Methods and apparatus for identifying and authorizing location servers and location services

• US 9,301,093 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen William, Wachter, Andreas Klaus, Hawkes, Philip Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US14/248,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/414.3, 455/433, 455/404.2, 709/203, 709/233, 709/228, 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture to allow a mobile device to obtain certain location service(s) and/or the like from one or more computing devices that have been authorized for use. For example, in certain implementations, an authorizing location server may obtain a first message from a mobile device indicating a first set of location servers, determine a second set of location servers based, at least in part, on the first set of location servers, and transmit a second message to the mobile device indicating that the second set of location servers are authorized for location service related access by the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for use by one or more computing devices providing an authorizing location server, the method comprising:

engaging in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with a mobile device;

determining a set of location servers based, at least in part, on a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device obtained via said session; and

transmitting a message to said mobile device, said message indicating said set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising:

obtaining a subsequent message from said mobile device, said subsequent message indicating an occurrence of at least one said location service related access by said mobile device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, said message further indicating additional information comprising at least one of:

an access preference associated with said authorizing location server for location services;

a priority ordering corresponding to one or more location servers in said set of location servers; and

/or a parameter for at least one location server in said set of location servers.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, said parameter comprising at least one of:

a service duration;

a service area; and

/or a list of access networks available for use by said mobile device.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, and further comprising:

accessing a particular location server in said set of location servers by said mobile device, said particular location server determined by said mobile device based, at least in part, on said additional information.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, said accessing said particular location server in said set of location servers further comprising accepting one or more network initiated location requests from said particular location server.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, said access preference comprising at least one of:

a preference for accessing said authorizing location server versus accessing at least one location server in said set of location servers; and

/or a request for notifying said authorizing location server if at least one location server in said set of location servers is accessed.

8. The method as recited in claim 3, said additional information further comprising a minimum retry period for querying said authorizing location server for a further authorization of at least one location server.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said authorizing location server comprises a SUPL Location Platform (H-SLP), and at least one location server in said set of location servers comprises at least one of:

a Discovered SUPL Location Platform (D-SLP);

or an Emergency SUPL Location Platform (E-SLP).

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said message comprises a SUPL END message.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said session is initiated by said mobile device or said authorizing location server.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile device comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET).

13. A method for use by a mobile device, the method comprising:

engaging in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with an authorizing location server;

transmitting at least a first message to said authorizing location server to determine a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device; and

obtaining a second message from said authorizing location server, said second message indicating a set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device, said set of location servers is being determined based, at least in part, on said current location and said current set of access networks.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

communicating a subsequent message to said authorizing location server, said subsequent message indicating an occurrence of at least one said location service related access by said mobile device.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, said second message further indicating additional information comprising at least one of:

an access preference associated with said authorizing location server for location services;

a priority ordering corresponding to one or more location servers in said set of location servers; and

/or a parameter for at least one location server in said set of location servers.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, said parameter comprising at least one of:

a service duration;

a service area; and

/or a list of access networks available for use by said mobile device.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, and further comprising:

accessing a particular location server in said set of location servers, said particular location server being determined based, at least in part, on said additional information.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, said accessing said particular location server in said set of location servers further comprising accepting one or more network initiated location requests from said particular location server.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, said access preference comprising at least one of:

a preference for accessing said authorizing location server versus accessing at least one location server in said set of location servers; and

a request for notifying said authorizing location server if at least one location server in said set of location servers is accessed.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, said additional information further comprising a minimum retry period for querying said authorizing location server for a further authorization of at least one location server.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said authorizing location server comprises a SUPL Location Platform (H-SLP), and at least one location server in said set of location servers comprises at least one of:

a Discovered SUPL Location Platform (D-SLP);

or an Emergency SUPL Location Platform (E-SLP).

22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said second message comprises a SUPL END message.

23. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said session is initiated by said mobile device or said authorizing location server.

24. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said mobile device comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET).

25. An apparatus for use in an authorizing location server, the apparatus comprising:

means for engaging in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with a mobile device;

means for determining a set of location servers based, at least in part, on a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device obtained via said session; and

means for transmitting a message to said mobile device, said message indicating said set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, and further comprising:

means for obtaining a subsequent message from said mobile device, said subsequent message indicating an occurrence of at least one said location service related access by said mobile device.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said message further indicating additional information comprising at least one of:

an access preference associated with said authorizing location server for location services;

a priority ordering corresponding to one or more location servers in said set of location servers; and

/or a parameter for at least one location server in said set of location servers.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, said parameter comprising at least one of:

a service duration;

a service area; and

/or a list of access networks available for use by said mobile device.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, and further comprising:

means for accessing a particular location server in said set of location servers by said mobile device, said particular location server determined by said mobile device based, at least in part, on said additional information.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, said access preference comprising at least one of:

a preference for accessing said authorizing location server versus accessing at least one location server in said set of location servers; and

/or a request for notifying said authorizing location server if at least one location server in said set of location servers is accessed.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 30, said means for accessing said particular location server in said set of location servers further comprising means for accepting one or more network initiated location requests from said particular location server.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, said additional information further comprising a minimum retry period for querying said authorizing location server for a further authorization of at least one location server.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said authorizing location server comprises a SUPL Location Platform (H-SLP), and at least one location server in said set of location servers comprises at least one of:

a Discovered SUPL Location Platform (D-SLP);

or an Emergency SUPL Location Platform (E-SLP).

