Efficient periodic location reporting in a radio access network

摘要

A user equipment (UE) communicating with a radio access network (RAN) sends to a network entity (e.g., an MSC/SGSN) a request for periodic reporting of the UE location to a client entity. After the request is approved, the MSC/SGSN sends to the RAN signaling to initiate periodic location reporting for the UE. The RAN may request a positioning center (e.g., a SAS) to send assistance data to the UE. The RAN may coordinate and control the periodic location reporting or may pass the control over to the positioning center. For each location reporting, the UE sends location information (e.g., measurements made by the UE or a location estimate computed by the UE) to the RAN. The SAS computes a location estimate if the UE sends measurements. The RAN then sends the location estimate for the UE to the MSC/SGSN, which forwards the location estimate toward the client entity.

主权项

1. A method of providing location services, comprising:
receiving a request from a first entity for periodic reporting of location of a user equipment (UE) to a second entity; forwarding the request to the UE if the first entity is not the UE and forwarding the request to the second entity if the first entity is the UE and the second entity is not the UE; receiving a periodic request from the UE to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity wherein the periodic request includes periodic location information indicative of when to send location estimates for the UE to the second entity; forwarding the periodic request to a radio access network (RAN) to initiate periodic reporting of location of the user equipment (UE) to the second entity, wherein the RAN coordinates and controls the periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity; and for each location reporting indicated by the periodic location information,
receiving from the RAN a location estimate for the UE, andsending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity.