Patent Description:
Wireless communication networks, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) or High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks, <NUM> Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, usually cover a geographical area which is divided into cell areas. Each cell area is served by a base station, which may also be referred as a network node, eNodeB (eNB), an access node etc. A wireless communication network may include a number of cells that can support communications for a number of wireless communication wireless devices or user equipment (UEs).

Positioning services for UEs have attracted a lot of interest for several years. In some use cases the positioning is typically triggered by an application in the UE in order to tailor a service, such as web content, specific to the current location. In other use cases it is instead triggered by the network or an application/client attached to the network, for example when locating a wireless device in an emergency situation. A coarse positioning method that was used in early stages is to determine what Cell-ID the UE is connected to or camping on, and deduce a coarse position estimate as the coverage area of that cell, and/or the area in which this cell provides the highest received signal level. Other early methods were more UE based without any required involvement by the cellular network. One such method for UEs, for example smartphones, that support communications over short-range technologies such as Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) can be based on proximity to an access point with a known position. In addition, most smartphones also include a GPS receiver that often can provide an accurate position. In LTE Release <NUM>, a more advanced network based positioning framework was introduced. A new network node or a positioning node, the Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Centre (E-SMLC) was introduced for management of the positioning services in the network. An LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) for specifying position related signaling within nodes is also introduced in the network. The position estimate can be calculated in the UE, referred as UE-based, or in the network node, referred as E-SMLC-based or network NW-based, and may use information provided by the UE and/or eNB(s). Positioning methods described above, with possible enhancements, may be included in this LTE positioning framework. In addition, a new method was introduced in LTE Release <NUM> that involves measurements on new Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) transmitted by eNBs. The method is based on Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA), in which the UE utilizes the PRS to measure the Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) between subframes transmitted from a neighbor cell and a reference cell. The UE reports the measured time difference over the LPP protocol to the E-SMLC, which then uses such measurements to calculate the UE position.

Internet of Things (IoT) is a term to describe a network of interconnected physical objects that currently is evolving. The objects that are connected to loT contain different configurations of e.g. sensors, actuators, and computers with software, as well as some means for communicating with other objects. Since this type of communication focuses on the objects themselves, often without or with little human interaction, it is also referred to as Machine-to-Machine (M2M) or Machine-Type Communication (MTC). Among these objects, the wireless sensors are believed to be the most common one in the future loT. These wireless sensors are designed to perform some kind of measurement of some physical entity such as temperature, humidity, flow, level, etc. There is a large span in complexity among the different types of wireless sensors. The simplest ones consist basically only of a physical sensor and a low complexity communications unit transmitting the sensed value at predefined points in time. Slightly more advanced sensors also have an interface by which the sensor can be configured. This can be a manual interface, but in the context of wireless sensors, it is natural to consider a wireless interface over which the sensor can be controlled, e.g. to be used for network triggered measurements or setup. More advanced sensors may include more advanced control logic that for example can be used to configure the sensor operation autonomously, or at least partly autonomously. Typically, the data reported by such a wireless sensor is relevant for a given location, e.g., the measured temperature is relevant only in combination with the location at which the temperature is measured. The positions may be entered into a database together with some sort of wireless sensor identifier upon deployment of the sensors, e.g., by using an external GPS device to position the sensor and that enters the data automatically or manually into a database relating the wireless sensor identifier to the location of the wireless sensor. As such, the wireless sensor may transmit the data along with the wireless sensor identifier to enable that the measured data is related to a geographic
location of the wireless sensor. This enables e.g., big data analysis on the collection of data received from a massive number of wireless sensors. Prior art network based positioning methods are typically controlled by the network or a positioning node, and hence the network takes the decision to transmit position pilot signals, etc., and order the wireless sensor to do measurements. In some scenarios, the positioning may be made on a regular basis, every x seconds/minutes etc. In other scenarios, the positioning is irregular, based on some trigger, typically an external event in e.g. an emergency situation, but still mostly controlled by the network.

