Terminal, radio communication system, and communication method

Abstract

A terminal (10) includes an Initiator functional unit (13) for acquiring information to be used for estimating position information of the terminal by performing frame exchange with a neighboring Responder terminal, a Responder functional unit (14) for providing the information to be used for estimating the position information of the Initiator terminal by performing the frame exchange with a neighboring Initiator terminal, and a control unit (12) for controlling the Initiator functional unit (13) and the Responder functional unit (14). The control unit (12) estimates the position information of the terminal (10) based on the information acquired by controlling the terminal (10) to function as the Initiator terminal using the Initiator functional unit (13) and by controlling the terminal (10) to exchange frames with the neighboring Responder terminal, and then controls the terminal (10) to function as the Responder terminal using the Responder functional unit (14) and the position information.

1 . A terminal comprising:
 a memory configured to store instructions; and   at least one processor configured to process the instructions to:   acquire information for estimating position information of the terminal via frame exchange with a neighboring Responder terminal, to function as an Initiator terminal,   estimate the position information of the terminal based on the information for estimating the position information of the terminal, and   provide the information for estimating the position information of a neighboring Initiator terminal via frame exchange with the neighboring Initiator terminal to function as a Responder terminal in a case where the position information of the terminal has been estimated.   
     
     
         2 . The terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in a case where the terminal functions as the Responder terminal, the at least one processor is configured to process the instructions to signal a Responder information element indicating that the terminal is the Responder terminal to a neighboring terminal, and   in a case where the terminal functions as the Initiator terminal, the at least one processor is configured to process the instructions to:
 discover the neighboring Responder terminal signaling the Responder information element, 
 negotiate frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal, and 
 acquire the information to be used for estimating the position information of the terminal via the frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal in response to negotiation of the frame exchange. 
   
     
     
         3 . The terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the terminal includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and ToA (Time of Arrival) information indicating a time when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The terminal according to  claim 3 , wherein
 performing the frame exchange includes performing an FTM (Fine Time Measurement) protocol.   
     
     
         5 . The terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the terminal includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and AoA (Angle of Arrival) information indicating an angle of the neighboring Responder terminal when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.   
     
     
         6 . A radio communication system comprising:
 a plurality of terminals, wherein   each terminal of the plurality of the terminals is configured to function as either an Initiator terminal configured to acquire information for estimating position information of the each terminal via frame exchange with a neighboring Responder terminal or a Responder terminal configured to provide the information for estimating the position information of a neighboring Initiator terminal via the frame exchange with the neighboring Initiator terminal, wherein   the each terminal of the plurality of terminals is configured to estimate the position information of the each terminal based on the information for estimating position information of the each terminal and function as the Responder terminal in a case where the position information of the each terminal has been estimated.   
     
     
         7 . The radio communication system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 in a case where the each terminal of the plurality of the terminals functions as the Responder terminal, the each terminal is configured to signal a Responder information element indicating that the terminal is the Responder terminal to a neighboring terminal, and   in a case where the each terminal of the plurality of the terminals functions as the Initiator terminal, the each terminal is configured to:
 discover the neighboring Responder terminal signaling the Responder information element, 
 negotiate frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal, and 
 acquire the information for estimating the position information of the each terminal via the frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal in response to negotiation of the frame exchange. 
   
     
     
         8 . The radio communication system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the each terminal of the plurality of the terminals includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and ToA (Time of Arrival) information indicating a time when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.   
     
     
         9 . The radio communication system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 performing the frame exchange includes performing an FTM (Fine Time Measurement) protocol.   
     
     
         10 . The radio communication system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the each terminal of the plurality of the terminals includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and AoA (Angle of Arrival) information indicating an angle of the neighboring Responder terminal when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.   
     
     
         11 . A communication method performed by a terminal comprising:
 acquiring information for estimating position information of the terminal via frame exchange with a neighboring Responder terminal, to function as an Initiator terminal;   estimating the position information of the terminal based on the information for estimating the position information of the terminal; and   providing the information for estimating the position information of a neighboring Initiator terminal via frame exchange with the neighboring Initiator terminal to function as a Responder terminal in a case where the position information of the terminal has been estimated.   
     
     
         12 . The communication method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in a case where the terminal functions as the Responder terminal, signaling a Responder information element indicating that the terminal is the Responder terminal to a neighboring terminal, and   in a case where the terminal functions as the Initiator terminal, discovering the neighboring Responder terminal signaling the Responder information element, negotiating frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal, and acquiring the information for estimating the position information of the terminal via the frame exchange with the discovered neighboring Responder terminal in response to negotiation of the frame exchange.   
     
     
         13 . The communication method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the terminal includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and ToA (Time of Arrival) information indicating a time when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.   
     
     
         14 . The communication method according to  claim 13 , wherein
 performing the frame exchange includes performing an FTM (Fine Time Measurement) protocol.   
     
     
         15 . The communication method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the information for estimating the position information of the terminal includes the position information of the neighboring Responder terminal and AoA (Angle of Arrival) information indicating an angle of the neighboring Responder terminal when the frame exchange is performed with the neighboring Responder terminal.