U.S. patent application number 10/492844 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-10 for method for the provision of location information.
Invention is credited to Ignatius, Jan, Kokkonen, Petri, Kraufvelin, Sebastian, Muhonen, Janne.
Application Number | 20050032532 10/492844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26246672 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050032532 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kokkonen, Petri ; et
al. |
February 10, 2005 |
Method for the provision of location information
Abstract
In a communication system a request for location information
associated with a target user is signalled from an entity. Said
request contains information identifying the requestor of said
location information. A verification is performed based on said
identifying information if the target user has authorised the
requester to initiate provision of location information that
associates with the target user. The location information provision
is initiated if it is determined that the requester is authorised
by the target user to initiate provision of location information
that associates with the target user.
Inventors: |
Kokkonen, Petri; (Espoo,
FI) ; Muhonen, Janne; (Helsinki, FI) ;
Ignatius, Jan; (Espoo, FI) ; Kraufvelin,
Sebastian; (Tenhola, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY L.L.P.
14TH FLOOR
8000 TOWERS CRESCENT
TYSONS CORNER
VA
22182
US
|
Family ID: |
26246672 |
Appl. No.: |
10/492844 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
October 16, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB02/04292 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.6 ;
455/456.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/101 20130101;
H04L 67/18 20130101; H04W 4/02 20130101; H04W 8/16 20130101; H04W
4/029 20180201; H04W 12/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/456.6 ;
455/456.1 |
International
Class: |
H04Q 007/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 17, 2001 |
GB |
0124956.4 |
Oct 30, 2001 |
GB |
0126008.2 |
Claims
1-21. (Cancelled)
22. A method in a communication system, the method comprising:
signalling a request for location information associated with a
target user, said request containing information identifying the
requestor of said location information; verifying based on said
identifying information if the target user has authorized the
requester to initiate provision of location information that
associates with the target user, wherein at least a part of the
information about the authorizations by the target user is stored
in a separate network entity provided in the communication system;
and if the requester is authorized by the target user to initiate
provision of location information that associates with the target
user, initiating the provision of said location information.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the request is
generated at a user equipment of the requester and signaled to a
location service client entity adapted for provision of location
services for the users of the communication system.
24. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein location information
associated with the target user is provided only for requesters who
are determined by the target user as being authorized to receive
information associated with the location of the target user.
25. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least a part of the
information about the authorizations by the target user is stored
in storage means provided in the communication system.
26. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least a part of
information about the authorizations by the target user is fetched
from a second communication system, said second communication
system being accessible for the entities of the communication
system wherein the verification is performed.
27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein a verification entity
of the communication system accomplished the verification based on
said stored information and identifying information.
28. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the verification
comprises verifying if an identifier of the requester can be found
from a list of identifiers associated with the target user.
29. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising signalling of said
identifying information to the user equipment of the target user
for the authorization.
30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein initiation of
provision of location information is authorized or denied at the
user equipment of the target user in response to receiving said
identifying information.
31. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein information about the
authorizations by the target user is stored in storage means
provided at the user equipment of the target user, and wherein the
user equipment verifies based on the received information if the
storage means of the user equipment contains an authorization for
the requester.
32. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein said identifying
information comprises the name or nickname of the requester.
33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the name or nickname
is contained in a client information parameter.
34. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the identifying
information is included into a message requesting for location
information by said location service client entity.
35. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the user of the user
equipment authorizes the requester on a case by case basis.
36. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising translation of an
identifier to a format based on which the verification can be
performed.
37. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location
information is provided by means of a location service entity of
the communication system, and the requester signals with a client
entity of the location service entity, said client entity being an
entity external to the communication system.
38. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising modifying
information about the authorizations by the target user that is
stored in storage means by means of the user equipment of the
target user.
39. A communication system comprising: a location information
provision entity; communication media for signalling from a client
entity to the location information provision entity a request for
location information associated with a target user, said request
containing information identifying the requester of said location
information; a separate network entity in the communication system
for storing at least a part of the information about the
authorizations by the target user; and verification means for
verifying based on said identifying information if the target user
has authorized the requester, wherein provision of location
information that associates with the target user can be initiated
only if such authorization is given.
