Terminal device, infrastructure equipment and methods
A receiver circuitry configured to receive, from infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network, a signal comprising positioning information for allowing a spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the positioning information and a predetermined positioning scheme associated with the positioning information, the positioning scheme comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using the positioning information, wherein the positioning information is comprised within a system information block (SIB) of the received signal; and processing circuitry configured: to determine, based on a characteristic of the SIB, a temporal validity of the received positioning information, and to determine, at a time at which the received positioning information is temporally valid, the spatial position of the terminal device using the received positioning information and the predetermined positioning scheme.
1. A terminal device for use with a wireless telecommunications network, the terminal device comprising:
receiver circuitry configured to receive, from infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network, a signal comprising positioning assistance information for allowing a spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the positioning assistance information and a predetermined positioning scheme associated with the positioning assistance information, the positioning scheme comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using the positioning assistance information, wherein the positioning assistance information is comprised within a system information block (SIB) of the received signal; and
processing circuitry configured:
to determine a characteristic of the SIB and a temporal validity of the received positioning assistance information, and
to determine, at a time at which the received positioning assistance information is temporally valid, the spatial position of the terminal device using the received positioning assistance information and the predetermined positioning scheme,
wherein the positioning assistance information is one of a plurality of different types of positioning assistance information,
wherein each said type of positioning assistance information is associated with a respective temporal validity, and
wherein the characteristic of the SIB of the received signal is the type of positioning assistance information, and the type of the positioning assistance information is associated with a time corresponding to the respective temporal validity for determining the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device.
2. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said type of positioning assistance information being for determining the spatial position of the terminal device using a respective positioning scheme, the positioning scheme of each type of positioning assistance information comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using that type of positioning assistance information;
the SIB of the received signal is one of a plurality of SIBs receivable by the receiver circuitry, each of the plurality of receivable SIBs comprising one or more of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information each of which are associated with the same temporal validity; and
the characteristic of the SIB of the received signal includes an identifier which distinguishes the SIB of the received signal from each of the other receivable SIBs.
3. A terminal device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the positioning assistance information is associated with a respective geographical region over which the positioning assistance information is valid; and
each of the plurality of receivable SIBs comprises one or more of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information plurality of which are associated with the same geographical region.
4. A terminal device according to claim 2 , wherein the identifier which distinguishes the SIB of the received signal from each of the other receivable SIBs is a number indicative of a type of the SIB of the received signal.
5. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the SIB of the received signal comprises each of a plurality of types of positioning assistance information, each said type of positioning assistance information being for determining a spatial position of the terminal device using a respective positioning scheme, the positioning scheme of each type of positioning assistance information comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using that type of positioning assistance information, and each type of positioning assistance information being associated with respective data of the SIB indicating the time for determining the temporal validity positioning assistance information of that type.
6. A terminal device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the time for determining the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device is a time stamp indicating a transmission time of transmission of the SIB of the received signal; and
the processing circuitry is configured to determine the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device based on the time stamp and data indicative of a valid duration of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device.
7. A terminal device according to claim 5 , wherein the time for determining the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device is the time in the form of an expiry time of the validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device.
8. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the terminal device comprises a storage medium storing data indicative of a first geographical region over which the type of positioning assistance information to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device as received from the infrastructure equipment is valid; and
when the terminal device moves from a coverage area of the infrastructure equipment to another coverage area of other infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network:
the receiver circuitry is configured to receive, from the other infrastructure equipment, a signal indicative of a second geographical region over which the type of positioning assistance information to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device as received from the other infrastructure equipment is valid; and
the processing circuitry is configured:
to determine whether the first geographical region is different to the second geographical region;
when the first geographical region is different to the second geographical region, to control the receiver circuitry to receive, from the other infrastructure equipment, a signal comprising further positioning assistance information for allowing the spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the further positioning assistance information and the predetermined positioning scheme.
9. A terminal device according to claim 8 , wherein the infrastructure equipment is configured:
to receive, from a data processing apparatus of the network, the positioning assistance information; and
to transmit, to the other infrastructure equipment, further positioning assistance information, the further positioning assistance information being based on the received positioning assistance information.
10. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the geographical region over which the type of positioning assistance information to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device as received from the infrastructure equipment is valid is different to a coverage area of the infrastructure equipment.
11. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the received positioning assistance information is no longer temporally valid, the processing circuitry is configured to control the receiver circuitry to receive, from infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network, a signal comprising further positioning assistance information for allowing a spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the further positioning assistance information and the predetermined positioning scheme.
