IP Library Granted Patent US 12,550,111
Granted Patent B2
US 12,550,111 · App. 18/261,772 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Time-drift error mitigation for round-trip-time positioning

Inventors: Jing Dai (Beijing, CN); Alexandros Manolakos (Escondido, CA); Weimin Duan (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W64/006H04L5/0051
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,550,111
App. No.
18/261,772
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are systems, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory media for improving user equipment (UE) positioning by reducing round-trip-time (RTT) measurement errors that may result from clock-drift between network nodes. In some aspects, RTT measurement error can be mitigated through modifications to resource signaling schedules at a UE and/or gNB, for example, based on resource configuration information specifying a time-gap for signaling resource transmission.

Claims (55)

1 . An apparatus for facilitating round trip time (RTT) positioning, the apparatus comprising:

at least one transceiver;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver and the at least one memory and configured to:

obtain a threshold associated with a user equipment (UE) device;

determine, based on the threshold, resource configuration information for the UE device, the resource configuration information indicates a time-gap between Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources associated with the UE device, wherein the time-gap is configured to reduce round-trip-time (RTT) measurement error resulting from a clock drift associated with the UE device; and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the resource configuration information to the UE device.

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

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the time-gap to a location server.

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

receive the threshold from a location server.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the resource configuration information further comprises signaling window information, the signaling window information specifying a signaling window for transmission of one or more SRS resources by the UE device.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the time-gap between the SRS resources is greater than or equal to the threshold.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the resource configuration information includes at least one Timing Advance (TA) command associated with the SRS resources, the at least one TA command being configured to cause the SRS resources to be transmitted by the UE device using a common TA.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies at least a single SRS resource and a copy of the single SRS resource, the single SRS resource and the copy of the single SRS resource separated by the time-gap, or at least two SRS resources with an equal periodicity, or a combination thereof.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is based on a capability report of the UE device, a bandwidth of the UE device, a bandwidth of the SRS resources associated with the UE device, or a combination thereof.

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

receive, via the at least one transceiver, at least one SRS resource from the UE device, wherein the at least one SRS resource is based on the time-gap indicated by the resource configuration information; and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, at least one Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) resource to the UE device.

10 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating round trip time (RTT) positioning, the method comprising:

obtaining a threshold associated with a user equipment (UE) device;

determining, based on the threshold, resource configuration information for the UE device, the resource configuration information indicating a time-gap between Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources associated with the UE device, wherein the time-gap is configured to reduce round-trip-time (RTT) measurement error resulting from a clock drift associated with the UE device; and

transmitting the resource configuration information to the UE device.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:

transmitting the time-gap to a location server.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the threshold further comprises:

receiving the threshold from a location server.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the resource configuration information further comprises signaling window information, the signaling window information specifying a signaling window for transmission of one or more SRS resources by the UE device.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the time-gap between the SRS resources is greater than or equal to the threshold.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the resource configuration information includes at least one Timing Advance (TA) command associated with the SRS resources, the at least one TA command being configured to cause the SRS resources to be transmitted by the UE device using a common TA.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies at least a single SRS resource and a copy of the single SRS resource, the single SRS resource and the copy of the single SRS resource separated by the time-gap, or at least two SRS resources with an equal periodicity, or a combination thereof.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the threshold is based on a capability report of the UE device, a bandwidth of the UE device, a bandwidth of the SRS resources associated with the UE device, or a combination thereof.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving at least one SRS resource from the UE device, wherein the at least one SRS resource is based on the time-gap indicated by the resource configuration information; and

transmitting at least one Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) resource to the UE device.

19 . An apparatus for facilitating round trip time (RTT) positioning, the apparatus comprising:

at least one transceiver;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver and the at least one memory and configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver, resource configuration information, wherein the resource configuration information is based on a threshold associated with the apparatus, and wherein the resource configuration information indicates a time-gap for transmission of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources, wherein the time-gap is configured to reduce a clock drift associated with the apparatus; and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, one or more SRS resources based on the time-gap indicated by the resource configuration information.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the time-gap for the SRS resources is greater than or equal to the threshold.

21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies two SRS resources with an equal periodicity.

22 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies a single SRS resource and a copy of the single SRS resource, wherein the single SRS resource and the copy of the single SRS resource are separated by the time-gap.

23 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, capability information to a location server.

24 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver, at least one Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) resource.

25 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating round trip time (RTT) positioning, the method comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE) device, resource configuration information, wherein the resource configuration information is based on a threshold associated with the UE device, and wherein the resource configuration information indicates a time-gap for transmission of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources, wherein the time-gap is configured to reduce a clock drift associated with the apparatus; and

transmitting, by the UE device, one or more SRS resources based on the time-gap indicated by the resource configuration information.

26 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein the time-gap for the SRS resources is greater than or equal to the threshold.

27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein the one or more SRS resources are transmitted on a common Timing Advance (TA).

28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies two SRS resources with an equal periodicity.

29 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein the resource configuration information specifies a single SRS resource and a copy of the single SRS resource, and wherein the single SRS resource and the copy of the single SRS resource are separated by the time-gap.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2023
From: DAI, JING; MANOLAKOS, ALEXANDROS; DUAN, WEIMIN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 065329/0257 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240057026A1 · Feb 15, 2024
References Cited (25)
US 9973951B1 · Rai et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10855421B2 · Manolakos et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20120106489A1 · Konishi · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20160150572A1 · Quan et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20190049550A1 · Modarres Razavi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190268725A1 · Edge et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210144658A1 · Han · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210273710A1 · Song et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210377904A1 · Huang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220029764A1 · Liou · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220345903A1 · Liu · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230048976A1 · Li · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230198707A1 · Yokomakura · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230370231A1 · Abdelghaffar · 2023 [cited by examiner]
WO 2019032733 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020107155A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020164334A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020167857A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020206021A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Huawei, et al., “Remaining Issues on SRS Configuration,” 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 eMeeting #109, R2-2000967, Electronic, Feb. 24-Mar. 6, 2020, (Mar. 6, 2020), 4 pages, the whole document. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion—PCT/CN2021/084895—ISA/EPO—Jan. 4, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Supplementary European Search Report—EP21933958—Search Authority—The Hague—Mar. 5, 2025. [cited by applicant]
Qualcomm Incorporated: “On UE Rx-Tx Timing Difference Measurements in NR Positioning”, R4-2009876, 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Route Des Lucioles, F-06921 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, F… [cited by applicant]
Supplementary European Search Report—EP21933958—Search Authority—The Hague—Dec. 10, 2024. [cited by applicant]
VIVO: “Discussion on UE Rx-Tx Time Difference Measurement Requirements”, R4-2101777, 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Route Des Lucioles, F-06921 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France, vol. RA… [cited by applicant]