IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,356,281
Granted Patent B2
US 12,356,281 · App. 17/932,886 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Joint UU and sidelink positioning for user equipments in UU inactive/idle state

Inventors: Anantharaman Balasubramanian (San Diego, CA); Shuanshuan Wu (San Diego, CA); Hong Cheng (Basking Ridge, NJ)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W4/023H04W4/029H04W76/27
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,356,281
App. No.
17/932,886
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some implementations, a network node of a wireless network may determine that a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state of a Uu interface of the target UE comprises an inactive or idle state. The network node may determine a time during which the target UE will be in a sidelink (SL) active state, wherein the SL active state comprises a state of operation in which the target UE monitors communication via one or more SL interfaces, transmits communication via the one or more SL interfaces, or both. The network node may send a message, the message for obtaining positioning measurements of the target UE using one or more SL devices corresponding to the one or more SL interfaces, wherein obtaining the positioning measurements is performed while (i) the RRC connection state comprises the inactive or idle state, and (ii) the target UE is in the SL active state.

Claims (32)

1. A method for performing positioning of a target user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

determining, at a network node of a wireless network, that a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state of a Uu interface of the target UE comprises an inactive or idle state;

determining, at the network node, a time during which the target UE will be in a sidelink (SL) active state, wherein the SL active state comprises a state of operation in which the target UE monitors communication via one or more SL interfaces, transmits communication via the one or more SL interfaces, or both; and

sending a message from the network node, the message for obtaining positioning measurements of the target UE using one or more SL devices corresponding to the one or more SL interfaces, wherein obtaining the positioning measurements is performed while (i) the RRC connection state comprises the inactive or idle state, and (ii) the target UE is in the SL active state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network node comprises a location server of the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the RRC connection state comprises receiving a message from a base station indicative of the RRC connection state.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the time during which the target UE will be in an SL active state comprises receiving a message indicative of the time from a base station or the target UE.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein sending the message from the network node comprises sending the message from the location server to a base station or the one or more SL devices.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network node comprises a base station of the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the RRC connection state is based on an RRC release sent to the target UE from the base station.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the time during which the target UE will be in an SL active state comprises receiving a message indicative of the time from the target UE.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein sending the message from the network node comprises sending the message from the base station to the one or more SL devices.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to sending the message from the network node:

receiving the positioning measurements; and

determining a position of the target UE based on the positioning measurements and a respective position of each of the one or more SL devices.

11. A network node of a wireless network, the network node comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the transceiver and the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine that a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state of a Uu interface of a target user equipment (UE) comprises an inactive or idle state;

determine a time during which the target UE will be in a sidelink (SL) active state, wherein the SL active state comprises a state of operation in which the target UE monitors communication via one or more SL interfaces, transmits communication via the one or more SL interfaces, or both; and

send a message via the transceiver, the message for obtaining positioning measurements of the target UE using one or more SL devices corresponding to the one or more SL interfaces, wherein obtaining the positioning measurements is performed while (i) the RRC connection state comprises the inactive or idle state, and (ii) the target UE is in the SL active state.

12. The network node of claim 11 , wherein the network node comprises a location server of the wireless network.

13. The network node of claim 12 , wherein, to determine the RRC connection state, the one or more processors are configured to receive a message, via the transceiver, from a base station indicative of the RRC connection state.

14. The network node of claim 12 , wherein, to determine the time during which the target UE will be in an SL active state, the one or more processors are configured to receive a message, via the transceiver, indicative of the time from a base station or the target UE.

15. The network node of claim 12 , wherein, to send the message, the one or more processors are configured to send the message to a base station or the one or more SL devices.

16. The network node of claim 11 , wherein the network node comprises a base station of the wireless network.

17. The network node of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the RRC connection state based on an RRC release sent to the target UE from the base station.

18. The network node of claim 16 , wherein, to determine the time during which the target UE will be in an SL active state, the one or more processors are configured to receive a message indicative of the time from the target UE.

19. The network node of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to sending the message from the network node:

receive the positioning measurements; and

determine a position of the target UE based on the positioning measurements and a respective position of each of the one or more SL devices.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: BALASUBRAMANIAN, ANANTHARAMAN; WU, SHUANSHUAN; CHENG, HONG
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061561/0875 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240107263A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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