or the accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration.

21 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmitted post-PRS message includes a second AoA of the received one or more PRSs and the UE is at a fixed location.

22 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmitted post-PRS message includes a second AoD of the transmitted second set of PRSs and the UE is at a fixed location.

23 . A method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving, from a first UE, a positioning reference signal (PRS) request message, the received PRS request message including an initiator UE-assigned PRS transmission (Tx) time, a post-PRS Tx time, a sidelink (SL) ranging protocol version, one or more supported PRS channels, and a supported per-channel PRS bandwidth;

transmitting, to the first UE, a PRS response message based on the received PRS request message; and

receiving, from the first UE, a PRS confirmation message based on the transmitted PRS response message, the received PRS confirmation message including the initiator UE-assigned PRS Tx time, the post-PRS Tx time, the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first UE, a first capability message; and

transmitting, to the first UE, a second capability message, wherein each of the received capability message and the transmitted capability message includes the SL ranging protocol version, the one or more supported PRS channels, and the supported per-channel PRS bandwidth.

25 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first UE, a first set of PRSs and transmitting, to the first UE, a second set of PRSs based at least in part on at least one of the received PRS request message or the received PRS confirmation message; and

receiving, from the first UE, a first post-PRS message and transmitting, to the first UE, a second post-PRS message based on the received first set of PRSs and the transmitted second set of PRSs, wherein each of the received post-PRS message and the transmitted post-PRS message includes at least one of: a PRS transmission-reception (Tx-Rx) time difference, a UE velocity, a first accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, a UE acceleration, a second accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration, an angle-of-arrival (AoA), an angle-of-departure (AoD), a UE antenna identifier (ID), or a UE antenna location.

26 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

determining a PRS Tx-Rx time difference based on a difference between a Rx time of the received first set of PRSs and a Tx time of the transmitted second set of PRSs.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity or the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the received post-PRS message includes at least one of the UE velocity, the accuracy metric associated with the UE velocity, the UE acceleration, or the accuracy metric associated with the UE acceleration.

29 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the transmitted post-PRS message includes a second AoA of the received first set of PRSs and the UE is at a fixed location.

30 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the transmitted post-PRS message includes a second AoD of the transmitted second set of PRSs and the UE is at a fixed location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2021
From: VASSILOVSKI, DAN; GULATI, KAPIL; CHENG, HONG
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055936/0777 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220317278A1 · Oct 6, 2022
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