Location information in communications networks

Abstract

There is provided mechanisms for providing location information in a communications network. A method is performed by a first device. The first device supports positioning of other devices in the communications network. The method comprises acquiring positioning reference signal configuration from a radio network node in the communications network. The method comprises acquiring location information from a local positioning entity. The method comprises providing the location information to at least one of a radio network node and a second device in the communications network. The method comprises transmitting a positioning reference signal according to the positioning reference signal configuration.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method for providing location information in a communications network, the method being performed by a first device, the first device supporting positioning of other devices in the communications network, the method comprising:
 acquiring a positioning reference signal configuration from a first radio network node in the communications network;   acquiring location information from a local positioning entity;   providing the location information to at least one of a second radio network node and a second device in the communications network; and   transmitting a positioning reference signal according to the positioning reference signal configuration.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a network node, a request for positioning support capabilities of the first device; and   in response thereto, providing said positioning support capabilities to the network node.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 acquiring an indication of connection establishment to the first radio network node; and   providing positioning support capabilities of the first device to the first radio network node in response thereto.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 confirming that the first device is self-localized; and   in response thereto, providing positioning support capabilities of the first device to the first radio network node.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving a positioning ranging request from another device in the communications network; and   in response thereto, providing a positioning ranging response to said another device.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein said another device is said second device. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the positioning reference signal configuration specifies at least one of sequence configuration, resource pattern configuration, time/frequency resource block configuration, and beam configuration for how the first device is to transmit the positioning reference signal. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the location information defines a current location of the first device. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the positioning reference signal comprises an identity of the first device. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the positioning reference signal is defined as in Long Term Evolution, LTE, Release 9. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the local positioning entity is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONAS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), or Galileo supported entity. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 acquiring velocity information of the first device; and   determining said location information based on said velocity information.   
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein all messages between the first device and the first or second radio network nodes are control plane messages or user plane positioning protocol messages. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein all messages between the first device and the first or second radio network nodes are Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol messages or Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol messages. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein all messages between the first device and the second device are sidelink protocol messages. 
     
     
         51 . A method for a second device to obtain positioning information in a communications network, the method being performed by the second device, the method comprising:
 acquiring positioning assistance information by receiving location information of a first device, the first device supporting positioning of other devices in the communications network, the location information thereby serving as said positioning assistance information for the second device;   receiving a positioning reference signal from the first device, the positioning reference signal being received according to positioning reference signal configuration; and   performing at least one of a first set of operations and a second set of operations, wherein said first set of operations comprises
 estimating characteristic properties from the received positioning reference signal; and 
 reporting the estimated characteristic properties and an association thereof with the first device to a network node in the communications network; and 
 wherein said second set of operations comprises
 determining a current position of the second device according to the received positioning assistance information. 
 
   
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising:
 acquiring said positioning reference signal configuration from the same or another network node or from a radio network node in the communications network.   
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein all messages between the second device and the radio network node are Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol messages or Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol messages. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising:
 receiving further location information from the same or another network node or a radio network node in the communications network.   
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the characteristics relate to at least one of an identity associated to the positioning reference signal, time of arrival of the received positioning reference signal, received signal strength of the received positioning reference signal, and estimated range of the received positioning reference signal. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the positioning assistance information comprises information about at least one infrastructure node or and device in the communications network. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the positioning assistance information comprises the positioning reference signal configuration. 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the positioning assistance information comprises the location information of the second device. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising:
 transmitting a positioning ranging request to the first device; and   receiving a positioning ranging response from the first device in response thereto to enable estimation of the range to the first device.   
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein all messages between the second device and the network node are control plane messages or user plane positioning protocol messages. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein all messages between the second device and the first device are sidelink protocol messages. 
     
     
         62 . A device for providing location information in a communications network, the device supporting positioning of other devices in the communications network, the device comprising processing circuitry, the processing circuitry being configured to cause the device to perform a set of operations comprising:
 acquiring positioning reference signal configuration from a first radio network node in the communications network;   acquiring location information from a local positioning entity;   providing the location information to at least one of a second radio network node and a second device in the communications network; and   transmitting a positioning reference signal according to the positioning reference signal configuration.   
     
     
         63 . The device according to  claim 62 , further comprising a storage medium storing said set of operations, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to retrieve said set of operations from the storage medium to cause the device to perform said set of operations. 
     
     
         64 . The device according to  claim 62 , wherein said set of operations is provided as a set of executable instructions. 
     
     
         65 . A device for obtaining positioning information in a communications network, the device comprising processing circuitry, the processing circuitry being configured to cause the device to perform a set of operations comprising:
 acquiring positioning assistance information by receiving location information of another device, the another device supporting positioning of other devices in the communications network, the location information thereby serving as said positioning assistance information for the device;   receiving a positioning reference signal from the another device, the positioning reference signal being received according to positioning reference signal configuration; and at least one of a first set of operations and a second set of operations, wherein said first set of operations comprises
 estimating characteristic properties from the received positioning reference signal; and 
 reporting the estimated characteristic properties and an association thereof with the first device to a network node in the communications network; and wherein said second set of operations comprises
 determining a current position of the second device according to the received positioning assistance information. 
 
   
     
     
         66 . The device according to  claim 65 , further comprising a storage medium storing said set of operations, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to retrieve said set of operations from the storage medium to cause the device to perform said set of operations. 
     
     
         67 . The device according to  claim 66 , wherein said set of operations is provided as a set of executable instructions. 
     
     
         68 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a device supporting positioning of other devices in a communications network, configures the device to provide location information in a communications network, the computer program comprising program instructions that configure the device to:
 acquire a positioning reference signal configuration from a first radio network node in the communications network;   acquire location information from a local positioning entity;   provide the location information to at least one of a second radio network node and a further device in the communications network; and   transmit a positioning reference signal according to the positioning reference signal configuration.   
     
     
         69 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a device, configure the device for obtaining positioning information in a communications network, the computer program comprising program instructions that configure the device to:
 acquire positioning assistance information by receiving location information of another device, the another device supporting positioning of other devices in the communications network, the location information thereby serving as said positioning assistance information for the device;   receive a positioning reference signal from the another device, the positioning reference signal being received according to positioning reference signal configuration; and   perform at least one of a first set of operations and a second set of operations;   wherein said first set of operations comprises:
 estimating characteristic properties from the received positioning reference signal; and 
 reporting the estimated characteristic properties and an association thereof with the first device to a network node in the communications network; and 
   wherein said second set of operations comprises:
 determining a current position of the second device according to the received positioning assistance information.