METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSPARENT INVOCATION AND TRANSPORT OF ENCRYPTED POSITION LOCATION DATA

• US 20080242374A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alexander, Roger K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for locating a mobile terminal in a communication network. The method includes: receiving a request data frame for locating the mobile terminal; uniquely encoding at least a portion of the request data frame (at an LCS client); determining the location of the mobile terminal (by a PDE); communicating the location information of the mobile terminal in a response data frame having an encrypted portion; and decrypting the location information of the mobile terminal (at the LCS client).

Claims

1. A method for locating a mobile terminal in a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a request data frame from a service user to locate the mobile terminal;

encrypting at least a portion of the request data frame by an LCS client;

determining a location information for the mobile terminal;

forming a response data frame with the location information encrypted;

decrypting the response data frame and reporting the decrypted location information to the requesting service user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a GSM network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a UMTS network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the client and service user are external to the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of encrypting at least a portion of the request data frame further comprises a unique encoding of standard information elements of the location request by the LCS client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein only the location information is encrypted in the response data frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the response data frame is encrypted using an encryption algorithm specified through a network management system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the response data frame is encrypted using an encryption algorithm which is selectable by the network management system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request data frame further comprises a message link field value including an encrypted position location information and an encrypted security signaling control information for allowing only the receiving LCS client to decrypt the location information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the location information for the mobile terminal further comprises determining a base station in communication with the mobile terminal and applying one of a time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA), angle of arrival (AOA) or global positioning system (GPS) to locate the mobile terminal.

39. The method of claim 8, wherein the algorithm can be selected as a function of a location request type.

11. A network for locating a mobile terminal within a service area, the network comprising:

a Network Management System (NMS) in communication with a Location Service (LCS) client, the NMS receiving a request data frame for locating the mobile terminal and at least one of encrypting a portion of the request data frame or changing the encryption algorithm of the request data frame;

a switching subsystem for identifying information related to mobile terminal'"'"'s location; and

a position determination entity (PDE) for receiving the mobile terminal location information and calculating the location of the mobile terminal within the network service area.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the network is a GSM network.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein the network is a UMTS network.

14. The network of claim 11, wherein the NMS configures encryption algorithm at the PDE for encrypting mobile terminal location information of the data request.

15. The network of claim 11, wherein the data request is decrypted at the LCS.

16. The network of claim 11, wherein the switching subsystem further comprises:

a GMLC for identifying the mobile terminal'"'"'s position relative to a network node;

an MSC for establishing a signal connection with the mobile terminal;

a BSC for communicating with the mobile terminal; and

an SMLC for performing position calculation and identifying information related to mobile terminal'"'"'s location.

17. The network of claim 11, wherein the LCS client is external to the network.

18. The network of claim 11, wherein the LCS client is part of the network.

19. The network of claim 11, further comprising a Location Management Unit for communicating information related to mobile terminal'"'"'s location to the PDE.

20. The network of claim 11, further comprising a Home Location Register (HLR) for storing mobile terminal data.

21. The network of claim 11, wherein the PDE encrypts only the portion of the request data frame containing location information.

22. The network of claim 11, wherein the PDE encrypts a header portion of the request data frame containing location information.

23. A PDE for locating a mobile terminal within a communication network, comprising:

a circuitry having at least one microprocessor, and

a memory in communication with the microprocessor, the memory is programmed with instructions to;

receive a request data frame to locate the mobile terminal;

determine location information for the mobile terminal;

encrypt at least a portion of request the data frame;

form a response data frame having encrypted location information; and

decrypt the location information and communicate the decrypted location information to the client.

24. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the requested data frame is originated from a client.

25. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the communication network is a GSM network.

26. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the communication network is a UMTS network.

27. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the memory is further programmed to encrypt only the portion of the request data frame containing location information.

28. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the response data frame contains unencrypted information not relating to the location of the mobile terminal.

29. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the request data frame and the response data frame are encrypted using an encryption algorithm.

30. The PDE of claim 23, wherein the memory is further programmed with instructions to determine location information for the mobile terminal using one of a time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA), angle of arrival (AOA) or global positioning system (GPS).

31. An LCS client for requesting the location of a mobile terminal within a communication network, comprising:

a circuitry having at least one microprocessor, and

a memory in communication with the microprocessor, the memory is programmed with instructions to;

uniquely encode a request data frame sent to a PDE locate the mobile terminal where the unique encoding allows the PDE to determine that the particular location response must be encrypted;

decrypt the location information and communicate the decrypted location information to the client.

32. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the requested data frame is originated from a client.

33. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the communication network is a GSM network.

34. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the communication network is a UMTS network.

35. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the memory is further programmed to encrypt only the portion of the request data frame containing location information.

36. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the response data frame contains unencrypted information not relating to the location of the mobile terminal.

37. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the request data frame and the response data frame are encrypted using an encryption algorithm.

38. The LCS of claim 31, wherein the memory is further programmed with instructions to determine location information for the mobile terminal using one of a time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA), angle of arrival (AOA) or global positioning system (GPS).