Granted Patent B1

US 10,506,543 · App. 16/368,204 · Granted Dec 10, 2019

Inventors: Stephen William Edge (Escondido, CA); Haris Zisimopoulos (London, GB); Sebastian Speicher (Wallisellen, CH)

H04W64/00H04W24/10H04W76/30

Abstract

Claims (74)

1. A method for supporting periodic and triggered location of a user equipment (UE) performed by the UE, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a periodic or triggered location from a location server;

sending a response to the location server, the response confirming the periodic or triggered location;

detecting a periodic or triggering event;

obtaining event information, the event information comprising at least one of location measurements, a location estimate, a type of detected triggering event, or a combination thereof;

obtaining a signaling connection to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, wherein the signaling connection does not include a signaling connection to a core network (CN) node;

transmitting a first message to the RAN node, wherein the first message contains a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message containing a routing identifier identifying the location server and an event report message containing the event information, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message to the CN node, wherein the CN node forwards the event report message to the location server; and

receiving a second message from the RAN node, wherein the second message releases the signaling connection to the RAN node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising including a release assistance indication (RAI) in the first message, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message and the RAI to the CN node wherein the CN node forwards the event report message and the RAI to the location server.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the RAI comprises a request for immediate connection release or a request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises an indication that no response message from the location server is expected by the UE, or an indication that one response message from the location server is expected by the UE.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for immediate connection release, wherein the RAN node sends the second message to the UE in response to the request for immediate connection release.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises the indication that no response message from the location server is expected by the UE, wherein the RAN node sends the second message to the UE in response to receiving a request for connection release from the CN node.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises the indication that one response message from the location server is expected by the UE, and further comprising:

receiving a third message from the RAN node, the third message containing a NAS message containing an event report acknowledgment message, the event report acknowledgment message sent by the location server in response to the event report message.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the UE receives the second message after the third message or the second message comprises the third message.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the event report acknowledgment message comprises an acknowledgment of the event report message.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the RAI comprises an indication of Early Data Transmission.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the RAI comprises an Access Stratum (AS) RAI or a NAS RAI, wherein the AS RAI is included in the first message but not in the NAS message, wherein the NAS RAI is included in the NAS message.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event report message comprises a message for a positioning protocol, a message for a supplementary services protocol, or both messages.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the RAN node is a New Radio (NR) Node B (gNB) or a next generation evolved Node B (ng-eNB), wherein the CN node is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), wherein the location server is a Location Management Function (LMF).

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Early Data Transmission (EDT) Request or an RRC Early Data Request, wherein the second message is an RRC EDT Complete message or an RRC Early Data Complete message.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the periodic or triggered location includes an indication that the UE may report the detected periodic or triggering event using a request for early connection release, a request for immediate connection release, or both.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the request for the periodic or triggered location includes criteria for reporting the detected periodic or triggering event using the request for early connection release, the request for immediate connection release, or both.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the criteria comprise at least one of the following:

use of the request for immediate connection release when the UE is idle and no response from the location server is expected by the UE;

use of the request for early connection release when the UE is idle and a response from the location server is expected by the UE;

use of a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling connection in other cases or following a threshold time period or threshold number of event reports for which the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release is used; or

a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a request from the location server for positioning capabilities of the UE; and

sending a response to the location server comprising the positioning capabilities of the UE, wherein the positioning capabilities comprise an indication that the UE supports reporting of periodic and triggering events using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both, wherein the location server includes the indication that the UE may report the detected periodic or triggering event using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both in response to receiving the indication that the UE supports reporting of periodic and triggering events using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both.

