Recently, the 99th plenary session of 3GPP CT and 3GPP SA was held, and Xiaomi Group’s Ranging_SL project was approved! This means that Xiaomi has achieved all-round coverage and leadership in the three working groups of RAN, SA, and CT in 3GPP, and will continue the related research of RAN WG2, SA WG1, and SA WG2 in the Ranging_SL project, and continue to work in SA WG3 and CT WG1 The working group leads the research on the topic Ranging_SL.
Figure 1: 3GPP SA2 Ranging_SL standard document TS23.586
3GPP is a standardization organization that formulates technical specifications for global mobile communications. It has three TSGs (Technical Specification Groups), RAN (Radio Access Network), SA (Service and System), and CT (Core Network and Terminal). A WG (Working Group). The mobile communication standards from 2G to 5G that we are familiar with are formulated by 3GPP. At present, 3GPP is in the transition stage from 5G-A (5.5G) to 6G, and the next few years will be a critical period for the formulation of 6G international standards.
Ranging_SL technology, the full name of Ranging based services and sidelink positioning, determines the distance and angle between terminal devices through the PC5 interface. In the 5G era, Ranging_SL technology will become one of the important means to achieve high-precision positioning. At present, most of the positioning technologies we are familiar with are based on the GPS global satellite positioning system. The accuracy of this positioning method is at the meter level. For some complex environments (such as indoor environments, urban canyon areas), there may be large positioning errors, and it is impossible to achieve high-precision wireless positioning. The Ranging_SL technology is an important supplementary means to achieve high-precision seamless positioning requirements, and can be used in commercial, V2X (vehicle networking) and public safety use cases in three scenarios of 5G network coverage, partial coverage and out-of-coverage .
For example, in the application of the museum tour scene, a label can be placed under each exhibit to establish a connection with the visitor's mobile phone. When a visitor's mobile phone points to an exhibit of interest, using the Ranging_SL technology can achieve high-precision estimation of the relative distance and angle between the visitor's mobile phone and the label of the exhibit. The relevant introduction of the exhibits is automatically pushed to the mobile phones of tourists.
Figure 2: In the museum tour of the Ranging_SL technology application example
In the intense technical discussion of the 3GPP plenary meeting, Xiaomi, as a manufacturer of mobile terminal equipment, IoT equipment and smart cars, has a diversified product line and deep technical accumulation, which can better understand and meet the needs of different fields. At the same time, Xiaomi has been committed to technological innovation and personnel training, and has rich experience and strong technical strength in 5G technology research and development and standard formulation. Based on the results of positioning simulation experiments, Xiaomi continues to optimize positioning algorithms and models to improve the accuracy, reliability and stability of various indoor and outdoor scenarios, and strives to meet the needs of users for continuously improving positioning accuracy in different scenarios. In addition to the Ranging_SL project, Xiaomi continues to invest in multiple cutting-edge research such as satellites and synaesthesia integration in 3GPP. The investment in these standards not only reflects Xiaomi's important position in 5G technology, but also lays a solid foundation for Xiaomi's development in the 6G era.
Figure 3: Representative of Xiaomi speaking at the 3GPP CT plenary session
After completing the relevant standards of Ranging_SL, Xiaomi will further promote the implementation of products equipped with Ranging_SL technology. In the near future, the Ranging_SL technology will make the products of the Xiaomi ecological chain more accurate and convenient in terms of navigation, positioning, and maps. Ranging_SL technology will also help intelligentize the whole house in terms of lighting, security, entertainment, home appliances, etc., so as to "moisten everything silently". For example, when the user returns home, the lights in the room where the user is located will be automatically turned on; when the user turns on the Xiaomi TV, the Xiaomi TV can automatically set relevant parameters according to the user's position in the room, helping the user to realize the all-round view of the whole house without dead ends. Immersive audio-visual experience.
The beauty of the world comes from the advancement of technology. Xiaomi always adheres to the concept of "technology-based" and is committed to allowing every user to enjoy the fun brought by technology. In the future, Xiaomi will continue to deepen the technical field and explore new technological applications, which will not only inject new impetus into the development of the 5G communication industry, but also continue to contribute to the development of 6G and more standard new technologies.
