Method and Apparatus for Using Supported Network Information for Positioning

• US 20090143076A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Le-Hong, Edge, Stephen W., Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Wachter, Andreas K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Techniques to support positioning for terminals in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) are described. A SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) may receive supported network information from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP), which is a location server in SUPL. The supported network information may indicate one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP, one or more types of measurement supported by the SLP, and/or information that the SET is allowed to send to the SLP. The SET may send network measurement information for a supported radio access network to the SLP. The network measurement information may include cell and/or access point (AP) information for one or more access points or base stations in the supported radio access network. The SLP may determine a location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information from the SET.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

at least one processor to receive supported network information from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP), to determine one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP based on the supported network information, to obtain network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP, and to send the network measurement information from a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) to the SLP; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor receives a location estimate for the SET determined by the SLP based on the network measurement information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor receives from the SLP a SUPL INIT message or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message comprising the supported network information, and sends to the SLP a SUPL POS INIT message or a SUPL REPORT message comprising the network measurement information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor receives from the SLP a SUPL RESPONSE message or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message comprising the supported network information, and sends to the SLP a SUPL POS INIT message comprising the network measurement information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SLP supports wireless local area network (WLAN), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports wireless local area network (WLAN), and wherein the at least one processor sends WLAN access point (AP) information as the network measurement information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and wherein the at least one processor sends CDMA cell information as the network measurement information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), and wherein the at least one processor sends WCDMA cell information as the network measurement information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and wherein the at least one processor sends GSM cell information as the network measurement information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for at least one of transmit power, antenna gain, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), device type, signal strength, channel or frequency, and reported location for an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for round trip delay (RTD) between the SET and an access point in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for at least one of transmit power, antenna gain, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and signal strength for the SET.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send historic network measurement information, and wherein the at least one processor sends historic network measurement information to the SLP if allowed by the supported network information.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for non-serving cells or non-serving access points, and wherein the at least one processor sends network measurement information for at least one non-serving cell or at least one non-serving access point if allowed by the supported network information.

15. A method of supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

receiving supported network information from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP);

determining one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP based on the supported network information;

obtaining network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

sending the network measurement information from a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) to the SLP.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving the supported network information comprises receiving the supported network information in a SUPL INIT message, a SUPL RESPONSE message, or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, and wherein the sending the network measurement information comprises sending the network measurement information in a SUPL POS INIT message or a SUPL REPORT message.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports wireless local area network (WLAN), and wherein the sending the network measurement information comprises sending WLAN access point (AP) information as the network measurement information.

18. An apparatus for supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

means for receiving supported network information from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP);

means for determining one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP based on the supported network information;

means for obtaining network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

means for sending the network measurement information from a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) to the SLP.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for receiving the supported network information comprises means for receiving the supported network information in a SUPL INIT message, a SUPL RESPONSE message, or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, and wherein the means for sending the network measurement information comprises means for sending the network measurement information in a SUPL POS INIT message or a SUPL REPORT message.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the supported network information indicates that the SLP supports wireless local area network (WLAN), and wherein the means for sending the network measurement information comprises means for sending WLAN access point (AP) information as the network measurement information.

21. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive supported network information from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP);

code for causing the at least one computer to determine one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP based on the supported network information;

code for causing the at least one computer to obtain network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

code for causing the at least one computer to send the network measurement information from a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) to the SLP.

22. An apparatus for supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

at least one processor to send from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) supported network information indicating one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP, and to receive from the SET network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor determines a location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information, and sends the location estimate to the SET or a SUPL Agent.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor determines a location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information, and provides assistance data to the SET based on the location estimate.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor determines a first location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information, obtains a second location estimate for the SET based on a positioning method, and determines a final location estimate for the SET based on the first and second location estimates.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor sends to the SET a SUPL INIT message comprising the supported network information, and receives from the SET a SUPL POS INIT message comprising the network measurement information.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor sends to the SET a SUPL RESPONSE message or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message comprising the supported network information, and receives from the SET a SUPL POS INIT message comprising the network measurement information.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SLP supports wireless local area network (WLAN), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for at least one of transmit power, antenna gain, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), device type, signal strength, channel or frequency, and reported location for an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for round trip delay (RTD) between the SET and an access point in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

31. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for at least one of transmit power, antenna gain, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and signal strength for the SET.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send historic network measurement information.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supported network information indicates whether the SET is allowed to send network measurement information for non-serving cells or non-serving access points.

34. A method of supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

sending from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) supported network information indicating one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

receiving from the SET network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

determining a location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information; and

sending the location estimate to the SET or a SUPL Agent.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the sending comprises sending the supported network information in a SUPL INIT message, a SUPL RESPONSE message, or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, and wherein the receiving comprises receiving the network measurement information in a SUPL POS INIT message.

37. An apparatus for supporting positioning in Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), comprising:

means for sending from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to a SUPL Enabled Terminal (SET) supported network information indicating one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP; and

means for receiving from the SET network measurement information for at least one of the one or more radio access networks supported by the SLP.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

means for determining a location estimate for the SET based on the network measurement information received from the SET; and

means for sending the location estimate to the SET or a SUPL Agent.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the means for sending comprises means for sending the supported network information in a SUPL INIT message, a SUPL RESPONSE message, or a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, and wherein the means for receiving comprises means for receiving the network measurement information in a SUPL POS INIT message.