Abstract: Techniques are provided for obtaining environmental information using radio frequency sensing by one or more wireless devices. An example method of crowd sensing and/or environmental detection using radio frequency sensing with one or more wireless devices includes providing radio frequency sensing assistance data to one or more wireless devices, receiving radio frequency sensing reports from the one or more wireless devices, determining one or more environmental characteristics based on the radio frequency sensing reports. Environmental characteristics can include a location or movement of one or more target objects, or attributes of one or more target objects (e.g., one or many people, vehicles, animals, drones or other target objects), or any combinations thereof. This may assist with monitoring of a crowd or road traffic and/or with identifying and tracking a particular person or vehicle.

Abstract: Sidelink positioning of a plurality of UEs may be performed using a sidelink (SL) positioning protocol (SLPP) in either a session mode or a sessionless mode. In the session mode, one UE in the plurality of UEs may discover the other UEs, determine a session for SLPP, indicate the session to the other UEs, and exchange a plurality of SLPP messages with the other UEs, where the SLPP messages are part of the session and enable the sidelink positioning. In the sessionless mode, a UE may not discover some or all other UEs in the plurality of UEs and may exchange a plurality of SLPP messages with the other UEs, where the SLPP messages are not part of a session but enable the sidelink positioning. The two modes may each apply to SL positioning using SL PRS signals as well as WiFi, UWB and GNSS signals.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for communication. In an aspect, a location server transmits a first request to at least a first network node, the first request including at least a first set of parameters indicating one or more first time instances during which the first network node is expected to perform and report one or more first positioning measurements of periodic positioning reference signals transmitted by a second network node during a plurality of periodic time instances, the plurality of periodic time instances including the one or more first time instances, and receives a first measurement report from the first network node, the first measurement report including the one or more first positioning measurements of the periodic positioning reference signals transmitted by the second network node during the one or more first time instances.

Abstract: Techniques are described for supporting secure sidelink communication and secure sidelink positioning for user equipments (UEs). A server may configure each UE with a private cipher key, a random value and derived cipher keys. Two UEs may exchange their random values and may each use their private cipher key and a received random value to determine a derived cipher key already configured in the other UE. The two derived cipher keys now known to both UEs can enable secure communication and positioning. In a degenerate case, a Type B UE is configured with a random value and a derived cipher key which can be determined by a Type A UE configured with a private cipher key using the random value. The technique can be extended to secure communication and positioning for a group of UEs.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) may send a reporting capability to a network entity of a wireless network to indicate that the UE can report generalized unavailability periods to the wireless network for a plurality of different events, where the generalized unavailability periods comprise periods of time during which the UE does not have wireless communication access to the wireless network. The UE may later determine an upcoming unavailability period due to one or more of the plurality of events. The UE may then send an unavailability period report to the network entity prior to the unavailability period and indicative of the unavailability period. The UE may include in the report a start time, end time, duration and/or event for the unavailability period. The UE may later indicate to the network entity when the unavailability report has ended or has been cancelled or modified.

Abstract: In some implementations, a user equipment (UE) may implement a ranging support protocol layer comprising one or more ranging support elements. The UE may communicate, using the one or more ranging support elements of the ranging support protocol layer, with a corresponding ranging support protocol layer in one or more other UEs, wherein the communicating is conducted via at least one lower protocol layer implemented at the UE. The UE may provide, at the ranging support protocol layer, a positioning service to an upper protocol layer implemented at the UE, the positioning service based at least in part on the communicating.

Abstract: Access, mobility management and regulatory services are supported for satellite access to a Fifth Generation (5G) core network. A coverage area, e.g., country, region, multiple countries, and international areas, are divided into fixed virtual cells having well defined geographic boundaries and fixed tracking areas. Information for the virtual cells and/or tracking areas and associated with one or more public land mobile networks (PLMNs) may be provided to a user equipment (UE). The UE may obtain its position, e.g., using a satellite positioning system, and determine the serving virtual cell or tracking area in which it is located. The UE may perform registration with a serving core network in a serving PLMN associated with the serving virtual cell or tracking area. Regulatory services, such as emergency (EM) calls, lawful interception (LI), wireless emergency alerts (WEA) may be provided based on the serving virtual cell or tracking area.

Abstract: An example method performed by a first user equipment (UE) for positioning can include obtaining information associated with one or more landmarks, determining an identification and/or a classification of at least one of the one or more landmarks, transmitting, to a configuring entity, the identification and/or the classification, and receiving, from the configuring entity, assistance data for performing a positioning procedure, wherein the assistance data is generated by the configuring entity based at least in part on the identification and/or the classification. The method can further include performing the positioning procedure based at least in part on the assistance data. In an example implementation, the identification and/or the classification provides an indication that a landmark among the one or more landmarks is either a man-made structure or a natural object.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to signaling associated with cellular positioning protocol for light-based positioning (LBP). In an aspect, a first entity receives, from a second entity, a request for location information of the UE, the request for location information defined and transferred using a positioning protocol for at least one of 4G, 5G or 6G cellular communication. The third entity transmits the light-based signal, and the first entity obtains at least one measurement of the light-based signal. The first entity transmits location information based on the at least one measurement to the second entity using the positioning protocol. Such aspects provide various technical advantages, such as improved position estimation of user equipments (UEs) of cellular communications systems via LBP.

Abstract: Satellite access to a PLMN with a Fifth Generation (5G) core network (5GCN) is supported by a serving satellite NodeB (gNB). The gNB determines or verifies the country in which a user equipment (UE) is located to ensure that the UE is located in the same country as the PLMN. The gNB may determine the country of the UE based on UE measurements from broadcast satellite signals and a positioning ID (PID) broadcast for each radio cell. The PID frequently changes to prevent spoofing. The gNB may use multiple UE measurements from a moving radio cell over a period of time to generate a more accurate location for the UE. The gNB may indicate to a 5GCN whether the country of the UE has been verified. The 5GCN will determine the location and country of the UE if the gNB indicates that the country is not fully verified.

