BACKGROUND

Field

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to estimation of a location of a mobile device and more particularly to support for positioning using beams produced by a mmW small cells.

Information

The location of a mobile device, such as a cellular telephone, may be useful or essential to a number of applications including emergency calls, navigation, direction finding, asset tracking and Internet service. The location of a mobile device may be estimated based on information gathered from various systems. In a cellular network implemented according to 4G (also referred to as Fourth Generation) Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio access or 5G (also referred to as Fifth Generation) “New Radio” (NR), for example, a base station may transmit a positioning reference signal (PRS). A mobile device acquiring PRSs transmitted by different base stations may deliver signal-based measurements to a location server, which may be part of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or 5G Core Network (5GCN), for use in computing a location estimate of the mobile device. For example, a UE may generate positioning measurements from the downlink (DL) PRS such as Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and reception and transmission (RX-TX) time difference measurements, which may be used in various positioning methods, such as Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), Angle of Departure (AoD), and multi-cell Round Trip Time (RTT). Alternatively, a mobile device may compute an estimate of its own location using various positioning methods. Other position methods that may be used for a mobile device include use of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS or Galileo and use of Assisted GNSS (A-GNSS) where a network provides assistance data to a mobile decide to assist the mobile device in acquiring and measuring GNSS signals and/or in computing a location estimate from the GNSS measurements.

With 5G NR cellular networks, small cells are playing a more and more important role. For example, it is sometimes desirable for operators to deploy many small cells to enhance capacity on top of macrocell coverage. Small cells, which use Millimeter Wave (“mmW”) transmission (sometimes referred to as Frequency 2 and Frequency 4 and beyond), are predicted to expand their footprint worldwide because mmW can provide a greater spectrum width and shorter air interface latency than found in macrocells. In particular, mmW small cell deployment is expected to be particularly useful for indoor environments, e.g., driven by extremely high data rate expectations, e.g. Gbps level. The expanding deployment of small cells, particularly in environments where positioning is difficult, e.g., indoor environments, provides additional positioning opportunities.

SUMMARY

The position of a mobile device is estimated using angle based positioning measurements. The angle based positioning measurements are generated using transmit (Tx) beams or receive (Rx) beams from one or more base stations that generate the beams over an ultra-wide bandwidth, which produces frequency and spatial distortions and impairments in an array gain response. The array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used in beamforming is conveyed to the mobile device in assistance data for a sub-band that is only a portion of the allocated bandwidth for the base stations, or as an aggregation of the array gain distribution variation for a plurality of sub-bands of the allocated bandwidth to reduce the overhead in signaling.

In one implementation, a method for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network performed by the mobile device may include receiving assistance data for positioning, the assistance data comprising an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The method may include measuring at least one angle based positioning measurement of reference signals received from the at least one base station based on the assistance data. The method may include generating position information based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement.

In one implementation, a mobile device configured for supporting positioning of the mobile device in a wireless network may include a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate in the wireless network; at least one memory; at least one processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to receive, via the wireless transceiver, assistance data for positioning, the assistance data comprising an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The at least one processor may be configured to measure at least one angle based positioning measurement of reference signals received from the at least one base station based on the assistance data. The at least one processor may be configured to generate position information based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement.

In one implementation, a mobile device configured for supporting positioning of the mobile device in a wireless network, includes means for receiving assistance data for positioning, the assistance data comprising an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The mobile device may include means for measuring at least one angle based positioning measurement of reference signals received from the at least one base station based on the assistance data. The mobile device may include means for generating position information based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement.

In one implementation, a non-transitory storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a mobile device to support positioning of the mobile device in a wireless network, includes program code to receive assistance data for positioning, the assistance data comprising an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to measure at least one angle based positioning measurement of reference signals received from the at least one base station based on the assistance data. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to generate position information based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement.

In one implementation, a method for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network performed by a location server, may include obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The method may include receiving at least one angle based positioning measurement for the mobile device from at least one network node. The method may include determining a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement and the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a location server for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include an external interface configured to communicate in the wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to obtain, via the external interface, an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The at least one processor may be configured to receive, via the external interface, at least one angle based positioning measurement for the mobile device from at least one network node. The at least one processor may be configured to determine a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement and the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a location server for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include a means for obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The location server includes a means for receiving at least one angle based positioning measurement for the mobile device from at least one network node. The location server includes a means for determining a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement and the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a non-transitory storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a location server to support positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network includes program code to obtain an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for a set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to receive at least one angle based positioning measurement for the mobile device from at least one network node. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to determine a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least one angle based positioning measurement and the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a method for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network performed by a location server, may include obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The method may include preparing assistance data for positioning for the mobile device based on the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station. The method may include sending to the mobile device the assistance data for positioning with the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a location server configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include an external interface configured to communicate in the wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to obtain, via the external interface, an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The at least one processor may be configured to prepare assistance data for positioning for the mobile device based on the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station. The at least one processor may be configured to send, via the external interface, to the mobile device the assistance data for positioning with the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a location server configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include means for obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The location server may include means for preparing assistance data for positioning for the mobile device based on the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station. The location server may include means for sending to the mobile device the assistance data for positioning with the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a non-transitory storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a location server configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include program code to obtain an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by at least one base station. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to prepare assistance data for positioning for the mobile device based on the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to send to the mobile device the assistance data for positioning with the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the at least one base station.

In one implementation, a method for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network performed by a base station, may include obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming used by the base station. The method may include sending to a location server the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the base station.

In one implementation, a base station configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include an external interface configured to communicate in the wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to obtain an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming used by the base station. The at least one processor may be configured to send, via the external interface, to a location server the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the base station.

In one implementation, a base station configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include means for obtaining an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming used by the base station. The base station includes means for sending to a location server the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the base station.

In one implementation, a non-transitory storage medium including program code stored thereon, the program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a base station configured for supporting positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network may include program code to obtain an array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming used by the base station. The non-transitory storage medium includes program code to send to a location server the array gain distribution variation as the function of angle and frequency for the at least one set of beam weights used in beamforming by the base station.

Other objects and advantages associated with the aspects disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the accompanying drawings and detailed description.

