Positioning broadcast activation

Abstract

A communication device in a communication network can generate (1210) a message requesting positioning assistance data from a location management function (“LMF”). The communication device can also transmit (1220) the message to the LMF of the communication network. The communication device can also receive the positioning assistance data from the LMF via a broadcast.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to communication systems, entities, network nodes, and hosts used for locating broadcast activation. Background Technology

[0002] Figure 1 The illustration shows an example of a new radio (“NR”) network (e.g., a fifth-generation (“5G”) network) that includes a 5G core (“5GC”) network 130, network nodes 120a-120b (e.g., 5G base stations (“gNB”)) and multiple communication devices 110 (also referred to as user equipment (“UE”)).

[0003] Figure 2 An example architecture for location services is illustrated. In this example, UE 110 may wirelessly connect to a radio access network (“RAN”) 120 and / or access mobility and management functions (“AMF”) 240 provided by network nodes.

[0004] AMF 240 can be communicatively coupled to Location Management Function (“LMF”) 250, Unified Data Management (“UDM”) 206, Network Open Function (“NEF”) 210, and Gateway Mobile Location Center (“GMLC”) 260, which can be coupled to Location Retrieval Function (“LRF”) 262. Each of GMLC 260 and LRF 262 can be communicatively coupled to Location Service (“LCS”) Client 270. UDM 206 can be communicatively coupled to each of AMF 240, NEF 210, and GMLC 260. NEF 210 can be communicatively coupled to each of AMF 240, UDM 206, GMLC 260, and Application Function (“AF”) 220.

[0005] Location management function (“LMF”) or UE can calculate the location of a target (e.g., the UE). In some examples, the UE requires auxiliary data from the network (e.g., the LMF) to improve the accuracy of location estimation. For example, the UE can trigger a Mobile Origin Location Request (“MO-LR”) via N1 (between UE 110 and AMF 240) and NL1 (between AMF 240 and LMF 250). Summary of the Invention

[0006] Various embodiments described herein propose that the UE provides broadcast of location assistance data and an indication of whether the UE has received an encryption key, for example as part of a Mobile Origin Location Request (“MO-LR”) or as part of an assistance data (“AD”) request. In some embodiments, the LMF may identify whether a particular area (e.g., a cell) is worthwhile to broadcast data instead of serving MO-LR requests based on the number of MO-LR requests received from that area.

[0007] According to some embodiments, a method for operating a communication device in a communication network is provided. The method includes generating a message requesting location assistance data from a location management function (LMF). The method further includes sending the message to the LMF of the communication network. The method also includes receiving location assistance data from the LMF via broadcast.

[0008] According to other embodiments, a method for operating a network node in a communication network is provided. The method includes receiving a message requesting location assistance data to be provided to a communication device. The method further includes determining whether to broadcast the location assistance data based on the message requesting the location assistance data.

[0009] According to other embodiments, a method for operating a network node in a communication network is provided. The method includes receiving a first message from a communication device. The first message requests location assistance data and an indication of an identifier of the communication device or an identifier of the area where the communication device is located. The method further includes selecting a first Location Management Function (LMF) from a plurality of LMFs based on the identifier of the communication device or the identifier of the area where the communication device is located. The method further includes sending a second message to the first LMF requesting that location assistance data be provided to the communication device.

[0010] According to other embodiments, a communication device, network node, radio access network (“RAN”) node, core network (“CN”) node, access mobility and management function (“AMF”), location management function (“LMF”), computer program, computer program product, host, system, or non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided to perform one of the above methods.

[0011] Certain aspects of these embodiments can provide technical advantages. Some embodiments described herein achieve energy savings and radio resource utilization when location assistance data should be distributed. In additional or alternative embodiments, the LMF is able to analyze whether broadcasting would be appropriate in an area. In some examples, the LMF knows whether there are UEs capable of acquiring and decoding the location SIB. In additional or alternative examples, these innovations can work even if the operator has enabled or disabled encryption. The LMF can identify whether there are enough UEs capable of receiving encrypted content (e.g., broadcasting encrypted content can be enabled). Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings, included to provide a further understanding of this disclosure and incorporated in and forming part of this application, illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of the inventive concept. In the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a fifth-generation (“5G”) network;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of an architecture used for location services;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a signal flow diagram illustrating an example of UE positioning operations used to support MO-LR;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a signal flow graph illustrating an example of the periodic auxiliary data transmission process of LPP;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a signal flow diagram illustrating an example of a process used to support the broadcasting of auxiliary data;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a signal flow diagram illustrating an example of NAS signaling transmission for MO-LR;

[0019] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a location request originating from a single movement;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a signal flow graph illustrating an example of the 5GC-MO-LR process;

[0021] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an extended single-movement originating location request according to some embodiments;

[0022] Figures 10-11 This is a signal flow diagram illustrating an example of how the LMF determines whether to broadcast location assistance data according to some embodiments;

[0023] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating examples of operations performed by a communication device according to some embodiments;

[0024] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating examples of operations performed by the LMF according to some embodiments;

[0025] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating examples of operations performed by the AMF according to some embodiments;

[0026] Figure 15 This is a block diagram of a communication system according to some embodiments;

[0027] Figure 16 This is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments;

[0028] Figure 17 This is a block diagram of network nodes according to some embodiments;

[0029] Figure 18 According to some embodiments, it is possible Figure 15 A block diagram of the host in an embodiment of the host;

[0030] Figure 19 This is a block diagram of a virtualized environment according to some embodiments; and

[0031] Figure 20 This diagram illustrates a communication between a host and a user equipment via a network node through a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Some embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art, wherein examples of embodiments of the inventive concept are shown. However, the inventive concept can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. It should also be noted that these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be assumed by default to be present / used in another embodiment.

[0033] Additional information can be found in the document provided in the appendix.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a signal flow diagram illustrating an example of UE positioning operations supporting MO-LR. In block 310, the UE sends an MO-LR request to the AMF (which includes a Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (“LPP” Packet Data Unit) (“PDU”). In block 320, the AMF sends a location request to the LMF (which includes an LPP PDU).

[0035] In box 330, the LPP procedure is performed. In some examples, the UE may request auxiliary data via non-access stratum (“NAS”) signaling, and the LMF may send the auxiliary data in a point-to-point manner (e.g., unicast), where the target is the UE and the server is the LMF. Figure 4 The illustration shows an example of the periodic auxiliary data transfer process of LPP.

[0036] In box 410, the UE sends a RequestAssistanceData message to the LMF. In boxes 420, 430, and 440, the LMF sends a series of ProvideAssistanceData messages to the UE. In box 450, the UE may send an abort message to the LMF. In box 460, the LMF may send an abort message to the UE. In box 470, the LMF sends a ProvideAssistanceData message to the UE.

[0037] return Figure 3 In box 340, the NRPPa procedure is executed. In box 350, the LMF sends a location response to the AMF. In box 360, the AMF performs a transfer to a third party. In box 370, the AMF sends an MO-LR response to the UE.

[0038] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”) has defined a mechanism to broadcast auxiliary data to all UEs in a cell via Radio Resource Control (“RRC”) system information. Figure 5 The illustration shows an example of a process used to support the broadcasting of auxiliary data.