Wireless devices implementing loT, such as, e.g. the wireless sensors, are typically deployed for long life time without battery replacement. This means that the wireless device needs to save as much power as possible and hence not transmit and receive unnecessarily. Furthermore, many of the deployed wireless device implementing loT are rather stationary and positioning may not be needed too often. Hence, applying prior art positioning methods for such wireless devices implementing loT may drain the battery and reduce the life length of the wireless device and hence the loT implementation.

In <CIT>, a two-stage procedure for positioning a mobile wireless device in a wireless communications network is described. First, a rough position of the mobile wireless device is determined using a power-efficient positioning method, i.e. a positioning method that consumes a relatively low amount of energy in the mobile wireless device is employed. Then, secondly and only if the rough position of the mobile wireless device is "interesting", another more accurate and more energy consuming method, such as, e.g. GPS based positioning, is activated. However, for wireless devices implementing loT, this positioning may still consume too much power.

<CIT> seems to disclose a method for determining location of a mobile terminal which includes repetitively switching power-on and power-off to a GPS receiver circuit which determines location of the mobile terminal using GPS signals.

It is an object of embodiments herein to improve positioning of a wireless device in a wireless communications network.

According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed in a wireless device for positioning the wireless device in a wireless communications network. The wireless device activates a positioning unit comprised in the wireless device to perform a first position measurement. The wireless device also de-activates the positioning unit after a first position has been measured. Further, the wireless device may determine that the wireless device has moved away from the measured first position based on received radio signals from one or more network nodes in the wireless communications network. Then, when determined that the wireless device has moved away from the measured first position, the wireless device may re-activate the positioning unit to perform at least one second position measurement.

According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a wireless device for positioning the wireless device in a wireless communications network. The wireless device is configured to activate a positioning unit comprised in the wireless device to perform a first position measurement. Also, the wireless device configured to deactivate the positioning unit after a first position has been measured. Further, the wireless device is configured to determine that the wireless device has moved away from the measured first position based on received radio signals from one or more network nodes in the wireless communications network. Then, when determined that the wireless device has moved away from the measured first position, the wireless device is configured to re-activate the positioning unit to perform at least one second position measurement.

According to a third aspect of the embodiments herein, a computer program is also provided that is configured to perform the method described above. Further, according to a fourth aspect of the embodiments herein, carriers are also provided that are configured to carry the computer program configured for performing the method described above.

By first establishing a position of a wireless device by using a positioning unit, after which the positioning unit is deactivated, and then determine via received radio signals if the wireless device has moved or not, the wireless device is able to by itself turn on, or re-activate, the positioning unit only when a change in the position of the wireless device has been detected. This is performed without requiring, for example, any positioning signalling in the wireless communications network, use of large databases for storing positional information, etc. It also should be noted that no actual position of the wireless device is determined based on the received radio signals in the wireless device. This provides a simple and energy-efficient solution when determining the position of the wireless device in the wireless communications network. Hence, positioning of a wireless device in a wireless communications network is improved.

The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they merely show details which are essential to the understanding of the embodiments presented herein, while other details have been left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts or steps.

<FIG> depicts an example of a wireless communication network <NUM> in which embodiments herein may be implemented. The wireless communication network <NUM> may be any wireless system or cellular network, such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, any <NUM>rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular network, Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax) network, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN/Wi-Fi), a Fourth Generation (<NUM>) or LTE advanced network, a Fifth Generation (<NUM>) or New Radio (NR) network etc..

The wireless communication network <NUM> may comprise a plurality of cells whereof one, a cell <NUM> comprising a network node <NUM>, is depicted in <FIG>. The network node <NUM> may serve wireless devices located within the cell <NUM>. The network node <NUM> is a network access node or base station and may, for example, be an eNB, gNB an eNodeB, gNodeB, or an Home NodeB, or an Home eNodeB or an Home gNodeB. The wireless communication network <NUM> may further comprise other network nodes <NUM>, <NUM> capable to serve wireless devices. These network nodes may, for example, be access points, APs, configured to provide wireless access via other types of communication technologies, such as, e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, etc., or other radio access technologies, such as, e.g. LTE, WCDMA, GSM, etc., than the network node <NUM>.

