U.S. patent application number 14/142311 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-02 for systems and methods for providing location based services.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tektronix, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Tektronix, Inc.. Invention is credited to Seshu Dommaraju, Vignesh Janakiraman.
Application Number | 20150189616 14/142311 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53268070 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150189616 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Janakiraman; Vignesh ; et
al. |
July 2, 2015 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING LOCATION BASED SERVICES
Abstract
An subscriber location device for determining location
information for User Equipment (UE) in a communication network
monitors a network interface between a Mobility Management Entity
node and an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) node,
receive location information from network interface between the MME
node and the E-SMLC node, associates the received location
information with corresponding UE to yield associated location
information and stores the associated location information in a
subscriber location database, indexed according to the UE.
Inventors: |
Janakiraman; Vignesh;
(Plano, TX) ; Dommaraju; Seshu; (Plano,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Tektronix, Inc. |
Beaverton |
OR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Tektronix, Inc.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
53268070 |
Appl. No.: |
14/142311 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S 5/0263 20130101;
H04W 64/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 64/00 20060101
H04W064/00 |
Claims
1. A method for determining location information for User Equipment
(UE) in a communication network, the method comprising: monitoring,
via a subscriber location node, a network interface between a
Mobility Management Entity node and an Evolved Serving Mobile
Location Center (E-SMLC) node; receiving, via the subscriber
location node, location information from network interface between
the MME node and the E-SMLC node; associating, via the subscriber
location node, the received location information with corresponding
UE to yield associated location information; and storing, via the
subscriber location node, the associated location information in a
subscriber location database, indexed according to the UE.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, via the
subscriber location node, a request for the associated location
information for the UE from an application; retrieving, via the
subscriber location node, the associated location information
stored in the subscriber location database; and providing, via the
subscriber location node, the associated location information to
the application in response to the received request.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining, via the
subscriber location node, the associated location information
stored in the subscriber location database needs to be updated; and
triggering, via the subscriber location node, an update for the
associated location information stored in the subscriber location
database that causes a location services client to send a location
services request to a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node,
wherein the GMLC node causes, via the MME node, the UE to send
location information across the network interface between the MME
node and the E-SMLC node.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining, via the subscriber
location node, the associated location information stored in the
subscriber location database needs to be updated further comprises:
determining, via the subscriber location node, trigger criteria to
update the associated location information stored in the subscriber
location database, wherein the trigger criteria includes at least
one of a geographical position of the UE, a time, and a detected
handover of the UE in the communication network.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the trigger criteria further
includes at least one of a geographical position relative of the UE
to an emergency situation and a geographical position of the UE
relative to retail facility.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes
at least one of an altitude, a horizontal speed and a vertical
velocity.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface between the
MME node and the Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMC)
node is an SLs network interface.
8. A subscriber location device for determining location
information for User Equipment (UE), comprising: one or more
network interfaces adapted to communicate in a communication
network; a processor adapted to execute one or more processes; and
a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor,
the process when executed operable to: monitor a network interface
between a Mobility Management Entity node and an Evolved Serving
Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) node; receive location information
from network interface between the MME node and the E-SMLC node;
associate the received location information with corresponding UE
to yield associated location information; and store the associated
location information in a subscriber location database, indexed
according to the UE.
9. The device of claim 8, wherein the process, when executed, is
further operable to: receive a request for the associated location
information for the UE from an application; retrieve the associated
location information stored in the subscriber location database;
and provide the associated location information to the application
in response to the received request.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the process, when executed, is
further operable to: determine the associated location information
stored in the subscriber location database needs to be updated; and
trigger an update for the associated location information stored in
the subscriber location database that causes a location services
client to send a location services request to a Gateway Mobile
Location Centre (GMLC) node, wherein the GMLC node causes, via the
MME node, the UE to send location information across the network
interface between the MME node and the E-SMLC node.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the process, when executed to
determine the associated location information stored in the
subscriber location database needs to be updated, is further
operable to: determine trigger criteria to update the associated
location information stored in the subscriber location database,
wherein the trigger criteria includes at least one of a
geographical position of the UE, a time, and a detected handover of
the UE in the communication network.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the trigger criteria further
includes at least one of a geographical position of the UE relative
to an emergency situation and a geographical position of the UE
relative to retail facility.