[0039] In boxes 510, 550, and 570, the LMF sends NRPPa auxiliary information control to the NG-RAN node. In some examples, the LMF sends encrypted or unencrypted auxiliary data to the RAN in the NRPPa auxiliary information control. In box 530, the LMF sends an Nlmf_Broadcast_CipheringKeyData Notify message to the AMF. In box 540, the RAN can indicate which auxiliary data it failed to broadcast in the auxiliary information failure list within the NRPPa auxiliary information feedback.

[0040] In addition, using NRPPa auxiliary information control, LMF indicates the periodicity of the system information to be broadcast.

[0041] In boxes 520 and 550, the RAN transmits auxiliary data in the posSIB as a System Information (“SI”) message, consuming radio resources for the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (“PDSCH”) and Physical Downlink Control Channel (“PDCCH”), as well as energy in the power amplifiers of each symbol. These are the same resources used for unicast. This means that if the broadcast feature is activated in a cell with no or few UEs using auxiliary data, the resource and energy consumption in the cell will increase. Conversely, if there are many UEs using auxiliary data, the resource and energy consumption in the cell will decrease when the feature is activated.

[0042] The supplemental service MO-LR operation enables the UE to initiate an MO positioning session or request location assistance data using NAS signaling. NAS signaling is transmitted using DL NAS transport messages and uplink NAS transport messages as defined in 3GPP TS 24.501.

[0043] Figure 6 The illustration shows an example of NAS signaling transmission used in an MO-LR session.

[0044] In box 610, when an MO-LR location session is initiated at the UE, the UE sets the payload container type to “Location Service Message Container” and includes an LCS-MOLR call in the payload container of the UL NAS TRANSPORT (UL NAS Transport) message.

[0045] In box 620, send a UL NAS TRANSPORT message to LMF.

[0046] In box 630, if the AMF decides to request location from the LMF, the AMF calls the Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation(Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation) service request operation from the LMF.

[0047] In box 640, after receiving the Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation response service operation from the LMF, the AMF sets the payload container type to "Location Service Message Container" and includes the MO-LR response in the payload container in DL NASTRANSPORT.

[0048] In box 650, the LMF sends a DL NAS TRANSPORT message to the UE.

[0049] When transmitting MO-LR signaling in a payload container, the optional additional information IE of the UL / DL NAS TRANSPORT message is not used.

[0050] The UE invokes MO-LR by sending a REGISTER message containing the LCS-MOLR invocation component to the network. The SS version indicator value should be 1 or higher.

[0051] The receiving network entity should initiate the processing of a location request within the network. The network should transmit the results of the location process to the UE by sending a FACILITY message containing the LCS-MOLR return result component. The network can reuse the location estimate if it is maintained in the network entity and meets the requested accuracy and maximum location age requirements, and the location measurement process can be skipped.

[0052] The network should only transmit the results of the location procedure to the UE if the location estimate is given in a UE-supported format (as indicated by the presence (and content) or absence of the parameter supportedGADShapes, which can be sent by the UE in LCS-MOLR operation).

[0053] Request in a single location (e.g.) Figure 6 In the case illustrated, the UE can terminate the dialogue by sending a RELEASE COMPLETE message. The UE can also initiate another location request operation (such as...) by sending a FACILITY message containing an LCS-MOLR call component to the network. Figure 7 (As illustrated). After requesting operation at the last location, the UE should terminate the conversation by sending a RELEASE COMPLETE message.

[0054] If the network cannot successfully fulfill a request received from the UE (e.g., to provide location estimation or location assistance information), it should clear the transaction by sending a RELEASE COMPLETE message containing a return error component. Error values ​​are specified in 3GPP TS 24.080. If the network cannot provide location estimation due to a lack of support for the shape type of location estimation in the UE, it should use the error "Facility not supported".

[0055] If the network has already returned the result to the UE in the FACILITY message, but after a certain PLMN-managed time period has passed, the network has not received a new location request operation in the FACILITY message or a RELEASECOMPLETE message from the UE, the network can clear the transaction by sending a RELEASECOMPLETE message.

[0056] During MO-LR operation, the UE should run timer T (LCSL). This timer is started when the operation is sent and stopped when a response is received from the network. If the timer expires, the UE should assume that the operation has failed and can terminate the conversation by sending a RELEASE COMPLETE message, and should notify the user of the failure.

[0057] Figure 8 An example of the 5GC-MO-LR process is illustrated.

[0058] In box 805, if the UE is in CM-IDLE state, the UE initiates a UE-triggered service request as defined in Clause 4.2.3.2 of TS 23.502 in order to establish a signaling connection with the AMF.

[0059] In box 810, the UE sends an MO-LR request message included in a UL NAS TRANSPORT message. The MO-LR request may optionally include up to three LPP location messages. Different types of location services may be requested: UE location estimation, UE location estimation to be sent to an LCS client or AF, or location assistance data. If the UE is requesting its own location or sending its own location to an LCS client or AF, the message carries QoS information for the LCS request (e.g., accuracy, response time, LCS QoS level), the requested maximum location age, the requested location type (e.g., "current location," "current or last known location"), and optionally, for the current location, the scheduled location time. If the UE is requesting to send its location to an LCS client, the message should include the identifier of the LCS client or AF and may include the address of the GMLC, through which the LCS client or AF (via NEF) should be accessed. Additionally, the service type indicates which MO-LR service of the LCS client requested by the UE can be included. The message may also include a pseudonym indicator to indicate that the pseudonym should be assigned by the network and passed to the LCS client as the UE's identifier. The message may also include integrity requirements, including alarm timeout (“TTA”), target integrity risk (“TIR”), and alarm limit (“AL”). These parameters are defined in TS 38.305.

[0060] If the UE requests location assistance data instead, the embedded LPP message specifies the type of assistance data and the location method to which the assistance data is applicable.

[0061] For an LCS 5GC-MO-LR requesting location transfer to the LCS client or AF, the AMF should assign a GMLC address, i.e., a VGMLC address, which is stored in the AMF. If the VGMLC address is unavailable, the AMF may reject the location request. The AMF verifies the UE's subscription profile and determines whether to allow the requested service by examining the mobile origination data retrieved from the UDM during the UE registration process as defined in Clause 4.2.2.2.2 of TS 23.502.

[0062] If the requested location type is "current or last known location" and the requested maximum location information age is available, the AMF verifies whether it stores the previously obtained location estimate and associated timestamp of the target UE (if available). If the AMF stores the location estimate and associated timestamp (if available), and the location estimate meets the requested accuracy and the requested maximum location age, the AMF skips boxes 815, 820, 825, and 830.

[0063] In box 815, AMF is selected as LMF as described in clause 5.1.

[0064] In box 820, the AMF invokes the Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation service operation to the LMF. The service operation includes the LCS-related identifier, serving cell identifier, client type, indication of whether location estimation or location assistance data is requested, UE location capabilities (if available), a list of assistance data subscribed to by the MO-LR, and any embedded LPP messages(s) in the MO-LR request. If the UE's location is requested, the service request may include an indication of whether the UE supports LPP, the requested QoS, supported GAD shapes, and any scheduled location times. If location assistance data is requested, the embedded LPP messages(s) will convey the requested location assistance data type. If any procedure from Section 6.11.1 or 6.11.2 is used, the service operation includes the AMF identifier. Once the AMF has selected an LMF, it must continue to use that LMF for the duration of the session.

