Method and apparatus for performing session info query for user plane location

• US 8,626,926 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Edge, Stephen W., Lin, Ie-Hong, Wachter, Andreas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US12/263,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090216846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709223-229, 709/200, 709249-250, 455/414.2, 455/421, 455/440, 370/236, 370260-270, 701/207, 701/213, 726 1- 4, 726/11, 726/8, 726/22, 726 26- 27
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

Techniques for querying for information on location sessions in a user plane location architecture are described. In an aspect, a location server may send a query message to a terminal to query for information on active location sessions, e.g., when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is deemed to be active. The terminal may return a response message containing a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions, parameters for the active location sessions, capabilities of the terminal, etc. The location server may compare the information received from the terminal and information stored at the location server. The location server may terminate each location session deemed to be active at only the terminal or only the location server. The location server may restart or terminate each location session having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server.

Claims

1. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

sending a query message from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

receiving from the terminal a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the receiving the response message comprises receiving a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions received from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

terminating an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of the active location sessions comprises a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message further comprises parameters for the active location sessions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message further comprises information on capabilities of the terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending the query message when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is suspected to be active by the location server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending the query message if location information is not received from the terminal within an expected reporting interval for an active location session for periodic triggered service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server based on the list in the response message and information stored at the location server; and

terminating the active location session in response to identifying the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the active location session as having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server based on the list in the response message and information stored at the location server; and

terminating the active location session in response to identifying the active location session as having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server based on the list in the response message and information stored at the location server.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a timer upon sending the query message for a session info query session; and

terminating the session info query session if a response message is not received from the terminal prior to expiration of the timer.

40. The method of claim 1 comprising:

restarting the active location session.

10. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

means for sending a query message from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

means for receiving from the terminal a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the receiving the response message comprises receiving a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions received from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

means for terminating an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for sending the query message comprises means for sending a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session, and wherein the means for receiving the response message comprises means for receiving a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the list of the active location sessions comprises a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the response message further comprises information on capabilities of the terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for sending the query message comprises means for sending the query message when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is suspected to be active by the location server.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for identifying the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server based on the list in the response message and information stored at the location server; and

means for terminating the active location session in response to identifying the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server.

16. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

at least one processor configured

to send a query message from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

to receive from the terminal a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the receiving the response message comprises receiving a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions received from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send as the query message a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session, and to receive as the response message a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions from the list of the active location sessions.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive information on capabilities of the terminal from the response message.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send the query message when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is suspected to be active by the location server.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server based on the list in the response message and information stored at the location server, and to terminate the active location session in response to identifying the active location session as active at only the terminal or only the location server.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations for supporting location services, the computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to send a query message from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the sending the query message comprises sending a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

code for causing the at least one computer to receive from the terminal a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the receiving the response message comprises receiving a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions received from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

code for causing the at least one computer to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

23. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

receiving a query message sent from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

sending to the location server a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the sending the response message comprises sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions sent from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

receiving a termination message from the location server to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session, and wherein the sending the response message comprises sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the list of the active location sessions comprises a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the response message further comprises information on capabilities of the terminal.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving the query message when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is suspected to be active by the location server.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a termination message from the location server to terminate the active location session in response to the active location session being identified as active at the terminal but not at the location server, the location session being identified based on the list in the response message.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a termination message from the location server to terminate the active location session in response to the active location session being identified as having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server based on the list in the response message.

41. The method of claim 23 comprising:

receiving a restart message from the location server to restart the active location session.

30. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a query message sent from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

to send to the location server a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the sending the response message comprises sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions sent from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

to receive a termination message from the location server to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive as the query message a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session, and to send as the response message a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the list of the active location sessions comprises a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the response message further comprises information on capabilities of the terminal.

34. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

means for receiving a query message sent from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

means for sending to the location server a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the sending the response message comprises sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions sent from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

means for receiving a termination message from the location server to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving the query message comprises means for receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session, and wherein the means for sending the response message comprises means for sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for receiving a termination message from the location server to terminate the active location session in response to the active location session being identified as active at the terminal but not at the location server, the location session being identified based on the list in the response message.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the list of the active location sessions comprises a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the response message further comprises information on capabilities of the terminal.

39. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations for supporting location services, the computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to receive a query message sent from a location server to a terminal to query for a list of active location sessions currently in progress, wherein the receiving the query message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) INIT message comprising a positioning method parameter set to a predefined value to indicate a session info query session;

code for causing at least one computer to send to the location server a response message comprising the list of active location sessions, wherein the sending the response message comprises sending a SUPL REPORT message comprising the list of the active location sessions, and wherein the list of the active location sessions sent from the terminal comprises an indication of at least two active location sessions identified by the terminal as being currently in progress between the terminal and the location server; and

code for causing at least one computer to receive a termination message from the location server to terminate an active location session based at least in part on the list in the response message.