A plurality of wireless devices may operate in the wireless communication network <NUM>, whereof one wireless device <NUM> is depicted <FIG>. The wireless device <NUM> may be any type of loT enabled device, such as a user equipment, a mobile wireless terminal or a wireless terminal, a mobile phone, a sensor or actuator with wireless capabilities or any other radio network units capable to communicate over a radio link in the wireless communication network <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the wireless device <NUM> may communicate with and receive radio signals <NUM> from the network node <NUM> in the wireless communication network <NUM>. This is denoted by the fully-drawn arrow in <FIG>. Also, the wireless device <NUM> may communicate with and receive radio signals <NUM>, <NUM> from the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM> in the wireless communication network <NUM>. This is denoted by the dashed arrows in <FIG>.

Furthermore, the wireless device <NUM> is further capable of communicating with and receiving positioning signals <NUM> via a positioning system <NUM> that is independent of the wireless communications network <NUM>, such as, for example, a GNSS/GPS system. This is denoted by the dashed dotted arrow in <FIG>. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may be configured to receive the positioning signals <NUM> and, based on the positioning signals <NUM>, accurately determine the position "A" of the wireless device <NUM> in <FIG>.

Although embodiments below are described with reference to <FIG>, this should not be construed as limiting to the embodiments herein, but merely as an example made for illustrative purposes.

As part of the developing of the embodiments described herein, it has been realized that many loT use cases relies on positioning as an important part of the application or offered service. Examples may include asset tracking, monitoring applications, transport and logistics solutions, etc., in which it is essential to know the position of the wireless devices. Also, for general loT use cases where positioning is not part of the service, knowledge of the position is relevant in order to find the wireless devices for maintenance and other purposes. Furthermore, for most loT use cases the wireless devices are typically deployed for long life time without battery replacement. This means that the wireless devices need to save as much power as possible, yet still be able to achieve an accurate positioning of the wireless device. These issues are addressed by the embodiments described herein.

By, for example, triggering activation, deactivation and re-activation of an energy-consuming GPS based positioning unit dependent upon a detected change from a first determined position, wherein the change from the first determined position is detected based on radio signal measurements, the embodiments described herein provide a positioning of the wireless device having both a high accuracy and a low energy consumption. In other words, a precise location of the wireless device may initially be derived from a GPS receiver, which is then turned off to save power. Thereafter, measurements on received radio signals are used in the wireless device in order to detect changes in the position of the wireless device. When a change in the position is detected, the GPS receiver is turned on to derive a new precise location. Optionally, the first determined position may also be used as the location of the wireless device as long as no or minor changes in the position of the wireless device is detected after the initial derived location.

The embodiments described herein may be particularly advantageous when having loT applications implemented in wireless devices that are mainly stationary but sometimes occasionally moved, e.g. due to theft. Also, the embodiments described herein are further advantageous when having loT applications implemented in wireless devices that stay roughly at the same location, in which case an exact location of the wireless device may not be needed, and only large movements are of interest and in which case an exact and accurate location of the wireless device is required.

It should also be noted that while positioning performed within the wireless communication network is more energy efficient than positioning using, for example, GNSS, GPS or other positioning systems independent of the wireless communications network, positioning performed within the wireless communication network also has a lower accuracy. The accuracy of such positioning performed within the wireless communication network normally depends on the network configuration and deployment, but errors between <NUM>-<NUM> meters may be considered typical. The positioning performed within the wireless communication network also requires transmission of measurement reports. This means that positioning performed within the wireless communication network may also lead to a high power consumption in this respect. An additional problem with positioning performed within the wireless communication network is limited support in the wireless device. Not all wireless devices support positioning performed within the wireless communication network, except for the mandatory support of emergency call localization.

