Proxy server and method thereof for forwarding location requests to a position determining entity

• US 8,270,993 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intrado Life & Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Despot, Pavel Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US12/045,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 370/338, 709/239
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A proxy server in a wireless communication network and method thereof that receives data from a mobile station, processes the data in conjunction with information contained within proxy server databases, and forwards the data to a Position Determining Entity (PDE). The proxy server may include subscriber and network information databases. The subscriber database may include information regarding characteristics of the mobile station. This subscriber database information may be used by the proxy server to determine whether to forward or modify the data to the PDE. The network information database may include information regarding characteristics of the wireless communication network. The information from the network information database may be used by the proxy server to determine a route to forward the data to the PDE. A billing information database may also be included that prepares billing information based on predetermined characteristics of a roaming environment of the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method for communication between a mobile station and a Position Determining Entity (PDE), the method comprising:

transmitting data from the mobile station to a packet data serving node (PDSN);

forwarding the data from the PDSN to a proxy server;

determining, at the proxy server, an appropriate PDE to forward the data to based on a network in which the mobile station is roaming; and

forwarding the data from the proxy server to the PDE.

2. The method for communication according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of data is conducted by code division multiple access (CDMA).

3. The method for communication according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a subscriber database using the proxy server to obtain subscriber information.

4. The method for communication according to claim 3, wherein the subscriber information is used to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE.

5. The method for communication according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a network information database using the proxy server to obtain network information.

6. The method for communication according to claim 5, wherein the network information is used to determine a route to forward the data to the PDE.

7. The method for communication according to claim 1, wherein the PDE is at least one of a hosted PDE and a carrier PDE.

8. The method for communication according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises a request for location information of the mobile station.

9. The method for communication according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station and PDSN are not in a same carrier network.

10. The method for communication according to claim 1, further comprising preparing billing information based on predetermined characteristics of the transmission and forwarding of the data.

11. A wireless communication network, comprising:

a mobile station configured to transmit and receive data; and

a proxy server configured to receive the transmitted data from the mobile station, determine an appropriate position determining entity (PDE) to forward the data to based on a network in which the mobile station is roaming, and further configured to forward the data to the PDE;

wherein the PDE is configured to receive the data from the proxy server and use the data to determine a location of the mobile station.

12. The wireless communication network according to claim 11, wherein the proxy server comprises at least one of a subscriber database and a network information database.

13. The wireless communication network according to claim 12, wherein the subscriber database comprises information regarding mobile station characteristics, the information used by the proxy server to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE.

14. The wireless communication network according to claim 12, wherein the network information database comprises information regarding communication network characteristics, the information used by the proxy server to determine a route to forward the data to the PDE.

15. The wireless communication network according to claim 12, wherein the mobile station is operable to transmit data by code division multiple access (CDMA).

16. The wireless communication network according to claim 11, further comprising a packet data serving node (PDSN) operable to receive the data transmitted by the mobile station and forward the data to the proxy server.

17. The wireless communication network according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of carrier networks, wherein the mobile station and the PDSN are located in different ones of the plurality of carrier networks.

18. The wireless communication network according to claim 11, further comprising a billing information database operable to prepare billing information based on predetermined characteristics of the transmission of the data.

19. The wireless communication network according to claim 11, wherein the data comprises a request for location information of the mobile station.

20. A proxy server in a wireless communication network, the proxy server operable to receive and at least one of forward data from a mobile station to a Position Determining Entity (PDE), the proxy server comprising at least one of:

a subscriber database including information regarding whether the mobile station is permitted to make PDE requests, the information used by the proxy server to determine whether to forward the data to the PDE; and

a network information database including information regarding characteristics of the wireless communication network, the information used by the proxy server to determine an appropriate PDE to forward the data to based on a network in which a mobile station is roaming.