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

• US 7,505,757 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Burroughs, Kirk, Rowitch, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/770,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 4554561-4566, 455/414.2, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

An application executed within a mobile station to be triggered only by a network element, such as a mobile positioning center (MPC) or a Mobile Center (MC). The network element is coupled to a base station. The network element is responsible for authorizing an application that is either resident within the mobile station or that is run in a device that is resident elsewhere in the network. The mobile station communicates with the network element over a communication link through the base station and other infrastructure components. The mobile station will only respond to attempts to trigger particular operations (e.g., run particular applications) if the mobile station receives a short message services (SMS) message as defined by Interim Specification 637A (IS-637A) which is published by the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA)/Electronics Industry Association (EIA). More specifically, that SMS message must include an SMS Teleservice Identifier that has a particular pre-assigned value.

Claims

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

a. attempting to run Location Based Service (LBS) application;

b. requesting authentication of the LBS application;

c. communicating directly with a mobile positioning center (MPC) in order to have the MPC fulfill the request for authentication of the LBS application;

d. if the application is authenticated, then receiving within the mobile station a Short Message Service (SMS) message originated at the MPC and having a teleservice identifier field within the SMS message identifying a position location engine within the mobile station as a destination of information required to continue running the LBS application in response to the application being authenticated.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

a. if the LBS application has not been authenticated, receiving a response message indicating that authentication failed; and

b. 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 authentication from the MPC in order to receive all required information.

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

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

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the authentication of the LBS application by the MPG 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. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the SMS message comprises receiving the SMS message having the teleservice identifier field set by the MPC.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the SMS message comprises receiving the SMS message having the teleservice identifier field indicating the SMS message is intended for the LBS application.

10. A method for authenticating an application run on a mobile station, including:

attempting to run Location Based Service (LBS);

requesting authentication of the LBS application;

communicating directly with a mobile positioning center (MPC) in order to have the MPC fulfill the request for authentication of the LBS application; and

if the application is authenticated, receiving within the mobile station a Short Message Service (SMS) message having a teleservice identifier field within the SMS message set to a predetermined value, wherein receiving the SMS message comprises receiving the SMS message having the teleservice identifier field indicating the SMS message is intended for a position location engine within the mobile station.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the SMS message comprises receiving the SMS message having the teleservice identifier field set by the MPC.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the SMS message comprises receiving the SMS message having the teleservice identifier field indicating the SMS message is intended for the LBS application.