Embodiments of the wireless device <NUM>, and a method therein will be described in more detail below with reference to <FIG>.

Example of embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device <NUM> for positioning the wireless device <NUM> in a wireless communications network <NUM> will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in <FIG> is an illustrated example of actions or operations which may be taken by the wireless device <NUM> in the wireless communication network <NUM>.

The wireless device <NUM> activates a positioning unit comprised in the wireless device <NUM> to perform a first position measurement. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may turn on, i.e. activate, a positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM> in order perform a measurement of a first position of the wireless device <NUM>. In reference to <FIG>, this means that the wireless device <NUM> may activate a positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM> in order to receive the positioning signal <NUM> from the positioning system <NUM>, whereby the positioning unit may determine the position "A" of the wireless device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the positioning unit comprised in the wireless device <NUM> may be a GNSS/GPS, Global Navigation Satellite Systems/Global Positioning System, device, such as, e.g. a GNSS/GPS module or receiver. In this case, the positioning signal <NUM> may be a GNSS/GPS signal. Optionally, the positioning unit comprised in the wireless device <NUM> may be any type of positioning unit that operates independently from the wireless communications network <NUM>. One example may be terrestrial positioning systems, such as, e.g. a Long Range Aid to Navigation, LORAN, system or similar.

The wireless device <NUM> de-activates the positioning unit after a first position has been measured. This means that after the wireless device <NUM> has performed the first position measurement in Action <NUM> and determined a first position of the wireless device <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> turns off, i.e. de-activates, the positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM>. In reference to <FIG>, after determining the first position "A" of the wireless device <NUM>, wireless device <NUM> may turn off the positioning unit, e.g. turn off the GNSS/GPS receiver or module in the wireless device <NUM>. This may be performed in order to save power in the wireless device <NUM>.

Optionally, after determining the first position in Action <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> may perform radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in conjunction with the first position measurement in order to determine a first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may, for example, measure signal strengths, differences in Time of Arrival (ToA), and/or other characteristics of the radio signals received from surrounding network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in order to determine a first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position. It should also be noted that the first radio signal measurement profile may also comprise information, which may be received via the radio signals, such as, e.g. the identity of the current cell <NUM>, i.e. a cell-ID. Here, it should also be noted that the term "in conjunction with" is meant to be interpreted as either before, during or after the first position measurement in the wireless device <NUM>. The only requirement is that the wireless device <NUM> remains in the same, or at least approximately the same, location for the radio signal measurements as for the first position measurement in Action <NUM>. In reference to <FIG>, the wireless device <NUM> may perform radio signal measurements on the received radio signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in order to determine a radio signal measurement profile for the first position "A".

After performing the radio signal measurements in Action <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> may compare subsequent radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> with the determined first radio signal measurement profile in order to determine if the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from, or remains at, the measured first position. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may, for example, determine if there is a difference between the measurements comprised in the determined first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position and measurements of current corresponding radio signals being received by the wireless device <NUM>. If there is a difference, the wireless device <NUM> may optionally use this difference and/or the size of this difference to determine if the wireless device <NUM> should be considered to have moved away from, or considered to remain at, the measured first position.

The wireless device <NUM> determines that the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position based on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the wireless communications network <NUM>. This means that no actual position of the wireless device <NUM> is determined based on the received radio signals in the wireless device <NUM>, but that the received radio signals in the wireless device <NUM> are merely used to detect if there is a change from the measured first position in Action <NUM>. It should be noted that it is easier to determine whether there has been a change in the position of the wireless device <NUM> based on received radio signals, rather than to actually determine a position of the wireless device <NUM> based on received radio signals.

