Geographical localization of 5G/6G network users and base stations
Disclosed are systems and methods for entities in a 5G or 6G wireless network to indicate their geographical location to other entities. A base station can inform the user devices of its antenna location so that the users can direct beams toward the antenna. Mobile users can update their location information to the base station so that the base station can direct beams toward the mobile users in real-time. For example, the base station can embed the latitude and longitude of the base station antenna in a system information message, such as an unallocated portion of the SSB (synchronization signal block) which is periodically broadcast, and the users can transmit location-update messages to the base station using disclosed formats. By directing transmission beams and reception beams toward each other, base stations and users can obtain substantially improved reception with reduced background generation and reduced energy consumption.
1. Non-transitory computer-readable media in a base station of a wireless network comprising instructions that, when implemented, cause the base station to perform a method comprising:
a. determining a particular location corresponding to the base station or to an antenna of the base station; and
b. broadcasting a synchronization signal block (“SSB”) message comprising system information about the wireless network, and further comprising an indication of the particular location as determined in the determining step, wherein the SSB message comprises:
i. a first orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (“OFDM”) symbol comprising a primary synchronization signal (“PSS”) message, and further comprising the indication of the particular location;
ii. a second OFDM symbol comprising a portion of a physical broadcast channel (“PBCH”) message;
iii. a third OFDM symbol comprising a secondary synchronization signal (“SSS”) message; and
iv. a fourth OFDM symbol comprising a further portion of the PBCH message.
2. The media of claim 1 , wherein:
a. each OFDM symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers, each subcarrier comprising a different frequency; and
b. the indication of the particular location occupies subcarriers not occupied by the PSS.
3. The media of claim 2 , wherein:
a. the first OFDM symbol further comprises one or more demodulation reference signals; and
b. the demodulation reference signals occupy subcarriers not occupied by the PSS and not occupied by the indication of the particular location.
4. The media of claim 2 , wherein the indication of the particular location comprises geographical latitude and longitude coordinates of an antenna of the base station.
5. The media of claim 4 , wherein:
a. the PSS occupies a particular set of subcarriers;
b. a first coordinate, of the latitude and longitude coordinates, is encoded in subcarriers lower in frequency than the particular subcarriers; and
c. a second coordinate, of the latitude and longitude coordinates, is encoded in subcarriers higher in frequency than the particular subcarriers.
6. Non-transitory computer-readable media in a base station of a wireless network comprising instructions that, when implemented, cause the base station to perform a method comprising:
a. determining a particular location corresponding to the base station or to an antenna of the base station; and
b. broadcasting a synchronization signal block (“SSB”) message comprising system information about the wireless network, and further comprising an indication of the particular location as determined in the determining step, wherein the SSB message comprises five OFDM symbols:
i. a first OFDM symbol comprises a PSS message;
ii. a second OFDM symbol, following the first OFDM symbol, comprises a portion of a PBCH message;
iii. a third OFDM symbol, following the second OFDM symbol, comprises an SSS message;
iv. a fourth OFDM symbol, following the third OFDM symbol, comprises a further portion of the PBCH message; and
v. a fifth OFDM symbol, following the fourth OFDM symbol, comprises the indication of the particular location.