Method and apparatus for configuring and locating a home base station

• US 8,600,403 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAPA, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US13/308,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20120142313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/435.1, 455/444, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/457, 455448-449
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Techniques for configuring a Home evolved Node B (HeNB) in a location server and positioning the HeNB are disclosed. In one aspect, location for a HeNB is supported based on LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) messages. The HeNB communicates LPP messages with a location server. These LPP messages are terminated at the HeNB instead of a UE. At least one location transaction for the HeNB can be performed to configure in the location server and/or locate the HeNB based on the LPP messages. In another aspect, location for a HeNB is supported based on an embedded UE in the HeNB. The HeNB establishes a location session with a location server based on an embedded UE ID, which is assigned to the HeNB and recognized by the location server as being for a HeNB instead of a UE. At least one location transaction for the HeNB is performed during the location session.

Claims

1. A method of supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), the embedded UE ID being recognized by a location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of a UE and wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as the UE to the MME;

communicating Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) messages between the HeNB and the location server, the LPP messages being terminated at the HeNB and the location server; and

performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB based on the LPP messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating the LPP messages comprises:

generating transport messages carrying the LPP messages; and

communicating the transport messages between the HeNB and the location server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transport messages comprise Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server to configure the HeNB in the location server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a message by the HeNB to initiate configuring of the HeNB in the location server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message comprises one or more of an ID of the HeNB or a location of the HeNB.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the at least one location transaction comprises one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB, at an initialization of the HeNB.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection with the location server or a designated network entity based on the embedded UE ID.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating the LPP messages comprises communicating the LPP messages between the HeNB and the location server for a positioning of the HeNB.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the LPP messages comprise an LPP message carrying one or more of:

a first request for first assistance data from the HeNB, or

second assistance data from the location server, or

a second request for first measurements from the location server, or

second measurements from the HeNB, or

a third request for a first location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a second location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a fourth request for positioning capabilities of the HeNB or the location server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating the LPP messages and the performing the at least one location transaction are performed by the HeNB, wherein the communicating the LPP messages comprises:

sending the LPP messages from the HeNB to the location server; and

receiving the LPP messages at the HeNB from the location server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating the LPP messages and the performing the at least one location transaction are performed by the location server, wherein the communicating the LPP messages comprises:

sending the LPP messages from the location server to the HeNB; and

receiving the LPP messages at the location server from the HeNB.

13. An apparatus for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

means for performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), the embedded UE ID being recognized by a location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of a UE and wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as the UE to the MME;

means for communicating Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) messages between the HeNB and the location server, the LPP messages being terminated at the HeNB and the location server; and

means for performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB based on the LPP messages.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server to configure the HeNB in the location server.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for sending a message by the HeNB to initiate configuring of the HeNB in the location server.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for performing the at least one location transaction comprises means for one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB at an initialization of the HeNB.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for establishing a connection with the location server or a designated network entity based on the embedded UE ID.

37. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for communicating the LPP messages is further configured for generating transport messages carrying the LPP messages, and for communicating the transport messages between the HeNB and the location server.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the transport messages comprise Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages.

39. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the message comprises one or more of an ID of the HeNB or a location of the HeNB.

40. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for communicating the LPP messages is further configured for communicating the LPP messages between the HeNB and the location server for a positioning of the HeNB.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the LPP messages comprise an LPP message carrying one or more of:

a first request for first assistance data from the HeNB, or

second assistance data from the location server, or

a second request for first measurements from the location server, or

second measurements from the HeNB, or

a third request for a first location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a second location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a fourth request for positioning capabilities of the HeNB or the location server.

42. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for communicating the LPP messages and the means for performing the at least one location transaction are configured in the HeNB, and wherein the means for communicating the LPP messages is further configured for:

sending the LPP messages from the HeNB to the location server; and

receiving the LPP messages at the HeNB from the location server.

43. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for communicating the LPP messages and the means for performing the at least one location transaction are configured in the location server, and wherein the communicating the LPP messages comprises:

sending the LPP messages from the location server to the HeNB; and

receiving the LPP messages at the location server from the HeNB.

