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AppleGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 3/10

Apple patents 5G method for pinpointing device location

Apple has patented a method for 5G networks to determine the exact location of a phone or other device. The base station sends specific reference signals to the device, which measures the timing and strength of these signals to calculate its position.

Why it mattersThis filing details a standard procedure for improving location accuracy in 5G networks, which is essential for services like mapping and emergency response.

In the filing’s own words

User equipment (UE) positioning within a 5G New Radio (NR) network may be determined by receiving a downlink (DL) position reference signal (PRS) resource set indicating a plurality of DL PRS resources and receiving a DL PRS report configuration that indicates a set of measurements to be performed by a UE for each of the plurality of DL PRS resources within the DL PRS resource set. Position measurements may be performed for each of the plurality of DL PRS resources within the DL PRS resource set, including generating a reference signal time difference (RSTD) measurement by estimating a timing of a first arrival path from at least two of the plurality of DL PRS resources and determining a reference signal received power (RSRP) metric or a signal to noise and interference ratio (SINR) metric associated with the at least two DL PRS resources. The performed position measurements may be reported.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method of a base station comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a downlink (DL) position reference signal (PRS) resource set indicating a plurality of DL PRS resources; transmitting, to the UE, a DL PRS report configuration that indicates a set of measurements to be performed by the UE for each of the plurality of DL PRS resources within the DL PRS resource set; and receiving, from the UE, position measurements for each of the plurality of DL PRS resources within the DL PRS resource set.

Facts

Company
Apple (APPLE INC.)
Official title
Measurement and procedures for nr positioning
Patent number
US12772023B2
Application number
18654725
Filed
May 3, 2024
Granted
Oct 20, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
20

Classified under

H04W 4/029 Electricity & electronicsG01S 5/10 Physics & computingG01S 13/876 Physics & computingH04L 5/005 Electricity & electronicsH04W 24/10 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
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