40. A location service server for use in a communication system,
the location service server being arranged to receive a request for
location information associated with a target user, said request
containing information identifying the requester of said location
information and to verify from a separate network entity in the
communication system that stores at least a part of the information
about the authorizations by the target user, the verification being
based on said identifying information if the target user has
authorized the requester, whereby the location service server
authorizes provision of location information that associates with
the target user only for requesters authorized the by the target
user.
41. A user equipment for communication via a communication system,
the user equipment being arranged to receive and process messages
that associate with provision of information about the location of
the user equipment, and to authorize provision of such
information.
42. A user equipment as claimed in claim 41, comprising a user
interface arranged to enable the user to authorize or deny requests
for location information and/or for modifying information regarding
authorizations stored in a storage means.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to provision of location
information by means of a communication system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Communication systems providing mobility for the users
thereof are known. A well known example of the mobile communication
systems is the public land line mobile network (PLMN), a cellular
communication network being an example of the PLMN. Another example
is a mobile communication system that is based, at least partially,
on use of communication satellites.
[0003] The mobile network apparatus and/or user equipment such as a
mobile station can be employed for provision of information
regarding the geographical location of the user equipment and thus
the user thereof. A mobile user equipment and thus the user thereof
can be positioned by various different techniques. For example,
substantially accurate geographical location information that
associates with a user equipment can be obtained based on the known
satellite based GPS (Global Positioning System). More accurate
location information can be obtained through a differential
GPS.
[0004] Another possibility is to use a location service that
associates with a cellular telecommunications system for the
provision of the location information. In this approach the cells
or similar geographically limited radio access entities and
associated controllers of the communication system are utilised in
production of at least a rough location information estimate
concerning the current location of the mobile user equipment. To
improve the accuracy of the location information the communication
system may be provided with specific location measurement units
that provide more accurate data concerning the location of a user
equipment within the service area of the cellular system. It is
also possible to conclude geographical location when the mobile
user equipment is located within the coverage area of a visited or
"foreign" network. The visited network may be made capable of
transmitting the location of the mobile user equipment back to the
home network, e.g. to support services that are based on location
information or for the purposes of routing and charging. The
production of data for the location determinations does not form an
essential element of the present invention, and is thus not
described in any greater detail herein.
[0005] The location data may be processed in a specific location
service entity that is implemented either within the cellular
system or connected thereto. The location data may also be
processed in the user equipment that is provided with appropriate
processing capacity. The location service entity provided by the
communication system may serve different clients via an appropriate
interface.
[0006] The location information may be used for various purposes,
such as for location of a mobile telephone that has made an
emergency call, for locating vehicles or given mobile subscribers
and so on. In general, a client such as a user equipment or another
entity wishing to receive location information regarding a user
equipment may send a request for such information to the location
service provision entity. The location service provisioning entity
will then process the request, obtain the required data and
generate an appropriate response.
[0007] An example of the provision of the location information by a
PLMN is described in more detail 3.sup.rd Generation Partnership
Project (3GPP) technical specifications, see e.g. 3GPP TS 23.271
version 4.2.0, titled "Functional stage 2 description of LCS", June
2001.
[0008] According to the 3GPP specification a location service (LCS)
server entity referred to as a Gateway Mobile Location Center
(GMLC) is provided for managing the location services. The GMLC is
for gathering and storing various data that may be used in
provision of location information for location service clients (LCS
clients).
[0009] The LCS Client may make use of that location information for
various services/applications. A possible application comprises a
LCS client arranged to provide location information in response to
a request for non-call related location information. Such a request
for location information is referred to in the 3GPP specifications
as a non-call related MT-LR (Mobile Terminated Location
Request).
[0010] Use of a so called "Authorized UE List" has been proposed.
This list contains Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) numbers or
groups of MSISDNs which are authorised to initiate a location
information provision procedure. That is, MSISDNs or groups of
MSISDN are listed for which the LCS Client may issue a non-call
related MT-LR. Separate lists of MSISDNs may be associated with
each distinct external or non-call related client identity.
