Patent Description:
Recently, techniques for Internet of Things (IoT) become increasingly attractive.

Internet of Things is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and/or digital machines, and/or objects, referred to in general as "things" that are configured to communicate (i.e. transmit and/or receive) data over a communication network without requiring human-to-human and/or human-to-computer interaction. The "things", i.e. the devices communicating without human intervention, refer to a variety of different objects, devices and machines arranged to communicate over a communication network. They may comprise heart monitor implants, biochip transponders, vehicles, sensors, actuators, phones, household appliances etc. Because they are not devices of a communication network, i.e. devices that ensure the operation of the communication network, but use the communication network for communication purposes, they will be referred to in general as "user communication devices". In general, each of the "things" or user communication devices has a unique address, which is used for communicating over the communication network.

For communication purposes, positions of the user communication devices have to be determined and known. In this way, positioning requirements of regulatory bodies (e.g., of Federal Communications Commission (FCC)) are fulfilled and/or various levels of applications are provided or enabled respectively. Known positioning techniques comprise, for example, long-term evolution (LTE) observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), cell-ID positioning, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and global positioning system (GPS).

OTDOA is a technique that determines position of a user communication device by triangulation of at least three base stations, as exemplary shown in <FIG>. According to the OTDOA technique, a user communication device <NUM> receives specific signals from three base stations <NUM>. A triangulation method uses the specific signals, as received by the user communication device <NUM>, and determines the position of the communication device <NUM>. However, the determining is executed within a particular position estimation range <NUM> and with a certain measurement error range <NUM> such that the result of the determining of the position of the communication device <NUM> is not accurate. In particular, OTDOA has been proven to provide inaccurate positioning for limited operating bandwidth cases.

The cell-ID positioning technique is easy to implement. However, also the cell-ID positioning technique provides inaccurate positioning results.

<CIT> discloses a method of providing an enhanced location based service via a mobile device. <CIT> discloses a method of determining a location of a mobile device. <CIT> discloses a position detection method employed in a position detection system for detecting the position of a terminal of a radio communication system.

Thus, there is still a need for further positioning techniques, i.e. methods for determining positions of user communication devices that provide accurate positioning results, i.e. accurate positions of the user communication devices, that work well both in indoor as well as in outdoor scenarios and may be implemented in an efficient way, e.g., without increasing amount of resources involved for the position determination and, thus, without increasing positioning method implementation complexity.

The present invention enables an accurate determination of positions of user communication devices. Furthermore, the position determination technique of the present invention works well in both indoor and outdoor scenarios. Moreover, the positioning technique of the present invention does not require any introduction and/or implementation of additional resources in the communication network. Rather, it may be implemented in an easy and efficient way.

It is noted, that according to the present invention, the term "user communication device" covers both user communication devices that communicate according to the above-mentioned IoT technique and user communication devices that communicate with regard to and/or in response to human-to-human and/or human-to-computer interaction, i.e. "conventional" user communication devices.

The general idea of the present invention is to utilize user communication devices surrounding a user communication device to determine the position of the user communication device.

Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by subject matters of independent claims, wherein further exemplary and supplementing embodiments are specified in dependent claims as well as in the present description and attached figures.

It has to be noted that the disclosed embodiments can be combined with each other and are not intended for an individual consideration and implementation.

In the following, embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to accompanying drawings in which the same or similar reference numerals designate the same or similar elements.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the attached drawings. Features of the various exemplary embodiments may be combined with each other unless specifically stated otherwise.

<FIG> is a schematic view of a determination of a position of a user communication device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to <FIG>, for determining the position of user communication device <NUM>, three user communication devices <NUM> are used as reference user communication devices, i.e. user communication devices positions of which in the communication network are known. Here, it has to be noted that the present invention is not limited to three reference user communication devices <NUM>. <FIG> shows just an exemplary embodiment that should be clearly arranged for better understanding. According to further embodiments, also one, at least one, two, at least two, at least three or more than three, e.g. a plurality of reference user communication devices <NUM> are used. According to embodiment of <FIG>, two network communication devices <NUM>, <NUM> are used. According to the present embodiment, they comprise a base station <NUM> and a location server (LS) <NUM>. Further, according to the present embodiment, base station <NUM> coordinates the determination of the position of user communication device <NUM>. In particular, it instructs determining of relative distances between each reference user communication device <NUM> and user communication device <NUM>. For this purpose, base station <NUM> transmits corresponding instructions to each of the reference user communication devices <NUM> and to user communication device <NUM>. The reference user communication devices <NUM> are instructed to transmit corresponding device positioning signals to user communication device <NUM>. User communication device <NUM> is instructed to receive the corresponding device positioning signals. According to an embodiment, instructions transmitted by base station <NUM> comprise schedules for the corresponding transmissions and receptions of the device positioning signals. In this way, base station <NUM> decides on times at which the transmissions and receptions of the device positioning signals are executed.