13. The device of claim 9, wherein the location information
includes at least one of an altitude, a horizontal speed and a
vertical velocity.
14. The device of claim 9, wherein the network interface between
the MME node and the Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMC)
node is an SLs network interface.
15. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having
software encoded thereon, the software, when executed by a
processor, operable to: monitor a network interface between a
Mobility Management Entity node and an Evolved Serving Mobile
Location Center (E-SMLC) node; receive location information from
network interface between the MME node and the E-SMLC node;
associate the received location information with corresponding UE
to yield associated location information; and store the associated
location information in a subscriber location database, indexed
according to the UE.
16. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim
15, wherein the software, when executed by the processor, operable
to further: receive a request for the associated location
information for the UE from an application; retrieve the associated
location information stored in the subscriber location database;
and provide the associated location information to the application
in response to the received request.
17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim
16, wherein the software, when executed by the processor, operable
to further: determine the associated location information stored in
the subscriber location database needs to be updated; and trigger
an update for the associated location information stored in the
subscriber location database that causes a location services client
to send a location services request to a Gateway Mobile Location
Centre (GMLC) node, wherein the GMLC node causes, via the MME node,
the UE to send location information across the network interface
between the MME node and the E-SMLC node.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to communication
networks, and more specifically to techniques for improving
location services.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks generally use 4th
generation (4G) wireless technologies and are considered a next
evolution for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). LTE
builds on the 3GPP family including GSM, GPRS (General packet radio
service), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution), etc., and
is an all-IP standard. LTE provides higher data transmission rates
while efficiently utilizing the spectrum thereby supporting a
multitude of subscribers than is possible with pre-4G spectral
frequencies. LTE is all-IP permitting applications such as real
time voice, video, gaming, social networking and location-based
services. LTE networks may also co-operate with circuit-switched
legacy networks and result in a seamless network environment and
signals may be exchanged between traditional networks, the new 4G
network and the Internet seamlessly.
[0005] LTE network also support location services and positioning.
Positioning refers to a functionality that determines a
geographical location of a target UE. Location services refer to
any services based on or related to location information, which may
include any information related to the location of a UE, e.g.,
measurements, a location estimate, etc. Often, it is desirable to
find the location of a mobile, wireless or wired device for various
reasons such as improved network performance, part of many
services, emergency situations, and the like.
[0006] With respect to determining location of the UE in LTE
networks, conventional LoCation Services (LCS) clients query
locations for UE and communicate with, for example, Gateway Mobile
Location Center(s) (GMLCs) in order to request the location of the
UE. The GMLCs communicate with one or more additional nodes, which
communicate with the UE, as necessary, to obtain a location
estimate for the UE. The GMLC then returns the location estimate to
the LCS client.
[0007] Although obtaining location via conventional LCS client
requests/responses have generally been considered satisfactory for
their intended purpose, there is still a need in the art for
improved location services that, for example, maintain one or more
subscriber location databases for UE.
SUMMARY
[0008] According to one or more embodiments of the invention, a
network monitoring system extracts geographical location
information associated with User Equipment (UE). The extracted
location information is stored in a Subscriber Location Database
(SLD), which can subsequently be queried by various network
applications that need location based services (e.g., via a SLD
Application Programming Interface (API)). The location information
is obtained by monitoring a SLs network interface between a
Mobility Management Entity (MME) node and an Evolved Serving Mobile
Location Centre (E-SMLC) node. Location information includes, but
is not limited to geographical coordinates (e.g., altitude,
horizontal speed, vertical velocity, etc.). The network monitoring
system provides the location of particular UE when, for example, it
is queried by applications. Optionally, the networking monitoring
system can transmit a LCS client request to a Gateway Mobile
Location Center (GMLC) node thereby triggering a location
information procedure from the UE, discussed in greater detail
below.
[0009] According to another embodiment of the invention, a
subscriber location node/device determines location information for
User Equipment (UE) in a communication network using improved
subscriber location techniques. For example, the subscriber
location device monitors a network interface between a Mobility
Management Entity node and an Evolved Serving Mobile Location
Center (E-SMLC) node and receives location information (e.g.,
altitude, a horizontal speed and a vertical velocity, etc.) from
network interface between the MME node and the E-SMLC node (e.g.,
an SLs network interface, etc.). The subscriber location device
further associates the received location information with
corresponding UE to yield associated location information, and
stores the associated location information in a subscriber location
database, indexed according to the UE.