For example, if instead using a conventional so-called fingerprinting method for positioning the wireless device, wherein the wireless device performs power measurements of received radio signals from its surrounding network nodes and reports this measured power profile together with an accurate position measured by e.g. a GPS receiver, a database of power profiles and GPS positions is required to be build up. This in order for the wireless device, or other wireless device for that matter that later may need to be positioned, to be able to measure its power profile and send it to the network for positioning. In this case, the network may use the old received power profile from the wireless device and the existing database to derive a stored power profile that mostly resembles the newly received power profile and use the associated stored GPS position as the current position of the wireless device. However, such conventional so-called fingerprinting methods have the drawback that it requires a large data base to be built up and will not have a particularly good accuracy unless a dense pattern of previous power measurements and profiles are made available.

In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> may be determined to have moved away from the measured first position if the difference between at least one radio signal measurement of the determined first signal measurement profile and at least one corresponding subsequent radio signal measurement is above a threshold value. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may determine that the first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position is no longer applicable to the wireless device <NUM> in case one or more radio signal measurements stored in the first radio signal measurement profile is sufficiently different, e.g. the difference exceeds a determined threshold, from corresponding current radio signal measurements.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> may be determined to remain at the measured first position if the difference between at least one radio signal measurement of the determined first radio signal measurement profile and at least one corresponding subsequent radio signal measurement is below a threshold value. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may determine that the first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position is still applicable to the wireless device <NUM> in case one or more radio signal measurements stored in the first radio signal measurement profile is not sufficiently different, e.g. the difference do not exceed a determined threshold, from corresponding current radio signal measurements.

After the determination in Action <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM>, when determined that the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position, reactivates the positioning unit to perform at least one second position measurement. This means that the wireless device <NUM> may turn on, i.e. re-activate, the positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM> again in order perform at least one second measurement of the new position of the wireless device <NUM>. In reference to <FIG>, this means that the wireless device <NUM> may activate the positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM> again in order to receive the positioning signal <NUM> from the positioning system <NUM>, whereby the positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM> may determine the new second position of the wireless device <NUM>.

Optionally, after the determination in Action <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> may, when determined that the wireless device <NUM> remains at the measured first position, respond with the measured first position as the position of the wireless device <NUM> in response to any positional queries or scheduled positioning update signalling. This means that the measured first position may be used as an estimate of the position of the wireless device <NUM> when the wireless device <NUM> has determined that it remains at the measured first position. This may, for example, be performed in case the difference between the radio signal measurement of the determined first radio signal measurement profile and the corresponding subsequent radio signal measurement is below a threshold value in Action <NUM>. In other words, this may be performed in case the wireless device <NUM> has only slightly moved or not moved at all.

For example, in case a regular application or loT application in the wireless device <NUM> requires that the wireless device <NUM> is positioned, e.g. to report its position to an application or network server connected to the wireless communications network <NUM>, then the wireless device <NUM> may in this case use and respond with the measured first position as an estimate of its current position.

<FIG> depicts an example of the wireless communication network <NUM> in <FIG> in which a first position "A" of the wireless device <NUM> has been measured and, for which first position "A", a first radio signal measurement profile has been determined based on the received radio signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> from the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

As the wireless device <NUM> is moved according to the large arrow illustrated in <FIG>, the characteristics and/or information, such as, e.g. signal strength, time-of-arrival, etc., of the radio signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> from the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may change. This is denoted in <FIG> by the received radio signals <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>' from the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Hence, if one or more characteristics and/or information of one or more of the received radio signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, which forms part of the first radio signal measurement profile of the wireless device <NUM>, differs from the corresponding one or more characteristics and/or information of one or more of the received radio signals <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>' in a significant way, the wireless device <NUM> may determine that the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position "A" and that a second position "B" is needed to be measured. The wireless device <NUM> may then re-activate a positioning unit, such as, a GPS receiver, and measure the second position "B" accurately. In <FIG>, the dashed area <NUM> illustrates an example of how far from the measured first position "A" that the wireless device <NUM> may move or be moved without causing a significant, or large enough, of a difference between the received radio signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the received radio signals <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>' to trigger a measurement of the second position "B", i.e. trigger a re-activation of a positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrated signalling according to some embodiments when implemented using a Lightweight Machine to Machine Protocol, LWM2M. The LWM2M protocol provides a simple mechanism for device management of loT devices, which may include providing interfaces for information reporting, service enablement, firmware updates, secure management, etc. Also, the LWM2M protocol is a variant of the so-called Constrained Application Protocol, CoAP, designed to be used over the User Data Plane, UDP, in accordance with RFC0768. CoAP in turn is defined in RFC7252 and is a generic Representational State Transfer, REST, application protocol for constrained devices.