18. A user equipment (UE) capable of supporting periodic and triggered location, the UE comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one wireless network;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver and the at least one memory and configured to receive via the at least one wireless transceiver a request for a periodic or triggered location from a location server; send via the at least one wireless transceiver a response to the location server, the response confirming the periodic or triggered location; detect a periodic or triggering event; obtain event information, the event information comprising at least one of location measurements, a location estimate, a type of detected triggering event, or a combination thereof; obtain a signaling connection to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, wherein the signaling connection does not include a signaling connection to a core network (CN) node; transmit via the at least one wireless transceiver a first message to the RAN node, wherein the first message contains a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message containing a routing identifier identifying the location server and an event report message containing the event information, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message to the CN node, wherein the CN node forwards the event report message to the location server; and receive via the at least one wireless transceiver a second message from the RAN node, wherein the second message releases the signaling connection to the RAN node.

19. The UE of claim 18 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to include a release assistance indication (RAI) in the first message, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message and the RAI to the CN node wherein the CN node forwards the event report message and the RAI to the location server.

20. The UE of claim 19 , wherein the RAI comprises a request for immediate connection release or a request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises an indication that no response message from the location server is expected by the UE, or an indication that one response message from the location server is expected by the UE.

21. The UE of claim 20 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for immediate connection release, wherein the RAN node sends the second message to the UE in response to the request for immediate connection release.

22. The UE of claim 20 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises the indication that no response message from the location server is expected by the UE, wherein the RAN node sends the second message to the UE in response to receiving a request for connection release from the CN node.

23. The UE of claim 20 , wherein the RAI comprises the request for early connection release, wherein the request for early connection release comprises the indication that one response message from the location server is expected by the UE, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive via the at least one wireless transceiver a third message from the RAN node, the third message containing a NAS message containing an event report acknowledgment message, the event report acknowledgment message sent by the location server in response to the event report message.

24. The UE of claim 23 , wherein the UE is configured to receive the second message after the third message or wherein the second message comprises the third message.

25. The UE of claim 23 , wherein the event report acknowledgment message comprises an acknowledgment of the event report message.

26. The UE of claim 19 , wherein the RAI comprises an indication of Early Data Transmission.

27. The UE of claim 19 , wherein the RAI comprises an Access Stratum (AS) RAI or a NAS RAI, wherein the AS RAI is included in the first message but not in the NAS message, wherein the NAS RAI is included in the NAS message.

28. The UE of claim 18 , wherein the event report message comprises a message for a positioning protocol, a message for a supplementary services protocol, or both messages.

29. The UE of claim 18 wherein the RAN node is a New Radio (NR) Node B (gNB) or a next generation evolved Node B (ng-eNB), wherein the CN node is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), wherein the location server is a Location Management Function (LMF).

30. The UE of claim 29 , wherein the first message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Early Data Transmission (EDT) Request or an RRC Early Data Request, wherein the second message is an RRC EDT Complete message or an RRC Early Data Complete message.

31. The UE of claim 18 , wherein the request for the periodic or triggered location includes an indication that the UE may report the detected periodic or triggering event using a request for early connection release, a request for immediate connection release, or both.

32. The UE of claim 31 , wherein the request for the periodic or triggered location includes criteria for reporting the detected periodic or triggering event using the request for early connection release, the request for immediate connection release, or both.

33. The UE of claim 32 , wherein the criteria comprise at least one of the following:

use of the request for immediate connection release when the UE is idle and no response from the location server is expected by the UE;

use of the request for early connection release when the UE is idle and a response from the location server is expected by the UE;

use of a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling connection in other cases or following a threshold time period or threshold number of event reports for which the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release is used; or

a combination thereof.

34. The UE of claim 31 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive via the at least one wireless transceiver a request from the location server for positioning capabilities of the UE; and

send via the at least one wireless transceiver a response to the location server comprising the positioning capabilities of the UE, wherein the positioning capabilities comprise an indication that the UE supports reporting of periodic and triggering events using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both, wherein the location server includes the indication that the UE may report the detected periodic or triggering event using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both in response to receiving the indication that the UE supports reporting of periodic and triggering events using the request for early connection release or the request for immediate connection release or both.