Each of the reference user communication devices <NUM> transmits a corresponding device positioning signal to user communication device <NUM> as instructed by base station <NUM>. User communication device <NUM> receives the device positioning signals from each of the reference user communication devices <NUM> as instructed by base station <NUM>. User communication device <NUM> determines corresponding relative distances between each of the reference user communication devices <NUM> and the user communication device <NUM>. According to the present embodiment, user communication device <NUM> considers each received device positioning signal and determines the relative distance between itself and the reference user communication device <NUM>, which transmitted the corresponding device positioning signal, by use of the strength of the device positioning signal. For this purpose, user communication device <NUM> is arranged to apply any of corresponding known relative distance determination methods that are based on signal strength.

After determining the relative distances, user communication device <NUM> transmits to location server <NUM> at least one report comprising the determined relative distances. Location server <NUM> uses the report and, in particular, the determined relative distances, specified or reported in the report, for determining the location of the user communication device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart showing steps for execution of a determination of a position of user communication device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In particular, the flowchart of <FIG> indicates the steps, executed to determine the position of user communication device <NUM>, in general.

In step <NUM>, a set of reference user communication devices <NUM> is selected by a network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example. In step <NUM>, relative distances between each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices and the user communication device <NUM> are determined or measured. For this purpose, the coordination of the determination of the position of the user communication device <NUM> is executed by a network communication device like base station <NUM>, wherein the coordination comprises instructing the selected reference user communication devices <NUM> to transmit corresponding device positioning signals and instructing the user communication device <NUM> to receive the corresponding device positioning signals. After receiving the device positioning signals, the user communication device <NUM> determines corresponding relative distances between itself and each of the reference user communication devices <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, position of the user communication device <NUM> is determined by use of the determined relative distances. For this purpose, any appropriate known method can be used. Step <NUM> is performed according to an embodiment by a network communication device like location server <NUM>, for example.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a communication device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device <NUM> represents an abstract arrangement of each of the following: user communication device <NUM>, reference user communication devices <NUM>, network communication devices like base station <NUM> and location server <NUM>, for example. Thus, according to embodiments of the present invention, anyone or each of the devices <NUM> to <NUM> is arranged as exemplary shown with regard to the rather abstract communication device <NUM>.

According to <FIG>, communication device <NUM> comprises a transmitter/receiver <NUM> that is configured to communicate with other communication devices <NUM> via the communication network, i.e. to execute corresponding transmissions and/or receptions like those described in the present application, for example. According to a further embodiment, the transmitter/receiver <NUM> is arranged as one component arranged to execute corresponding transmissions and receptions of signals, data, information etc. According to another embodiment, the transmitter/receiver <NUM> is arranged as one component arranged to execute corresponding transmissions or receptions of signals, data, information etc. According to further embodiment, the transmitter/receiver <NUM> is arranged as an arrangement of (at least two) components, each arranged to execute corresponding transmissions and/or receptions of signals, data, information etc. For example, one of components of the transmitter/receiver arrangement <NUM> is arranged to execute corresponding transmissions and another one of components of the transmitter/receiver arrangement <NUM> is arranged to execute corresponding receptions. Further, communication device <NUM> comprises a processor <NUM> that is configured to execute steps that, in general, are performed by communication device <NUM>, except for communicating with other communication devices <NUM>. Thus, if the communication device <NUM> is user communication device <NUM>, position of which is determined, processor <NUM> is configured to execute the steps or actions of user communication device <NUM> as described herein. If the communication device <NUM> is reference user communication device <NUM>, processor <NUM> is configured to execute the steps or actions of reference user communication device <NUM> as described herein. If the communication device <NUM> is a network communication device such as base station <NUM> or location server <NUM>, processor <NUM> is configured to execute the steps or actions of the corresponding network communication device as described herein.

