6.37 Ranging based services

22.2613GPPRelease 18Service requirements for the 5G systemTS

6.37.1 Description

Ranging-based services are the applications utilizing the distance between two UEs and/or the direction of one UE from the other one. In 3D case, direction includes horizontal direction and elevation direction. Ranging-based services can apply to a variety of verticals, such as consumer, smart home, smart city, smart transportation, smart retail, and industry 4.0. Some ranging-based services can only require the distance measurement, some can only require direction measurement, others can require both distance and direction measurement.

Ranging can be supported with or without 5G coverage, Fig. 6.37.1-1 is an illustration of ranging between UEs that are in coverage, out of coverage, or with partial coverage. Both licensed and unlicensed spectrum can be used for ranging. If licensed spectrum is used, it shall be fully under operator control.

Figure 6.37.1-1 illustration of ranging between UEs with or without 5G coverage

6.37.2 Requirements

The 5G system shall be able to support for a UE to discover other UEs supporting ranging.

The 5G system shall be able to authorize ranging for a UE or a group of UE when using licensed spectrum.

The 5G system shall be able to protect privacy of a UE and its user, ensuring that no identifiable information can be tracked by undesired entities during ranging.

The 5G system shall be able to enable or disable ranging.

The 5G system shall support mutual ranging, i.e. two UEs shall be able to initiate ranging to each other.

The 5G system shall be able to ensure that the use of Ranging, if in licensed spectrum, is only permitted in network coverage under the full control of the operator who provides the coverage.

NOTE 1: The above requirement does not apply for public safety networks with dedicated spectrum, where ranging might be allowed out of coverage or in partial coverage as well.

The 5G system shall support energy efficient UE ranging operation.

The 5G system shall be able to start ranging and stop ranging according to the application layer’s demand.

The 5G system shall be able to provide mechanisms for a MNO, or authorized 3rd party, to provision and manage ranging operation and configurations.

The 5G system shall be able to support mechanisms for a UE to assist another UE to perform ranging of a third UE (if the requesting UE is LOS with the assisting UE and the assisting UE is LOS with the third UE).

NOTE 2: It cannot be assumed that all ranging UEs support the same application for exchange of information.

The 5G system shall be able to support ranging enabled UEs to determine the ranging capabilities (e.g. capabilities to perform distance and/or angle measurement) of other ranging enabled UEs.

The 5G system shall be able to allow a ranging enable UE to determine if another ranging enabled UE is stationary or mobile, before and/or during ranging.

NOTE 3: This may require assistance from other ranging enabled UEs.

The 5G system shall allow ranging between 2 UEs triggered by and exposed to a third UE.

The 5G system shall allow ranging service between 2 UEs triggered by and exposed to the application server.

The 5G system shall be able to support one UE initiating ranging to the other UE.

The 5G system shall be able to support ranging between UEs which subscribe to different operators.

The 5G system shall be able to allow roaming UEs to perform ranging.

The 5G system shall be able to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of ranging information used by ranging-enabled UEs.

The 5G system shall be able to ensure that user privacy is not violated during ranging, e.g., subject to regional or national regulatory requirements.

The 5G system shall be able to ensure security protection (e.g., interworking security) when the ranging concerns UEs subscribed with different operators.

The level of security provided by the existing 5G system shall not be adversely affected when ranging is enabled.

The 5G system shall support means to securely identify other ranging capable UEs, with which a certain UE can perform ranging.