Efficient periodic location reporting in a radio access network
A user equipment (UE) communicating with a radio access network (RAN) sends to a network entity (e.g., an MSC/SGSN) a request for periodic reporting of the UE location to a client entity. After the request is approved, the MSC/SGSN sends to the RAN signaling to initiate periodic location reporting for the UE. The RAN may request a positioning center (e.g., a SAS) to send assistance data to the UE. The RAN may coordinate and control the periodic location reporting or may pass the control over to the positioning center. For each location reporting, the UE sends location information (e.g., measurements made by the UE or a location estimate computed by the UE) to the RAN. The SAS computes a location estimate if the UE sends measurements. The RAN then sends the location estimate for the UE to the MSC/SGSN, which forwards the location estimate toward the client entity.
1. A method of providing location services, comprising:
receiving a request from a first entity for periodic reporting of location of a user equipment (UE) to a second entity;
forwarding the request to the UE if the first entity is not the UE and forwarding the request to the second entity if the first entity is the UE and the second entity is not the UE;
receiving a periodic request from the UE to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity wherein the periodic request includes periodic location information indicative of when to send location estimates for the UE to the second entity;
forwarding the periodic request to a radio access network (RAN) to initiate periodic reporting of location of the user equipment (UE) to the second entity, wherein the RAN coordinates and controls the periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity; and
for each location reporting indicated by the periodic location information,
receiving from the RAN a location estimate for the UE, and
sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RAN is associated with a first location center, and wherein the sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity comprises sending the location estimate for the UE directly to a second location center and bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center is associated with the second entity, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sending the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center comprises sending the location estimate for the UE directly to the second location center and bypassing the first location center and a third location center, wherein the third location center is associated with a home network for the UE.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
storing an address of the second location center.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending signaling to the UE after each location reporting to convey results of a prior location reporting, to allow for cancellation of the periodic reporting.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending signaling to the UE prior to each location reporting to convey results of a prior location reporting, to inform the UE of a current location reporting, to allow for denial of the current location reporting, to allow for cancellation of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending signaling to the UE after completion of the periodic reporting to indicate completion of the periodic reporting, to convey results of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity comprises sending the location estimate for the UE to a location center associated with the second entity, wherein the second entity is external to the UE.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity comprises sending to the UE the location estimate for the UE, wherein the second entity is the UE.
10. An apparatus for providing location services, comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
receive a request from a first entity for periodic reporting of the location of a user equipment (UE) to a second entity;
forward the request to the UE if the first entity is not the UE and forwarding the request to the second entity if the first entity is the UE and the second entity is not the UE;
receive a periodic request from the UE to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity wherein the periodic request includes periodic location information indicative of when to send location estimates for the UE to the second entity;
forward the periodic request to a radio access network (RAN) to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity; and
for each location reporting,
receive from the RAN a location estimate for the UE; and
send the location estimate for the UE to a location center, wherein the RAN coordinates and controls the periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity;
and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the location center is associated with the second entity, wherein the RAN is associated with another location center, and wherein the at least one processor is operative to send the location estimate for the UE directly to the location center associated with the second entity and to bypass the location center associated with the RAN.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is operative to send signaling to the UE prior to or after each location reporting to convey results of a prior location reporting, to inform the UE of a current or next location reporting, to allow for denial of the current or next location reporting, to allow for cancellation of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is operative to send signaling to the UE after completion of the periodic reporting to indicate completion of the periodic reporting, to convey results of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
14. An apparatus for providing location services, comprising:
means for receiving a request from a first entity for periodic reporting of the location of a user equipment (UE) to a second entity;
means for forwarding the request to the UE if the first entity is not the UE and forwarding the request to the second entity if the first entity is the UE and the second entity is not the UE;
means for receiving a periodic request from the UE to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to a second entity wherein the periodic request includes periodic location information indicative of when to send location estimates for the UE to the second entity;
means for forwarding the periodic request to a radio access network (RAN) to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity, wherein the RAN coordinates and controls the periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity; and
means for processing each location reporting indicated by the periodic location information, comprising:
means for receiving from the RAN a location estimate for the UE, and
means for sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the RAN is associated with a first location center, and wherein the means for sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity comprises means for sending the location estimate for the UE directly to a second location center and bypassing the first location center, wherein the second location center is associated with the second entity, and wherein the first and second location centers are associated with different networks.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
means for sending signaling to the UE prior to or after each location reporting to convey results of a prior location reporting, to inform the UE of a current or next location reporting, to allow for denial of the current or next location reporting, to allow for cancellation of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
means for sending signaling to the UE after completion of the periodic reporting to indicate completion of the periodic reporting, to convey results of the periodic reporting, or a combination thereof.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:
receiving a request from a first entity for periodic reporting of location of a user equipment (UE) to a second entity;
forwarding the request to the UE if the first entity is not the UE and forwarding the request to the second entity if the first entity is the UE and the second entity is not the UE;
receiving a periodic request from the UE to initiate periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity wherein the periodic request includes periodic location information indicative of when to send location estimates for the UE to the second entity;
forwarding the periodic request to a radio access network (RAN) to initiate periodic reporting of location of the user equipment (UE) to the second entity, wherein the RAN coordinates and controls the periodic reporting of the location of the UE to the second entity; and
for each location reporting indicated by the periodic location information,
receiving from the RAN a location estimate for the UE, and
sending the location estimate for the UE toward the second entity.