Transport of LCS-related messages for LTE access

• US 9,743,228 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen W., Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Subramanian, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, William
• Application Number:
  US12/819,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,619 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561- 6, 455567, 370352, 370331, 370328, 370254, 370338
• 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: 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

Abstract

Techniques for transporting messages for location services (LCS) are described. A Mobility Management Entity (MME) may have a location session with an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) to provide location services for a User Equipment (UE). The UE may exchange LCS-related messages with the E-SMLC to obtain location services. In an aspect, LCS-related messages exchanged between the UE and the E-SMLC may be encapsulated in Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages and transported via the MME and a base station. In another aspect, a routing identifier (ID) may be used to associate messages exchanged between the UE and the MME with the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC for the UE. Each NAS message exchanged between the MME and the UE may include the routing ID, which may enable the MME to associate each NAS message from the UE with the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining location services, comprising:

communicating with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access by a User Equipment (UE);

receiving a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message from a Mobility Management Entity (MME) to transport a first message for location services for the UE; and

sending a second NAS message to the MME to transport a second message for location services for the UE, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the MME and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the routing ID is maintained by the MME for the UE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message for location services and the second message for location services each comprises an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message, a message for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR), a message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), or a message for a Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first NAS message and the second NAS message each comprises a protocol discriminator (PD) field that is set to a designated value to indicate that the first NAS message or the second NAS message is transporting one or more messages for location services for the UE.

4. An apparatus for obtaining location services, the apparatus comprising:

means for communicating with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access by the apparatus;

means for receiving a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message from a Mobility Management Entity (MME) to transport a first message for location services for the apparatus; and

means for sending a second NAS message to the MME to transport a second message for location for the apparatus, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the MME and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the routing ID is maintained by the MME for the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first message for location services and the second message for location services each comprises an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message, a message for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR), a message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), or a message for a Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR).

6. An apparatus for obtaining location services, comprising:

at least one processing unit configured to communicate with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access by the apparatus and to receive a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message from a Mobility Management Entity (MME) to transport a first message for location services for the apparatus and send a second NAS message to the MME to transport a second message for location services for the UE, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the MME and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the routing ID is maintained by the MME for the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first message for location services and the second message for location services each comprises an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message, a message for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR), a message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), or a message for a Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR).

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code to cause at least one computer to communicate with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access by a User Equipment (UE),

code to cause the at least one computer to receive a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message from a Mobility Management Entity (MME) to transport a first message for location services for the UE; and

code to cause the at least one computer to send a second NAS message to the MME to transport a second message for location services for the UE, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the MME and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the routing ID is maintained by the MME for the UE.

9. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

identifying a User Equipment (UE) communicating with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access;

sending a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message to the UE to transport a first message for location services for the UE; and

receiving a second NAS message from the UE to transport a second message for location services for the UE, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a corresponding routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the MME and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the corresponding routing ID is maintained by the MME for the UE.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first message for location services and the second message for location services each comprises an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message, a message for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR), a message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), or a message for a Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first NAS message and the second NAS message each comprises a protocol discriminator (PD) field that is set to a designated value to indicate that the first NAS message or the second NAS message is transporting one or more messages for location services for the UE.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

communicating with an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) for a location session between the MME and the E-SMLC to provide location services for the UE; and

assigning the corresponding routing identifier (ID), wherein the corresponding routing ID is further related to the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC, and wherein the corresponding routing ID further associates its corresponding NAS message with the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC.

13. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

means for identifying a User Equipment (UE) communicating with a Radio Access Network (RAN) via Long Term Evolution (LTE) access;

means for sending a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message to the UE to transport a first message for location services for the UE; and

means for receiving a second NAS message from the UE to transport a second message for location services for the UE, wherein each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message comprises a corresponding routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message, the second NAS message, the first message for location services, and the second message for location services with a location session between the apparatus and a location center to provide the location services, wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session, and wherein the corresponding routing ID is maintained by the apparatus for the UE.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first message for location services and the second message for location services each comprises an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) message, a message for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR), a message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), or a message for a Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR).

