Location based service (LBS) system, method and apparatus for authorization of mobile station LBS applications

• US 7,359,716 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Douglas Rowitch, Kirk Burroughs
• Inventors: Burroughs, Kirk, Rowitch, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart; James D
• Application Number:
  US10/769,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/411, 455/461, 455/456.3, 455/456.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/456.1, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/226, 340/426.19, 340/539.13, 340/991, 340/993, 340/988, 340/995.25, 709217-219, 709/229, 726 2- 4
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for providing location services whereby location determination and location disclosure are treated as separate and independent processes. Location determination may be performed (as necessary) via a first set of network entities to obtain location information for a mobile station. The location information may be cached for subsequent disclosure to any number of applications. Location disclosure may be performed (when requested) via a second set of network entities to provide the location information. Location determination may utilize a first security procedure for authorization and to obtain a first session key used for location determination. Location disclosure may utilize a second security procedure for authorization and to obtain a second session key used for location disclosure. For a roaming mobile station, location determination may be performed via a serving network and location disclosure may be performed via a home network.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing an application run on a mobile station, including:

attempting to run a location based service (LBS) application on the mobile station;

invoking a position location engine within the mobile station using the LBS application;

requesting authorization of the LBS application;

communicating directly between the position location engine and a mobile positioning center (MPC) in a first communication session in order to have the MPC fulfill the request for authorization of the LBS application;

establishing a second communication session between the position location engine and a Position Determining Equipment (PDE), independent of the first communication session, to attempt mobile originated position location;

then, only if the LBS application is authorized, receiving within the mobile station information required to continue running the LBS application in response to the LBS application being authorized.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

if the LBS application has not been authorized, receiving a response message indicating that authorization failed; and

in response to receipt of the response message, halting the LBS application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the LBS application that is attempted to run on the mobile station requires authorization from the MPC in order to receive all required information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization of the LBS application to be run on the mobile station is independent of other authorization operations to be requested by the mobile station for the purpose of authorizing telephone communication.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the authorization of the LBS application to be run is further independent of other authorization operations to be requested in order to authorize other applications.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the authorization of the LBS application by the MPC allows the mobile station to communicate with other components.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the other components include a position determination entity.

8. A mobile station (MS), comprising:

a processor and a position location engine, said processor for running a location based service (LBS) application to determine a position of said MS in conjunction with said position location engine;

apparatus for communicating directly with a mobile positioning center (MPC) in a first communication session to request authorization to run said LBS application;

apparatus for initiating a mobile originated position location session, independent of the first communication session, to establish a communication session between the position location engine and a Position Determining Equipment (PDE) to determine the position of the MS; and

apparatus for receiving from said MPC an indication whether running said LBS application is authorized and for allowing said processor to run said LBS application.

9. The MS of claim 8 wherein the position location engine is a GPS application program interface (API).

10. The MS of claim 8 wherein the LBS is a program that uses a location of the mobile station to provide a service to a user of the MS.

11. The MS of claim 8 wherein the LBS is an applet that uses a location of the mobile station to provide a service to a user of the MS.

12. The MS of claim 8 wherein the LBS is a routine that uses a location of the mobile station to provide a service to a user of the MS.

13. The MS of claim 8 wherein the LBS is a computer implemented algorithm that uses a location of the mobile station to provide a service to a user of the MS.

14. The MS of claim 13 wherein said computer implemented algorithm further identifies a location of another mobile station.

15. The MS of claim 13 wherein said computer implemented algorithm locates a nearby product and provides a user with directions to an outlet for said product.

16. The MS of claim 13 wherein said computer implemented algorithm locates a nearby service and provides a user with directions to an outlet for said service.

17. A mobile station configured to execute a Location Based Service (LBS) application, the mobile station comprising:

a processor configured to execute the LBS application; and

a position location engine coupled to the processor and invoked by the LBS application, the position location engine configured to communicate, in a first communication session, a request for positioning to a Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) and receive from the MPC a position process response message in response to the request for positioning, the position location engine determining a location of the mobile station in response to a mobile originated communication session, independent of the first communication session, when the position process response message indicates the LBS application is authorized.

18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the position location engine is further configured to provide the location of the mobile station to the LBS application when the LBS application is authorized.

19. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the position process response message comprises a positioning status message that indicates a method used to calculate the location of the mobile station.

20. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the request for positioning comprises an application indicator configured to identify the LBS application.

21. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the position location engine is further configured to initiate a mobile originated position location session in response to receiving the position process response message.

22. A method for authorizing an application run on a mobile station, the method comprising:

attempting to run a location based service (LBS) application on the mobile station;

establishing a TCP/IP communication session between a position location engine in the mobile station and a Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) in which the position location engine communicates directly with the MPC in order to have the MPC fulfill the request for authorization of the LBS application;

establishing a mobile originated position location session between the position location engine and a Position Determining Equipment (PDE), independent of the TCP/IP communication session, to determine a location of the mobile station; and

communicating the location of the mobile station to the LBS application if the MPC authorizes the LBS application.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein establishing the TCP/IP communication session between the position location engine and the MPC comprises communicating a request for positioning from the position location engine to the MPC, the request for positioning including a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of a content provider associated with the LBS application.