[0065] If the UE is requesting its own location, the AMF does not indicate support for the GAD shape used for local coordinates, see TS 23.032.

[0066] In box 825, if the UE is requesting its own location, the actions described in Clause 6.11 are performed together with the actions described for box 880 in Clause 6.1.2, provided that a scheduled location time exists. If the UE is instead requesting location assistance data, the LMF transmits that data to the UE as described in Clause 6.11.1. The LMF determines the exact location assistance data to be transmitted based on the type of data specified by the UE, the UE's location capabilities, the assistance data subscribed to by the MO-LR, and the current cell.

[0067] In box 830, the LMF sends an Nmlf_Location_determineLocation (Nmlf_location_determineLocation) response message to the AMF.

[0068] In box 835, AMF sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate request to VGMLC.

[0069] In box 840, VGMLC sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate (Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate) request message to HGMLC.

[0070] In some examples, one of the following is performed: 1) boxes 845 and 860; 2) boxes 850, 855, 865, and 870. In the first example, in box 845, the HGMLC can send location information to an external client. In box 860, the external client sends location information confirmation to the HGMLC.

[0071] In the second example, at box 850, HGMLC sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdateNotify message to NEF. At box 855, NEF sends an Nnef_Location_LocationUpdateNotify message to AF. At box 865, AF sends an Nnef_Location_LocationUpdateNotify response to NEF. At box 870, NEF sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdateNotify response to HGMLC.

[0072] In box 875, HGMLC sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate (Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate) response to VGMLC.

[0073] In box 880, VGMLC sends an Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate (Ngmlc_Location_LocationUpdate) response to AMF.

[0074] In box 885, the AMF sends a DL NAS TRANSMPORT to the UE (which includes an MO-LR response).

[0075] Several challenges exist. In some examples, the LMF can begin broadcasting positioning assistance data at any time within the cell, but the LMF does not know whether any UEs using unicast also support broadcasting (can decode the positioning SIB or have the key to decrypt the encrypted positioning SIB). This means the LMF may begin broadcasting that is not used by any UE or only by a few UEs, which in turn means increased energy and resource consumption. The problem primarily lies with Real-Time Kinematic (“RTK”) assisted data (“AD”), which provides correction information to Auxiliary Global Navigation Satellite System (“A-GNSS”) assisted data to improve positioning accuracy, and RTK assisted data must be updated and delivered to UEs more frequently, approximately every 30 seconds. A demand from UEs to obtain AD to improve positioning accuracy is anticipated; however, the LMF needs to understand whether the UE has the correct capability / subscription to obtain AD using broadcasting.

[0076] Certain aspects of this disclosure and its embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. In some embodiments, the UE may indicate to the LMF whether it supports the broadcasting of location-aided data.

[0077] In some examples, the UE includes in its MO-LR whether it supports broadcasting (decoding the location SIB and / or having an encryption key). Upon receiving such information, the LMF can count how many users have this capability, and if the number of requests within time period T is “N”, the LMF can decide to enable broadcasting for duration “D”. N, T, and D can be configurable by the NW operator using Operations and Maintenance (“OAM”) nodes / mechanisms.

[0078] Figure 9 The illustration depicts an example of a single mobile originating location request according to some embodiments. By comparison... Figure 7 and Figure 9 It can be observed that the changes may include adding an indication of whether the UE is capable of broadcast support.

[0079] In an additional or alternative example, as an alternative to including an indication of broadcast support (e.g., as a tag or capability bit) in an LCS message that is transparent to the AMF, it is included as part of a NAS message that can be read by the AMF and forwarded by the AMF to the LMF.

[0080] In additional or alternative examples, the indication of broadcast support is included in the LTE positioning protocol (“LPP”) as a capability bit or using UL NAS (TS 24.501).

[0081] In additional or alternative examples, the LMF may obtain multiple bits from the UE, where the UE's capabilities or indications are separated into different information elements ("IEs"). A first IE may indicate the UE's ability to acquire and decode a cryptographic posSIB. A first IE may imply that the UE has the correct subscription to obtain the cryptographic key. A second IE may indicate the ability to acquire and decode only non-cryptographic keys. A second IE may imply that the UE is only capable of retrieving unencrypted posSIBs.

[0082] In some embodiments, UE broadcast capabilities and encryption status are included in the MO-LR indication (e.g., the MO-LR sequence described in 23.273). This information may be included in the MO-LR supplemental service message or embedded in a portion of an LPP capability, secondary data request message, or UL NAS message. In some examples, the MO-LR is carried via NAS, and the MO-LR message may embed up to three LPP messages.

[0083] In some embodiments, the LMF determines the UE's broadcast subscription capability based on existing broadcast subscription information available in the MO-LR message. The LMF can count such requests for a specific time duration, and if it exceeds a certain threshold, the LMF can determine to enable broadcast instead of unicast. The LMF can also determine the LPP signaling load (processing load) and take this into account when enabling / disabling broadcast services. The LMF can enable / disable broadcast services by sending start / stop indications to the RAN node using the NRPPa protocol.

[0084] Figure 10 The illustration shows an example of a UE broadcast capability being transmitted to an LMF according to some embodiments.

[0085] In box 1030, the LMF determines whether the number of UEs supporting broadcasting in the cell exceeds a threshold. If so, in box 1040, the LMF begins sending location assistance data to the gNB in ​​the assistance information control. In box 1050, the gNB provides location assistance data to the UE via broadcast system information.

[0086] Figure 11 The illustration shows a second example of UE broadcast capabilities being transmitted to the LMF. In this example, the UE broadcast capabilities and encryption status are sent in LPP RequestAssistanceData.

[0087] In some embodiments, since LMF selection occurs at the AMF, MO-LR requests can be served by different LMFs in the same area. A solution is needed when the broadcast handled by a dedicated LMF is aware of all MO-LR requests in the same tracking area. In some examples, in such cases, an LMF can be assigned to pull the number of MO-LR requests for RTK ancillary data. The Network Repository Function (NRF) can inform the LMF which other LMFs are available / operational in the same area. This LMF (pulling the number) can poll other LMFs and retrieve the number, and when the number reaches “N” within a specific time T, the LMF can decide to enable broadcasting for a duration “D” and notify other LMFs. In additional or alternative examples, the network can be configured by the operator using NF profiles to select a dedicated LMF via the AMF, which is responsible for MO-LR requests that only require ancillary data and for broadcasting the ancillary data. In this way, the dedicated LMF will always be responsible for broadcasting AD and serving MO-LR requests that only require AD.

[0088] In additional or alternative embodiments, it is also possible that whenever a UE requests RTK AD, the LMF retrieves UE subscriptions that support broadcast information via the UDM / AMF.

[0089] In additional or alternative embodiments, “N”, “D”, and “T” can be determined by the AI / ML model NWDAF (Network Data Analysis Function).

[0090] In additional or alternative embodiments, the conventional MOLR type is extended below to include “capableOfReceivingBroadcastRTK (13)” and “rtk (6)”.