Action <NUM>-<NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> may initiate communication with a LWM2M server <NUM>. For example, by transmitting a POST message to the LWM2M server <NUM> and receiving an Acknowledgment, ACK, message in response.

Action <NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> may then turn on or activate its positioning unit, such as, e.g. a GPS receiver.

Action <NUM>. Based on received positioning signals of the positioning unit, the wireless device <NUM> may determine and store an initial location of the wireless device <NUM>, e.g. an initial GPS position.

Action <NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> may also measure and/or receive information and/or radio signals that is available to the wireless device <NUM> from surrounding network nodes, such as, e.g. the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The information and/or signals may be a combination of signal strength or power, difference in ToA, cell-ID of the current cell of the wireless device <NUM>, etc. The information and/or signal may be stored as a radio signal measurement profile, or power profiled, for the wireless device <NUM> that is associated with the initial location of the wireless device <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> may receive a GET message with the CoAP Observer option, according to RFC7641, set to <NUM> from the LWM2M server <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. The reception in Action <NUM> may then trigger an LWM2M Client service running in the wireless device <NUM> to send a notification with an Acknowledgement, ACK, <NUM> that comprises the initial location of the wireless device <NUM> to the LWM2M server <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> may then receive another GET message from the LWM2M server <NUM> to a device object comprising the radio signal measurement profile in the LWM2M Client service running in the wireless device <NUM>, e.g. "Object <NUM>/<NUM>/" according to LWM2M.

Action <NUM>. The reception in Action <NUM> may then trigger an LWM2M Client service running in the wireless device <NUM> to send a notification with an Acknowledgement, ACK, <NUM> that comprises an indication of the radio signal measurement profile of the wireless device <NUM> to the LWM2M server <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. Based on the received information on the initial location of the wireless device <NUM> and current power profile from the wireless device <NUM>, the LWM2M server <NUM> may send a PUT message setting the wireless device <NUM> into a "power saving"-mode, e.g. sending information indicating to the wireless device <NUM> that it should take action in order to reduce its energy consumption.

Action <NUM>. The reception in Action <NUM> may then trigger an LWM2M Client service running in the wireless device <NUM> to send a notification with an Acknowledgement, ACK, <NUM> acknowledging the "power saving"-mode to the LWM2M server <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> may then turn off or de-activate its positioning unit, such as, e.g. a GPS receiver, in order to save energy in the battery in the wireless device <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. If the wireless device <NUM>, at some time after turning off the positioning unit in Action <NUM>, determines that the radio signal measurement profile has only marginally changed or not changed at all, the wireless device <NUM> may assume that the wireless device <NUM> has not moved and that the previously stored initial location in Action <NUM> is to be used by applications, such as, e.g. LWM2M Client service, in the wireless device <NUM> as the current location of the wireless device <NUM>. On the contrary, if the wireless device <NUM>, at some time after turning off the positioning unit in Action <NUM>, determines that the radio signal measurement profile has significantly changed, e.g. more than a specific value or exceeded a threshold value, the wireless device <NUM> may assume that the wireless device <NUM> has likely moved.

