Apparatus, and associated method, for providing location service to a roaming mobile station

• US 7,894,824 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Krishnamurthi, Govindarajan, Addagatla, Sreenivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy; Anthony S.
• Application Number:
  US11/195,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/439, 455/440, 4554561-457, 455/466, 455/404.2, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455418-420, 455/436, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/556.2, 455/558, 370/328, 370/331, 370/338, 370/401
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating performance of location services for a mobile station that roams beyond its home network. A cache is provided at the mobile station. The cache is populated with a value identifying the address of the serving position server. When a location service is requested, the cache is accessed, and a message is sent to the address identified in the cache. The cache is updatable, such as through the generation and forwarding of a message to the mobile station by the home position server responsive to registration of the mobile station.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to control:

an address identifier configured to maintain a serving network position entity address of a serving network position entity of a serving network by storing the address of the serving network position entity at a mobile station; and

a location identification request generator configured to receive an indication of the serving network position entity address maintained at said address identifier, said location identification request generator configured to generate a location identification request when a mobile station employing the apparatus is positioned at the serving network, the location identification request routed to the serving network position entity identified by the serving network position entity address without inquiry to a home network of the mobile station in response to a location service being requested by sending the location identification request to the address stored at the mobile station,

wherein the serving network position entity address stored is a pre-configured value to enable interaction directly between the mobile station and the serving network for location services without inquiry to the home network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said address identifier comprises a cache embodied at the mobile station, the cache for caching the serving network position entity address of the serving network position entity of the serving network in which the mobile station is positioned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the serving network position entity address cached at the cache is updatable, dependent upon the serving network in whose coverage area that the mobile station is positioned.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the serving network position entity address maintained at said address identifier is provided thereto by delivery of a message pushed to the mobile station.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the message that provides the mobile station with the serving network position entity address is originated at the home network associated with the mobile station.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the message that provides the mobile station with the serving network position entity address comprises an Internet Protocol-formatted message.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the message that provides the mobile station with the serving network position entity address comprises a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) message.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the message that provides the mobile station with the serving network position entity address comprises an SMS message.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location identification request generated by said location identification request generator is generated responsive to instruction delivered to the mobile station.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location identification request generated by said location identification request generator is mobile station initiated.

11. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to control:

a home-network message generator positioned at a home network associated with a mobile station, said home-network message generator configured to generate a message for delivery to a serving network position entity of a serving network when the mobile station enters the serving network, the message identifying authentication indicia associated with the mobile station required by the serving network position entity, the home-network message generator being further configured to provide the mobile station with a serving network position entity address to be stored at the mobile station to enable the provision of position identification information to the mobile station without inquiry to the home network in response to a location service being requested,

wherein the serving network position entity address stored is a pre-configured value to enable interaction directly between the mobile station and the serving network for location services without inquiry to the home network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message generated by said home-network message generator comprises a dedicated message.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message generated by said home-network message generator forms part of a security infrastructure.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message generated by said home-network message generator comprises a push message, pushed by said home-network message generator to the serving network position entity.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a state identifier adapted to receive an indication of communication of the message generated by said home-network message generator, said state identifier configured to identify whether the message has been sent to the serving network position entity.

21. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message identifying authentication indicia is stored on the serving network position entity and deleted from the serving network position entity when the mobile station exits the serving network.

16. A method comprising:

maintaining a serving network position entity address of a serving network entity at a mobile station by storing the serving network position entity address at the mobile station; and

generating a message for delivery to the serving network position entity using the serving network position entity address stored at the mobile station, the message identifying a location service requested by the mobile station, the location service to be provided by the serving network position entity in relation to provision of position identification information to the mobile station without inquiry to the home network in response to a location service being requested,

wherein the serving network position entity address stored is a pre-configured value to enable the mobile station to interact directly with the serving network entity for location services without inquiry to the home network.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the operations of detecting delivery at the mobile station of identification, provided by the home network, of the address of the serving network entity.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said operation of maintaining comprises updating the serving network address.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the operation of detecting delivery at the mobile station of an instruction that instructs the mobile station to send the message.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said operation of generating is performed responsive to the instruction detected during said operation of detecting.