Location information may be provided by the LCS server to the LCS
client in response to a request for location information from a
user with a MSISDN number that appears in said list.
[0011] The LCS Client who is external to the PLMN system may only
be enabled to validly issue location information requests for those
MSISDNs which are found on the "Authorized UE List". That is, the
LCS clients request may only be responded for subscribers who
subscribe to the location services provided by the PLMN, as their
MSISDNs would not otherwise appear on the list.
[0012] Request from the LCS Client are authenticated based on a
combination of a Client ID and password stored in a LCS Client
profile at the LSC server (e.g. the GMLC) and authorized based on
the "Authorized UE List". That is, the LCS client is authorised to
receive location information from the GMLC entity if the requesting
user equipment (UE) is found from the list.
[0013] The inventors have found that there is no mechanism for the
target mobile user equipment, and more particularly, to the user
thereof, to selectively prevent provision of information about
their location. The users may not select provision of a certain
location service application (or certain applications) and at the
same time restrict any such parties that are allowed by the
location service system to request for location information
regarding any other user equipment.
[0014] A simple example of this type of service is the so called
"Friends Find" application. In here a target user cannot control
the users who are allowed to receive location information about the
target users location. A request for location information may not
be rejected if the LCS client is allowed to receive the location
information from the LCS server.
[0015] However, the inventors believe that there is a need for a
solution by means of which a user of a target user equipment could
select to who are authorised to receive such information and to be
able to prevent provision of location information to any unwanted
requesters.
[0016] Furthermore, LCS clients are typically Application Service
Providers (ASP) who are not a part of the PLMN system. Therefore
the operator of the PLMN may not be able to control the behaviour
of the LCS client. This may cause security concerns among
subscribers who have privacy concerns and who would like to
restrict the accessibility to location data associated with
them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Embodiments of the present invention aim to address one or
several of the above problems.
[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method in a communication system, the method comprising:
signalling a request for location information associated with a
target user, said request containing information identifying the
requester of said location information; verifying based on said
identifying information if the target user has authorised the
requester to initiate provision of location information that
associates with the target user, and if the requester is authorised
by the target user to initiate provision of location information
that associates with the target user, initiating the provision of
said location information.
[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a communication system comprising: a location
information provision entity; communication media for signalling
from a client entity to the location information provision entity a
request for location information associated with a target user,
said request containing information identifying the requester of
said location information; and verification means for verifying
based on said identifying information if the target user has
authorised the requester, wherein provision of location information
that associates with the target user can be initiated only if such
authorisation is given.
[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a location service server for use in a communication
system, the location service server being arranged to receive a
request for location information associated with a target user,
said request containing information identifying the requester of
said location information and to verify based on said identifying
information if the target user has authorised the requester,
whereby the location service server authorises provision of
location information that associates with the target user only for
requesters authorised the by the target user.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a user equipment for communication via a communication
system, the user equipment being arranged to receive and process
messages that associate with provision of information about the
location of the user equipment, and to authorise provision of such
information.
[0022] In a more specific form the request is generated at a user
equipment of the requester and signalled to a location service
client entity adapted for provision of location services for the
users of the communication system.
[0023] Location information associated with the target user may be
provided only for requesters who are determined by the target user
as being authorised to receive information associated with the
location of the target user.
[0024] At least a part of information about the authorisations by
the target user may be stored in storage means provided in the
communication system and/or in a second communication system and/or
at the user equipment of the target user.
[0025] The verification may comprise verifying if an identifier of
the requester can be found from a list of identifiers associated
with the target user.
[0026] Said identifying information may be signalled to the user
equipment of the target user for the authorisation. The identifier
information may comprise n unique code or a name. The name may be
in the form of a character string. Initiation of provision of
location information may then be authorised or denied at the user
equipment of the target user in response to receiving said
identifying information. The user of the user equipment may
authorise requesters on a case by case basis.
[0027] An identifier may be translated to a format based on which
the verification can be performed.
[0028] Information about the authorisations by the target user that
is stored in storage means may be modified by means of the user
equipment of the target user.
