Positioning protocol conveyance

• US 8,909,257 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wachter, Andreas K., Edge, Stephen William
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/081,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20110312280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Techniques for selecting positioning protocols consistent with the capabilities of the location server in a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) based service are described. The SUPL Location Platform (SLP) transmits the service capabilities of the SLP, such as the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP. The SLP transmits its capabilities of the SLP in an initiation message to the SUPL enabled terminal (SET) or after receiving an initiation message from the SET. The SET may transmit a positioning initiation message and the SLP and SET communicate to determine one or more position estimates for the SET. The SET may include in the positioning initiation message a positioning protocol positioning message that is consistent with the SLP service capabilities.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive from a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent a request for position estimates for a SUPL enabled terminal (SET);

provide an initiation message to the SET to start a location session, the initiation message including information on capability of the processor to provide support for specific positioning protocols;

receive capabilities of the SET from the SET;

communicate with the SET to determine at least one position estimate for the SET; and

send the at least one position estimate to the SUPL agent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initiation message further includes service capabilities of the processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning protocol capabilities of the processor are at least one of LPP, LPPe or TIA-801.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the SET a positioning initiation message that includes a positioning message using a positioning protocol that is within the positioning protocol capabilities of the processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initiation message further includes an intended positioning method.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initiation message further includes a quality of position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the SET a positioning initiation message that includes positioning methods supported by the SET and positioning protocols supported by the SET.

8. A method comprising:

receiving from a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent a request for position estimates for a SUPL enabled terminal (SET);

providing an initiation message from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to the SET to start a location session, the initiation message including information on capability of the SLP to provide support for specific positioning protocols;

receiving capabilities of the SET from the SET;

communicating with the SET to determine at least one position estimate for the SET; and

sending the at least one position estimate to the SUPL agent.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the initiation message further includes service capabilities of the SLP.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP are at least one of LPP, LPPe or TIA-801.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving from the SET a positioning initiation message that includes a positioning message using a positioning protocol that is within the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the initiation message further includes an intended positioning method.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the initiation message further includes a quality of position.

14. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent a request for position estimates for a SUPL enabled terminal (SET);

means for providing an initiation message from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to the SET to start a location session, the initiation message including information on capability of the SLP to provide support for specific positioning protocols;

means for receiving capabilities of the SET from the SET;

means for communicating with the SET to determine at least one position estimate for the SET; and

means for sending the at least one position estimate to the SUPL agent.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the initiation message further includes service capabilities of the SLP.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP are at least one of LPP, LPPe or TIA-801.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for receiving from the SET a positioning initiation message that includes a positioning message using a positioning protocol that is within the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the initiation message further includes an intended positioning method.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the initiation message further includes a quality of position.

20. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to receive from a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent a request for position estimates for a SUPL enabled terminal (SET);

program code to provide an initiation message from a SUPL Location Platform (SLP) to the SET to start a location session, the initiation message including information on capability of the SLP to provide support for specific positioning protocols;

program code to receive capabilities of the SET from the SET;

program code to communicate with the SET to determine at least one position estimate for the SET; and

program code to send the at least one position estimate to the SUPL agent.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the initiation message further includes service capabilities of the SLP.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP are at least one of LPP, LPPe or TIA-801.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising program code to receive from the SET a positioning initiation message that includes a positioning message using a positioning protocol that is within the positioning protocol capabilities of the SLP.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the initiation message further includes an intended positioning method.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the initiation message further includes a quality of position.