Embodiments of this application disclose a positioning method and an apparatus, to reduce a quantity of transmission points, thereby reducing positioning calculation complexity. The method in the embodiments of this application includes: receiving, by a terminal, positioning assistance information sent by a positioning entity, where the positioning assistance information includes a cell identity of a cell in which a to-be-measured transmission point is located, an identity of the to-be-measured transmission point, and positioning reference signal configuration information of the to-be-measured transmission point; measuring, by the terminal, the to-be-measured transmission point based on the positioning assistance information, to obtain a measurement result, where the measurement result includes positioning reference signal information of the to-be-measured transmission point; and sending, by the terminal, the measurement result.

Embodiments of this application disclose a positioning method and an apparatus, to reduce a quantity of transmission points, thereby reducing positioning calculation complexity. The method in the embodiments of this application includes: receiving, by a terminal, positioning assistance information sent by a positioning entity, where the positioning assistance information includes a cell identity of a cell in which a to-be-measured transmission point is located, an identity of the to-be-measured transmission point, and positioning reference signal configuration information of the to-be-measured transmission point; measuring, by the terminal, the to-be-measured transmission point based on the positioning assistance information, to obtain a measurement result, where the measurement result includes positioning reference signal information of the to-be-measured transmission point; and sending, by the terminal, the measurement result.

Systems and techniques are provided for indoor positioning for mobile devices. An orientation of a mobile device may be determined. An angle of a line-of-sight between the mobile device and the base station may be determined based on a peak received signal strength of a signal from the base station at a beamforming antenna of the mobile device. A distance between the mobile device and the base station may be determined based on the peak received signal strength. The mobile device may calculate the location of the mobile device using the measured orientation, the angle of the line-of-sight, and the distance between the mobile device and the base station, and a location of the base station.

Methods and systems for wireless communication are provided. In one example, a mobile device is configured to: obtain beam support information of a plurality of cells; perform measurements of one or more signals at the mobile device based on the beam support information of the plurality of cells to support a location determination operation for the mobile device; and transmit results of the measurements of the one or more signals to at least one of a location server or to a base station to support the location determination operation. The beam support information may include: a number of beams supported at each cell of the plurality of cells, information to identify each beam of the number of beams supported at the each cell, beam width information of the each beam, and/or Positioning reference Signals (PRS) codebook information which encapsulates the beams which are enabled along various elevation and azimuth angles.

A method for facilitating a relative position determination is disclosed, comprising: a first radio frequency (RF) communication device measures a first angle of arrival, being an angle of arrival of a first RF signal received from a second RF communication device; the first RF communication device senses its orientation at a first time, resulting in a first orientation; the first RF communication device measures a second angle of arrival, being an angle of arrival of a second RF signal received from the second RF communication device; the first RF communication device senses its orientation at a second time, resulting in a second orientation; the relative position of the second RF communication device with respect to the first RF communication device is determined using a difference between the first angle of arrival and the second angle of arrival and a difference between the first orientation and the second orientation.

In one implementation, a method includes receiving versions of a message from a first satellite-based receiver and a second satellite-based receiver that both received a radio frequency (RF) transmission of the message, the message comprising a self-reported position of a transmitter of the message. The method also includes determining a time difference between a first arrival time of the RF transmission of the message at the first satellite-based receiver and a second arrival time of the RF transmission of the message at the second satellite-based receiver. The method further includes determining a measure of the likelihood that the self-reported position of the transmitter is valid based on the time difference between the first and second arrival times. The method still further includes transmitting an indication of the measure of the likelihood that the self-reported position is valid.

An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry that includes antenna structures used to determine the position and orientation of the electronic device relative to external wireless equipment. The electronic device may include a housing having a planar conductive layer, a first slot antenna that includes a first bent slot element in the planar conductive layer, and a second slot antenna that includes a second bent slot element in the planar conductive layer. The first and second bent slot elements may be configured to receive radio-frequency signals at the same frequency. The first and second bent slot elements may have the same shape. The electronic device may include control circuitry configured to measure a phase difference between the radio-frequency signals received by the first and second slot antennas. The control circuitry may identify an angle of arrival of the received radio-frequency signals based on the measured phase difference.

An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry that includes antenna structures used to determine the position and orientation of the electronic device relative to external wireless equipment. The electronic device may include a housing having a planar conductive layer, a first slot antenna that includes a first bent slot element in the planar conductive layer, and a second slot antenna that includes a second bent slot element in the planar conductive layer. The first and second bent slot elements may be configured to receive radio-frequency signals at the same frequency. The first and second bent slot elements may have the same shape. The electronic device may include control circuitry configured to measure a phase difference between the radio-frequency signals received by the first and second slot antennas. The control circuitry may identify an angle of arrival of the received radio-frequency signals based on the measured phase difference.

A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.

Innovative new systems and method of operating the systems, wherein the system comprises an airborne platform comprising an unmanned balloon comprising a gas enclosure; a geographic locator or tracking system configured to determine geographical coordinates of the unmanned balloon; a payload comprising a transceiver, wherein the transceiver is capable of communicating with communication devices that are separate from the unmanned balloon; first and second flight-termination devices each configured to cause termination of a flight of the unmanned balloon; and at least two power sources each configured to provide power to at least one of the first and second flight-termination devices.