SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPL ROAMING IN WIMAX NETWORKS

• US 20100234022A1
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: WINTERBOTTOM, James
• Application Number:
  US12/404,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20100234022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method for connecting a mobile device to a node in a wireless communications network. A query may be received from a mobile device for a location based application at a visited network having a visited location server. A message including information identifying the visited network may be transmitted from the visited network to a home network in response to the query, the message authenticated by the home network. A secure user plane location start message including serving base station information may be transmitted from the device to the home network. A request using roaming location protocol may then be transmitted from the home location server to the visited location server, the request including the serving base station information, and a location of the serving base station returned from the visited location server to the home location server in response to the request using roaming location protocol.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a mobile device to a node in a wireless communications network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a query from a mobile device for a location based application at a visited network, the visited network including a visited location server;

(b) transmitting a first message from the visited network to a home network in response to the query, the first message including information identifying the visited network and the home network including a home location server;

(c) authenticating the first message by the home network;

(d) providing a second message to the mobile device in response to the first message;

(e) transmitting a secure user plane location (“

SUPL”

) start message from the device to the home network, the SUPL message including serving base station information;

(f) transmitting a request using roaming location protocol (“

RLP”

) from the home location server to the visited location server, the request including the serving base station information; and

(g) returning a location of the serving base station from the visited location server to the home location server in response to the request using RLP.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitted request is a standard roaming location protocol request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the home network includes a home authentication authorization and accounting (“

H-AAA”

) server.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

(h) determining the identification of the visited network by;

(i) transmitting an Access-Request or equivalent Diameter message from the home location server to the H-AAA server; and

(ii) transmitting an Access-Accept or equivalent Diameter message from the H-AAA server to the home location server, the Access-Accept or equivalent Diameter message including information regarding the identity of the visited network.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of caching information in the first message at the home network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications network is a World Interoperability for Microwave Access (“

WiMAX”

) communications network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the visited network includes a visited authentication authorization and accounting (“

V-AAA”

) server.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(h) providing assistance data to the mobile device from the home location server as a function of the location of the serving base station.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the query is an Access Request or equivalent Diameter message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a message includes identifying the home network as a function a home authentication authorization and accounting (“

H-AAA”

) server address.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular device, text messaging device, computer, portable computer, vehicle locating device, vehicle security device, communication device, and wireless transceiver.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second message is an Access Accept or equivalent Diameter message.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a second message further comprises:

(i) transmitting an Access Accept or equivalent Diameter message from a home authentication authorization and accounting (“

AAA”

) server in the home network to a visited AAA server in the visited network; and

(ii) relaying the Access Accept or equivalent Diameter message to the mobile device from the visited network.

14. A method for providing assistance data to a mobile device in a wireless communications network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a query from a mobile device for a location based application at a visited network, the visited network including a visited location server;

(b) transmitting a first message from the visited network to a home network in response to the query, the first message including information identifying the visited network and the home network including a home location server;

(c) authenticating the first message by the home network;

(d) providing a second message to the mobile device in response to the first message;

(e) transmitting a secure user plane location (“

SUPL”

) start message to the home network, the SUPL message including serving base station information;

(f) determining the address of the visited location server by;

(i) transmitting an Access-Request or equivalent Diameter message from the home location server to a home authentication authorization and accounting (“

H-AAA”

) server, and

(ii) transmitting an Access-Accept or equivalent Diameter message from the H-AAA server to the home location server, the Access-Accept or equivalent Diameter message including information regarding the address of the visited location server;

(g) transmitting a request from the home location server to the visited location server, the request including serving base station information; and

(h) returning a location of the serving base station to the home location server in response to the request.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(i) providing assistance data to the mobile device from the home location server as a function of the location of the serving base station; and

(j) determining the location of the mobile device as a function of the assistance data.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

(i) determining the location of the mobile device; and

(j) providing the determined location to the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of caching information in the first message at the home network.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless communications network is a World Interoperability for Microwave Access (“

WiMAX”

) communications network.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the visiting network includes a visited authentication authorization and accounting (“

V-AAA”

) server.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the query is an Access Request or equivalent Diameter message.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of transmitting a message includes identifying the home network as a function of a home authentication authorization and accounting server address.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular device, text messaging device, computer, portable computer, vehicle locating device, vehicle security device, communication device, and wireless transceiver.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the second message is an Access Accept or equivalent Diameter message.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the request from the home location server is transmitted to the visited location server using roaming location protocol.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the location of the serving base station is returned to the home location server using roaming location protocol.

26. In a World Interoperability for Microwave Access (“

WiMAX”

) communications network having a mobile device successfully attached to a visited network, the visited network including a visited location server and being in communication with a home network having a home location server, a method of determining the location of the visited location server by the home location server, comprising the steps of;

(a) transmitting a request using roaming location protocol (“

RLP”

) from the home location server to the visited location server, the request including information for a base station serving the mobile device; and

(b) returning a location of the serving base station from the visited location server to the home location server in response to the request using RLP.