Provision of location information

• US 20050043038A1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kokkonen, Petri, Maanoja, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]

Abstract

In a telecommunication system communication to and/or from a user equipment is carried on a user plane and messages supporting the communication are carried on a control plane. Information supporting provision of information about the location of the user equipment is also arranged to be carried on the user plane to and/or from the user equipment.

Claims

1-30. -30. (Cancelled).

31. A method for a telecommunication system wherein communication to and/or from a user equipment is carried on a user plane and messages supporting the communication are carried on a control plane, comprising the step of carrying information supporting provision of information about the location of the user equipment on a user plane communication channel established for communication of said supporting information to and/or from the user equipment.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the supporting information comprises a message generated by a location service entity requesting information from the user equipment for use in provision of information about the location of the user equipment.

33. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the supporting information comprises information generated by the user equipment for use in provision of information about the location of the user equipment.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the supporting information comprises results of location measurements by the user equipment, said results being communication from the user equipment on the user plane for use in computations of the location of the user equipment.

35. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the supporting information comprises assistance data for use by the user equipment when determining information about the location thereof.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the user equipment computes the location thereof or performs at least one measurement based on the assistance data.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the assistance data is based on information a location service entity of the communication system has received from a location information provisioning unit.

38. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein packet switching is employed for transportation of the supporting information on the user plane.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the communication of said information is accomplished by means of internet protocol (IP) session.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection of a internet protocol (IP) session is used.

41. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a packet data protocol (PDP) session.

42. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a short message service (SMS).

43. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of Abis/lub interface.

44. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a data call.

45. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising determining the address of the user equipment based on an indication of the identity of the user equipment, and routing said supporting information to the user equipment based on said address.

46. A method as claimed in claim 45, wherein the address comprises an internet protocol (IP) address of the user equipment.

47. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising a step of determining a rough location estimate of the user equipment and transmission of said rough location estimate to the user equipment via the user plane.

48. A telecommunication system wherein communication to and/or from a user equipment is carried on a user plane and messages supporting the communication are carried on a control plane, the telecommunication system comprising an entity for provision of information about the location of the user equipment, the arrangement being such that information supporting the provision of said information about the location of the user equipment is carried to and/or from the user equipment on a user plane communication channel established for communication of said supporting information.

49. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein the supporting information comprises information generated by the user equipment for use by said entity when generating information about the location of the user equipment.

50. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 49, wherein the user equipment generates the supporting information based on results of location measurements.

51. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein the supporting information comprises assistance data for use by the user equipment when determining information about the location thereof.

52. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 51, wherein the assistance data is based on information said location information provision entity has received from a location information provisioning unit that associates with the telecommunication system.

53. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein the user plane communication of said supporting information is based on packet switching.

54. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 53, wherein the communication of said information is accomplished by means of internet protocol (IP) session.

55. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a packet data protocol (PDP) session.

56. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a short message service (SMS).

57. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of Abis/lub interface.

58. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein at least a part of the supporting information is carried to and/or from the user equipment by means of a data call.

59. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, comprising means for determining the address of the user equipment based on an indication of the identity of the user equipment, said supporting information being routed to the user equipment based on said address.

60. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 48, wherein the location of the user equipment is determined based on information from at least one of the following location information provision mechanisms;

global positioning system (GPS);

differential GPS;

observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA);

enhanced observed time difference of arrival (E-OTD);

cell identity (CI);

service area identity (SAI);

timing advance (TA); and

routing trip time (RTT).