18. An apparatus for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

perform an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), the embedded UE ID being recognized by a location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of a UE and wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as the UE to the MME;

communicate Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) messages between the HeNB and the location server, the LPP messages being terminated at the HeNB and the location server; and

perform at least one location transaction for the HeNB based on the LPP messages.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to communicate messages between the HeNB and the location server to configure the HeNB in the location server.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a message by the HeNB to initiate configuring of the HeNB in the location server.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the at least one location transaction at an initialization of the HeNB to do one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to establish a connection with the location server or a designated network entity based on the embedded UE ID.

44. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein to communicate the LPP messages the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate transport messages carrying the LPP messages; and

communicate the transport messages between the HeNB and the location server.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the transport messages comprise Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages.

46. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the message comprises one or more of an ID of the HeNB or a location of the HeNB.

47. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate the LPP messages between the HeNB and the location server for a positioning of the HeNB.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the LPP messages comprise an LPP message carrying one or more of:

a first request for first assistance data from the HeNB, or

second assistance data from the location server, or

a second request for first measurements from the location server, or

second measurements from the HeNB, or

a third request for a first location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a second location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a fourth request for positioning capabilities of the HeNB or the location server.

49. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate the LPP messages; and

perform at least one location transaction at the HeNB,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to communicate the LPP messages by

sending the LPP messages from the HeNB to the location server, and

receiving the LPP messages at the HeNB from the location server.

50. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate the LPP messages; and

perform at least one location transaction at the location server,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to communicate the LPP messages by

sending the LPP messages from the location server to the HeNB, and

receiving the LPP messages at the location server from the HeNB.

23. A computer program product for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), the embedded UE ID being recognized by a location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of a UE and wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as the UE to the MME;

code for communicating Long Term Evolution (LTE) Positioning Protocol (LPP) messages between the HeNB and the location server, the LPP messages being terminated at the HeNB and the location server, and

code for performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB based on the LPP messages.

51. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages further comprises:

code for generating transport messages carrying the LPP messages; and

code for communicating the transport messages between the HeNB and the location server.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the transport messages comprise Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages.

53. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

code for communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server to configure the HeNB in the location server.

54. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

code for sending a message by the HeNB to initiate configuring of the HeNB in the location server.

55. The computer program product of claim 54, wherein the message comprises one or more of an ID of the HeNB or a location of the HeNB.

56. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the code for performing the at least one location transaction comprise code for one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB, at an initialization of the HeNB.

57. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

code for establishing a connection with the location server or a designated network entity based on the embedded UE ID.

58. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages comprises code for communicating the LPP messages between the HeNB and the location server for a positioning of the HeNB.

59. The computer program product of claim 58, wherein the LPP messages comprise an LPP message carrying one or more of:

a first request for first assistance data from the HeNB, or

second assistance data from the location server, or

a second request for first measurements from the location server, or

second measurements from the HeNB, or

a third request for a first location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a second location estimate from the HeNB or the location server, or

a fourth request for positioning capabilities of the HeNB or the location server.

60. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages and the code for performing the at least one location transaction are executed by the HeNB, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages comprises code for:

sending the LPP messages from the HeNB to the location server; and

receiving the LPP messages at the HeNB from the location server.

61. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages and the code for performing the at least one location transaction are executed by the location server, wherein the code for communicating the LPP messages comprises code for:

sending the LPP messages from the location server to the HeNB; and

receiving the LPP messages at the location server from the HeNB.