[0010] In certain other embodiments, the subscriber location device
also receives a request for the associated location information for
the UE from an application and retrieves (e.g., in response to the
request) the associated location information stored in the
subscriber location database. The subscriber location database
further provides the associated location information to the
application in response to the received request. Additionally, in
these embodiments, the subscriber location device determines the
associated location information stored in the subscriber location
database needs to be updated, using, for example, trigger criteria
that includes a geographical position of the UE, a time, and a
detected handover of the UE in the communication network, a
geographical position of the UE relative to an emergency situation,
a geographical position of the UE relative to retail facility, etc.
Once determined, the subscriber location device triggers an update
for the associated location information stored in the subscriber
location database that causes a location services client to send a
location services request to a Gateway Mobile Location Centre
(GMLC) node. In turn, the GMLC node causes, via the MME node, the
UE to send location information across the network interface
between the MME node and the E-SMLC node.
[0011] These and other features of the systems and methods of the
subject invention will become more readily apparent to those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] So that those skilled in the art to which the subject
invention appertains will readily understand how to make and use
the devices and methods of the subject invention without undue
experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in
detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an example communication network;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an example network device/node;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates an example signaling diagram, showing
various call flows or messages that support location services and
positioning;
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates the example communication network of FIG.
1, further showing a subscriber location device;
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates an example signaling diagram, showing
various call flows or messages that support location services and
positioning using the subscribe location device; and
[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary simplified procedure for
location services, particularly from the perspective of the
subscriber location device.
[0019] A component or a feature that is common to more than one
drawing is indicated with the same reference number in each of the
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0020] This disclosure provides network monitoring systems and
techniques employed in communication networks such as cellular
4G/LTE communication networks. As discussed in greater detail
herein, these network monitoring systems and techniques provide,
for example, comprehensive location based services including,
storing location information for associated User Equipment (UE),
querying UE for updated location information, providing event based
triggers (e.g., cellular network changes, handovers, time-based
events, geo-fencing, etc.) that update UE location information,
maintaining precise historical and current location information for
UE, and the like.
[0021] For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not
limitation, component network nodes that support location services
for a communication network 100 (e.g., a 3GPP network) are shown in
FIG. 1. Communication network 100 is a geographically distributed
collection of nodes interconnected by communication links and
segments for transporting data between end nodes, such as User
Equipment (UE) or other devices.
[0022] As shown, User Equipment (UE) 110 communicates with an
Evolved Node B (eNB) 120 in a radio access network (RAN) to obtain
communication services. The RAN may include other network entities
not shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity and may also be referred to as
an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).
eNB 120 is also referred to as a Node B, a base station, an access
point, etc. UE 110 is also referred to as a mobile station, a
terminal, an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a station, etc.
and includes, for example, mobile devices, cellular phones,
laptops, wireless devices, wireless modems, wireless routers, and
the like.
[0023] With respect to location information, UE 110 receives and
measures signals from one or more satellites 190 and obtains
pseudo-range measurements for the satellites. Satellite 190 is, for
example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite,
which uses the United States Global Positioning System (GPS), the
European Galileo system, the Russian GLONASS system, or some other
GNSS. UE 110 can also measure signals from eNBs and obtain timing
measurements (e.g., for time of arrival (TOA) or observed time
difference of arrival (OTDOA)), signal strength measurements,
and/or signal quality measurements for the eNBs. The pseudo-range
measurements, timing measurements, signal strength measurements,
and/or signal quality measurements are used to derive a location
estimate (e.g., a position estimate, a position fix, etc.) for UE
110.
[0024] The eNB 120 also communicates with a Mobility Management
Entity (MME) node 130, which performs various control functions
such as mobility management, gateway selection, authentication,
bearer management, etc. MME node 130 communicates with an evolved
Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) 140 node, a Home Subscriber
Server (HSS) node 150, and a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC)
node 160. Notably, the E-SMLC node 140 supports UE-based,
UE-assisted, network-based and/or network-assisted positioning
methods. The E-SMLC node 140 also communicates with GMLC node 160
to support location services.