<FIG> illustrate a chart showing steps for execution of a determination of position of a user communication device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. In <FIG>, vertical lines indicate time and, thus, also the relative timing of the executed steps. In particular, <FIG>.

In step <NUM>, a network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, identifies user communication devices in the communication network that can be used as reference user communication devices <NUM>. The identifying <NUM> of the reference user communication devices <NUM> comprises verifying whether a user communication device meets particular constraints.

In particular, it is verified whether or not the position of a user communication device in the communication network is known. For this purpose, according to an embodiment, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> is configured to communicate with local server <NUM> for retrieving information on positon of a user communication device in the communication network and/or to apply any of known positioning method (e.g. OTDOA, GPS, etc.) for detecting the positon of the user communication device.

According to a further supplementing embodiment, static and/or semi-static position conditions are verified, wherein semi-static user communication devices are devices that change their locations with a relatively low frequency and static user communication devices are devices that do not change their locations. Thus, according to said further supplementing embodiment, it is verified with regard to each relevant user communication device whether a range of the movement of the user communication device within a time period before current time, e.g. time at which the identification step <NUM> has been started, is below a movement threshold. According to an embodiment, the movement threshold is a predetermined movement threshold. In case the movement threshold is equal zero, static user communication devices will be considered as possible reference user communication devices. The required information on the movement of a particular user communication device, verified in identification step <NUM>, is detected, according to an embodiment, by analysing history of positions of the user communication device, by analysing a history of accelerometer report, and/or by analysing any further information relating to and/or indicating previous positions of the user communication device. According to a supplementary embodiment, the network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, is configured to communicate with local server <NUM> for retrieving corresponding position information of a user communication device in the communication network.

Furthermore, according to a supplementary embodiment the network communication device like the base station <NUM>, for example, does not consider all user communication devices of the communication network in identification step <NUM> to save the computation time and to maintain the efficiency. The network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, performs the identifying with regard to user communication devices in the communication network, distances of which to the network communication device like the base station <NUM>, for example, are below a reference device threshold and/or which are located in a particular (e.g. predetermined) area of the communication network.

In step <NUM>, the network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, detects location information relating to the user communication device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, a relative distance from the network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, to the user communication device <NUM> is determined. For this purpose, any known relative distance determination method can be applied. For example, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> transmits a signal to the user communication device <NUM>, and the user communication device <NUM> uses the signal (e.g. measures the strength of the signal) for determining the relative distance. For this purpose, according to an embodiment, the user communication device <NUM> is configured to execute any suitable known relative distance determination or measuring method.

According to a further supplementary embodiment, a direction from the network communication device like base station <NUM>, for example, to the user communication device <NUM> is determined as location information. Also here, any known direction determination method can be applied.

In step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> groups the identified reference user communication devices <NUM> according to their distances to the network communication device such as base station <NUM>. To each group a corresponding distance range is assigned. A reference user communication device <NUM> is detected or identified as belonging to a particular group, it its distance to the network communication device such as base station <NUM> is within the distance range of the particular group. According to an embodiment, the distance ranges of the groups do not overlap, while according to another embodiment overlaps are permitted. According to an embodiment, distances between the network communication device such as base station <NUM> and the reference user communication devices <NUM> are determined by executing known positioning methods (e.g. OTDOA, GPS, etc.).

In step <NUM>, at least two groups of identified reference user communication devices <NUM> are determined.

According to a further embodiment, grouping <NUM> of reference user communication devices <NUM> is executed also by using timing advance measurements, which can be executed by any of known timing advance measurement techniques. Thus, grouping step <NUM> is executed by using both information relative distances and timing advance measurements. In this embodiment, a reference user communication device <NUM> is determined as belonging to a group if its relative distance is within the relative distance range of the group and if its timing advance is within a timing advance range associated to the group. In particular, according to an embodiment, timing advances are mapped to relative distances, and a classification of timing advances (e.g. timing advance reports) and relative distances (obtained, for example, by using legacy positioning comprising, for example, OTDOA, GPS etc) is executed. According to an embodiment, the timing advance measurements are performed if the communication is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, for example.

