RLP router
A practical inter-carrier roaming solution by way of a roaming location protocol (RLP) router that provides consistent location support across heterogeneous wireless network standards. The RLP router maintains connectivity to each location server in a roaming ecosystem, alleviating the need for an expensive and impractical mesh network of location servers. When a home location server (H-LS) determines it cannot locate a subscriber device because the subscriber device is roaming, the H-LS sends an RLP request to the RLP router. The RLP router then routes the RLP request to a serving location server (S-LS), which subsequently returns location information for the roaming subscriber device. The RLP router maintains mobile switching center ID (MSCID) to location based services (LBS) mappings for routing RLP requests. The RLP router may also maintain rough MSC-level positioning data for each MSCID to enable the RLP router to resolve certain location fixes without utilizing an S-LS.
1. A method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards including a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network standard, comprising:
receiving a location request for a roaming subscriber device at a home location server (H-LS);
sending a roaming location protocol (RLP) request with a mobile switching center identification (MSCID) of a serving mobile switching center (SMSC) to a roaming location protocol (RLP) router;
mapping said MSCID received in said RLP request to an affiliated serving location server (S-LS);
sending, from said RLP router, an intersystem position request to said serving location server (S-LS) in response to said mapping;
receiving, at said RLP router, location information for said roaming subscriber device from said serving location server (S-LS); and
returning, by said RLP router, said location information received for said roaming subscriber device to said home location server (H-LS).
2. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said mapping is performed at said RLP router.
3. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said RLP router maintains a mapping of mobile switching center identifications (MSCIOs) to affiliated location based services (LBS).
4. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said RLP router lies outside of any network carrier.
5. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said RLP router maintains connectivity to each location server in a roaming ecosystem.
6. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said RLP router alleviates the need for a mesh network of location servers.
7. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein said heterogeneous network standards comprise:
a code division multiple access (COMA) network standard.
8. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein said heterogeneous network standards comprise:
a secure user plane location (SUPL) network standard.
9. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein said heterogeneous network standards comprise:
a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network standard.
10. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 1 , wherein:
said RLP router maintains rough MSC-Ievel positioning data for said MSCIOs.
11. The method of implementing an inter-carrier roaming solution for providing consistent location support across heterogeneous network standards according to claim 10 , wherein said heterogeneous network standards comprise:
said RLP router uses said rough MSC-Ievel positioning data to return extremely rough location information to a home location server (H-LS) without utilizing a serving location server (S-LS).