[0025] The GMLC node 160 performs various functions to support
location services, interface with external LCS clients (e.g., an
LCS client 170), and provide services such as subscriber privacy,
authorization, authentication, billing, etc. In certain
configurations, the GMLC node 160 includes a Home GMLC node
(H-GMLC), a Visited GMLC node (V-GMLC), and/or a Requesting GMLC
node (R-GMLC) (not shown). HSS node 150 stores subscription
information for users, performs authentication and authorization of
users, and provides information about user location and routing
information when requested.
[0026] A Serving Gateway (S-GW) node 180 performs various functions
related to IP data transfer for UE(s) such as data routing and
forwarding, mobility anchoring, etc. A Packet Data Network (PDN)
Gateway node 185 performs various functions such as maintenance of
data connectivity for UEs, IP address allocation, etc. and
facilitates connection to a data network 185 (i.e., the
Internet).
[0027] FIG. 1 also shows various network interfaces between various
network nodes or entities including, but not limited to: an SLs
network interface between MME 130 and E-SMLC 140; an SLg network
interface between MME 130 and GMLC 160; and an SLh network
interface between HSS 150 and GMLC 160.
[0028] The SLs network interface is used to convey location
requests from the MME 130 node to the E-SMLC node 140 and to convey
corresponding location reports back from the E-SMLC node 140 to the
MME node 130. The SLs interface is also used for tunneling core
network measurement requests from the E-SMLC node 140 to the
RAN/eNB 120, using RAN specified protocols transparent to the MME
(described in 3GPP TS 36.305). The SLh network interface is the
Diameter based interface between the HSS and the GMLC as described
in 3GPP TS 29.173. For example the SLh network interface enables
HSS node 150 to provide the MME address, the VPLMN identity, and/or
other information to GMLC node 160. The SLg interface enables an
H-GMLC to provide the MME address to a V-GMLC when the location of
a particular UE is being requested by the H-GMLC.
[0029] Notably, while FIG. 1 shows a specific design of an LTE
network architecture, (i.e., with E-SMLC 140 being connected to MME
130, with E-SMLC 140 in communication with eNB 120, etc.)).
However, other network architectures may also be used to support
location services and positioning and may include network entities
that may be coupled in other manners. These various network
architectures may also include network entities not shown in FIG.
1.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example
node/device 200 that may be used with one or more embodiments
described herein, e.g., as a one of the gateway nodes/devices shown
in FIG. 1 or as a subscriber location device/node (discussed with
respect to FIG. 4, below). The device 200 comprises one or more
network interfaces 210, at least one processor 220, and a memory
240 interconnected by a system bus 250.
[0031] The network interface(s) 210 contain the mechanical,
electrical, and signaling circuitry for communicating data over
physical and/or wireless links coupled to the network 100. The
network interfaces may be configured to transmit and/or receive
data using a variety of different communication protocols,
including, inter alia, TCP/IP, UDP, wireless protocols (e.g., IEEE
Std. 802.15.4, WiFi, Bluetooth.RTM.), Ethernet, powerline
communication (PLC) protocols, etc.
[0032] The memory 240 comprises a plurality of storage locations
that are addressable by the processor 220 and the network
interfaces 210 for storing software programs and data structures
(e.g., subscriber information, etc.) associated with the
embodiments described herein. As noted above, certain devices may
have limited memory or no memory (e.g., no memory for storage other
than for programs/processes operating on the device). The processor
220 may comprise necessary elements or logic adapted to execute the
software programs and manipulate data structures 245, such as
addresses, routes or prefixes (notably on capable devices only). An
operating system 242, portions of which are typically resident in
memory 240 and executed by the processor, functionally organizes
the device by, inter alia, invoking operations in support of
software processes and/or services executing on the device. These
software processes and/or services include subscriber location
process/services 244. It will be apparent to those skilled in the
art that other processor and memory types, including various
computer-readable media, may be used to store and execute program
instructions pertaining to the techniques described herein. Also,
while the description illustrates various processes, it is
expressly contemplated that various processes may be embodied as
modules configured to operate in accordance with the techniques
herein (e.g., according to the functionality of a similar
process).