By use of the determined groups, it becomes possible to identify reference user communication devices <NUM> that are close and/or could be close to the user communication device <NUM>, i.e. that are in the proximity and/or could be in the proximity of the user communication device <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> selects a set of reference user communication devices <NUM>. The selecting is executed by use of location information of the user communication device <NUM>. As described above with regard to step <NUM>, the location information comprises the relative distance between the network communication device such as base station <NUM> and the user communication device <NUM>. According to a further supplementary embodiment, the location information comprises also the direction form the network communication device such as base station <NUM> to the user communication device <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, reference user communication devices <NUM> of a group are selected, distance range of which comprises the relative distance between the network communication device such as base station <NUM> and user communication device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, a random selection of reference user communication devices <NUM> from the group is executed.

According to a further supplementing embodiment, the direction from the network communication device such as base station <NUM> to user communication device <NUM> is known and/or an approximate position of user communication device <NUM> is known. According to this embodiment, a more sensitive or more fine selection of a set of reference user communication devices <NUM> from the group is executed by taking into account also the direction and/or approximate position information, i.e. by selecting reference user communication devices <NUM> that are in the proximity of user communication device <NUM>. Thus, a reference user communication device <NUM> of the group is selected if: the relative distance between reference user communication device <NUM> and user communication device <NUM> is within a proximity distance range; and/or if a discrepancy of a direction from the network communication device such as base station <NUM> to user communication device <NUM> from a direction from the network communication device such as base station <NUM> to reference user communication device <NUM> is smaller than a discrepancy threshold. According to an embodiment, the proximity distance range is a predetermined range or is computed in view of a number of reference user communication devices <NUM> around the approximate position of user communication device <NUM>. Similarly, according to an embodiment, the discrepancy threshold is a predetermined threshold or is computed in view of a number of reference user communication devices <NUM> around the approximate position of user communication device <NUM>. Thus, many reference user communication devices <NUM> of the group around the approximate position of the user communication device <NUM> will lead to a smaller proximity range and/or to a smaller discrepancy threshold, and view reference user communication devices <NUM> of the group around the approximate position of user communication device <NUM> will lead to a larger proximity range and/or to a larger discrepancy threshold. The computation of the proximity range and/or of the discrepancy threshold depends then on the number of reference user communication devices <NUM> to be selected for the set.

In step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> instructs a determining of relative distances between each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> and user communication device <NUM>. In particular, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> instructs in a sub-step <NUM> each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> to transmit a corresponding device positioning signal by transmitting a corresponding instruction to the corresponding reference user communication device <NUM>. In sub-step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> instructs the user communication device <NUM> to receive from each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> the corresponding device positioning signal by transmitting a corresponding instruction to user communication device <NUM>.

According to a supplementary embodiment, the instructions comprise schedules. The network communication device such as base station <NUM> is configured to generate the schedules. Thus, the instruction transmitted to a reference user communication device <NUM> comprises a schedule for transmitting the device positioning signal to user communication device <NUM>. The instruction transmitted to user communication device <NUM> comprises a schedule for receiving the device positioning signal.

In <FIG>, sub-steps <NUM> and <NUM> are shown as being executed sequentially such that sub-step <NUM> follows the sub-step <NUM>. However, according to another embodiments, said sub-steps <NUM>, <NUM> are executed in the opposite order such that sub-step <NUM> follows sub-step <NUM> or are executed simultaneously or essentially simultaneously.

In step <NUM>, each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> transmits the corresponding device position signal according to the corresponding instruction, e.g. according to the corresponding schedule. In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> receives from each reference communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> the corresponding device positioning signal according to the instruction of the network communication device such as base station <NUM>, e.g. according to the schedule.

According to an embodiment, the device positioning signal is arranged such and/or transmitted such that user communication device <NUM> is able to perform a signal strength measurement or determination of said device positioning signal. According to a further embodiment, if user communication device <NUM> is an IoT device, the corresponding device positioning signal is transmitted by each reference user communication device <NUM> at a frequency and bandwidth of the user communication device <NUM>, i.e. of a user communication device in IoT.

In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> measures or determines corresponding relative distances to each reference communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> based on the corresponding device positioning signal. For this purpose, user communication device <NUM> is arranged to execute anyone of known methods for determining or measuring relative distances. For example, user communication device <NUM> determines strengths of device positioning signals for measuring or determining the corresponding relative distances.

