Method and apparatus for using service capability information for user plane location

1. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

receiving a message sent by a terminal to a location server via a user plane, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal, wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one capability selected from the group consisting of reporting capabilities of the terminal for periodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal;

determining whether a location service is supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal, wherein the location service is configured to obtain the location estimate of the terminal at least partially in response to an occurrence of the triggering criteria; and

communicating with the terminal via the user plane for the location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the message occurs during a first location session, and wherein the determining and the communicating occur during a second location session after the first location session.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the message, the determining, and the communicating occur during a single location session.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a location client a request for a particular location service for the terminal;

determining whether the particular location service is supported by the terminal based on the service capabilities of the terminal;

terminating the request if the particular location service is not supported by the terminal; and

initiating a location session for the particular location service if supported by the terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one location service supported by the terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service capabilities of the terminal indicate whether the terminal supports each of periodic triggered service and area event triggered service.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the message comprises receiving a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) START message, a SUPL TRIGGERED START message, a SUPL POS INIT message, a SUPL END message, a SUPL AUTH REQ message, or a SUPL INFO message sent by the terminal to the location server.

8. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor to:

process a received message sent by a terminal to a location server via a user plane, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal;

determine whether a location service is supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal, wherein the location service is configured to obtain the location estimate of the terminal at least partially in response to an occurrence of the triggering criteria;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine, from the service capabilities of the terminal, at least one terminal capability selected from the group consisting of location services supported by the terminal, reporting capabilities of the terminal for periodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for a number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal; and

communicate with the terminal via the user plane for the location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive, from a location client, a request for a particular location service for the terminal, to determine whether the particular location service is supported by the terminal based on the service capabilities of the terminal, to terminate the request at least partially in response to determining that the location service is the particular location service is not supported by the terminal, and to initiate a location session for the particular location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

10. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for receiving a message sent by a terminal to a location server via a user plane, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal, wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one capability selected from the group consisting of reporting capabilities of the terminal for periodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal;

means for determining whether a location service is supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal, wherein the location service is configured to obtain the location estimate of the terminal at least partially in response to an occurrence of the triggering criteria; and

means for communicating with the terminal via the user plane for the location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

means for receiving from a location client a request for a particular location service for the terminal;

means for determining whether the particular location service is supported by the terminal based on the service capabilities of the terminal;

means for terminating the request at least partially in response to determining that the particular location service is not supported by the terminal; and

means for initiating a location session for the particular location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

12. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions executable by one or more processors to:

process a received message sent by a terminal to a location server via a user plane, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal, wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one capability selected from the group consisting of reporting capabilities of the terminal for periodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal;

determine whether a location service is supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal, wherein the location service is configured to obtain the location estimate of the terminal at least partially in response to an occurrence of the triggering criteria; and

initiate communication with the terminal via the user plane for the location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

process a received request from a location client for a particular location service for the terminal,

determine whether the particular location service is supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal,

terminate the request at least partially in response to determining that the particular location service is not supported by the terminal, and

initiate a location session for the particular location service at least partially in response to determining that the location service is supported by the terminal.

14. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

generating a message comprising service capabilities of a terminal, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal, wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one capability selected from the group consisting of reporting capabilities of the terminal for pleriodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal;

sending the message from the terminal to a location server via a user plane; and

communicating with the location server via the user plane for a location service,

wherein the location service is determined by the location server to be supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating the message and the sending the message occur during a first location session, and wherein the communicating occur during a second location session after the first location session.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating the message, the sending the message, and the communicating occur during a single location session.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

detecting a change in the service capabilities of the terminal; and

sending a message comprising updated service capabilities of the terminal to the location server.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the message comprising the service capabilities of the terminal comprises a first message sent by the terminal for a location session.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the message comprising the service capabilities of the terminal is sent to terminate a location session.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the message comprising the service capabilities of the terminal is sent to terminate a location session initiated by the location server for a location service not supported by the terminal.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the service capabilities of the terminal indicate whether the terminal supports each of periodic triggered service and area event triggered service.

22. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

at least one processor to:

generate a message comprising service capabilities of a terminal, the message indicating service capabilities of the terminal, the service capabilities comprising triggering criteria for determining whether to obtain a location estimate of the terminal, wherein the service capabilities of the terminal comprise at least one capability selected from the group consisting of reporting capabilities of the terminal for periodic triggered service, area event capabilities of the terminal for area event triggered service, and session capabilities of the terminal for number of simultaneous location sessions supported by the terminal;

initiate transmission of the message from the terminal to a location server via a user plane; and

initiate communication with the location server via the user plane for a location service,

wherein the location service is determined by the location server to be supported by the terminal based at least in part on the service capabilities of the terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect a change in the service capabilities of the terminal, and is further configured to initiate transmission of a message comprising updated service capabilities of the terminal to the location server.