[0091]

[0092]

[0093] Reference will now be made to some embodiments based on the concept of the present invention. Figure 12 Flowchart discussion (using) Figure 16 The operation of the communication device 1600 is implemented using the structure described above. For example, modules can be stored in... Figure 16 The modules are stored in the memory 1610, and these modules can provide instructions such that when the instructions of the modules are executed by the corresponding communication device processing circuit 1602, the communication device 1600 performs the corresponding operation of the flowchart.

[0094] Figure 12 The illustration shows an example of an operation performed by a communication device.

[0095] In block 1210, processing circuitry 1602 generates a message including an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data broadcast by the communication network. In some examples, the indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device needs location assistance data. In additional or alternative examples, the indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device has a subscription for receiving location assistance data from the LMF.

[0096] In some embodiments, generating a message includes generating a Location Services (LCS) message, which includes information elements indicating whether the communication device requests location assistance data broadcast by the communication network. In some examples, the LCS message includes a Mobile Location of Origin (MO-LR) request.

[0097] In additional or alternative embodiments, generating a message includes generating a non-access stratum (NAS) message that includes an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data broadcast by the communication network.

[0098] In additional or alternative embodiments, the generated message includes the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP), which includes an indication of whether the communication device requests positioning assistance data broadcast by the communication network.

[0099] In additional or alternative embodiments, the message generation also includes generating a message that includes an indication of whether the communication device supports (or requests) encrypted location assistance data.

[0100] In block 1220, processing circuit 1602 sends the message to the LMF of the communication network via communication interface 1612.

[0101] In some embodiments, sending a message to the LMF includes sending a message to the LMF via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0102] In block 1230, processing circuitry 1602 receives positioning assistance data via system information broadcast through communication interface 1612 via a communication network. In some embodiments, an indication of whether the communication device requests the broadcast positioning assistance data from the communication network includes an indication that the communication device requests the broadcast positioning assistance data.

[0103] For some embodiments of communication equipment and related methods, from Figure 12 Various operations in the flowchart can be optional.

[0104] Reference will now be made to some embodiments based on the concept of the present invention. Figures 13-14 Flowchart discussion (using) Figure 17 The operation of network node 1700 is implemented using the structure described above. For example, modules can be stored in... Figure 17The memory 1704 contains these modules, and these modules can provide instructions such that when the instructions of the modules are executed by the corresponding network node processing circuit 1702, the network node 1700 performs the corresponding operation of the flowchart.

[0105] Figure 13 The illustration shows an example of an operation performed by a network node (e.g., a network node configured to provide LMF). In some embodiments, the network node is a core network (CN) node configured to provide location management functionality (LMF).

[0106] In block 1310, processing circuitry 1702 receives, via communication interface 1706, an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network. In some examples, the indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device needs location assistance data. In additional or alternative examples, the indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device has a subscription for receiving location assistance data from the LMF. In additional or alternative examples, the indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication of whether the communication device is capable of receiving location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network.

[0107] In some embodiments, the communication device also receives an indication of whether the UE supports encrypted location assistance data.

[0108] In an additional or alternative embodiment, the network node is a first LMF. Receiving an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network includes receiving a message from a second LMF, the message including an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network.

[0109] In additional or alternative embodiments, the indication of whether the receiving communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network includes receiving a location service (LCS) message from the communication device via access mobility and management (AMF).

[0110] In additional or alternative embodiments, receiving an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network includes receiving the Long Term Evolution (LPP) positioning protocol, which includes an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast signals from the communication network.

[0111] In block 1320, processing circuitry 1702 determines whether to broadcast location assistance data based on an indication that a communication device has requested location assistance data via broadcast from a communication network. In some embodiments, the communication device is a first communication device among a plurality of communication devices in a specific area. Receiving an indication includes receiving a plurality of indications, each indicating whether a communication device among the plurality of communication devices has requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network, and / or whether a communication device among the plurality of communication devices is capable of receiving (or requesting) encrypted location assistance data. Determining whether to broadcast location assistance data includes: determining the number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network and / or are capable of receiving encrypted location assistance data; and determining whether to broadcast location assistance data based on the number of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network and / or are capable of receiving encrypted location assistance data.

[0112] In some examples, determining the number of communication devices among a plurality of communication devices that request location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network includes determining the number of indications received within a predetermined time period from communication devices requesting location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network.

[0113] In additional or alternative embodiments, the network node is a first LMF. The number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that request location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network is a first number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices determined by the first LMF to have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network. Receiving an indication of whether a communication device has requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network includes receiving a message from a second LMF, the message including an indication of a second number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network, as determined by the second LMF. Determining the first number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network, as determined by the first LMF, includes determining the first number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network based on the second number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that have requested location assistance data via broadcast from the communication network, as determined by the second LMF.

[0114] In block 1330, processing circuitry 1702 sends an auxiliary information control message via communication interface 1706 to a radio access network (RAN) node associated with the communication device. This auxiliary information control message includes an indication of location assistance data and an instruction for broadcasting system information including the location assistance data. In some embodiments, determining whether to broadcast location assistance data includes determining whether to broadcast the location assistance data.

[0115] Figure 14The illustration shows an example of an operation performed by a network node (such as a network node configured to provide AMF).

[0116] In block 1410, processing circuitry 1702 receives a first message from a communication device via communication interface 1706, the message including an indication that the communication device requests location assistance data via a broadcast signal from the communication network. In some examples, the indication that the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device needs location assistance data. In additional or alternative examples, the indication that the communication device requests location assistance data includes an indication that the communication device has a subscription for receiving location assistance data.

[0117] In block 1420, processing circuitry 1702 selects a first LMF from a plurality of LMFs based on the identifier of the communication device or the identifier of the area where the communication device is located. In some embodiments, the LMF includes the first LMF among a plurality of LMFs. The first message also includes an indication of the identifier of the communication device or the identifier of the area where the communication device is located.

[0118] In an additional or alternative embodiment, the first message is a Mobile Origin Location Request (MO-LR), which includes a flag indicating whether the communication device requests (or is able to receive) location assistance data via a broadcast signal from the communication network. In an additional or alternative embodiment, the first message is a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message.

[0119] In additional or alternative embodiments, the first message also includes the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP), which includes an indication of whether the communication device requests positioning assistance data via a broadcast signal from the communication network.

[0120] In block 1430, processing circuitry 1702 sends a second message to the location management function (LMF) via communication interface 1706, which includes an indication of whether the communication device requests location assistance data via broadcast signals from the communication network. In some embodiments, sending the second message includes determining the type of the first message and forwarding the first message to the LMF based on the type of the first message.

[0121] Some embodiments of network nodes and related methods Figures 13-14 The various operations in the flowchart can be optional.

[0122] Figure 15 An example of a communication system 1500 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0123] In this example, communication system 1500 includes a telecommunications network 1502 and a core network 1506. Telecommunications network 1502 includes an access network 1504, such as a radio access network (RAN), and core network 1506 includes one or more core network nodes 1508. Access network 1504 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 1510a and 1510b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as network node 1510), or any other similar 3GPP or non-3GPP access nodes. Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will understand, network node 1510 is not necessarily limited to an implementation where the radio and baseband portions are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Therefore, it will be understood that network node 1510 may include decomposed implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, telecommunications network 1502 includes one or more Open RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in telecommunications network 1502 that supports ORAN specifications (e.g., specifications published by the O-RAN Alliance or any similar organization) and can operate alone or with other nodes to perform one or more functions of any node in telecommunications network 1502 (including one or more network nodes 1510 and / or core network node 1508).

