Method and apparatus for providing location services with short-circuited message flows

• US 20070004429A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Fischer, Sven, Edge, Stephen, Burroughs, Kirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) sends to a serving network a request for periodic reporting of the UE location to a client entity, periodic location information, a request to use GMLC short circuit, and/or a request to use MO-LR short circuit. Various network entities may accept or reject each of the UE requests. For each location reporting event, the UE may send to the serving network its location estimate (e.g., if available and if MO-LR short circuit is allowed) and an address of a requesting GMLC (e.g., if GMLC short circuit is allowed). The network bypasses location processing if the location estimate is selected for use. The serving network may send the location estimate directly to the R-GMLC and bypass a visiting GMLC and a home GMLC, e.g., using the address provided by the UE. The GMLC short circuit and MO-LR short circuit save system resources and shorten response time.

Claims

1. A method of providing location services, comprising:

performing location processing with a user equipment (UE), if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the UE is in communication with a serving network that is associated with a first location center; and

sending the location estimate for the UE directly to a second location center and bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center is associated with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the location estimate for the UE comprises

sending the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center and bypassing the first location center and a third location center, wherein the third location center is associated with a home network for the UE.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location center is a visited gateway mobile location center (V-GMLC), and wherein the second location center is a requesting gateway mobile location center (R-GMLC).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location center is a visiting Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) location platform (V-SLP), and wherein the second location center is a requesting SLP (R-SLP).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the UE a position estimate for the UE; and

bypassing the location processing if the position estimate received from the UE is selected for use.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the UE a request to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity, and wherein the performing location processing with the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE are performed in response to the request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the UE an address of the second location center; and

using the address of the second location center to send the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the second location center a request to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity, and wherein the performing location processing with the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE are performed in response to the request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the UE a request for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity; and

repeating the performing location processing with the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request sent by the client entity for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity; and

repeating the performing location processing with the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to bypass the first location center; and

accepting or rejecting the request to bypass the first location center.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to bypass the location processing; and

accepting or rejecting the request to bypass the location processing.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor operative to perform location processing with a user equipment (UE), if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the UE is in communication with a serving network that is associated with a first location center; and

a communication unit operative to send the location estimate for the UE directly to a second location center and bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center is associated with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to receive a request to bypass the first location center and to accept or reject the request to bypass the first location center.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to receive from the UE an address of the second location center and to send the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center using the address received from the UE.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to receive from the UE a position estimate for the UE and to bypass the location processing if the position estimate received from the UE is selected for use.

17. An apparatus comprising:

means for performing location processing with a user equipment (UE), if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the UE is in communication with a serving network that is associated with a first location center; and

means for sending the location estimate for the UE directly to a second location center and bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center is associated with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to bypass the first location center; and

means for accepting or rejecting the request to bypass the first location center.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving from the UE an address of the second location center; and

means for using the address of the second location center to send the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving from the UE a position estimate for the UE; and

means for bypassing the location processing if the position estimate received from the UE is selected for use.

21. A method of obtaining location services, comprising:

exchanging signaling between a user equipment (UE) and a serving network for a request for location service, wherein the serving network is associated with a first location center; and

performing location processing with the serving network, if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to a second location center, bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center communicates with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network comprises

sending the request for location service from the UE to the serving network, and

sending an address of the second location center from the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to the second location center using the address sent by the UE.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network comprises

receiving from the serving network the request for location service.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network comprises

sending a position estimate for the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location processing is bypassed if the position estimate sent to the serving network is selected for use.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending to the serving network a request for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity; and

repeating the exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network and the performing location processing with the serving network based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving from the serving network a request from the client entity for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity; and

repeating the exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network and the performing location processing with the serving network based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a request to bypass the first location center; and

receiving an indication of acceptance or rejection of the request to bypass the first location center.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a request to bypass the location processing; and

receiving an indication of acceptance or rejection of the request to bypass the location processing.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver operative to exchange signaling between a user equipment (UE) and a serving network for a request for location service, wherein the serving network is associated with a first location center; and

a processor operative to perform location processing with the serving network, if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to a second location center, bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center communicates with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operative to send the request for location service and an address of the second location center from the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to the second location center using the address sent by the UE.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operative to send a position estimate for the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location processing is bypassed if the position estimate sent to the serving network is selected for use.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operative to send a request to bypass the first location center and to receive an indication of acceptance or rejection of the request to bypass the first location center.

33. An apparatus comprising:

means for exchanging signaling between a user equipment (UE) and a serving network for a request for location service, wherein the serving network is associated with a first location center; and

means for performing location processing with the serving network, if the location processing is initiated, to obtain a location estimate for the UE, wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to a second location center, bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center communicates with a client entity receiving the location estimate for the UE, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network comprises

means for sending the request for location service from the UE to the serving network, and

means for sending an address of the second location center from the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location estimate for the UE is sent by the serving network directly to the second location center using the address sent by the UE.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for exchanging signaling between the UE and the serving network comprises

means for sending a position estimate for the UE to the serving network, and wherein the location processing is bypassed if the position estimate sent to the serving network is selected for use.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for sending a request to bypass the first location center; and

means for receiving an indication of acceptance or rejection of the request to bypass the first location center.

37. A method of providing location services, comprising:

receiving from a serving network a location estimate for a user equipment (UE), wherein the serving network currently serves the UE and is associated with a first location center, wherein the location estimate is sent directly from the serving network to a second location center and bypasses the first location center, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks; and

sending the location estimate for the UE from the second location center to a client entity.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving a request to bypass the first location center; and

accepting or rejecting the request to bypass the first location center.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

sending a request for UE location directly to the serving network and bypassing the first location center.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving from the client entity a request for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity;

sending the request for periodic reporting toward the serving network; and

repeating the receiving from the serving network the location estimate for the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE from the second location center to the client entity based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

storing information for the request for periodic reporting; and

for each location reporting event indicated by the periodic location information,

retrieving the information stored for the request for periodic reporting, and

sending a request for location of the UE directly to the serving network and bypassing the first location center based on the retrieved information.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving a request sent by the UE for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity;

sending the request for periodic reporting to the client entity; and

repeating the receiving from the serving network the location estimate for the UE and the sending the location estimate for the UE from the second location center to the client entity based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a processor operative to receive from a serving network a location estimate for a user equipment (UE), wherein the serving network currently serves the UE and is associated with a first location center, wherein the location estimate is sent directly from the serving network to a second location center and bypasses the first location center, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks; and

a communication unit operative to send the location estimate for the UE from the second location center to a client entity.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processor is further operative to receive a request to bypass the first location center and to accept or reject the request to bypass the first location center.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a memory unit operative to store information for a request for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity, and

wherein the processor is further operative to determine location reporting events based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity and, for each location reporting event, to retrieve the information stored for the request for periodic reporting and to send a request for UE location directly to the serving network and bypassing the first location center based on the retrieved information.

46. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving from a serving network a location estimate for a user equipment (UE), wherein the serving network currently serves the UE and is associated with a first location center, wherein the location estimate is sent directly from the serving network to a second location center and bypasses the first location center, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks; and

means for sending the location estimate for the UE from the second location center to a client entity.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to bypass the first location center; and

means for accepting or rejecting the request to bypass the first location center.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

means for storing information for a request for periodic reporting of UE location to the client entity;

means for determining location reporting events based on periodic location information indicative of when to send the location estimate for the UE to the client entity;

means for retrieving the information stored for the request for periodic reporting for each location reporting event; and

means for sending a request for UE location directly to the serving network and bypassing the first location center based on the retrieved information.