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said message comprises a SUPL END message.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said session is initiated by said mobile device or said authorizing location server.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said mobile device comprises a SUPL enabled terminal (SET).

37. An apparatus for use in an authorizing location server, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

one or more processing units to;

engage in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with a mobile device;

determine a set of location servers to be based, at least in part, on a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device obtained via said session; and

transmit a message to said mobile device, said message to indicate said set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, said one or more processing units further to:

obtain a subsequent message from said mobile device, said subsequent message to indicate an occurrence of at least one said location service related access by said mobile device.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, said message further to indicate additional information to comprise at least one of:

an access preference to be associated with said authorizing location server for location services;

a priority ordering to correspond to one or more location servers in said set of location servers; and

/or a parameter for at least one location server in said set of location servers.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 39, said parameter to comprise at least one of:

a service duration;

a service area; and

/or a list of access networks available for use by said mobile device.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 39, said one or more processing units further to:

access a particular location server in said set of location servers by said mobile device, said particular location server determined by said mobile device to be based, at least in part, on said additional information.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 39, said access preference to comprise at least one of:

a preference for accessing said authorizing location server versus accessing at least one location server in said set of location servers; and

/or a request for notifying said authorizing location server if at least one location server in said set of location servers is accessed.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 39, said additional information further to comprise a minimum retry period for querying said authorizing location server for a further authorization of at least one location server.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, said accessing said particular location server in said set of location servers further to comprise accepting one or more network initiated location requests from said particular location server.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said authorizing location server to comprise a SUPL Location Platform (H-SLP), and at least one location server in said set of location servers to comprise at least one of:

a Discovered SUPL Location Platform (D-SLP);

or an Emergency SUPL Location Platform (E-SLP).

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said message to comprise a SUPL END message.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said session is to be initiated by said mobile device or said authorizing location server.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said mobile device to comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET).

49. An apparatus for use in an authorizing location server, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless interface; and

one or more processing units to;

engage in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with said authorizing location server;

transmit at least a first message to said authorizing location server to determine a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device; and

obtain a second message from said authorizing location server, said second message to indicate a set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device, said set of location servers is to be determined to be based, at least in part, on said current location and said current set of access networks.

50. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, said one or more processing units further to:

communicate a subsequent message to said authorizing location server, said subsequent message to indicate an occurrence of at least one said location service related access by said mobile device.

51. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, said second message further to indicate additional information to comprise at least one of:

an access preference to be associated with said authorizing location server for location services;

a priority ordering to correspond to one or more location servers in said set of location servers; and

/or a parameter for at least one location server in said set of location servers.

52. The apparatus as recited in claim 51, said parameter to comprise at least one of:

a service duration;

a service area; and

/or a list of access networks available for use by said mobile device.

53. The apparatus as recited in claim 51, said one or more processing units further to:

access a particular location server in said set of location servers, said particular location server to be determined to be based, at least in part, on said additional information.

54. The apparatus as recited in claim 51, said access preference to comprise at least one of:

a preference for accessing said authorizing location server versus accessing at least one location server in said set of location servers; and

a request for notifying said authorizing location server if at least one location server in said set of location servers is accessed.

55. The apparatus as recited in claim 51, said additional information further to comprise a minimum retry period for querying said authorizing location server for a further authorization of at least one location server.

56. The apparatus as recited in claim 53, to said access said particular location server in said set of location servers further to accept one or more network initiated location requests from said particular location server.

57. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said authorizing location server to comprise a SUPL Location Platform (H-SLP), and at least one location server in said set of location servers to comprise at least one of:

a Discovered SUPL Location Platform (D-SLP);

or an Emergency SUPL Location Platform (E-SLP).

58. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said second message to comprise a SUPL END message.

59. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said session is to be initiated by said mobile device or said authorizing location server.

60. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said mobile device to comprise a SUPL enabled terminal (SET).

61. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer

implementable instructions that are executable by one or more processing units of an authorizing location server to:

engage in an immediate or deferred Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) session with said authorizing location server;

transmit at least a first message to said authorizing location server to determine a current location and a current set of access networks for said mobile device; and

obtain a second message from said authorizing location server, said second message to indicate a set of location servers as being authorized for location service related access by said mobile device, said set of location servers is to be determined to be based, at least in part, on said current location and said current set of access networks.