IP Library Granted Patent US 12,414,074
Granted Patent B2
US 12,414,074 · App. 18/417,763 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Systems and methods of providing new radio positioning

Inventors: Alexey Khoryaev (Nizhny Novgorod, RU); Sergey Sosnin (Zavolzhie, RU); Gang Xiong (Portland, OR); Seunghee Han (San Jose, CA); Sergey Panteleev (Nizhny Novgorod, RU)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04W64/003H04L5/0051
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 12,414,074
App. No.
18/417,763
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to determine an estimated location of a user equipment (UE). For instance, a UE can provide a positioning request to a node while the UE is in a radio resource control idle (RRC_IDLE) or inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state. The positioning request can be implemented in a random access channel (RACH) message A (MsgA). The UE can then receive a positioning response from the node. The positioning response can be implemented in a RACH message B (MsgB).

Claims (36)

1. A base station in a wireless network, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive a positioning request from a user equipment (UE), the positioning request implemented in a random access channel (RACH) message A (MsgA);

provide an uplink (UL) positioning reference signal (PRS) resource configuration to the UE;

receive UL PRS data from the UE based at least in part on the UL PRS resource configuration; and

provide a positioning response to the UE, the positioning response implemented in a RACH message B (MsgB),

wherein the UL PRS data is received from the UE prior to the providing of the positioning response.

2. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises a physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble.

3. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises at least one of a requested type of positioning procedure, a request for additional allocation of reference signals, one or more signal location parameter measurements, a UE identification, and a requested type of positioning reference resources.

4. The base station of claim 1 , wherein a requested type of positioning procedure comprises a downlink (DL) only positioning technique, a UL only positioning technique, or a DL and UL positioning technique.

5. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the positioning response comprises an estimated coordinate of the UE, a metric characterizing coordinate estimation quality, timestamps indicative of a time of reception of one or more reference signals, a request for additional positioning measurements, a configuration or activation of additional resources for transmission of positioning reference signals, or location information associated with downlink (DL) positioning reference resources.

6. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the RACH MsgB comprises at least one of an estimated location of the UE, a metric characterizing a quality or uncertainty of the estimated location, a timestamp indicating a time of reception of the RACH MsgA by the base station, a timestamp indicating a time of transmission of the RACH MsgB by the base station, a request for additional positioning measurements, or location information associated with downlink (DL) positioning reference resources.

7. The base station of claim 6 , wherein the estimated location of the UE is determined by a location function entity, and provided to the base station.

8. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the UL PRS resource configuration is implemented in a second RACH MsgB or through upper layer signaling.

9. A method for determining an estimated location of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a base station in the wireless network, a positioning request from a UE, the positioning request implemented in a random access channel (RACH) message A (MsgA);

providing, by the base station, an uplink (UL) positioning reference signal (PRS) resource configuration to the UE;

receiving, by the base station, UL PRS data from the UE based at least in part on the UL PRS resource configuration; and

providing, by the base station, a positioning response to the UE, the positioning response implemented in a RACH message B (MsgB),

wherein the UL PRS data is received from the UE prior to the providing of the positioning response.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises a physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises at least one of a requested type of positioning procedure, a request for additional allocation of reference signals, one or more signal location parameter measurements, a UE identification, and a requested type of positioning reference resources.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein a requested type of positioning procedure comprises a downlink (DL) only positioning technique, a UL only positioning technique, or a DL and UL positioning technique.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the positioning response comprises an estimated coordinate of the UE, a metric characterizing coordinate estimation quality, timestamps indicative of a time of reception of one or more reference signals, a request for additional positioning measurements, a configuration or activation of additional resources for transmission of positioning reference signals, or location information associated with downlink (DL) positioning reference resources.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the UL PRS resource configuration is implemented in a second RACH MsgB or through upper layer signaling.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (CRM) comprising instructions to, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of a base station in a wireless network, cause the base station to:

receive a positioning request from a user equipment (UE), the positioning request implemented in a random access channel (RACH) message A (MsgA);

provide an uplink (UL) positioning reference signal (PRS) resource configuration to the UE;

receive UL PRS data from the UE based at least in part on the UL PRS resource configuration; and

provide a positioning response to the UE, the positioning response implemented in a RACH message B (MsgB),

wherein the UL PRS data is received from the UE prior to the providing of the positioning response.

16. The one or more non-transitory CRM of claim 15 , wherein the RACH MsgB comprises at least one of an estimated location of the UE, a metric characterizing a quality or uncertainty of the estimated location, a timestamp indicating a time of reception of the RACH MsgA by the base station, a timestamp indicating a time of transmission of the RACH MsgB by the base station, a request for additional positioning measurements, or location information associated with downlink (DL) positioning reference resources.

17. The one or more non-transitory CRM of claim 15 , wherein the UL PRS resource configuration is implemented in a second RACH MsgB or through upper layer signaling.

18. The one or more non-transitory CRM of claim 15 , wherein the positioning response comprises an estimated coordinate of the UE, a metric characterizing coordinate estimation quality, timestamps indicative of a time of reception of one or more reference signals, a request for additional positioning measurements, a configuration or activation of additional resources for transmission of positioning reference signals, or location information associated with downlink (DL) positioning reference resources.

19. The one or more non-transitory CRM of claim 15 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises at least one of a requested type of positioning procedure, a request for additional allocation of reference signals, one or more signal location parameter measurements, a UE identification, and a requested type of positioning reference resources.

20. The one or more non-transitory CRM of claim 15 , wherein the RACH MsgA comprises a physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17422101
Provisional Application 62791469 · Jan 11, 2019
Related Publication 20240163836A1 · May 16, 2024
References Cited (13)
US 11064329B2 · Xu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11882541B2 · Khoryaev · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20170215099A1 · Han et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180220392A1 · Ly · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200028648A1 · Akkarakaran · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210352613A1 · Yoon et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220110085A1 · Khoryaev et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 105122925A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
EP 2894888A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015175414A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
MediaTek Inc., “Further considerations on 2-step RACH,” 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #103bis, Chengdu, China, Oct. 8-12, 2018, R2-1813965; 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
Qualcomm, “Status report for SI Study on NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum,” 3GPP TSG RAN meeting #82, Sorrento, Italy, Dec. 10-13, 2018, RP-182397; 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority directed to related International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/013093, mailed Mar. 31, 2020; 11 pages. [cited by applicant]