Additionally, according to an embodiment, user communication device <NUM> measures or determines in step <NUM> the quality of the corresponding determined relative distances. For example, if measuring or determining of the relative distances has been executed by measuring or determining strengths of device positioning signals, according to an embodiment, the quality of each determined relative distance is measured or determined with regard to the strength of the corresponding device positioning signal. According to an embodiment, the user communication device <NUM> measures or determines the quality of each of the measured or determined relative distances by comparing the strength of the corresponding device positioning signal, used for measuring or determining the relative distances, with a threshold. According to an embodiment, the quality of a determined or measured relative distance is determined as being sufficient, if the strength of the corresponding device positioning signal is above the threshold, and the quality of a determined or measured relative distance is determined as being not sufficient, if the strength of the corresponding device positioning signal is below the threshold.

In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> transmits the determined or measured relative distances to a network communication device such as location server <NUM>. The transmission <NUM> of the determined relative distances is executed according to an embodiment at a predetermined time. According to an embodiment, the user communication device <NUM> transmits a report to the network communication device such as location server <NUM>, wherein the report comprises the determined relative distances (e.g., for each reference user communication device <NUM>, a corresponding distance and an identifier of the corresponding user communication device <NUM>).

Additionally, according to an embodiment, in step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> transmits for each of the determined or measured relative distances a corresponding quality information indicating the quality of the corresponding determined relative distances. According to an embodiment, the quality information indicates whether the quality of the corresponding relative distance is sufficient or not.

Further, according to an embodiment, user communication device <NUM> transmits in step <NUM> only such determined or measured relative distances, quality of which is sufficient. If the quality of a determined or measured relative distance is not sufficient, neither the determined or measured relative distance nor its quality information is transmitted to the network communication device such as location server <NUM> in step <NUM>.

The network communication device such as location server <NUM> receives in step <NUM> the determined relative distances, e.g., an report on the determined relative distances. Based on this information, network communication devices such as location server <NUM> and/or base station <NUM> derive information on area of the communication network in which user communication device <NUM> is located or an approximated position of user communication device <NUM> in the communication network respectively.

Additionally, according to an embodiment, network communication device such as location server <NUM> receives in step <NUM> the quality information for each of the determined relative distances.

Further, according to an embodiment, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> is configured to verify the quality of the determined or measured relative distances. This is done in step <NUM>. As explained above, each of the determined relative distances has a corresponding quality information that indicates whether the quality of the corresponding relative distance is sufficient or not. If the quality information, has been transmitted to the network communication device such as location server <NUM>, said network communication device is able to verify whether the reference user communication devices <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices were able to lead to a determination of relative distances to the user communication device <NUM> that altogether have sufficient quality. For this purpose, the network communication device(s) such as location server <NUM> and/or base station <NUM> verifies the overall or total quality of all determined or measured relative distances. In particular, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> determines that the overall or total quality of the determined or measured relative distances is not sufficient if the quality of the determined or measured relative distances is not sufficient for a predetermined number of the relative distances and/or for a predetermined percentage of the determined relative distances. The network communication device such as location server <NUM> determines that the overall or total quality of the determined or measured relative distances is sufficient if the quality of the determined or measured relative distances is sufficient for a predetermined number of the relative distances and/or for a predetermined percentage of the determined relative distances.

If the network communication device such as location server <NUM> determines that the overall or total quality is not sufficient, the selecting of a set of reference user communication devices <NUM> and the determining of relative distances with regard to set of reference user communication devices <NUM> is repeated. During the repetition, a more sensitive or fine selecting of reference user communication devices <NUM> and, thus, more accurate determining of relative distances with improved quality are executed based on information collected, determined, derived and/or measured previously. Further, it is noted that it is not necessary to execute some steps, if it can be awaited that their results will not change when repeated. Thus, for example, it is not mandatory to repeat steps <NUM> to <NUM>.