12. A terminal device according to claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured:
to determine, using a predetermined characteristic associated with the terminal device, whether it is acceptable for the spatial position of the terminal device to continue to be determined using the positioning assistance information which is no longer temporally valid;
when it is determined that it is acceptable for the spatial position of the terminal device to continue to be determined using the positioning assistance information which is no longer temporally valid, to control the receiver circuitry to receive the signal comprising the further positioning assistance information from infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network only after a delay period.
13. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the SIB comprising the positioning assistance information is broadcasted by the infrastructure equipment.
14. A terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the terminal device comprises transmitter circuitry; and
the SIB comprising the positioning assistance information is transmitted by the infrastructure equipment in response to the transmitter circuitry transmitting a signal to the infrastructure equipment requesting the SIB comprising the positioning assistance information.
15. Infrastructure equipment for use with a wireless telecommunications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit, to a terminal device of the wireless telecommunications network, a signal comprising positioning assistance information for allowing a spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the positioning assistance information and a predetermined positioning scheme associated with the positioning assistance information, the positioning scheme comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using the positioning assistance information,
wherein the positioning assistance information is comprised within a system information block (SIB) of the transmitted signal,
wherein the SIB is associated with a characteristic indicative to the terminal device of a temporal validity of the transmitted positioning assistance information so as to allow the terminal device to determine, at a time at which the received positioning assistance information is temporally valid, the spatial position of the terminal device using the received positioning assistance information and the predetermined positioning scheme,
wherein the positioning assistance information is one of a plurality of different types of positioning assistance information,
wherein each said type of positioning assistance information is associated with a respective temporal validity, and
wherein the characteristic indicative to the terminal device of a temporal validity of the transmitted positioning assistance information is the type of positioning assistance information, and the type of the positioning assistance information is associated with a time corresponding to the respective temporal validity for determining the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device.
16. Infrastructure equipment according to claim 15 , wherein:
the positioning assistance information is one of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information, each said type of positioning assistance information being for determining the spatial position of the terminal device using a respective positioning scheme, the positioning scheme of each said type of positioning assistance information comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using that type of positioning assistance information;
the SIB of the transmitted signal is one of a plurality of transmittable SIBs receivable by the terminal device, each of the plurality of transmittable SIBs comprising one or more of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information each of which are associated with the same temporal validity; and
the characteristic of the SIB of the transmitted signal includes an identifier which distinguishes the SIB of the transmitted signal from each of the other transmittable SIBs.
17. Infrastructure equipment according to claim 16 , wherein:
the positioning assistance information is associated with a respective geographical region over which the positioning assistance information of that type is valid;
each of the plurality of receivable SIBs comprises one or more of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information eta plurality of which are associated with the same geographical region.
18. Infrastructure equipment according to claim 16 , wherein the identifier which distinguishes the SIB of the transmitted signal from each of the other transmittable SIB s is a number indicative of a type of the SIB of the transmitted signal.
19. Infrastructure equipment according to claim 15 , wherein:
the SIB of the transmitted signal comprises each of the plurality of types of positioning assistance information, each said type of positioning assistance information being for use by the terminal device in determining the spatial position of the terminal device using a respective positioning scheme, the positioning scheme of each type of positioning assistance information comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using that type of positioning assistance information, and each type of positioning assistance information being associated with respective data of the SIB indicating the time for determining the temporal validity positioning assistance information of that type.
20. A terminal device for use with a wireless telecommunications network, the terminal device comprising:
receiver circuitry configured to receive, from infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications network, a signal comprising positioning assistance information for allowing a spatial position of the terminal device to be determined using the positioning assistance information and a predetermined positioning scheme associated with the positioning assistance information, the positioning scheme comprising one or more of instructions and additional information for determining the position of the terminal device using the positioning assistance information, wherein the positioning assistance information is comprised within a system information block (SIB) of the received signal; and
processing circuitry configured:
to determine a characteristic of the SIB and a geographical region over which the received positioning assistance information is valid, and
to determine, when the terminal devices is located within the geographical region over which the received positioning assistance information is valid, the spatial position of the terminal device using the received positioning assistance information and the predetermined positioning scheme,
wherein the positioning assistance information is one of a plurality of different types of positioning assistance information,
wherein each said type of positioning assistance information is associated with a respective temporal validity, and
wherein the characteristic of the SIB of the received signal is the type of positioning assistance information, and the type of the positioning assistance information is associated with a time corresponding to the respective temporal validity for determining the temporal validity of the positioning assistance information of the type to be used with the predetermined positioning scheme in determining the spatial position of the terminal device.