Using MAC address of a WLAN access point as location information
The invention proposes a method for handling services requiring location information of a user terminal, wherein the user terminal is connected to a local network, a connection to an external network is provided via a network access means, and the network access means is identified by an identity, the method comprising the steps of extracting location information of the network access means based on the identity of the network access means, and determining the location of the user terminal based on the location information of the network access means. The invention also suggests a corresponding network control element.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving an identity of a network accessor from an other device; and
determining a location of the other device based on the identity of the network accessor,
wherein the other device is connected to a local wireless network via the network accessor, and a connection to another network is provided via the network accessor.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises using a mapping between the identity of the network accessor and the location information of the network accessor.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the mapping is stored in a database, and the determining comprises accessing the database.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
routing a session to a second device based on the location information.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the session comprises an emergency session, and the second device comprises a terminal of an emergency center.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the identity of the network accessor is a media access control address and the determining uses the media access control address of the network accessor.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the local network comprises a wireless local area network and the network accessor comprises an access point and the determining uses the identity of the access point.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network accessor comprises a broadband line and the receiving receives the identity of the broadband line.
9. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including computer program code,
the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to
receive an identity of a network accessor from another device, and
determine a location of the other device based on the identity of the network accessor,
wherein the other device is connected to a local wireless network via the network accessor, and a connection to another network is provided via the network accessor.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to use a mapping between the identity of the network accessor and the location of the network accessor.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the mapping is stored in a database, and the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to access the database.
12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
route a session to a second device based on the location information.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the session comprises an emergency session, and the second device comprises a terminal of an emergency center.
14. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the identity of the network accessor comprises a media access control address.
15. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the local network comprises a wireless local area network and the network accessor comprises an access point.
16. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the network accessor comprises a broadband line.
17. A method, comprising:
receiving an identity of a network element from an other device; and
determining a location of a the other device based on the identity of the network element,
wherein the other device is connected to the network element providing a connection to a local wireless network and another network.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the network element comprises a network accessor, the other device is connected to a local wireless network, and a connection to the another network is provided via the network accessor.
19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the network element comprises an access point and the receiving comprises receiving the identity of the access point.
20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the network element comprises a broadband line and the receiving comprises receiving the identity of the broadband line.
21. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving an identity of a network element from another device; and
determining a location of the device based on the identity of the network element,
wherein the device is connected to the network element providing a connection to a local wireless network and another network.
22. The computer program product according to claim 21 , wherein the processor is arranged in a network control element.
23. The computer program product according to claim 22 , wherein the network element comprises an access point.
24. The computer program product according to claim 22 , wherein the network element comprises a broadband line.
25. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving an identity of a network accessor from an other device; and
determining a location of the other device based on the identity of the network accessor,
wherein the device is connected to a local wireless network via the network accessor, and a connection to another network is provided via the network accessor.
26. The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein the processor is arranged in a network control element.
27. The computer program product according to claim 26 , wherein the network element comprises an access point.
28. The computer program product according to claim 26 , wherein the network element comprises a broadband line.
29. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including computer program code,
the memory and the computer program code configured to with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to
receive an identity of a network element from another device, and
determine a location of the other device based on the identity of the network element,
wherein the other device is connected to the network element providing a connection to a local wireless network and another network.
30. An apparatus, comprising:
receiving means for receiving an identity of a network accessor from another device; and
determining means for determining a location of the other device based on the identity of the network accessor,
wherein the other device is connected to a local wireless network via the network accessor, and a connection to another network is provided via the network accessor.
31. An apparatus, comprising:
receiving means for receiving an identity of a network element from another device; and
determining means for determining a location of the other device based on the identity of the network element,
wherein the other terminal is connected to the network element providing a connection to a local wireless network and another network.