Multi-stage positioning reference signal (PRS) mechanism for downlink angle of departure (DL-AoD) positioning

1. A user equipment for supporting a positioning reference signal (PRS) mechanism for downlink angle of departure (DL-AoD) positioning, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

receive a configuration message including at least one first configuration and one or more sets of additional configurations, wherein the at least one first configuration comprises information that identifies at least one first set of time frequency resources for at least one reference signal (RS), and the one or more sets of additional configurations identifies time frequency resources for at least one set of positioning reference signals (PRSs);

perform at least one first measurement of at least one reference signal for beam measurements according to the at least one first configuration, wherein the at least one reference signal comprises at least one wide-beam reference signal;

wherein the at least one first configuration is associated with one or more sets of additional configurations for beam measurements;

wherein the at least one set of positioning reference signals comprises at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal;

perform based on the at least one first measurement at least one second measurement of at least one set of positioning reference signals according to at least one set of additional configurations of the one or more sets of additional configurations; and

transmit at least one angle of departure (AoD) measurement report after performing the at least one second measurement.

2. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

receive the at least one first configuration and the one or more sets of additional configurations prior to performing the at least one first measurement.

3. The user equipment of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first configuration and the one or more sets of additional configurations are received in a same configuration message.

4. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wide-beam reference signal is associated with at least one synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block.

5. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein a beam coverage of the at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal is within a beam coverage of one wide-beam reference signal.

6. The user equipment of claim 5 , wherein the at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal is associated with at least one channel state information reference signal.

7. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

receive information that identifies at least one mapping between the at least one first configuration and the one or more sets of additional configurations prior to performing the at least one first measurement.

8. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first measurement includes at least one quality-related measurement of the at least one reference signal.

9. The user equipment of claim 8 , wherein the at least one first measurement further includes an angle of arrival measurement of the at least one reference signal.

10. The user equipment of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

transmit a first measurement report of the first measurement; and

transmit, in association with the first measurement report, at least one indication of one or more preferred reference signals of the at least one reference signal.

11. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

perform the at least one second measurement based on an angle of arrival measurement of the at least one reference signal.

12. The user equipment of claim 11 , wherein the at least one second measurement comprises a measurement of at least one subset of the at least one set of positioning reference signals.

13. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:

transmit at least one indication of the at least one set of additional configurations after performing the at least one first measurement.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment, a configuration message including at least one first configuration and one or more sets of additional configurations, wherein the at least one first configuration comprises information that identifies at least one first set of time frequency resources for at least one reference signal (RS), and the one or more sets of additional configurations identifies time frequency resources for at least one set of positioning reference signals (PRSs);

performing, by the user equipment, at least one first measurement of at least one reference signal for beam measurements according to the at least one first configuration, wherein the at least one reference signal comprises at least one wide-beam reference signal;

wherein the at least one first configuration is associated with one or more sets of additional configurations for beam measurements;

wherein the at least one set of positioning reference signals comprises at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal;

performing, by the user equipment, based on the at least one first measurement at least one second measurement of at least one set of positioning reference signals according to at least one set of additional configurations of the one or more sets of additional configurations; and

transmitting, by the user equipment, at least one angle of departure (AoD) measurement report after performing the at least one second measurement.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a beam coverage of the at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal is within a beam coverage of one wide-beam reference signal.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing executable code that, when executed by a user equipment, cause the user equipment to:

receive a configuration message including at least one first configuration and one or more sets of additional configurations, wherein the at least one first configuration comprises information that identifies at least one first set of time frequency resources for at least one reference signal (RS), and the one or more sets of additional configurations identifies time frequency resources for at least one set of positioning reference signals (PRSs);

perform at least one first measurement of at least one reference signal for beam measurements according to the at least one first configuration, wherein the at least one reference signal comprises at least one wide-beam reference signal;

wherein the at least one first configuration is associated with one or more sets of additional configurations for beam measurements;

wherein the at least one set of positioning reference signals comprises at least one narrow-beam positioning reference signal;

perform based on the at least one first measurement at least one second measurement of at least one set of positioning reference signals according to at least one set of additional configurations of the one or more sets of additional configurations; and

transmit at least one angle of departure (AoD) measurement report after performing the at least one second measurement.