<FIG> shows steps that are executed during the repetition to determine relative distances of better quality between the user communication device <NUM> and selected reference user communication devices <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, the repetition starts with step <NUM> a new selection of the set of reference user communication devices <NUM> from the group used in step <NUM>. From the relative distances, determined or measured in previous step <NUM> and transmitted to the network communication device such as local server <NUM>, one or several reference user communication devices <NUM> are identified which are relatively close to user communication device <NUM>, i.e. are in the proximity of user communication device <NUM>. For this purpose, according to one embodiment, the relative distances determined or measured in step <NUM> are analysed for determining the area of communication network in which the user communication device <NUM> is located, i.e. for determining an approximate position of user communication device <NUM>. Additionally, according to an embodiment, also the quality information of each of the relative distances determined or measured in step <NUM> is taken into consideration. For example, sufficient quality indicates that the corresponding reference user communication device <NUM> is a good candidate for the selection and that the corresponding user communication device <NUM> could be selected in step <NUM> again. Not sufficient or insufficient quality indicates that the corresponding reference user communication device <NUM> is not a good candidate for the selection and that the corresponding user communication device <NUM> should not be selected in step <NUM> again. In step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> selects from the group such reference user communication devices <NUM> for the set of reference user communication devices <NUM>, which are in the proximity of user communication device <NUM>. According to an embodiment, a reference user communication device <NUM> is recognized as being located in the proximity of user communication device <NUM> if a relative distance between reference user communication device <NUM> and user communication device <NUM> is within the proximity distance range. According to an embodiment, the relative distance is derived from the previously determined <NUM> relative distances or it is determined based on the position of the corresponding reference user communication device <NUM> and the approximate position of user communication device <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the quality information of a relative distance that has been previously determined <NUM> can be considered, as explained above. Thus, according to an embodiment, a reference user communication device <NUM> is recognized as being located in the proximity of user communication device <NUM> if the quality information of the corresponding relative distance indicates a sufficient quality.

In step <NUM>, the network communication device such as base station <NUM> instructs a determining of relative distances in the same way as described above with regard to step <NUM>. Thus also in step <NUM> corresponding sub-steps <NUM>, <NUM> with regard to instructing transmission and reception of device positioning signals are executed, wherein sub-step <NUM> is executed in the same way as described above with regard to sub-step <NUM> and sub-step <NUM> is executed in the same way as described above with regard to sub-step <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> transmits a corresponding device positioning signal to user communication device <NUM> as instructed and as described above with regard to step <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> receives from each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> the corresponding device positioning signal as instructed and as described above with regard to step <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> determines or measures relative distances as described with regard to step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> transmits the measured or determined relative distances as described above with regard to step <NUM>, wherein, according to an embodiment, also the corresponding quality information is transmitted as specified above with regard to step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, user communication device <NUM> transmits the measured or determined relative distances to a network communication device such as location server <NUM> as described with regard to step <NUM>. The network communication device such as location server <NUM> receives the measured or determined relative distances in step <NUM> as described with regard to step <NUM>, wherein, according to an embodiment, also the corresponding quality information is received. Subsequently, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> verifies the quality of the measured or determined relative distances in step <NUM> as described with regard to step <NUM>.

If it is determined by network communication device(s) such as location server <NUM> and/or base station <NUM> that the quality of the determined or measured relative distances is not sufficient for a predetermined number of the relative distances and/or for a predetermined percentage of the determined relative distances, selecting of a set of reference user communication devices <NUM> and determining relative distances with regard to set of reference user communication devices <NUM> is repeated again. In particular steps <NUM> to <NUM> are repeated.

According to the present embodiment, it is determined that the quality of the determined or measured relative distances is sufficient for the predetermined number of the relative distances and/or for the predetermined percentage of the determined relative distances.

Additionally, it is noted that if the network communication device such as location server <NUM> determines in step <NUM> that the overall or total quality is not sufficient, the further execution of the position determination is proceeded with step <NUM>, and it is refrained from the execution of the repetition steps <NUM> to <NUM>, i.e. steps <NUM> to <NUM> are not executed in this case.

Thus, it is proceeded with step <NUM>, in which position of user communication device <NUM> is determined by the network communication device such as location server <NUM> by use of the measured or determined relative distances. For this purpose, according to an embodiment, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> executes anyone of known position determination methods. According to an embodiment, if the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> comprises at least three reference user communication devices <NUM>, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> executes a triangulation method (as generally known) based on corresponding device reference signals of three reference user communication devices <NUM> and/or with regard to the three reference user communication devices <NUM>. Thus, the network communication device such as location server <NUM> determines the position of user communication device <NUM> by use of the triangulation method as generally known.

The present invention is, however, not limited to three reference user communication devices <NUM> and to the use of the triangulation method. According to further embodiments, the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> comprises one, at least one, two, at least two, more than three or a plurality of reference user communication devices <NUM>. Moreover, according to further embodiments also other known methods are applied for the determination of the positon of the user communication device <NUM>. They are applied with regard to or based on corresponding device reference signals of the reference user communication devices <NUM>, determined or measured distances between the reference user communication devices <NUM> and the user communication device <NUM> and/or the reference user communication devices <NUM>.

