Bandwidth-dependent positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission for narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) positioning

1. A method for transmitting an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

generating, by a base station, the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

transmitting, by the base station to at least one user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, the extended NPRS sequence on the plurality of symbols of the single physical resource block corresponding to the plurality of symbol indexes and across the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames corresponding to the plurality of slot numbers,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, a PRS sequence of the wideband PRS occasion is utilized during the wideband PRS occasion instead of the extended NPRS sequence, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers continues to increment for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the at least one UE, assistance data indicating the extended NPRS sequence.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the at least one UE, measurements of a subset of NPRS of the extended NPRS sequence.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the at least one UE, an indication that the at least one UE can measure NPRS of the extended NPRS sequence.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slot numbers of the plurality of slots increments across the plurality of sequential radio frames.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting assistance data to the at least one UE indicating the wideband PRS occasion.

7. A method for transmitting an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

generating, by a base station, the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

transmitting, by the base station to at least one user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, the extended NPRS sequence on the plurality of symbols of the single physical resource block corresponding to the plurality of symbol indexes and across the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames corresponding to the plurality of slot numbers,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, resetting a current slot number of the plurality of slot numbers to correspond to a slot number of a plurality of slots of the wideband PRS occasion, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers increments for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots by continuing from the slot number of the plurality of slots of the wideband PRS occasion.

8. A method for transmitting an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

generating, by a base station, the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames;

transmitting, by the base station to at least one user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, the extended NPRS sequence on the plurality of symbols of the single physical resource block corresponding to the plurality of symbol indexes and across the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames corresponding to the plurality of slot numbers, wherein the extended NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames starts with a legacy NPRS sequence in a first radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

transmitting, based on the at least one UE not being able to detect the extended NPRS sequence across each of the plurality of sequential radio frames, assistance data to the at least one UE directing the at least one UE to utilize only the legacy NPRS sequence.

9. A method for transmitting an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

generating, by a base station, the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames;

transmitting, by the base station to at least one user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, the extended NPRS sequence on the plurality of symbols of the single physical resource block corresponding to the plurality of symbol indexes and across the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames corresponding to the plurality of slot numbers, wherein the extended NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames is multiplexed with a legacy NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

transmitting, based on the at least one UE being able to detect the extended NPRS sequence across each of the plurality of sequential radio frames, assistance data to the at least one UE directing the at least one UE to utilize only the extended NPRS sequence or both the extended NPRS sequence and the legacy NPRS sequence.

10. A method for measuring an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, an NPRS of a first subset of the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

measuring, by the UE, the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, a PRS sequence of the wideband PRS occasion is utilized during the wideband PRS occasion instead of the extended NPRS sequence, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers continues to increment for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

measuring, by the UE, an NPRS of a second subset of the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the second subset comprises all NPRS of the extended NPRS sequence other than the first subset; and

averaging, by the UE, a measurement of the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence and a measurement of the NPRS of the second subset of the extended NPRS sequence.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, at the UE, an NPRS of a second subset of the extended NPRS sequence;

measuring, by the UE, the NPRS of the second subset of the extended NPRS sequence;

reporting a measurement of the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence and a measurement of the NPRS of the second subset of the extended NPRS sequence to a location server; and

receiving, from the location server, a position of the UE calculated based on the measurement of the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence and the measurement of the NPRS of the second subset of the extended NPRS sequence.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, from a base station transmitting the extended NPRS sequence, assistance data indicating the extended NPRS sequence.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

sending, to a base station transmitting the extended NPRS sequence, an indication that the UE can measure the extended NPRS sequence.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of slot numbers of the plurality of slots increments across the plurality of sequential radio frames.

16. A method for measuring an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, an NPRS of a first subset of the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

measuring, by the UE, the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, a current slot number of the plurality of slot numbers is reset to correspond to a slot number of a plurality of slots of the wideband PRS occasion, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers increments for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots by continuing from the slot number of the plurality of slots of the wideband PRS occasion.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the extended NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames starts with a legacy NPRS sequence in a first radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the extended NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames is multiplexed with a legacy NPRS sequence transmitted across the plurality of sequential radio frames.

19. An apparatus for transmitting an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

at least one processor of a base station configured to generate the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

a transmitter of the base station configured to transmit, to at least one user equipment (UE) over a wireless narrowband channel, the extended NPRS sequence on the plurality of symbols of the single physical resource block corresponding to the plurality of symbol indexes and across the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames corresponding to the plurality of slot numbers,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, a PRS sequence of the wideband PRS occasion is utilized during the wideband PRS occasion instead of the extended NPRS sequence, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers continues to increment for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames.

20. An apparatus for measuring an extended narrowband positioning reference signals (NPRS) sequence, comprising:

a transceiver of a user equipment (UE) configured to receive, over a wireless narrowband channel, an NPRS of a first subset of the extended NPRS sequence, wherein the extended NPRS sequence is a function of a plurality of slot numbers of a plurality of slots of a plurality of sequential radio frames and a plurality of symbol indexes of a plurality of symbols of a single physical resource block, wherein a physical resource block index of the single physical resource block is incremented once for each of the plurality of sequential radio frames; and

at least one processor of the UE configured to measure the NPRS of the first subset of the extended NPRS sequence,

wherein, based on a radio frame of the plurality of sequential radio frames coinciding with a wideband positioning reference signal (PRS) occasion, a PRS sequence of the wideband PRS occasion is utilized during the wideband PRS occasion instead of the extended NPRS sequence, and

wherein, following the wideband PRS occasion, the plurality of slot numbers continues to increment for the remaining slots of the plurality of slots of the plurality of sequential radio frames.