[0033] Illustratively, the techniques described herein may be
performed by hardware, software, and/or firmware, such as in
accordance with the subscriber location 244, which may contain
computer executable instructions executed by the processor 220 (or
independent processor of network interfaces 210) to perform
functions relating to the techniques described herein.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 3, a signaling diagram 300 illustrates
various call flows or messages that support location services and
positioning. Each call flow may include a sequence of messages
exchanged between various network node entities. As discussed
above, different network architectures may support communication
between different network entities. However, for clarity, the
description below is for the network architecture shown in FIG. 1,
with E-SMLC 140 being able to communicate directly with MME 140 but
not eNB 120 or GMLC 160.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows a signaling diagram 300 for a Mobile Terminated
Location Request (MT-LR) procedure (e.g., in packet-switched (PS)
and circuit-switched (CS) domain) for the first network
architecture shown in FIG. 1, as described in 3GPP TS 23.271,
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The location
request procedure, as illustrated in signaling diagram 300, is in
response to an LCS client request (step 301) from LCS client 170.
LCS client 170 sends a service request to GMLC node 160, which then
performs a common MT-LR procedure described in 3GPP TS 23.271,
which (briefly) includes resolving routing information between the
GMLC node 160 and the HSS node 150. Once resolved, GMLC node 160
sends a Provide Subscriber Location (PSL) message, at step 302 to
MME node 130 (which MME node was indicated by HSS 150 during step
301). The PSL message includes, for example, the type of location
information being requested (e.g., current location, velocity,
etc.), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the UE
subscriber, LCS quality-of-service (QoS) information (e.g.,
accuracy, response time, etc.), privacy related action for the UE
subscriber, etc.
[0036] In response, MME node 130, eNB/RAN 120 and UE 110 perform
network triggered service requests (step 303), notification and
privacy verifications (step 304), etc. For example, if UE 110 is in
an idle state, then MME node 130 may perform a network triggered
service request procedure in order to establish a signaling
connection for UE 110 and to assign a specific eNB (e.g., eNB 120)
to UE 110 (step 303). If the PSL message indicates that UE 110
should either be notified or be notified with privacy verification
(step 304), then MME 130 may notify UE 110 of the location request
and may verify its privacy preference. Step 304 may also include
sending a Location Notification Invoke message to UE 110. UE 110
may wait for the user to grant or withhold permission and may then
return a Location Notification Return Result message to MME
130.
[0037] In step 305, MME node 130 selects E-SMLC node 140 and sends
a Location Request message to E-SMLC 140. The Location Request
message includes the type of location information being requested,
the requested LCS QoS, the identity of the serving eNB, the UE
positioning capabilities, etc. If the requested location
information and location accuracy within the LCS QoS can be
satisfied based on parameters (e.g., eNB identity) received from
MME node 130, then E-SMLC node 140 send a Location Response message
immediately (not shown in FIG. 3). Otherwise, E-SMLC 140 may
determine one or more positioning methods to use and prompt a
positioning procedure for the positioning method(s) (step 306).
E-SMLC node 140 may receive measurements from the positioning
procedure and may determine a location estimate for UE 110 based on
the measurements. If E-SMLC node 140 fails to receive measurements,
then it may use the current eNB identity to obtain an approximate
location estimate for UE 110. E-SMLC node 140 also receives a
location estimate from UE 110, which may be obtained with a
UE-based positioning method, and may verify consistency of this
location estimate with the current eNB location. If the location
estimate does not satisfy the requested accuracy and sufficient
response time still remains, then E-SMLC node 140 may instigate
another positioning procedure using the same or different
positioning method. After completing the positioning procedure in
step 306, E-SMLC node 140 sends a Location Response message to MME
130 (step 307). The Location Response message includes a location
estimate for UE 110 obtained from the positioning procedure, an
indication of whether the location estimate satisfies the requested
accuracy, the positioning method used to obtain the location
estimate, a failure cause if a location estimate could not be
obtained, etc.
[0038] At step 308, MME node 130 returns the requested location
information to GMLC node 160. MME 130 may return an error response
to GMLC node 160 if, for example, permission is not granted by the
user or is not received from UE 110 for the privacy verification in
step 304 or a valid location estimate is not obtained from E-SMLC
node 140 in step 307. MME node 130 may also return the last known
location of UE 110 if allowed and if a valid location estimate is
not obtained. MME node 130 may record charging information. The
common MT-LR procedure in PS and CS domain is then performed to
return the location information to LCS client 170 (step 309).