[0124] Examples of ORAN network nodes include Open Radio Units (O-RUs), Open Distributed Units (O-DUs), Open Central Units (O-CUs) including O-CU Control Planes (O-CU-CPs) or O-CU User Planes (O-CU-UPs), RAN Intelligent Controllers (near real-time or non-real-time) that host software or software plugins (such as near real-time RAN control applications (e.g., xApps) or non-real-time RAN automation applications (e.g., rApps)), or any combination thereof (the adjective "open" indicates support for the ORAN specification). Network nodes can support the specification by, for example, supporting interfaces defined by the ORAN specification (such as A1, F1, W1, E1, E2, X2, Xn interfaces, Open Fronthaul User Plane Interfaces, or Open Fronthaul Management Plane Interfaces). The intent and content-aware notifications described herein can be transmitted from 3GPP network nodes or ORAN network nodes through 3GPP-defined interfaces (e.g., N2, N3) and / or ORAN Alliance-defined interfaces (e.g., A1, O1). Furthermore, ORAN access nodes can be logical nodes within physical nodes. Furthermore, ORAN network nodes can be implemented in a virtualized environment (described further below) in which one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, the virtualized environment may include an O-Cloud computing platform orchestrated by a service management and orchestration framework via the O-2 interface defined by the O-RAN Consortium. Network node 1510 facilitates direct or indirect connections of user equipment (UEs), such as connecting wireless devices 1512a, 1512b, 1512c, and 1512d (one or more of which may generally be referred to as UE 1512) to core network 1506 via one or more wireless connections.

[0125] Examples of wireless communication via wireless connection include sending and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information without the use of wires, cables, or other conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, communication system 1500 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals, whether via a wired or wireless connection. Communication system 1500 may include and interface with any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0126] UE 1512 can be any of a variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node 1510 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 1510 is arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE 1512 and / or with other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network 1502 to achieve and / or provide network access (such as wireless network access) and / or perform other functions (such as management in telecommunication network 1502).

[0127] In the depicted example, core network 1506 connects network node 1510 to one or more hosts, such as host 1516. These connections can be direct or indirect connections via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes can be directly coupled to hosts. Core network 1506 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 1508) constructed with hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components can be substantially similar to those described with respect to UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the description generally applies to the corresponding components of core network node 1508. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of the following: Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier Dehiding Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Secure Edge Protection Agent (SEPP), Network Open Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0128] Host 1516 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than the operator or provider of access network 1504 and / or telecommunications network 1502, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Host 1516 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include real-time and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services (such as retrieving and editing data on various environmental conditions detected by multiple UEs), analytics functions, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by the server.

[0129] As a whole, Figure 15The communication system 1500 enables connectivity between the UE, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system can be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi); and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards, such as Microwave Access Global Interoperability (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0130] In some examples, telecommunications network 1502 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Therefore, telecommunications network 1502 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to it. For example, telecommunications network 1502 can provide ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services to some UEs while providing enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive machine-type communication (mMTC) / massive IoT services to yet another UE.

[0131] In some examples, UE 1512 is configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from access network 1504, the UE can be designed to send information to access network 1504 according to a predetermined schedule. Additionally, the UE can be configured to operate in single RAT, multi-RAT, or multi-standard modes. For example, the UE can operate using any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0132] In this example, hub 1514 communicates with access network 1504 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 1512c and / or 1512d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 1510b). In some examples, hub 1514 may be a controller, router, content source, and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein with respect to the UE. For example, hub 1514 may be a broadband router that enables the UE to access core network 1506. As another example, hub 1514 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UE. Commands or instructions may be received from the UE, network node 1510, or via executable code, scripts, procedures, or other instructions in hub 1514. As another example, hub 1514 may be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, may perform data analytics or other processing. As another example, hub 1514 may be a content source. For example, for a UE acting as a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub 1514 can retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via network nodes, and then hub 1514 provides them to the UE directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, hub 1514 acts as a proxy server or coordinator for the UE, particularly when one or more of the UEs are low-power IoT devices.

[0133] Hub 1514 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 1510b. Hub 1514 may also allow different communication schemes and / or scheduling between hub 1514 and UEs (e.g., UEs 1512c and / or 1512d) and between hub 1514 and core network 1506. In other examples, hub 1514 is connected to core network 1506 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, hub 1514 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via access network 1504 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE may establish a wireless connection with network node 1510 while still being connected via hub 1514 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 1514 may be a dedicated hub, meaning its primary function is to route communication from network node 1510b to UE / from UE to network node 1510b. In other embodiments, the hub 1514 may be a non-dedicated hub, that is, a device that can operate to route communication between the UE and the network node 1510b, but can also operate as a communication start point and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0134] Figure 16A UE 1600 is illustrated according to some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable of, configured, positioned, and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0135] The UE can support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, the UE may not necessarily be a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated equipment. Instead, the UE may represent equipment intended to be sold to or operated by a human user, but the equipment may not be associated with a particular human user, or may not have initially been associated with that particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent equipment not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user, but the equipment may be associated with a user or operated for the user's benefit (e.g., a smart meter).

[0136] UE 1600 includes processing circuitry 1602, operatively coupled via bus 1604 to input / output interface 1606, power supply 1608, memory 1610, communication interface 1612, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof. Some UEs may utilize... Figure 16 The components shown may be all or a subset of the components. The level of integration between components can vary from one UE to another. Furthermore, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0137] Processing circuitry 1602 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions stored in memory 1610 as a machine-readable computer program. Processing circuitry 1602 can be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic and appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors such as microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs), and appropriate software; or any combination thereof. For example, processing circuitry 1602 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0138] In this example, the input / output interface 1606 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to input devices, output devices, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, transmitters, smart cards, other output devices, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into the UE 1600. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital camcorders, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, steering wheels, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-sensitive displays may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors may be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, optical sensors, proximity sensors, biometric sensors, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices can use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port can be used to provide both input and output devices.

[0139] In some embodiments, power supply 1608 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources can be used, such as external power sources (e.g., electrical outlets), photovoltaic devices, or power batteries. Power supply 1608 may also include power circuitry for delivering power from power supply 1608 itself and / or external power sources to various parts of UE 1600 via input circuitry or an interface such as a power cable. The delivered power may be used, for example, to charge power supply 1608. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications on the power from power supply 1608 to suit the power supply for the various components of UE 1600 to which power is supplied.

[0140] Memory 1610 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, hard disk, removable tape cartridge, flash drive, etc. In one example, memory 1610 includes one or more applications 1614, such as an operating system, web browser application, widget, utility engine, or other application, and corresponding data 1616. Memory 1610 can store any operating system or combination of operating systems from various operating systems for use by UE 1600.