24. A method of supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as a UE to the MME;

establishing a location session between the HeNB and a location server based on the embedded UE ID, the embedded UE ID being recognized by the location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of the UE; and

performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB during the location session.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the embedded UE ID is within a predetermined range of UE IDs reserved for an assignment to HeNBs.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server via the MME during the location session, the MME being unaware of the messages being communicated by the HeNB instead of the UE.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the HeNB is assigned a plurality of embedded UE IDs, wherein the MME associates the plurality of embedded UE IDs with a plurality of location servers, and wherein the HeNB configures itself with each of the plurality of location servers based on a different one of the plurality of embedded UE IDs.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the establishing the location session comprises sending a message by the HeNB to the location server to initiate a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) location session.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the performing the at least one location transaction comprises one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing positioning of the HeNB, at an initialization of the HeNB.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the establishing the location session and the performing the at least one location transaction are performed by the HeNB.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

configuring the HeNB in the location server.

32. An apparatus for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

means for performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as a UE to the MME;

means for establishing a location session between the HeNB and a location server based on the embedded UE ID, the embedded UE ID being recognized by the location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of the UE; and

means for performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB during the location session.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for performing the at least one location transaction comprises means for one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing positioning of the HeNB, at an initialization of the HeNB.

62. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the embedded UE ID is within a predetermined range of UE IDs reserved for an assignment to HeNBs.

63. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

means for communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server via the MME during the location session, the MME being unaware of the messages being communicated by the HeNB instead of the UE.

64. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the HeNB is assigned a plurality of embedded UE IDs, wherein the MME associates the plurality of embedded UE IDs with a plurality of location servers, and wherein the HeNB configures itself with each of the plurality of location servers based on a different one of the plurality of embedded UE IDs.

65. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for establishing the location session is further configured for sending a message by the HeNB to the location server to initiate a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) location session.

66. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for establishing the location session and the means for performing the at least one location transaction are configured in the HeNB.

67. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

means for configuring the HeNB in the location server.

34. An apparatus for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

perform an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as a UE to the MME;

establish a location session between the HeNB and a location server based on the embedded UE ID, the embedded UE ID being recognized by the location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of the UE; and

perform at least one location transaction for the HeNB during the location session.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform at least one location transaction at an initialization of the HeNB to do one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB.

68. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the embedded UE ID is within a predetermined range of UE IDs reserved for an assignment to HeNBs.

69. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate messages between the HeNB and the location server via the MME during the location session, the MME being unaware of the messages being communicated by the HeNB instead of the UE.

70. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the HeNB is assigned a plurality of embedded UE IDs, wherein the MME associates the plurality of embedded UE IDs with a plurality of location servers, and wherein the HeNB configures itself with each of the plurality of location servers based on a different one of the plurality of embedded UE IDs.

71. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein to establish the location session the at least one processor is further configured to send a message by the HeNB to the location server to initiate a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) location session.

72. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor that is configured to establish the location session and to perform the at least one location transaction is configured in the HeNB.

73. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

configure the HeNB in the location server.

36. A computer program product for supporting location of a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for performing an attach procedure with an embedded User Equipment (UE) identity (ID) assigned to the HeNB to attach the HeNB to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the embedded UE ID enables the HeNB to appear as a UE to the MME;

code for establishing a location session between the HeNB and a location server based on the embedded UE ID, the embedded UE ID being recognized by the location server as being assigned to the HeNB instead of the UE, and

code for performing at least one location transaction for the HeNB during the location session.

74. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the embedded UE ID is within a predetermined range of UE IDs reserved for an assignment to HeNBs.

75. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

code for communicating messages between the HeNB and the location server via the MME during the location session, the MME being unaware of the messages being communicated by the HeNB instead of the UE.

76. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the HeNB is assigned a plurality of embedded UE IDs, wherein the MME associates the plurality of embedded UE IDs with a plurality of location servers, and wherein the HeNB configures itself with each of the plurality of location servers based on a different one of the plurality of embedded UE IDs.

77. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the code for establishing the location session is further configured for sending a message by the HeNB to the location server to initiate a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) location session.

78. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the code for performing the at least one location transaction comprises code for one or more of configuring the HeNB in the location server or performing a positioning of the HeNB, at an initialization of the HeNB.

79. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the code for establishing the location session and the code for performing the at least one location transaction are configured in the HeNB.

80. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

code for configuring the HeNB in the location server.