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) performs a public land mobile network (PLMN) scan for a higher priority PLMN, and reports a list of candidates PLMNs based on the scan. An identity of a first one of the candidate PLMNs includes a shared mobile country code (MCC). The shared MCC has a value between 900 and 999 and is also used for performing access with satellite technology. The UE selects the first one of the candidate PLMNs from among the list of candidate PLMNs. Each of the candidate PLMNs has either a mobile country code (MCC) the same as an identity of a serving PLMN or the shared MCC, when the identity of the serving PLMN does not comprise the shared MCC. The selecting is based on the first one of the candidate PLMNs having a higher priority than the serving PLMN.

Abstract: Techniques for verifying a user equipment (UE) location in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) are disclosed. In some embodiments, such techniques may involve receiving location data of the target UE; obtaining one or more locations of one or more other UEs that are within a sidelink communication range of the target UE; receiving sidelink measurements obtained by the one or more other UEs relative to the target UE or by the target UE obtained for the one or more other UEs; and verifying the location data of the target UE (e.g., a location of the target UE) based at least on the sidelink measurements and the one or more locations of the one or more other UEs. The location verification may ensure that the target UE only accesses an NTN that is allowed to serve the location of the target UE.

Abstract: Techniques are discussed herein for providing on-demand positioning reference signals (PRS) to user equipment (UE). An example method for determining a location of a user equipment according to the disclosure includes receiving a first assistance data associated with a first positioning reference signal configuration, transmitting a request to modify one or more parameters of the first positioning reference signal configuration, receiving a second assistance data associated with a second positioning reference signal configuration, wherein the second positioning reference signal configuration is based at least in part on the request to modify the one or more parameters of the first positioning reference signal configuration, obtaining measurements from one or more positioning reference signals based at least in part on the second assistance data, and determining the location based at least on part on measurements obtained from the one or more positioning reference signals.

Abstract: Techniques are discussed herein for providing on-demand positioning reference signals (PRS) to user equipment (UE). An example method for determining a location of a user equipment according to the disclosure includes receiving a first assistance data associated with a first positioning reference signal configuration, transmitting a request to modify one or more parameters of the first positioning reference signal configuration, receiving a second assistance data associated with a second positioning reference signal configuration, wherein the second positioning reference signal configuration is based at least in part on the request to modify the one or more parameters of the first positioning reference signal configuration, obtaining measurements from one or more positioning reference signals based at least in part on the second assistance data, and determining the location based at least on part on measurements obtained from the one or more positioning reference signals.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for wireless communication. In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) receives, from a network entity, beam shape assistance information for one or more downlink transmit beams of a base station, the beam shape assistance information representing a beam shape of each of the one or more downlink transmit beams, the beam shape of each of the one or more downlink transmit beams having a quantization, and determines an angle between the UE and the base station based at least on the beam shape assistance information and signal strength measurements of positioning reference signal resources transmitted on the one or more downlink transmit beams.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for supporting positioning. In an aspect, a positioning reference unit (PRU) sends and a location server receives an association request for the PRU. The location server authenticates the PRU and sends to the PRU an association accept indicating an acceptance of association and conditions for performing another association with the location server if the PRU is authenticated, or indicates a rejection of the association if the PRU is not authenticated. The association accept may include an identifier for the location server for the PRU for updating the association with the location server and/or identifiers for one or more additional location servers with which the PRU is to perform separate association. The location server may send to the PRU a disassociation request indicating the PRU is no longer associated and optionally an identifier for another location server with which the PRU should associate.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for periodically switching off geosynchronous cells. A method that may be performed by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving an indication that a non-terrestrial network (NTN) cell will stop broadcasting synchronization signals (SS) during a period of time; and performing one or more actions during the period of time based on the indication.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for reducing end-to-end latency for location determination of a user equipment (UE). Location requests from an external client for a UE may be supported using control plane signaling. Location reports to the external client may be supported with user plane signaling to minimize delay. An event report with location information may be sent using user plane signaling to the external client (or Application Function) directly or via a Location Management Function (LMF) or Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) or via both the LMF and GMLC. If the LMF or GMLC receive an event report from the UE, the LMF or GMLC may send the event report to the external client with user plane signaling. A periodic or triggered cumulative event report may be sent to the LMF, GMLC or external client using control plane signaling to confirm the periodic or triggered location request remains operational.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for wireless positioning. In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) may receive, from a network entity, a request to perform a positioning operation. The UE may identify at least one antenna panel to be used to perform the positioning operation, either by selecting the at least one antenna panel to be used to perform the positioning operation or by receiving, from the network entity, information that identifies the at least one antenna panel to be used to perform the positioning operation. The UE may perform the positioning operation using the identified at least one antenna panel.

Abstract: Sidelink positioning of user equipments (UEs) is supported by exchanging sidelink positioning messages between the UEs, where the messages may include sidelink positioning capabilities, sidelink positioning resources, sidelink Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configurations, sidelink measurements and/or location results for one or more of the UEs, and may be used for determining the location results. Location results may include ranges, directions, locations, velocities, relative locations and relative velocities. Groups of UEs may be formed for sidelink positioning based on group criteria parameters that are used for determining UE inclusion or exclusion in a group, in a centralized or distributed group management procedure. Group management may additionally remove and add UEs and transfer UEs between groups. Network supported sidelink positioning may transfer sidelink positioning messages between a UE and a location server where a sidelink positioning message may be embedded in an LPP and/or SUPL message.