[0029] The embodiments of the invention may provide a user with a
possibility to allow or deny positioning requests from specific
requesters. In some embodiments the determination may be done on a
case by case basis. Thus the privacy control of individual user may
be enhanced. A list of allowed requesters can be implemented in a
secure environment, e.g. in a telephone operator's network. The
centralised storage of information about the authorised requesters
may be used to prevent distributions of this information to several
entities, such as to a plurality of Application Service Providers
(ASPs). Instead, the information about the authorised requesters
may be kept unknown to the ASPs whereby the risk of misuse of this
information can be reduced. Functions such as privacy checking and
authorisation management may be concentrated into the operators
domain.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0030] For better understanding of the present invention, reference
will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0031] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a signalling flowchart in accordance with an
embodiment; and
[0033] FIG. 3 is a signalling flowchart in accordance with another
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Before explaining possible operation in accordance with the
principles of the invention in more detail with reference to FIGS.
2 and 3, a reference is made to FIG. 1 which is a simplified
presentation of a cellular system providing location services. It
should be appreciated that even though the exemplifying
telecommunications network shown and described in more detail uses
the terminology of the third generation (3G) UMTS (Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System) public land mobile network (PLMN), the
proposed solution can be used in any system providing mobile
communications for users and some kind of location information
service. Examples of other telecommunications systems include,
without limiting to these, standards such as the GSM (Global System
for Mobile communications) or various GSM based systems (such as
GPRS: General Packet Radio Service), AMPS (American Mobile Phone
System) or DAMPS (Digital AMPS), IMT 2000 (International Mobile
Telecommunications system 2000), i-phone and so on.
[0035] More particularly, FIG. 1 shows an arrangement in which base
stations 3 (only one shown for clarity) of the cellular system 1
provide radio coverage areas i.e. cells 2. Each radio coverage area
2 is typically served by a base station. It should be appreciated
that one cell may include more than one base station site. A base
station apparatus or site may also provide more than one cell. The
shape and size of the cells 2 depend on the implementation and may
be different from the illustrated shapes. The shape and size of the
cells may also vary from cell to cell. It should be appreciated
that in some systems the base station may be referred to as Node
B.
[0036] Two user equipment such as mobile stations (MS) 6 and 7 are
also shown. It shall be appreciated that typically a number of user
equipment will be in communication with each base station although
only two user equipment 6 and 7 are shown in FIG. 1 for clarity.
Each base station is arranged to transmit signals to and receive
signals from the mobile user equipment (UE) 6 and 7 via a wireless
interface. Likewise, the user equipment 6 and 7 are able to
transmit signals to and receive signals from the base stations.
[0037] Each of the base stations is connected to an access network
controller such as a radio network controller (RNC) of a UMTS
terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN). The radio network
controller may be connected to appropriate core network entities of
the cellular system, such as a MSC (mobile switching centre) and/or
SGSN (serving general packet radio service support node) 11, via a
suitable interface arrangement. These, however, do not form an
essential element of the invention and are thus not explained in
any greater detail.
[0038] The location of a mobile user equipment may vary in time as
the user equipment is free to move within the coverage area of a
base station and also from a coverage area to another coverage
area. The modern communication systems are capable of providing
information regarding the geographical location of a user equipment
within the coverage area thereof. The geographical location may be
defined on the basis of the position of the mobile station relative
to the base station(s) of the mobile telecommunications
network.
[0039] The geographical location of the user equipment may be
defined, for example, in X and Y co-ordinates or in latitudes and
longitudes. A possibility is to use the relation between defined
radiuses and angles, e.g. based on the spherical coordinate system
or alike. It is also possible to define the location of the base
stations and/or mobile stations in vertical directions. For
example, Z co-ordinate may be used when providing the location
information in the vertical direction. The vertical location may be
needed e.g. in mountainous environments or in cities with tall
buildings.
[0040] In FIG. 1 the location service (LCS) functionality of the
communication system is provided by a Gateway Mobile Location
Center (GMLC) entity 10. The GMLC location service node 10 is for
gathering and storing data that is required for the provision of
the location information. The location service node 10 is arranged
to receive via appropriate interface means information concerning
the location of the mobile user equipment from the cellular
system.