According to an embodiment, for example, the Cell-ID method as generally known (also known as Cell of Origin (CoO) or Cell Global Identity (CGI)) is used for the determination of the position of the user communication device <NUM>. According to the Cell-ID method, the location or position of the user communication device <NUM> within a cell is determined. In particular, the cell, to which the user communication device <NUM> is connected, i.e. via which the user communication device <NUM> communicates, and its cell ID are determined.

According to another embodiment, as long as the user communication device <NUM> can be reached by one or two reference user communication devices <NUM>, the position of the user communication device <NUM> is within the radius of reference user communication device signal strength, i.e. strength of the corresponding device reference signals. Thus, the position of the user communication device <NUM> is determined with regard to at least one or at least two reference user communication devices <NUM> by detecting and analysing the strengths of their device reference signals. Reference user communication device(s) <NUM> with device reference signals, strength of which are above a threshold, are considered as being most relevant for the determination of the position of the user communication device <NUM>. Then, the position of the user communication device <NUM> is determined by determining overlap area between radiuses of relevant reference user communication device signal strengths if at least two relevant reference user communication devices <NUM> have been detected. The position of the user communication device <NUM> is determined as corresponding to the area covered by radius of a relevant reference user communication device signal strength around the relevant reference user communication device <NUM> if one relevant reference user communication device <NUM> has been detected.

The choice of the method for the determination of the position of the user communication device <NUM> depends according to an embodiment on the requirements of accuracy for the position to be determined. The triangulation method, for example, may provide more accurate position than the further two known methods discussed exemplary above.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic view on grouped reference user communication devices <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. In <FIG>, reference user communication devices <NUM> are presented as rectangles. Reference user communication devices <NUM> of <FIG> are arranged as described in the present application. According to the embodiment of <FIG>, identification <NUM> of reference user communication devices <NUM> is already completed, and a grouping <NUM> of the reference user communication devices <NUM> has been executed. According to <FIG> three groups G1, G2 and G3 have been identified or determined respectively. Each of the groups G1, G2 and G3 is associated with a corresponding distance range, indicated by the broken circular lines, wherein the distance range indicates a range of distances to a network communication device such as base station <NUM>.

<FIG> continues the embodiment of <FIG> and illustrates a schematic view on a set of reference user communication devices <NUM> selected from a group of reference user communication devices <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. The selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> is indicated by rectangles filled with black colour. Triangles indicate user communication devices, (exact) positions of which in the communication network are not known and have to be determined. The present embodiment focuses exemplary on the determination of the position of one user communication device <NUM> (see in <FIG> the triangle, filled with black colour) only for sake of clarity and for a better overview. In general, the present invention allows corresponding determinations of positions of user communication devices with regard to a plurality (e.g., at least one or more than one) user communication devices.

According to embodiment of <FIG>, reference user communication devices <NUM> are selected from group G3 in view of the relative distance of user communication device <NUM>, position of which is determined, to the communication network device such as base station <NUM>. The relative distance of the user communication device <NUM> to the communication network device such as base station <NUM> is within the distance range of group G3. Therefore, group G3 is used for selecting reference user communication devices <NUM>. According to the present embodiment, the selecting of reference user communication devices <NUM> is executed for the first time, and only the relative distance from user communication device <NUM> to the network communication device such as base station <NUM> is known or present as location information of user communication device <NUM>. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the selecting of the set of reference user communication devices <NUM> has been executed randomly. The random selection may lead to the situation illustrated in <FIG>, where selected reference user communication devices <NUM> are distributed among the whole area of group G3 in the communication network. Thus, some selected reference user communication devices <NUM> are in the proximity of the communication device <NUM>, and some selected user communication devices <NUM> are far away from the communication device <NUM>.

It has to be noted that, although triangles representing user communication devices, positions of which are unknown and have to be determined, have particular positions in <FIG>, the network and the communication devices do not know where said user communication devices are actually located.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic view on a further set of reference user communication devices <NUM> selected from a group of reference user communication devices <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. Also in <FIG>, the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> is indicated by rectangles filled with black colour, and the user communication device <NUM>, position of which is determined, is indicated by a triangle that is filled with black colour.

