EP-4545997-B1 - METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A DEVICE FOR SHORT-RANGE POSITIONING, DEVICE AND LOCATION SERVER

Inventors

• KARLSSON, PETER
• CARLBERG, ERIK

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20231024

Claims (9)

1. A method for configuring a device for short-range positioning based on Angle-of-Arrival, AoA, and/or Angle-of-Departure, AoD, estimation within an Internet Protocol, IP, based network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving (S1), by the device (10), a configuration message (CFG) from a location server (20), which configuration message enables the device to determine whether to enter either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation a standard short-range positioning is applied and wherein in the second mode of operation a proprietary short-range positioning is applied, operating (S2), by the device, either in the first or in the second mode of operation according to the configuration message, and sending (S3), by the device, a confirmation message indicating successful configuration of the device; wherein during operating (S2), by the device, in the standard short-range positioning of the first mode according to Bluetooth, especially BLE 5.1 or higher, and/or according to UWB, primary and secondary advertising channels as defined in Bluetooth and/or UWB are used, and wherein during operating (S2), by the device, in the proprietary short-range positioning of the second mode according to Bluetooth and/or according to UWB, only the primary advertising channels as defined in Bluetooth and/or UWB are used.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the standard short-range positioning of the first mode comprises one of Bluetooth, especially Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE, 5.1 or higher as defined by Bluetooth Special Interest Group, BT SIG, and Ultra-Wideband, UWB, as defined by IEEE 802.15.4x, and wherein the proprietary short-range positioning of the second mode comprises one of Bluetooth, especially BLE 5.1 or higher, and UWB, each of which is based on the corresponding standard short-range positioning and includes one or more proprietary extensions and/or limitations.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein during operating (S2), by the device, in the proprietary short-range positioning of the second mode at least two Continuous Tone Extension, CTE, messages are sent, wherein an interval between the at least two CTE messages is adjusted according to the configuration message (CFG), in particular the interval is adjusted to a value greater than defined in the standard.
4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the configuration message (CFG) is received via a Long-term evolution, LTE, Positioning Protocol, LPP.
5. The method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the configuration message is characterized by comprising an information element identifying the first or the second mode of operation.
6. A device which is configured to execute the method according to any of claims 1 to 5.
7. A system comprising the device (10) according to claim 6 and a location server which is prepared to configure the device (10) for short-range positioning based on Angle-of-Arrival, AoA, and/or Angle-of-Departure, AoD, estimation within an Internet Protocol, IP, based network by generating and sending the configuration message (CFG) to the device (10), wherein the location server (20) is further prepared to receive the confirmation message (CFM) from the device.
8. A computer program comprising instructions , which when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 5.
9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon the computer program according to claim 8.

Description

Technical field The present disclosure relates to the field of positioning or localization, especially to short-range positioning within Internet Protocol, IP, based networks. Specifically, this disclosure is directed to a method for configuring a device for short-range positioning based on Angle-of-Arrival, AoA, and/or Angle-of-Departure, AoD, estimation within an IP based network, a device, a location server, a computer program product and a computer readable medium. Background Positioning or localization of mobile devices, i.e. determining the position or location of mobile devices, is widely implemented and employed to realize for instance various Location Based Services, LBS. For determining the position of a device different methods or technologies exist which are employed depending upon the use case and the device's capabilities. For example, the Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, is used for outdoor applications requiring high accuracy, while short-range wireless technologies are employed in indoor scenarios and/or on devices with reduced capabilities. Mobile radio cellular positioning is another possibility to localize a device. Recently, hybrid solutions have emerged, which rely on two or more of these technologies. For instance, GNSS and short-range wireless based positioning are combined, or short-range wireless and mobile radio cellular based localization are used in combination. Many of these solutions re-use a mobile communication network like 2G, 3G, long-term evolution, LTE, 4G or 5G as a framework for realizing LBS. For the exchange of related information protocols are employed or re-used. According to the well-known all IP approach, these protocols are IP-based and achieve a bearer agnostic realization. Such generic IP-based protocols may need to be adapted to the different location technologies in order to properly support each technology's specific features. Known solutions have been found to impose limitations, for example, with respect to the number of devices that can be handled or localized concurrently by one reference source, e.g. anchor point. An objective may therefore be seen in providing a method, a device and a location server which overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art. In particular, a solution shall be provided which improves the performance and efficiency of the positioning. This objective is achieved by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Embodiments and developments are defined in the dependent claims. Any examples and embodiments of the description not falling within the scope of the claims do not form part of the invention as defined by the independent claims. The definitions provided above also apply to the following description unless stated otherwise. WO 2022/020037 A1 describes an implementation that a user equipment (UE) provides to a location server a recommendation or request for positioning technologies and/or methods that may be appropriate for the environment in which the UE is located. RITESH SHREEVASTAV ET AL: "Adding support for Bluetooth AoA/AoD" proposes updates in the LTE Positioning Protocol to support for Bluetooth AoA/AoD. US 2021/410102 A1 describes a method that a user equipment (e.g., a mobile device) may receive a location request message from a server (e.g., a Location Management Function), wherein the location request message identifies a plurality of Quality of Service parameters for the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) positioning session. "3 Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) (Release 17)" describes the definition of the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) for the radio access technologies E-UTRA/LTE and NR. Summary In one embodiment a method for configuring a device for short-range positioning based on AoA and/or AoD estimation within an IP based network comprises the following steps: receiving, by the device, from a location server a configuration message, which enables the device to determine whether to enter either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation a standard short-range positioning is applied and wherein in the second mode of operation a proprietary short-range positioning is applied,operating, by the device, either in the first or in the second mode of operation according to the configuration message, andsending, by the device, a confirmation message indicating successful configuration of the device. By means of the proposed method, the device can be remotely controlled by configuring it for operation in either the first or the second mode. In the first mode, the device realizes the standard short-range positioning, which represents the least common denominator for interoperation between different manufacturers. In the second mode of operation, the device uses the proprietary short-range positioning technology or method as instructed with the configuration message. In the s