[0041] The cellular system may be provided with various different
means for processing information gathered from the cells and/or
some other parameters and/or for computing by processor means
appropriate calculations for determining and outputting the
geographical location of the target user equipment. The location
information may be obtained by using one or more of the appropriate
location techniques. At least a part of the location information
may be provided based on information provided by system that is
separate from the communication system, such as by means of the
Global Positioning System (GPS) or similar. Since there are various
possibilities how to implement the location services in the
cellular system and since the invention is not dependent on the
used location determination technology, these are not be described
in any greater detail herein.
[0042] In order to be able to separate the user equipment from each
other, the locations service entity 10 is capable of processing at
lest one form of identifiers. The identity information may be
provided e.g. by means of a mobile subscriber ISDN number (MSISDN),
an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) or a temporary
identifier (such as a temporary international mobile subscriber
identifier TIMSI) of the mobile user equipment, passwords, or any
other form of identifier that can be reliably used for identifying
a user equipment and/or a user.
[0043] The location service node may be implemented in the core
network by means of a LCS server entity 10. The LCS server 10 is
arranged to receive location information from the radio access
network via appropriate controller entities such as the MSC and/or
SGSN connected by the appropriate interface means to the access
network.
[0044] This location service node may provide the location
information in a predefined manner to a location services (LCS)
client 12. A LCS Client 12 can be any entity that makes use of the
location information. The LCS client 12 can be seen as a logical
functional entity that may make a request to the location service
entity 10 for the location information of one or more target user
equipment.
[0045] As shown by FIG. 1, the LCS client 12 may be an entity that
is external to the communication network 1, the client entity 12
being provided in an ASP domain 4. The LCS client may also be an
internal client (ILCS) i.e. reside in any entity or node (including
the mobile station) within the communication system 1.
[0046] The LCS clients are entitled to receive at least some degree
of information concerning the location (or location history) of a
target user equipment. The particular requirements and
characteristics of a LCS Client are typically known to the location
service server of the communication system by its LCS client
subscription profile. As will be described in more detail below,
particular restrictions associated with each target user equipment
may also be defined.
[0047] The location service server 10 may consist of components and
bearers needed to serve the LCS client 12. The server 10 may
provide a platform which will enable the support of location based
services in parallel with other telecommunication services such as
speech, data, messaging, other teleservices, user applications and
supplementary services. The LCS Server 10 may thus provide the
client 12, on request or periodically, the current or most recent
geographic location (if available) of the target user equipment or,
if the location fails, an error indication and optionally the
reason for the failure. A more detailed description of a LCS entity
that may be employed in the embodiments of can be found e.g. from
the above referenced 3GPP technical specification No. 3GPP
TS23.271.
[0048] In FIG. 1 the LCS client 12 forms an entity that is capable
of providing on request information concerning the geographical
location of a target user equipment 6. Such location information
may be requested by clients such as the user equipment 7 (the
requester). However, as explained in more detail below, the
arrangement is such that a response is provided only to those
location requests that originate from a properly authorised clients
of the LCS client 12. The provision may be initiated only if
requirements regarding the privacy of the target user equipment 6
are satisfied.
[0049] In accordance with an embodiment a separate network entity
is provided for the purposes of verifying if a requestor is
entitled to received location information regarding a specific
target user equipment. The parties of the location request (i.e.
the requester and the target) may be identified based on
appropriate identifiers. A possible identifier may be based on a
Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) number that is unique for each
mobile subscriber.
[0050] In FIG. 1 the verification function is provided by a network
server entity 14 referred to as a Location Middleware. The server
entity 14 is provided in the core network side of the communication
system 1. The Location Middleware server entity 14 is for handling
the requests received from the LCS client application 12 and for
deciding how to proceed with the requests. The server 14 has
advanced control function to send the request to different types of
location servers (e.g. the GMLC node 10).