[0141] The memory 1610 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital multifunction disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard drive, Blu-ray disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (such as a tamper-proof module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), including one or more user identity modules (SIMs), such as USIM and / or ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC can be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly referred to as a "SIM card". The memory 1610 can allow the UE to... 1600 accesses instructions, applications, etc., stored on temporary or non-temporary storage media to unload or upload data. Articles of manufacture, such as those utilizing communication systems, may be tangibly embodied in or contained in memory 1610, which may be or include device-readable storage media.

[0142] Processing circuitry 1602 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 1612. Communication interface 1612 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to antenna 1622. Communication interface 1612 may include one or more transceivers for communication, such as through one or more remote transceivers communicating with another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 1618 and / or a receiver 1620 adapted to provide network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Furthermore, transmitter 1618 and receiver 1620 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 1622) and may share circuitry, software, or firmware, or alternatively, may be implemented separately.

[0143] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication interface 1612 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth and near-field communication, location-based communication such as using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so on.

[0144] Regardless of the sensor type, the UE can provide the output of data captured by its sensors via its communication interface 1612 and a wireless connection to the network node. Data captured by the UE's sensors can be transmitted wirelessly to the network node via another UE. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports sensed temperature), random (e.g., to load balance reports from multiple sensors), responsive to a triggered event (e.g., sending an alarm when humidity is detected), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a real-time video feed of a patient).

[0145] As another example, the UE includes an actuator, motor, or switch associated with a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change in response to the received wireless input. For example, the UE may include a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a flying drone based on the received input, or adjusts a robotic arm performing a medical procedure based on the received input.

[0146] When taking the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the UE can be a device used in one or more application areas, including but not limited to urban wearable technology, extended industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices include or embedded in the following devices: connected refrigerators or freezers, TVs, connected lighting fixtures, electricity meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-activated smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, flood / humidity sensors, electric door locks, connected doorbells, air conditioning systems (such as heat pumps), autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, weather monitoring equipment, vehicle parking monitoring equipment, electric vehicle charging stations, smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), wearable devices for haptic or sensory enhancement, sprinklers, animal or object tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any kind of medical device (such as heart rate monitors or remotely controlled surgical robots). (Except for...) Figure 16 In addition to the other components described in UE 1600 shown, UEs in the form of IoT devices include circuitry and / or software that depend on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0147] As another concrete example, in IoT scenarios, a UE can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and sends the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE and / or network node. In this case, the UE can be an M2M device, which can be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, the UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, the UE can represent a vehicle, such as a car, bus, truck, ship, and aircraft, or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or performing other functions associated with its operation.

[0148] In practice, for a single use case, any number of UEs can be used together. For example, the first UE might be or integrated into the drone and provide the drone's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE acting as a remote controller. When the user makes a change from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling actuators) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first and / or second UEs may also include more than one of the functions described above. For example, the UE might include sensors and actuators and handle communication for data from the speed sensors and actuators.

[0149] Figure 17 A network node 1700 according to some embodiments is shown. As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or other network nodes or devices in a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), NR Node Bs (gNBs)), O-RAN nodes, or components of O-RAN nodes (e.g., smart controllers, O-RUs, O-DUs, O-CUs).

[0150] Base stations can be classified based on the coverage they provide (or, in other words, based on their transmit power levels); therefore, depending on the coverage provided, a base station can be called a femtobase, picobase, microbase, or macrobase. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station, such as centralized digital units and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as remote radio heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0151] Other examples of network nodes include multi-transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) devices such as MSR BS, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNC) or base station controllers (BSC), base transceiver stations (BTS), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCE), operations and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operations support system (OSS) nodes, self-organizing network (SON) nodes, location nodes (e.g., evolved servicing mobile location centers (E-SMLC)), and / or minimized drive tests (MDT).

[0152] Network node 1700 includes processing circuitry 1702, memory 1704, communication interface 1706, and power supply 1708. Network node 1700 may consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., NodeB components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each component may have its own corresponding components. In some scenarios where network node 1700 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple NodeBs. In such scenarios, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may be considered a single separate network node in some cases. In some embodiments, network node 1700 may be configured to support multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 1704 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1710 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 1700 may also include multiple sets of various illustrated components for integrating different wireless technologies (such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies) into network node 1700. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within network node 1700.

[0153] Processing circuitry 1702 may include one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or coding logic, operable to provide the functionality of network node 1700 alone or together with other network node 1700 components (such as memory 1704).

[0154] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1702 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1702 includes one or more of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1712 and a baseband processing circuitry 1714. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuitry 1712 and the baseband processing circuitry 1714 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuitry 1712 and the baseband processing circuitry 1714 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0155] Memory 1704 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including but not limited to persistent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drives, compact discs (CDs), or digital video discs (DVDs)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry 1702. Memory 1704 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, and applications, including one or more of logic, rules, codes, tables, and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuitry 1702 and utilized by network node 1700. Memory 1704 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 1702 and / or any data received via communication interface 1706. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1702 and memory 1704 are integrated.

[0156] Communication interface 1706 is used for wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, communication interface 1706 includes one or more ports / terminals 1716 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface 1706 also includes radio front-end circuitry 1718, which may be coupled to antenna 1710, or in some embodiments, is part of antenna 1710. Radio front-end circuitry 1718 includes filter 1720 and amplifier 1722. Radio front-end circuitry 1718 may be connected to antenna 1710 and processing circuitry 1702. Radio front-end circuitry 1718 may be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 1710 and processing circuitry 1702. Radio front-end circuitry 1718 may receive digital data to be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 1718 may use a combination of filter 1720 and / or amplifier 1722 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1710. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1710 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 1718. The digital data can then be passed to processing circuitry 1702. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0157] In some alternative embodiments, network node 1700 does not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 1718; instead, processing circuitry 1702 includes the radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 1710. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or part of RF transceiver circuitry 1712 is part of communication interface 1706. In other embodiments, communication interface 1706 includes one or more ports or terminals 1716, radio front-end circuitry 1718, and RF transceiver circuitry 1712 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 1706 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 1714 as part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0158] Antenna 1710 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1710 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 1718 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 1710 is decoupled from network node 1700 and may be connected to network node 1700 via an interface or port.

[0159] Antenna 1710, communication interface 1706, and / or processing circuitry 1702 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquisition operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be received from the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 1710, communication interface 1706, and / or processing circuitry 1702 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be transmitted to the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0160] Power supply 1708 provides power to the various components of network node 1700 in a form suitable for each component (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power supply 1708 may further include or be coupled to power management circuitry to supply power to the components of network node 1700 for performing the functions described herein. For example, network node 1700 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., mains, electrical outlet) via input circuitry or interface such as a cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to the power circuitry of power supply 1708. As another example, power supply 1708 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, which is connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery can provide backup power if the external power source fails.

[0161] Embodiments of network node 1700 may include Figure 17Additional components beyond those shown are used to provide certain aspects of the network node's functionality, including any of the functions described herein and / or any functions necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 1700 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from network node 1700. This allows users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions of network node 1700.

