Method, terminal device and system allowing for handling location services independently from a cellular communication system

• US 7,930,342 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ojala, Tommi, Kivinen, Timo, Mattila, Arto
• Primary Examiner(s): Dollinger; Tonia L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fearer; Mark D
• Application Number:
  US10/703,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,721 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]

Abstract

The basic concept of the method for requesting location related information of a mobile communication terminal device comprises an encoding of a location request. The location request contains information and commands for instructing a receiving location serving networked device to retrieve location related information accordingly and a transmitting of the encoded location request to the location serving networked device. The basic concept of the method for serving for serving location related information of a mobile communication terminal device comprises a receiving of a location request as defined above, a retrieving of the location related information in accordance with the location request, an encoding of a location response in accordance with the retrieval results and containing at least the retrieved location related information and transmitting of the encoded location response to the mobile communication terminal device. Devices performing these methods are shown.

Claims

1. A method, comprising

receiving an initiation indicating to encode a location request requesting location information of a mobile communication terminal device;

encoding the location request in a predefined coding format, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

bounding said encoded location request to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

adding information related to said communication protocol to said location request; and

determining to transmit said bounded location request via a communication stack corresponding to said communication protocol via a wireless communication network.

2. A method, according to claim 1, further comprising

receiving an encoded location response being encoded in accordance with said predefined coding format of said location request, said location response containing at least location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

and

decoding said encoded location response such that said contained location information is available for further processing.

3. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said predefined coding format comprises one of

a well-defined XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description;

and

a well-defined binary coded XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description.

4. A method, according to claim 2, wherein said decoding of said encoded location response comprises:

parsing of said location response.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein said predefined coding format is formatted based on a corresponding document type description.

6. A method, comprising

receiving a location request requesting to serve location information of a mobile communication terminal device, said location request being encoded in a predefined coding format and bound to an internet-based protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

receiving said location information in accordance with said location request;

encoding a location response in said predefined coding format, said location response containing at least said retrieved location information;

bounding said encoded location response to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network in which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

adding information related to said communication protocol to said location response; and

determining to transmit said bounded location response, via a communication protocol stack corresponding to said communication protocol, to said mobile communication terminal device.

7. A method, according to claim 6, wherein said predefined coding format comprises one of

a well-defined XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description;

and

a well-defined binary coded XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description.

8. A method, according to claim 7, further comprising decoding said encoded location request.

9. A method, according to claim 8, wherein said decoding comprises parsing said encoded location request.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving an initiation indicating to encode a location request requesting location information of a mobile communication terminal device;

encoding the location request in a predefined coding format, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

bounding said encoded location request to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

adding information related to said communication protocol to said location request; and

determining to transmit said bounded location request via a communication stack corresponding to said communication protocol via a wireless communication network.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein said predefined coding format comprises one of

a well-defined XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description;

and

a well-defined binary coded XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

receiving a location response being encoded in accordance with said predefined coding format of said location request from said location serving networked device via said cellular communication system, said encoded location response containing at least location information of said mobile communication terminal device; and

decoding said encoded location response for making said contained location information available for further processing.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein said decoding of said encoded location response comprises:

parsing of said location response.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive an initiation indicating to encode a location request requesting location information of a mobile communication terminal device;

encode the location request in a predefined coding format, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

bound said encoded location request to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

add information related to said communication protocol to said location request; and

determine to transmit said bounded location request via a communication stack corresponding to said communication protocol via a wireless communication network.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further caused to receive a location response being encoded in accordance with said predefined coding format of said location request from said location serving networked device via said cellular communication system, said encoded location response contains at least location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

and the apparatus is further caused to decode said encoded location response for making said contained location information available for further processing.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said predefined coding format comprises one of

a well-defined XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description;

and

a well-defined binary coded XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said decoding of said encoded location response comprises:

parsing of said location response.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a location request requesting to serve location information of a mobile communication terminal device, said location request being encoded in a predefined coding format and bound to an internet-based protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

receive said location information in accordance with said location request;

encode a location response in said predefined coding format, said location response containing at least said retrieved location information;

bound said encoded location response to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network in which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

add information related to said communication protocol to said location response; and

determine to transmit said bounded location response, via a communication protocol stack corresponding to said communication protocol, to said mobile communication terminal device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to decode said encoded location request.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said predefined coding format comprises one of

a well-defined XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description;

and

a well-defined binary coded XML-based format on the basis of a corresponding document type description.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to parse said encoded location request.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving a location request requesting to serve location information of a mobile communication terminal device, said location request being encoded in a predefined coding format and bound to an internet-based protocol independent of a radio access network to which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed, said location request containing at least identification information of said mobile communication terminal device and at least a command instructing a location serving networked device to retrieve location information of said mobile communication terminal device;

receiving said location information in accordance with said location request;

encoding a location response in said predefined coding format, said location response containing at least said retrieved location information;

bounding said encoded location response to an internet-based communication protocol independent of a radio access network in which said mobile communication terminal device is subscribed;

adding information related to said communication protocol to said location response; and

determining to transmit said bounded location response, via a communication protocol stack corresponding to said communication protocol, to said mobile communication terminal device.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

decoding said encoded location request.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 23, wherein said decoding comprises parsing said encoded location request.