[0051] This server entity 14 may also provide control of features
such as Subscriber Privacy, Subscriber Authentication, System
Control and System Operations functions. The Location Middleware
server allows service level separation to ensure privacy of the
subscribers and to enable verification of the service
requesters.
[0052] The server entity 14 is shown to comprise a database 18 for
storing a list 19 wherein target user equipment identities and
allowed user equipment identities are associated to each other.
That is, the database 18 provided a link between the target user
equipment 6 (and this the user thereof) and any user equipment that
is allowed by the user of the target user equipment to receive
location information concerning the target user equipment 6.
[0053] The target user equipment 6 may be provided with a user
interface and other necessary means for modifying the list
restrictions. For example, the target user equipment may be
arranged to display a menu or the user by means of which the user
may add a name or user equipment identifier to the list 19 or
remove a name or user equipment identifier from the list 19.
According to a possibility the list can be managed by accessing a
management document in a web server.
[0054] The server is also shown to include a requester check
function 20. A nickname translation function 22 is shown to be
associated with the check function 20. Example of the operation of
these entities will be described in the following with reference to
FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0055] It shall be appreciated that the separate verification
server 14 is not a necessity. At least a part of the functions of
the server entity 14 may be provided by the location service entity
10. For example, the functionality of checking if the `Requester`
is authorised or not may be provided by mean of the GMLC holding
also the "Authorized UE List" discussed above. Therefore the
Location Middleware of the FIG. 1 embodiment may also be seen as a
logical functionality that is not tied to any physical element of
the network.
[0056] In accordance with an embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the
originator of a request i.e. the requester user equipment 7 signals
a service request for information regarding the location of the
target user equipment 6. An identifier parameter is added in an
appropriate element of the request, the request thus containing an
identifier such as the MSISDN or a nickname of the requester.
[0057] The identifier parameter identifying the requester is passed
to the location service entity 10 form the LCS client 12. Based on
the identity information the requester may be checked by the check
function 20 against the list 19 of authorised requesters in the
database 18. If the identifier is among the authorised identities
which are allowed to receive information regarding the target user
equipment determinations regarding the location of the target user
equipment are allowed to proceed and a response is generated. If
not, the request is denied and an appropriate procedure follows.
For example, an error message, or request denied message may be
sent to the LCS client.
[0058] If a nickname or similar is used, the nickname translation
function 22 may be needed to translate the identifier into a form
that can be verified against the list 19 stored in the database
18.
[0059] The identifier may be added to all location requests between
a LCS Client 12 and a LCS Server entity 10, such as the GMLC. The
identifier may be added to the request by the requesting user
equipment 7 or by the LCS client 12.
[0060] Capacity to carry the identifier parameter may be added to a
protocol defining the so called Le interface between the GMLC 10
and a location server client entity 12. The current Le interface is
described more detail e.g. in the above referenced 3GPP Technical
Specification 23.271.
[0061] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment wherein a target user
equipment 6 is enabled to authorise the provision of the location
information in case-by-case basis. In here a message containing
information about the identity of the requester may be sent to the
target user equipment 6. A LCS Client ID may also be included in
this message for added privacy. The target user may then allow or
deny a positioning request on case by case basis.
[0062] Identifier such as the MSISDN or similar unique identifier
may be forwarded to the target user equipment 6 as a part of a LCS
Client notification message. A possibility is to associate the
identifier information with the name of the requester at the target
user equipment. The identifier information may for example be
directed to the phone book of the target user equipment 6 so that
the MSISDN is translated into a name based on a phone book entry.
Now the user has the possibility to allow or deny the positioning
request based on actual requester information.
[0063] Said Information about the requester may also comprise the
name or nickname of the requester. The name may be included into
the message to the target user equipment either instead or in
addition to other identifiers, such as the MSISDN. The target user
equipment 6 may then display the name directly as indicated by the
message.
[0064] A specific client name parameter referred to as `client
name` may be added to the message. The client name parameters as
such is known from other applications, and has been proposed to be
used in various standards. It is therefore not explained in any
great detail herein. It is sufficient to note that the client name
parameter may consists of a text string. For example, GSM release
98 defines a client name parameter capable of containing a text
string of the maximum length of 63 characters. Since substantially
long character strings are possible, the client name parameter may
include both the name or the requester and the name of the LCS
client.