[0039] As noted above, although obtaining location via conventional
LCS client requests/responses have generally been considered
satisfactory for their intended purpose, there is still a need in
the art for improved location services. Accordingly, the subject
disclosure provides improved location services techniques to obtain
location information for UE(s), maintain the location information
for the UE(s) in a location services database and trigger location
information lookup for UE(s) based on specific events (e.g.,
network changes, handovers, time-based, geo-fencing, etc.).
Further, these improved location services techniques provide
historical and current geographical location information for UE,
make on-demand location requests (when location information is not
readily available in the location services database), and provide
information location data to third party applications.
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 4, the communication network shown in
FIG. 1 is provided along with a subscriber location device 410. As
discussed above, subscriber location device 410 can comprise the
components of device/node 200, shown in FIG. 2. Additionally,
subscriber location device 410 can include any number of additional
remote or resident devices/nodes/etc. For example, as shown,
subscriber location device 410 incorporates the LCS client 170 as
well as a subscriber location database 415.
[0041] Subscriber location device 415 extracts key location
information (e.g., geographical information) for UE(s) 110 and
store the location information in the subscriber location database
415. The subscriber location database 415 is queried by a variety
of applications 420 (e.g., network operations, other applications,
etc.). The subscriber location database 415 can include, for
example, an application programming interface (API).
[0042] Operatively, location information for UE(s) 110 is obtained
by monitoring, via the subscriber location device, the diameter SLs
network interface between E-SMLC node 140 and MME node 130. Such
location information includes, for example, precise geographical
coordinates such as altitude, horizontal speed and vertical
velocity of UE 110. Subscriber location device 410 location
monitors location information via a tap/probe on the SLs network
interface and stores the location information in the subscriber
location database 415. Typically, the location information is, for
example, stored and indexed according to an associated UE.
[0043] An application 420 queries subscriber location device 410
for location information for UE (e.g., UE 110). If the location
information associated with UE 110 is not up-to-date or otherwise
unavailable, subscriber location device 410 optionally launches or
triggers the LCS Client 170 to request location information to/from
the GMLC node 160.
[0044] Notably, in certain embodiments, the application 420 and/or
the subscriber location device 410 can also establish trigger
criteria, which causes a request for updated location information
for the UE. For example, trigger criteria can include out-of-date
subscriber location information, a geographical position of the UE
(e.g., geo-fencing, etc.), a time, a detected handover of the UE in
a communication network, a geographical location of the UE relative
to an emergency situation, a retail facility, etc. In addition, the
subscriber location database 415 can work in conjunction with the
application 420 (e.g., via the application programming interface
(API)) to support online near-real-time complex event processing
(e.g., the application can configure certain triggers based on
subscriber events). Additionally, application 420 can include a
complex event processing engine that triggers dynamic queries to
the network to fetch (e.g., update) subscriber data.
[0045] The GMLC node receives the request and operates to obtain
location information (e.g., exchanging messages between MME node
130, eNB/RAN 120, E-SMLC node 140, UE 110, etc.). Subscriber
location device 410 continues to monitor the SLs network interface
for updated location information for UE 110 and receives the
location information (e.g., an altitude, a horizontal speed and a
vertical velocity, etc.). The subscriber location device 410
further associates the received location information with the
corresponding UE to yield associated location information, stores
the updated location information (e.g., indexed according to the
associated UE), and sends the updated location information to the
application.
[0046] With respect to triggers, applications 420 and/or subscriber
location device 410 establish criteria to trigger requests for
location information for UEs. For example, as previously discussed,
if the location information does not exist and/or if the location
information is out-of-date, a trigger is executed to obtain
location information. In other embodiments, the triggers can be
based on UE position (e.g., geo-fencing), a time (e.g., a time of
day), a detected handover for the UE in the communication network
(e.g., moving from coverage areas and/or moving from 3GPP to
non-3GPP coverage, etc.), or even advertisement based location
triggering (e.g., vicinity to a shopping center, etc.).
[0047] FIG. 5, similar to signaling diagram 300 (ref. FIG. 3
above), provides a signaling diagram 500 for the Mobile Terminated
Location Request (MT-LR) procedure. Different than signaling
diagram 300, the signaling diagram 500 further illustrates the
subscriber location device 410 and highlights the improved location
services techniques discussed above.
