Enhanced LTE positioning protocol information transfer procedures for control plane LCS on LTE

1. A method for executing on a mobile device a protocol session with a location server using a protocol with mechanisms that allow for transport of protocol messages over a non-reliable link, the method comprising:

sending a first protocol session message associated with a first protocol session to the location server;

entering a wait-for-acknowledgement state in which uplink transmissions from the mobile device to the location server are suspended while waiting for an acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message;

receiving a second protocol session message associated with a second protocol session, the second protocol session message not being the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message, the second protocol session message including information requested in the first protocol session message;

exiting the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message; and

performing an action using the information received in the second protocol session message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol session message is an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Provide Assistance Data message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol session message is an LPP Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Error message or an LPP Abort message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol session message comprises a request for information from the location server and the second protocol session message includes the information from the location server.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing a first transaction ID associated with the first protocol session message to a second transaction ID associated with the second protocol session message, and

exiting the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message only if the first transaction ID matches the second transaction ID.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

resending the first protocol session message to the location server if neither the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message nor the second protocol session message is received by the mobile device prior to expiration of a retransmission timer.

7. An apparatus for executing on a mobile device a protocol session with a location server using a protocol with mechanisms that allow for transport of protocol messages over a non-reliable link, the apparatus comprising:

means for sending a first protocol session message associated with a first protocol session to the location server;

means for entering a wait-for-acknowledgement state in which uplink transmissions from the mobile device to the location server are suspended while waiting for an acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message;

means for receiving a second protocol session message associated with a second protocol session, the second protocol session message not being the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message, the second protocol session message including information requested in the first protocol session message;

means for exiting the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message; and

means for performing an action using the information received in the second protocol session message.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first protocol session message is an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Provide Assistance Data message.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first protocol session message is an LPP Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Error message or an LPP Abort message.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first protocol session message comprises a request for information from the location server and the second protocol session message includes the information from the location server.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising means for comparing a first transaction ID associated with the first protocol session message to a second transaction ID associated with the second protocol session message, and wherein the means for exiting the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message operates only if the first transaction ID matches the second transaction ID.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

means for resending the first protocol session message to the location server if neither the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message nor the second protocol session message is received by the mobile device prior to expiration of a retransmission timer.

13. An apparatus for executing on a mobile device a protocol session with a location server using a protocol with mechanisms that allow for transport of protocol messages over a non-reliable link, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly;

a memory configured to store processor-executable program code;

a processor configured to:

send a first protocol session message associated with a first protocol session to the location server;

enter a wait-for-acknowledgement state in which uplink transmissions from the mobile device to the location server are suspended while waiting for an acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message;

receive a second protocol session message associated with a second protocol session, the second protocol session message not being the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message, the second protocol session message including information requested in the first protocol session message;

exit the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message; and

perform an action using the information received in the second protocol session message.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first protocol session message is an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Provide Assistance Data message.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first protocol session message is an LPP Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Error message or an LPP Abort message.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first protocol session message comprises a request for information from the location server and the second protocol session message includes the information from the location server.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare a first transaction ID associated with the first protocol session message to a second transaction ID associated with the second protocol session message, and

exit the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message only if the first transaction ID matches the second transaction ID.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

resend the first protocol session message to the location server if neither the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message nor the second protocol session message is received by the mobile device prior to expiration of a retransmission timer.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for executing, on a mobile device, a protocol session with a location server using a protocol with mechanisms that allow for transport of protocol messages over a non-reliable link, comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to:

send a first protocol session message associated with a first protocol session to the location server;

enter a wait-for-acknowledgement state in which uplink transmissions from the mobile device to the location server are suspended while waiting for an acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message;

receive a second protocol session message associated with a second protocol session, the second protocol session message not being the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message, the second protocol session message including information requested in the first protocol session message;

exit the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message; and

perform an action using the information received in the second protocol session message.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the first protocol session message is an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Provide Assistance Data message.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the first protocol session message is an LPP Request Assistance Data message and the second protocol session message is an LPP Error message or an LPP Abort message.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the first protocol session message comprises a request for information from the location server and the second protocol session message includes the information from the location server.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

compare a first transaction ID associated with the first protocol session message to a second transaction ID associated with the second protocol session message, and

exit the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message only if the first transaction ID matches the second transaction ID.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

resend the first protocol session message to the location server if neither the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message nor the second protocol session message is received by the mobile device prior to expiration of a retransmission timer.