[0065] The parameter including the name of the requester is
preferably included into the message by the LCS client 12. The
parameter may then be transported via the so called Le interface
between the LCS client 12 and the LCS server 10. The parameter may
then be transported via the so called Lg interface between the LCS
server 10 and the radio network of the communication system serving
the target user equipment and further to the target user equipment
6.
[0066] According to a possibility the name/nickname is already
inserted in the request at the requester user equipment 7. The
requester user equipment may accomplish this automatically, or the
user thereof may input his name. For added security, the LCS client
12 or any other appropriate entity at the network may verify the
name.
[0067] The target user equipment may prompt the user and ask form
his/hers confirmation whether the request should be approved or not
According to a possibility the user equipment responds
automatically based on information regarding
authorised/non-authorised requesters stored in the database
thereof.
[0068] In the FIG. 3 embodiment a verification is not necessarily
needed at the network. Instead, the identity of the requester may
be added to a notification sent to the target user equipment 6 and
the authorisation may be done at the target user equipment.
However, a verification based e.g. on the list 19 of FIG. 1 may
still be used in here e.g. for improved safety thereby providing a
double check feature. The target user may also wish to receive the
notifications e.g. only on certain times while at the rest of the
times he/she may wish to rely on the authorisation list.
[0069] The processing of the requests and authorisations may need
addition of a notification processing capability at the target user
equipment 6. However, this is an implementation issue, and may be
accomplished by mean of the existing processor and data processing
hardware of the user equipment, and will thus not be discussed any
more detail herein.
[0070] In the above the identifier was described as being on the
Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) number of the user. Other
possibilities for the unique identifier include the IMSI, TIMSI,
password, and so on. In principle the identifier may be any
anything as long as it can be processed by the PLMN system so that
the verification can be made based on it.
[0071] Responses by the LCS client 12 to location information
requests may have the form of simple coordinate (x, y) information
or contain more value added services like a reverse-geocoded
response provided with a street name or a map reference. The
response may even comprise a map and a pointer on the map.
[0072] For Emergency and Lawful intercept location services this
parameter may not be needed depending on local legislation. The
authorisation function may be overrode e.g. if the request comes
from an emergency service.
[0073] It should be appreciated that the elements of the location
service functionality may be implemented anywhere in the
telecommunications system. The location service implementation may
also be distributed between several elements of the system.
Furthermore, although the above describes embodiments employing a
specific LCS client node, this is not a necessity. The request for
location information may be addressed directly to a location
service entity of the communication system, such as to the GMLC or
any other element associated with the provision of location
information. If a LCS client is used, it does not need to be an
external element, but may also be implemented within the
communication network and/or be run the by the operator of the
network.
[0074] According to an embodiment the target- user equipment 6
itself provides at least part of the information required by the
LSC client, that is at least a part of the information is provided
directly by the target user equipment instead of e.g. the GMLC. The
user equipment 6 may be provided with the location service
processing function and is capable of generating and transporting
location information thereof to the clients via the core network
and/or the LSC server.
[0075] According to an embodiment a plurality of target user
equipment is grouped into one or more "location service groups",
each of these groups being provided with an unique identifier that
may then be used for preventing unauthorised provision of location
information regarding any member of the group. The group may
consist of subscribers that are of a predefined type, such as
personnel of an organisation, members of a family or any other
group of users that may be grouped together based on an appropriate
criteria and may have similar needs regarding the selective
prevention of location information provision.
[0076] It should be appreciated that whilst embodiments of the
present invention have been described in relation to user equipment
such as mobile stations, embodiments of the present invention are
applicable to any other suitable type of user equipment.
[0077] The embodiment of the present invention has been described
in the context of a third generation communication system. This
invention is also applicable to any other communication system.
[0078] It is also noted herein that while the above describes
exemplifying embodiments of the invention, there are several
variations and modifications which may be made to the disclosed
solution without departing from the scope of the present invention
as defined in the appended claims.
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