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for communicating with an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) for a location session between the MME and the E-SMLC to provide location services for the UE; and

means for assigning the corresponding routing identifier (ID), wherein the corresponding routing ID is further related to the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC, and wherein the corresponding routing ID further associates each NAS message with the location session between the MME and the E-SMLC.

16. A method of obtaining location services, comprising:

receiving a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message sent by a first network entity to a User Equipment (UE), the first NAS message comprising a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message with a location session between the first network entity and a second network entity to provide location services for the UE; and

sending a second NAS message comprising the routing ID from the UE to the first network entity, the routing ID being included in the second NAS message by the UE and used by the first network entity to associate the second NAS message with the location session between the first and second network entities,

wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session and associates each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message with the location session.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) request message comprising a first ID from the UE to the first network entity, wherein the routing ID is determined based on the first ID.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a privacy notification message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) from the first network entity, wherein the privacy notification message comprises the routing ID.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first network entity comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and the second network entity comprises an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC).

20. An apparatus for obtaining location services, comprising:

means for receiving a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message sent by a first network entity to a User Equipment (UE), the first NAS comprising a routing identifier (ID) for associating the first NAS message with a location session between the first network entity and a second network entity to provide location services for the UE; and

means for sending a second NAS message comprising the routing ID from the UE to the first network entity, the routing ID being included in the second NAS message by the UE and used by the first network entity to associate the second NAS message with the location session between the first and second network entities,

wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session and associates each of the first NAS message and the second NAS message with the location session.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for sending a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) request message comprising a first ID from the UE to the first network entity, wherein the routing ID is determined based on the first ID.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving a privacy notification message for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) from the first network entity, wherein the privacy notification message comprises the routing ID.

23. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

determining a routing identifier (ID) associated with a location session between a first network entity and a second network entity to provide location services for a User Equipment (UE);

sending a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message comprising the routing ID from the first network entity to the UE;

receiving a second NAS message comprising the routing ID from the UE at the first network entity; and

associating the second NAS message from the UE with the location session between the first and second network entities based on the routing ID included in the second message,

wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining the routing ID comprises assigning the routing ID by the first network entity.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining the routing ID comprises receiving a first ID for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) from the UE, and assigning the routing ID by the first network entity based on the first ID.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

sending a privacy notification message comprising the routing ID for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) to the UE.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a third message sent by the second network entity to the first network entity for the location session, wherein the first NAS message is sent in response to receiving the third message; and

sending a fourth message from the first network entity to the second network entity for the location session, wherein the fourth message is sent in response to receiving the second NAS message.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the third and fourth messages exchanged between the first and second network entities include either the routing ID or another ID associated with the location session.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the first network entity comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and the second network entity comprises an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC).

30. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

means for determining a routing identifier (ID) associated with a location session between the apparatus and a network entity to provide location services for a User Equipment (UE);

means for sending a first Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message comprising the routing ID from the apparatus to the UE;

means for receiving a second NAS message comprising the routing ID from the UE at the apparatus; and

means for associating the second NAS message from the UE with the location session between the apparatus and the network entity, the associating being done based on the routing ID included in the second message,

wherein the routing ID is a correlation ID that identifies the location session.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for determining the routing ID comprises means for assigning the routing ID by the apparatus.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for determining the routing ID comprises:

means for receiving a first ID for a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) from the UE, and

means for assigning the routing ID by the apparatus based on the first ID.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

means for sending a privacy notification message comprising the routing ID for a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) to the UE.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

means for receiving a third message sent by the network entity to the apparatus for the location session, wherein the first NAS message is sent in response to receiving the third message; and

means for sending a fourth message from the apparatus to the network entity for the location session, wherein the fourth message is sent in response to receiving the second NAS message.