[0048] In particular, the subscriber location device 410 triggers,
via the LCS client 170, a location request (i.e., LCS service
request) at step 301. As discussed above, subscriber location
device 410 also monitors the SLs network interface between E-SMLC
node 140 and MME node 130 for location information. For example, as
shown in signaling diagram 500, the subscriber location device 410
monitors the location requests (step 305, the positioning procedure
(step 306) and the location response (step 307). In this fashion,
the subscriber location device 410 receives location information
for UE 110. Further, as discussed above, the location information
is subsequently stored in subscriber location database 415 and can
be queried by third party applications.
[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates an example simplified procedure 600 for
improved location services (e.g., subscriber location
process/services 244), particularly, from the perspective of a
subscriber location device (e.g., subscriber location device 410),
in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein.
[0050] Procedure 600 starts at step 605 and continues to step 610
where, as discussed above the subscriber location device monitors a
network interface between a Mobility Management Entity (MME) node
and an Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) node (e.g.,
SLs network interface, etc.). The subscriber location device
receives, in step 610, location information (e.g., an altitude, a
horizontal speed and a vertical velocity, etc.) from network
interface between the MME node and the E-SMLC node. At step 615,
the subscriber location device associates the received location
information with corresponding UE to yield associated location
information and stores the associated location information in a
subscriber location database (e.g., subscriber location database
415), indexed according to the UE.
[0051] In certain embodiments, the subscriber location device
receive, at step 630, a request for the associated location
information for the UE from an application (e.g., applications 420)
and determines (at step 635) that the associated location
information stored in the subscriber location database needs to be
updated (e.g., based on trigger criteria such as out-of-date
subscriber location information, based on a geographical position
(of the UE), a time, a detected handover of the UE in a
communication network, geographical location relative to an
emergency situation, geographical location relative to a retail
facility, etc.). Once determined, the subscriber location device
triggers, at step 635, an update for the associated location
information stored in the subscriber location database that causes
a location services client to send a location services request to a
Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node. As discussed above, the
GMLC node subsequently causes, via the MME node, the UE to send
location information across the network interface between the MME
node and the E-SMLC node.
[0052] At step 645, the subscriber location device retrieves the
associated location information stored in the subscriber location
database and at step 650, the subscriber location device provides
the associated location information to the application in response
to the received request. Subsequently, procedure 600 ends at step
655, or it can subsequently proceed to step 610 where the
subscriber location device monitors the network interface between
the MME node and the E-SMLC node, discussed above.
[0053] It should be noted that while certain steps within procedure
600 may be optional as described above, the steps shown in FIG. 6
are merely examples for illustration, and certain other steps may
be included or excluded as desired. Further, while a particular
order of the steps is shown, this ordering is merely illustrative,
and any suitable arrangement of the steps may be utilized without
departing from the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0054] The techniques described herein, therefore, provide for
improved location services using a subscriber location device. In
particular, the techniques herein provide for storing and otherwise
making available subscriber location information of UE for third
party applications, which can be used in various types of
location-based uses (e.g., geo-fencing, emergency situations,
targeted retailing, etc.). Moreover, these techniques are scalable
to various other types of networks and obviate restrictive
permissions of service providers.
[0055] While there have been shown and described illustrative
embodiments that provide for improved location services, it is to
be understood that various other adaptations and modifications may
be made within the spirit and scope of the embodiments herein. For
example, the embodiments have been shown and described herein with
relation to a using a subscriber location device that monitors and
stores subscriber location information for LTE/3GPP networks.
However, the embodiments in their broader sense are not as limited,
and may, in fact, be used with other types of networks and/or
protocols.
[0056] The foregoing description has been directed to specific
embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that other variations
and modifications may be made to the described embodiments, with
the attainment of some or all of their advantages. For instance, it
is expressly contemplated that the components and/or elements
described herein can be implemented as software being stored on a
tangible (non-transitory) computer-readable medium (e.g.,
disks/CDs/RAM/EEPROM/etc.) having program instructions executing on
a computer, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof.
Accordingly this description is to be taken only by way of example
and not to otherwise limit the scope of the embodiments herein.
Therefore, it is the object of the appended claims to cover all
such variations and modifications as come within the true spirit
and scope of the embodiments herein.
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