Action <NUM>. In case the wireless device <NUM> assumes that the wireless device <NUM> has likely moved in Action <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> may turn on or re-activate the positioning unit, such as, e.g. a GPS receiver. Hence, the wireless device <NUM> may determine and store a new location of the wireless device <NUM>, i.e. a new GPS position based on received GPS positioning signals. Optionally, the wireless device <NUM> may also measure and/or receive information and/or radio signals that is available to the wireless device <NUM> from surrounding network nodes to determined and store a new radio signal measurement profile, or power profiled, for the wireless device <NUM> that is associated with the current location of the wireless device <NUM>.

Action <NUM>. In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> may also send a notification update to the LWM2M server <NUM> about an Observed Resource, according to RFC7641, wherein the notification update may comprise the current radio signal measurement profile and/or the new location of the wireless device <NUM>.

Advantageously, the above embodiments will allow the positioning unit in the wireless device <NUM>, e.g. the GPS receiver, to only be turned on or activated when the wireless device <NUM> has moved. This will consume less energy in the wireless device <NUM> than, for example, turning positioning unit on for each time the location of the wireless device <NUM> is required by an application or the wireless communication network <NUM>. The above embodiments may also be particularly advantageous when implementing a LWM2M application in a stationary or semi-stationary loT device.

To perform the method actions in a wireless device <NUM> for positioning the wireless device <NUM> in a wireless communications network <NUM>, the wireless device <NUM> may comprise the following arrangement depicted in <FIG> shows a schematic block diagram of embodiments of a wireless device <NUM>.

The wireless device <NUM> may comprise processing circuitry <NUM>, a memory <NUM> and at least one antenna <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, one of the at least one antennas <NUM>, <NUM> may be used in order to receive radio signals from one or more of the network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the wireless communications network <NUM>, and another one of the at least one antennas <NUM>, <NUM> may be used to receive the positioning signal <NUM> from the positioning system <NUM> in the wireless communications network <NUM>. The wireless device <NUM> also comprise a positioning unit <NUM> and a power source <NUM>. According to some embodiments, the positioning unit <NUM> may be a GNSS/GPS, Global Navigation Satellite Systems/Global Positioning System, device, such as, e.g. a GNSS/GPS module or receiver, or any type of positioning unit that operates independently from the wireless communications network <NUM>, such as, e.g. a terrestrial positioning systems, such as, e.g. a Long Range Aid to Navigation, LORAN, system or similar. The power source <NUM> may be a battery.

The processing circuitry <NUM> may also comprise a receiving module <NUM> and a transmitting module <NUM>. The receiving module <NUM> and the transmitting module <NUM> may comprise radio circuitries, such as, e.g. Radio Frequency, RF, circuitry and baseband processing circuitry, capable of receiving and transmit radio signals in the wireless communications network <NUM>. The receiving module <NUM> and the transmitting module <NUM> may also form part of a single transceiver. It should also be noted that some or all of the functionality described in the embodiments above as being performed by the wireless device <NUM> may be provided by the processing circuitry <NUM> executing instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, such as, e.g. the memory <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Alternative embodiments of the wireless device <NUM> may comprise additional components, such as, for example, an activation/deactivation module <NUM>, a determining module <NUM>, a signal measurement module <NUM>, and a comparing module <NUM>, each responsible for providing its respective functionality necessary to support the embodiments described herein.

The wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the activation/deactivation module <NUM> configured to, activate the positioning unit <NUM> comprised in the wireless device <NUM> to perform a first position measurement. Also, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the activation/deactivation module <NUM> configured to, de-activate the positioning unit <NUM> after a first position has been measured. Further, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the determining module <NUM> configured to, determine if the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position based on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the wireless communications network <NUM>. Furthermore, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the activation/deactivation module <NUM> configured to, when determined that the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position, re-activate the positioning unit <NUM> to perform at least one second position measurement.

In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> may be configured to, or may comprise the transmitting module <NUM> configured to, when determined that the wireless device <NUM> remains at the measured first position, respond with the measured first position as the position of the wireless device <NUM> in response to any position queries or scheduled positioning update signalling.