<FIG> continues the embodiments of <FIG> and <FIG>. According to embodiment of <FIG>, a determining of relative distances with regard to the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> of <FIG> failed, i.e. the relative distances had not sufficient quality. Therefore, a further selection of reference user communication devices <NUM> has been executed as described above exemplary with regard to step <NUM>. Because computations, executed with regard to the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> of <FIG>, provided a further supplementary information on the possible location of user communication device <NUM>, as described above, the selecting of reference user communication devices <NUM> from group G3 has been executed in the embodiment of <FIG> in a more sensitive and fine way by use of the supplementary information. In <FIG>, the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> comprises user communication devices <NUM> that are near user communication device <NUM>, i.e. are located in the proximity of user communication device <NUM>.

Thus, in view of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> of <FIG>, it can be awaited that the corresponding determined or measured relative distances between each reference user communication device <NUM> of the selected set of reference user communication devices <NUM> and user communication device <NUM> will have a sufficient quality for the determination of the positon of user communication device <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates examples of time slots to which instructions of a communication network device indicate for transmitting and receiving device position signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. In <FIG> time slots, allocated by a network communication device such as base station <NUM> for transmitting and receiving device position signals, are shown as filled blocks in the sequences of blocks, each block referring to a time slot. The abbreviation "TX: r-UE" above the corresponding time slot sequences indicates transmitting reference user communication devices <NUM> that are instructed to transmit the corresponding device position signals, wherein the corresponding identification numbers ("id1-<NUM>", "id11-<NUM>", "id21-<NUM>", "id1-<NUM>", "id5-<NUM>", "id9-<NUM>") specify concrete or particular reference user communication devices <NUM>. The abbreviation "RX: up-UE" below the corresponding time slot sequences indicates receiving user communication devices <NUM> that are instructed to receive the corresponding device position signals, wherein the corresponding identification numbers ("id1-<NUM>", "id21-<NUM>", "id41-<NUM>") specify concrete or particular user communication devices <NUM>. As mentioned, the present invention allows the execution of the position determining with regard to at least one user communication device <NUM> and, thus, also with regard to at least two user communication devices <NUM>. According to embodiment of <FIG>, the position determining is executed with regard to three user communication devices <NUM> (see in <FIG> identifications "id1-<NUM>", "id21-<NUM>", "id41-<NUM>"). Further, according to <FIG>, for each device position signal transmission and reception executed between two devices - a reference user communication device <NUM> and user communication device <NUM> - at least one corresponding slot is allocated.

Thus, in view of <FIG>, a network communication device such as base station <NUM> is configured to determine and allocate time slots to be used for position data signal transmission and reception and, subsequently, to transmit corresponding instructions to the reference user communication devices <NUM> and the user communication device(s) <NUM> position(s) of which are determined. The instructions comprise schedules for transmitting the position data signals. According to embodiment of <FIG>, particular time slot(s) for a transmission or reception of a particular device positioning signal(s) is specified in a corresponding instruction or schedule.

Claim 1:
A network communication device (<NUM>) arranged to coordinate a determination of a position of a user communication device (<NUM>) in a communication network, wherein the network communication device (<NUM>) is configured to:
select a set of reference user communication devices (<NUM>) in the communication network; and
instruct a determining of relative distances between each reference user communication device (<NUM>) of the selected set of reference user communication devices (<NUM>) and the user communication device (<NUM>) for the determination of the position of the user communication device (<NUM>); and characterized in that the network communication device (<NUM>) is further configured to:
execute said instructing by:
transmitting to each reference user communication device (<NUM>) of the selected set of reference user communication devices (<NUM>) a corresponding instruction instructing a transmission of a corresponding device positioning signal by the corresponding reference user communication device (<NUM>) to the user communication device (<NUM>); and
transmitting to the user communication device (<NUM>) an instruction instructing a reception of a corresponding device positioning signal from each reference user communication device (<NUM>) of the selected set of reference user communication devices (<NUM>) by the user communication device (<NUM>),
wherein the network communication device (<NUM>) is configured to identify reference user communication devices (<NUM>) in the communication network, wherein a user communication device (<NUM>) of the communication network is identified as a reference user communication device (<NUM>) if:
position of the user communication device (<NUM>) in the communication network is known.