[0162] Figure 18 Based on the block diagram of the host 1800 described in this document, the host 1800 can be... Figure 15 An embodiment of host 1516. As used herein, host 1800 can be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud-implemented servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources in server farms. Host 1800 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0163] Host 1800 includes processing circuitry 1802 operably coupled via bus 1804 to input / output interface 1806, network interface 1808, power supply 1810, and memory 1812. Other components may be included in other embodiments. These components may be characterized substantially similarly to those shown in the preceding figures (such as...). Figure 16 and Figure 17 The characteristics described for the device make its description generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 1800.

[0164] Memory 1812 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host applications 1814 and data 1816. Data 1816 may include user data (e.g., data generated by the UE for the host 1800 or data generated by the host 1800 for the UE). Embodiments of the host 1800 may utilize only a subset or all of the illustrated components. Host application 1814 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Universal Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including code conversion for multiple different categories, types, or implementations for the UE (e.g., mobile phone, desktop computer, wearable display system, head-up display system). Host application 1814 may also provide user authentication and authorization checks and may periodically report health status, routing, and content availability to a central node (such as a device in the core network or at the edge). Therefore, host 1800 can select and / or indicate different hosts for the UE to use for the Over-The-Top service. Host application 1814 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Real-Time Streaming (HLS), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and HTTP-based Dynamic Adaptive Streaming (MPEG-DASH).

[0165] Figure 19 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1900 in which some embodiments of functionality can be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating virtual versions of a device or apparatus, which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and network resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to implementations in which at least a portion of functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) in one or more virtual environments 1900 hosted by one or more hardware nodes, such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts. Furthermore, in embodiments where the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), the node can be fully virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment 1900 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an O-Cloud environment orchestrated via an O-2 interface by a service management and orchestration framework.

[0166] Application 1902 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual device, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) runs in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0167] Hardware 1904 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc. The software can be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 1906 (also referred to as hypervisors or VM monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1908a and 1908b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as VM 1908), and / or perform any functionality, features, and / or benefits described in conjunction with some embodiments described herein. Virtualization layer 1906 can present a virtual operating platform to VM 1908 that appears to be network hardware.

[0168] VM 1908 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1906. Different embodiments of virtual appliances 1902 can be implemented on one or more VMs 1908, and can be implemented in different ways. Hardware virtualization is referred to in some contexts as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many types of network devices onto industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can reside in data centers and customer premises.

[0169] In the context of NFV, a VM 1908 can be a software implementation of a physical machine, whose running programs are executed as if they were running on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM 1908, and the portion of the hardware 1904 that executes that VM—whether dedicated hardware for that VM or hardware shared by that VM and other VMs within it—forms a separate virtual network element. Still within the NFV context, the virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running on one or more VMs 1908 above the hardware 1904 and corresponds to application 1902.

[0170] Hardware 1904 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 1904 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1904 may be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and coordination 1910, which in particular oversees the lifecycle management of application 1902. In some embodiments, hardware 1904 is coupled to one or more radio units, each radio unit including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide radio capabilities to virtual nodes such as radio access nodes or base stations. In some embodiments, a control system 1912 may be used to provide some signaling, which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0171] Figure 20 A communication diagram is shown illustrating a host 2002 communicating with a UE 2006 via a network node 2004 over a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments. Reference will now be made to... Figure 20 Describe the UEs discussed in the previous paragraphs (such as...) Figure 15 UE 1512a and / or Figure 16 UE 1600), network nodes (such as Figure 15 Network node 1510a and / or Figure 17 Network node 1700) and hosts (such as Figure 15 Host 1516 and / or Figure 18 Example implementations of the host 1800 according to various embodiments.

[0172] Similar to host 1800, embodiments of host 2002 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 2002 also includes software stored in or accessible by host 2002 and executable by the processing circuitry. This software includes a host application operable to provide services to remote users, such as UE 2006 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2050 extending between UE 2006 and host 2002. In providing services to remote users, the host application can provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 2050.

[0173] Network node 2004 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host 2002 and UE 2006. Connection 2060 can be direct or via a core network (such as...). Figure 15The core network (1506) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network could be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0174] UE 2006 includes hardware and software, the software being stored in or accessible by UE 2006 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. This software includes client applications, such as web browsers or carrier-specific "applications," operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE 2006 with the support of host 2002. In host 2002, the executing host application can communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 2050, which terminates between UE 2006 and host 2002. In providing services to users, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 2050 can transmit request data and user data. The UE's client application can interact with users to generate user data that it provides to the host application via OTT connection 2050.

[0175] OTT connection 2050 can be extended via connection 2060 between host 2002 and network node 2004 and via wireless connection 2070 between network node 2004 and UE 2006 to provide connectivity between host 2002 and UE 2006. Connection 2060 and wireless connection 2070, on which OTT connection 2050 can be provided, are drawn abstractly to illustrate communication between host 2002 and UE 2006 via network node 2004, without explicitly referencing any intermediate devices and the precise routing of messages via those devices.

[0176] As an example of sending data via OTT connection 2050, in step 2008, host 2002 provides user data, which can be done by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 2006. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 2006, which shares data with host 2002 without explicit human interaction. In step 2010, host 2002 initiates a transmission carrying user data to UE 2006. Host 2002 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by UE 2006. This request may be caused by human interaction with UE 2006 or by the operation of a client application executed on UE 2006. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may be carried out via network node 2004. Therefore, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, in step 2012, network node 2004 sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 2002 to UE 2006. In step 2014, UE2006 receives user data carried in the transmission, which can be performed by a client application running on UE2006, which is associated with a host application running on host2002.

[0177] In some examples, UE 2006 executes a client application that provides user data to host 2002. The user data can be provided in response to or in reaction to data received from host 2002. Therefore, in step 2016, UE 2006 can provide user data, which can be done by executing a client application. During the provision of user data, the client application can further consider user input received from a user via the input / output interface of UE 2006. Regardless of the specific manner in which user data is provided, in step 2018, UE 2006 initiates the transmission of user data to host 2002 via network node 2004. In step 2020, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 2004 receives user data from UE 2006 and initiates the transmission of the received user data to host 2002. In step 2022, host 2002 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 2006.

[0178] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 2006 using the OTT connection 2050, in which the wireless connection 2070 forms the final segment. More specifically, the teachings of these embodiments can achieve energy savings and radio resource utilization when location assistance data should be distributed. In additional or alternative embodiments, the LMF is able to analyze whether broadcasting would be appropriate in an area. In some examples, the LMF knows whether there are UEs capable of acquiring and decoding the location SIB. In additional or alternative examples, these innovations can work even if the operator has enabled or disabled encryption. The LMF can identify whether there are enough UEs capable of receiving encrypted content (e.g., broadcasting encrypted content can be enabled).

[0179] In the example scenario, host 2002 can collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, host 2002 can process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from the UE for use in map creation. As another example, host 2002 can collect and analyze real-time data to help control traffic congestion (e.g., control traffic lights). As another example, host 2002 can store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As another example, host 2002 can store media content (such as video, audio, VR, or AR) that it can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE, or control access to that media content. As other examples, host 2002 can be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical power loads to balance generation demand, location services, presentation services (such as compiling charts based on data collected from remote devices), or any other function that collects, retrieves, stores, analyzes, and / or transmits data.