In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> may be configured to, or may comprise the signal measurement module <NUM> configured to, perform radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in conjunction with the first position measurement in order to determine a first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position. In this case, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> may also be further configured to, or may comprise the comparing module <NUM> being configured to, compare subsequent radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to the determined first radio signal measurement profile in order to determine if the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from, or remains at, the measured first position.

In some embodiments, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the determining module <NUM> configured to, determine that the wireless device <NUM> has moved away from the measured first position if the difference between at least one radio signal measurement of the determined first radio signal measurement profile and at least one corresponding radio subsequent signal measurement is above a threshold value. Alternatively, the wireless device <NUM> or processing circuitry <NUM> is configured to, or may comprise the determining module <NUM> configured to, determine that the wireless device <NUM> remains at the measured first position if the difference between at least one radio signal measurement of the determined first radio signal measurement profile and at least one corresponding subsequent radio signal measurement is below a threshold value.

Furthermore, the embodiments for positioning the wireless device <NUM> in a wireless communications network <NUM> described above may be implemented through one or more processing circuitries, such as, the processing circuitry <NUM> in the wireless device <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code or code means for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the processing circuitry <NUM> in the node <NUM>, <NUM>. The computer program code may e.g. be provided as pure program code in the wireless device <NUM> or on a server and downloaded to the wireless device <NUM>. Thus, it should be noted that the modules of the wireless device <NUM> may in some embodiments be implemented as computer programs stored in memory, e.g. in the memory modules <NUM> in <FIG>, for execution by processing circuitries or processing modules, e.g. the processing circuitry <NUM> of <FIG>.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the processing circuitry <NUM> and the memory <NUM> described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in a memory, that when executed by the one or more processors such as the processing circuitry <NUM> perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

The description of the example embodiments provided herein have been presented for purposes of illustration. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit example embodiments to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various alternatives to the provided embodiments. The examples discussed herein were chosen and described in order to explain the principles and the nature of various example embodiments and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the example embodiments in various manners and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The features of the embodiments described herein may be combined in all possible combinations of methods, apparatus, modules, systems, and computer program products. It should be appreciated that the example embodiments presented herein may be practiced in any combination with each other.

It should further be noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims, that the example embodiments may be implemented at least in part by means of both hardware and software, and that several "means", "units" or "wireless devices" may be represented by the same item of hardware.

It should also be noted that the various example embodiments described herein are described in the general context of method steps or processes, which may be implemented in one aspect by a computer program product, embodied in a computer-readable medium, including computer-executable instructions, such as program code, executed by computers in networked environments. A computer-readable medium may include removable and non-removable storage wireless devices including, but not limited to, Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVD), etc. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein.

Claim 1:
A method performed in a wireless device (<NUM>) for positioning the wireless device (<NUM>) in a wireless communications network (<NUM>), the method comprising:
activating (<NUM>) a positioning unit (<NUM>) comprised in the wireless device (<NUM>) to perform a first position measurement;
the method further comprising
de-activating (<NUM>) the positioning unit (<NUM>) after a first position (A) has been measured;
performing (<NUM>) radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) in conjunction with the first position measurement in order to determine a first radio signal measurement profile associated with the measured first position (A)
comparing (<NUM>) subsequent radio signal measurements on received radio signals from one or more network nodes (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) to the determined first radio signal measurement profile in order to determine if the wireless device (<NUM>) has moved away from, or remains at, the measured first position (A)
determining (<NUM>) if the wireless device (<NUM>) has moved away from the measured first position (A) based on received radio signals from one or more network nodes (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) in the wireless communications network (<NUM>), wherein the wireless device (<NUM>) is determined to have moved away from the measured first position if the difference between at least one radio signal measurement of the determined first radio signal measurement profile and at least one corresponding subsequent radio signal measurement is above a threshold value; and
when determined that the wireless device (<NUM>) has moved away from the measured first position (A), re-activating (<NUM>) the positioning unit (<NUM>) to perform at least one second position measurement.