Apple patents method to help phones measure signal timing gaps
Apple describes a way for a phone to calculate how long radio signals take to travel from nearby cell towers to its location. By comparing these travel times, the device can suggest specific time slots to the network for measuring signal strength from other towers.
In the filing’s own words
Provided is a method for a user equipment (UE). The UE performs positioning to obtain location information. The UE obtains location information of a serving base station and location information of at least one neighbor base station from a serving cell. The UE calculates a propagation time difference between (i) propagation time between the UE and the serving cell and (ii) propagation time between the UE and one or more target neighbor cells of the at least one neighbor base station based on the location information of the UE, the location information of the serving base station and the location information of the at least one neighbor base station. The UE determines a measurement gap configuration for the target neighbor cells based on the propagation time difference and a configured measurement gap for the serving cell. And the UE reports the measurement gap configuration to the serving base station.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1.- 21. (canceled)
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- MEASUREMENT GAP DESIGN FOR ATG
- Publication number
- US20260333277A1
- Application number
- 19111294
- Filed
- Sep 29, 2022
- Published
- Oct 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 8
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
H04W 64/00 Electricity & electronicsH04W 72/231 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/0816 Electricity & electronicsH04W 88/08 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Networks & wireless
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.