35. A user equipment (UE) capable of supporting periodic and triggered location, the UE comprising::

means for receiving a request for a periodic or triggered location from a location server;

means for sending a response to the location server, the response confirming the periodic or triggered location;

means for detecting a periodic or triggering event;

means for obtaining event information, the event information comprising at least one of location measurements, a location estimate, a type of detected triggering event, or a combination thereof;

means for obtaining a signaling connection to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, wherein the signaling connection does not include a signaling connection to a core network (CN) node;

means for transmitting a first message to the RAN node, wherein the first message contains a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message containing a routing identifier identifying the location server and an event report message containing the event information, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message to the CN node, wherein the CN node forwards the event report message to the location server; and

means for receiving a second message from the RAN node, wherein the second message releases the signaling connection to the RAN node.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code stored thereon, the program code is operable to configure at least one processor in a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting periodic and triggered location, comprising:

program code to receive a request for a periodic or triggered location from a location server;

program code to send a response to the location server, the response confirming the periodic or triggered location;

program code to detect a periodic or triggering event;

program code to obtain event information, the event information comprising at least one of location measurements, a location estimate, a type of detected triggering event, or a combination thereof;

program code to obtain a signaling connection to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, wherein the signaling connection does not include a signaling connection to a core network (CN) node;

program code to transmit a first message to the RAN node, wherein the first message contains a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message containing a routing identifier identifying the location server and an event report message containing the event information, wherein the RAN node forwards the NAS message to the CN node, wherein the CN node forwards the event report message to the location server; and

program code to receive a second message from the RAN node, wherein the second message releases the signaling connection to the RAN node.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

Cited By (113)

US 12,192,776 US 12,192,778 US 12,192,906 US 12,207,097 US 12,212,973 US 12,219,364 US 12,225,386 US 12,231,902 US 12,231,906 US 12,238,526 US 12,245,046 US 12,245,139 US 12,250,558 US 12,250,559 US 12,256,319 US 12,262,212 US 12,262,214 US 12,273,726 US 12,273,728 US 12,273,729 US 12,273,730 US 12,273,847 US 12,284,526 US 12,284,527 US 12,289,602 US 12,289,603 US 12,289,604 US 12,294,865 US 12,294,867 US 12,302,111 US 12,302,115 US 12,309,598 US 12,309,604 US 12,309,605 US 12,317,090 US 12,323,814 US 12,323,815 US 12,328,591 US 12,328,592 US 12,335,743 US 12,342,174 US 12,348,973 US 12,348,974 US 12,348,975 US 12,363,550 US 12,369,040 US 12,369,221 US 12,375,931 US 12,375,932 US 12,375,933 US 12,382,297 US 12,382,299 US 12,395,854 US 12,402,014 US 12,432,569 US 12,432,570 US 12,439,265 US 12,445,855 US 12,445,856 US 12,445,857 US 12,445,858 US 12,452,683 US 12,452,684 US 12,464,364 US 12,470,938 US 12,470,939 US 12,470,940 US 12,483,897 US 12,483,898 US 12,490,103 US 12,490,104 US 12,490,105 US 12,495,307 US 12,501,272 US 12,507,073 US 12,507,074 US 12,507,075 US 12,507,076 US 12,520,162 US 12,526,640 US 12,538,252 US 12,549,954 US 12,549,955 US 12,550,101 US 12,563,403 US 12,563,404 US 12,574,745 US 12,574,746 US 12,581,315 US 12,581,316 US 12,587,866 US 12,598,474 US 12,598,475 US 12,604,198 US 12,604,200 US 12,604,201 US 12,604,202 US 12,604,203 US 12,621,675 US 12,627,991 US 12,627,992 US 12,627,993 US 12,627,994 US 12,634,708 US 12,641,442 US 12,647,797 US 12,652,544 US 12,684,360 US 12,689,906 US 12,689,907 US 12,701,046 US 12,701,424 US 12,720,321