[0180] In some examples, a measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors improved by one or more embodiments. Optional network functions may also be available for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2050 between host 2002 and UE 2006 in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host 2002 and / or UE 2006. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices through which the OTT connection 2050 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by supplying values ​​of the monitored quantities illustrated above or by supplying values ​​of other physical quantities that the software can calculate or estimate based on. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 2050 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; reconfiguration does not require a direct change in the operation of network node 2004. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In some embodiments, the measurement may involve dedicated UE signaling, which facilitates host 2002's measurement of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. Measurements can be achieved by having the software enable the 2050 to send messages using an OTT connection, particularly empty or “fake” messages, while simultaneously monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0181] While the computing devices described herein (e.g., UE, network node, host) may include the illustrated combinations of hardware components, other embodiments may include computing devices with different combinations of components. It should be understood that these computing devices may include any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determination, calculation, acquisition, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry that processes information by, for example, converting acquired information into other information, comparing the acquired or converted information with information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and making a determination as a result of said processing. Furthermore, although components are depicted as single boxes located within larger boxes or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may include multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between individual components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of a component may be partitioned between processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0182] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by processing circuitry that executes instructions stored in memory, which in some embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of these particular embodiments, the processing circuitry may be configured to perform the described functions, whether or not instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to the processing circuitry itself or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or generally by the end user and wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a communication device (1600) in a communication network, the method comprising: Generate (1210) a message requesting location assistance data from the location management function (LMF); Send the message (1220) to the LMF of the communication network; and The positioning assistance data is received (1230) from the LMF via broadcast.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, Generating the message includes: generating a Location Service (LCS) message that includes information elements requesting location assistance data, the LCS message including a Mobile Origin Location Request (MO-LR).

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, Generating the message includes: generating a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message requesting the location assistance data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The message being generated includes a request for the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) location assistance data.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The message requesting the location assistance data includes at least one of the following: The communication device requires an indication that the positioning assistance data is needed; and The communication device has an instruction for subscribing to receive the positioning assistance data from the LMF.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, Sending the message to the LMF includes sending the message to the LMF via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, Generating the message further includes generating the message including an indication of whether the communication device supports encrypted location assistance data.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The message requesting the location assistance includes an indication that the communication device is capable of receiving the location assistance data via broadcast, and Receiving the positioning assistance data includes receiving the positioning assistance data via system information broadcast through the communication network.

9. A method for operating a network node (1700) in a communication network, the method comprising: Receive (1310) a message requesting that the communication device provide positioning assistance data; as well as Determine (1320) whether to broadcast the location assistance data based on the message requesting the location assistance data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The message requesting the location assistance data includes at least one of the following: The communication device requires an indication that the positioning assistance data is needed; and The communication device has an instruction for subscribing to receive the location assistance data from the communication network.

11. The method of any one of claims 9-10, further comprising: The receiver (1310) indicates whether the communication device is capable of using encrypted location assistance data.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The network node is a core network CN node configured to provide location management functionality (LMF).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The LMF is the first LMF, and The message requesting the location assistance data includes receiving a message from the second LMF instructing the communication device to request the location assistance data.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9-13, wherein, The communication device is the first of a plurality of communication devices in a specific area. Receiving the message includes: receiving one or more indications, each indication specifying whether one or more of the plurality of communication devices have requested the location assistance data from the communication network and / or whether one or more of the plurality of communication devices are capable of receiving encrypted location assistance data. Determining whether to broadcast the positioning assistance data includes: Determine the number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices that request the location assistance data and / or are capable of receiving encrypted location assistance data; and Whether to broadcast the location assistance data is determined based on the number of communication devices that request the location assistance data to be broadcast via the communication network and / or are capable of receiving the encrypted location assistance data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, Determining the number of communication devices requesting the location assistance data among the plurality of communication devices includes: determining the number of communication devices requesting the location assistance data within a predetermined time period.

16. The method according to any one of claims 14-15, wherein, The message in question is the first message. Wherein, the LMF is the first LMF, The number of communication devices requesting the positioning assistance data among the plurality of communication devices is a first number of communication devices requesting the positioning assistance data among the plurality of communication devices determined by the first LMF. Receiving the message includes: receiving a second message from a second LMF, the second message including an indication, determined by the second LMF, of a second number of communication devices among the plurality of communication devices requesting the positioning assistance data, and Determining the first number of communication devices requesting the location assistance data among the plurality of communication devices determined by the first LMF includes: determining the first number of communication devices requesting the location assistance data among the plurality of communication devices based on the second number of communication devices requesting the location assistance data among the plurality of communication devices determined by the second LMF.

17. The method according to any one of claims 9-16, wherein, The message requesting the location assistance data includes: receiving a Location Service (LCS) message from the communication device, the LCS message including a Mobile Origin Location Request (MO-LR).

18. The method according to any one of claims 9-16, wherein, The message requesting the location assistance data includes: receiving a Long Term Evolution (LPP) message that includes a request for the location assistance data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, Sending the auxiliary information control message includes: determining the positioning auxiliary data based on each communication device that requests the positioning auxiliary data.

20. A method for operating a network node (1700) in a communication network, the method comprising: Receive (1410) a first message from the communication device, the first message requesting location assistance data and an indication of the identifier of the communication device or the identifier of the area where the communication device is located; Based on the identifier of the communication device or the identifier of the area where the communication device is located, select (1420) a first LMF from a plurality of location management functions (LMFs); as well as Send a second message (1430) to the first LMF requesting that the communication device provide the positioning assistance data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, The network node is configured to provide access mobility and management functions (AMF).

22. The method of any one of claims 20-21, further comprising: Determine the type of the first message. Sending the second message includes: forwarding the first message to the first LMF based on the type of the first message.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20-22, wherein, The first message is a Mobile Origin Location Request (MO-LR), which includes a marker instructing the communication device to request the location assistance data via a broadcast signal from the communication network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein, The first message includes at least one of the following: The communication device requires an indication that the positioning assistance data is needed; and The communication device has an instruction for subscribing to receive the location assistance data from the communication network.

25. The method according to any one of claims 20-23, wherein, The first message is a non-access stratum (NAS) message.

26. The method according to any one of claims 20-23, wherein, The first message also includes a request from the communication network for the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol (LPP) for the positioning assistance data broadcast via a signal.

27. A communication device (1600) configured to perform the operation as described in any one of claims 1-8.

28. A computer program comprising program code, the program code being executed by a processing circuit (1602) of a communication device (1600), whereby the execution of the program code causes the communication device to perform the operation as described in any one of claims 1-8.

29. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium (1610), the non-transitory storage medium (1610) comprising program code that will be executed by a processing circuit (1602) of a communication device (1600), whereby the execution of the program code causes the communication device to perform the operation as described in any one of claims 1-8.

30. A network node (1700) configured to perform the operations claimed in any one of claims 9-26.

31. A computer program including program code, said program code being executed by processing circuitry (1702) of a network node (1700), whereby execution of said program code causes the network node to perform the operation as described in any one of claims 9-26.

32. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium (1706), the non-transitory storage medium (1706) comprising program code that will be executed by a processing circuitry (1702) of a network node (1700), whereby the execution of the program code causes the network node to perform the operation as described in any one of claims 9-26.

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