Methods and Systems for Responding to Handover Events During Positioning Sessions

• US 20140256323A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: EDGE, Stephen William, WACHTER, Andreas Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for responding to changes in a wireless access type occurring in connection with a handover event affecting a mobile terminal while the mobile terminal is engaged in a position determination session with a location server. If a first positioning protocol employed in the position determination session is not supported or enabled by the changed wireless access type, the position determination session may be resumed or restarted using a second positioning protocol supported or enabled by the changed wireless access type.

Claims

1. A method of position determination for a terminal comprising:

detecting a handover of the terminal from receiving service through a first wireless access type to receiving service through a second wireless access type while said terminal is in a position determination session with a location server according to a first positioning protocol, wherein the second wireless access type is different from the first wireless access type; and

in response to detecting the handover, initiating a transition to application of a second positioning protocol instead of said first positioning protocol, wherein the second positioning protocol is enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the position determination session is resumed or restarted in response to the initiation of the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol further comprises:

transmitting a SUPL END message to the location server indicating that the first positioning protocol is not enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol further comprises:

transmitting a SUPL REPORT message to the location server indicating at least one of the second wireless access type or capabilities of the terminal while receiving service according to said second wireless access type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol further comprises:

transmitting a SUPL POS INIT message to the location server indicating the second wireless access type and capabilities of the terminal while receiving service according to the second wireless access type.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising in response to detecting said handover:

attempting to continue positioning under said first positioning protocol; and

terminating open positioning transactions in the position determination session if positioning under said first positioning protocol is not feasible.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising transmitting a message to the location server indicating said application of the second positioning protocol without terminating the position determination session.

8. The method of claim 1, and further comprising in response to detecting the handover:

attempting to continue said position determination session with application of said first positioning protocol; and

returning an indication to said location server that the handover to the second wireless access type has occurred for which the first positioning protocol is not enabled or supported.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first positioning protocol comprises a positioning protocol selected from one of RRLP, RRC, IS-801 or LLP.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second positioning protocol comprises a positioning protocol selected from one of RRLP, RRC, IS-801 or LLP.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless access type is selected from one of LTE, cdma2000, HRPD, WCDMA, GSM or WLAN.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second wireless access type is selected from one of LTE, cdma2000, HRPD, WCDMA, GSM or WLAN.

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver to transmit messages to and receive messages from a wireless communication network; and

a processor to;

detect a handover of the mobile terminal from receiving service at said transceiver through a first wireless access type to receiving service through a second wireless access type while said mobile terminal is in a position determination session with a location server according to a first positioning protocol, wherein the second wireless access type is different from the first wireless access type; and

in response to detecting the handover, initiating a transition to application of a second positioning protocol instead of said first positioning protocol, wherein the second positioning protocol is enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the processor is to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL END message through said transceiver to the location server indicating that the first positioning protocol is not enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the processor is to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL REPORT message through said transceiver to the location server indicating at least one of the second wireless access type or capabilities of the mobile terminal while receiving service according to said second wireless access type.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the processor is to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL POS INIT message through said transceiver to the location server indicating the second wireless access type and capabilities of the SET while receiving service according to the second wireless access type.

17. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus at a mobile terminal to;

detect a handover of the mobile terminal from receiving service through a first wireless access type to receiving service through a second wireless access type while said mobile terminal is in a position determination session with a location server according to a first positioning protocol, wherein the second wireless access type is different from the first wireless access type; and

in response to detecting the handover, initiating a transition to application of a second positioning protocol instead of said first positioning protocol, wherein the second positioning protocol is enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein instructions are further executable by said special purpose computing apparatus to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL END message to the location server indicating that the first positioning protocol is not enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the instructions are further executable by said special purpose computing apparatus to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL REPORT message to the location server indicating at least one of the second wireless access type or capabilities of the mobile terminal while receiving service according to said second wireless access type.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the mobile terminal comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the instructions are further executable by said special purpose computing apparatus to initiate the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol by initiating transmission of a SUPL POS INIT message to the location server indicating the second wireless access type and capabilities of the SET while receiving service according to the second wireless access type.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a handover of a mobile terminal from receiving service through a first wireless access type to receiving service through a second wireless access type while said mobile terminal is in a position determination session with a location server according to a first positioning protocol, wherein the second wireless access type is different from the first wireless access type; and

means for initiating a transition to application of a second positioning protocol instead of said first positioning protocol in response to detecting the handover, wherein the second positioning protocol is enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the means for initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol comprises means for initiating transmission of a SUPL END message to the location server indicating that the first positioning protocol is not enabled or supported by the second wireless access type.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the means for initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol comprises means for initiating transmission of a SUPL REPORT message to the location server indicating at least one of the second wireless access type or capabilities of the mobile terminal while receiving service according to said second wireless access type.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) and the location server comprises a SUPL location platform (SLP), and wherein the means for initiating the transition to said application of the second positioning protocol comprises means for initiating transmission of a SUPL POS INIT message to the location server indicating the second wireless access type and capabilities of the SET while receiving service according to the second wireless access type.