System and method for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism

Abstract

Disclosed is a method (500) for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism. The method (500) includes transmitting (502) a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) (104) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available. Upon determining that the communication proxy is unavailable, the method further includes transmitting (504) a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a. Upon determining that the repository function is unavailable, the method includes acquiring (506) the endpoints of the target node using local configurations and the method proceeds with transmitting (508) the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE (104).

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING ENDPOINTS OF A TARGET NODE USING A FALLBACK MECHANISMTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a field of wireless communication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The subject matter disclosed in the background section should not be assumed or construed to be prior art merely due to its mention in the background section. Similarly, any problem statement mentioned in the background section or its association with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed or construed to have been previously recognized in the prior art.

[0003] With recent advancements in communication networks, location-based services have emerged as a vital service component provided by wireless communications networks. The communication network comprises numerous Network Functions (NFs) classified as service-consuming NFs and serviceproducing NFs. The NFs requesting a service instance are the service-consuming NFs and the NFs providing the service instance are the service-producing NFs.

[0004] In the communications network, location information of a User Equipment (UE) is useful or essential for many applications, including emergency calls, navigation, direction finding, asset tracking, and internet services. For instance, Location Services (LCS) client is a service-consuming NF. The LCS client requests a service-producing NF such as an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) via a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) for obtaining the location information of the UE. The GMLC forwards the request from the LCS client to the AMF through a Service Communication Proxy (SCP). The SCP provides loadbalancing, routing control, resiliency, and observability to the network. The SCP subscribes to a Network Function Repository Function (NRF) that maintains service profiles of available NF instances identifying the services supported by each NF instance.

[0005] In conventional methods, the SCP sends service discovery requests to the NRF to obtain access tokens and endpoints of the service-producing NF and forwards the location request from the service-consuming NF to the service-producing NF. However, due to network impairments between the network functions and resource limitations, the SCP may not be able to reach the service-producing NF to fetch the location of the UE. Hence, the location request from the service-consuming NF is not delivered to the associated service-producing NF.

[0006] In light of the aforementioned challenges, there is a need for a system and method for transmitting the location request to the service-producing NF to fetch the location of the UE in a wireless communication network that can address the issue of delivery failures of the location request.SUMMARY

[0007] The following embodiments present a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key / critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0008] In an embodiment, a method for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a transmission module, a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available, the method further includes transmitting, by the transmission module, a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node andan access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable. Further, the method includes acquiring, by an acquiring module, the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable. Thereafter, the method includes transmitting, by the transmission module based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE.

[0009] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the communication proxy, upon receiving the location request, validates the location request and obtains the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE from a database, and the communication proxy forwards the location request to the endpoints of the target node to obtain the location information of the UE.

[0010] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the repository function, upon receiving the discovery and the access token request, validates the discovery and the access token request, and the repository function transmits the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE and the access token.

[0011] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the method further includes receiving, by a reception module from the repository function, the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE and the access token. Further, the method includes transmitting, by the transmission module, the location request to the target node based on the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE and the access token.

[0012] In another embodiment, a system for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism is disclosed. The system includes a transmission module configured to transmit a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available. The transmission module is further configured to transmit a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable.The system further includes an acquiring module configured to acquire the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable. The transmission module is further configured to transmit, based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Various embodiments disclosed herein will become better understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present disclosure and illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts disclosed herein. Further, components and elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. For the purpose of consistency and ease of understanding, similar components and elements are annotated by reference numerals in the exemplary drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram depicting an environment of a wireless communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a system for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a network architecture depicting core network entities, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram depicting a communication system between the core network entities for obtaining the endpoints of the target node in the wireless communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of a method for obtaining the endpoints of the target node using the fallback mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing system for obtaining the endpoints of the target node in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Inventive concepts of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of one or more embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Further, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein are provided to describe the inventive concept thoroughly and completely, and to fully convey the scope of each of the present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive concepts. Accordingly, one or more components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present or used in any other embodiment.

[0021] The following description presents various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein are presented as teaching examples and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and described herein, but may be modified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0022] The following description contains specific information pertaining to embodiments in the present disclosure. The detailed description uses the phrases “in some embodiments” which may each refer to one or more or all of the same or different embodiments. The term “some” as used herein is defined as “one, or morethan one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” In view of the same, the terms, for example, “in an embodiment” refers to one embodiment and the term, for example, “in one or more embodiments” refers to “at least one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”

[0023] The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to;” it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion in the so-described one or more listed features, elements in a combination, unless otherwise stated with limiting language. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “have,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”

[0024] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features.

[0025] The description provided herein discloses exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing any of the exemplary embodiments. Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it may be understood by one of the ordinary skilled in the art that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details.

[0026] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein the description, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural forms unless the context of the invention indicates otherwise.

[0027] The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and / or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.

[0028] The various aspects including the example aspects are now described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the various aspects of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and complete, and fully conveys the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0029] Various aspects of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism in a wireless communication network.

[0030] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the system and the method provide a robust fallback mechanism for ensuring the successful delivery of the location request for obtaining the endpoints of the target node.

[0031] In the present disclosure, various embodiments are described using terms such as extensible radio access network (xRAN), and open-radio access network ORAN)) that are commonly used in communication standards (e.g., 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), but these are merely examples for description. Various embodiments of the disclosure may also be easily modified and applied to other communication systems.

[0032] Several key terms used in the description play pivotal roles in facilitating the system functionality. In order to facilitate an understanding of the description, the key terms are defined below.

[0033] A “Core Network (CN)” in the present disclosure may be a core part of a cellular communication system for providing services to subscribers or end users. The core network offers authentication and authorization and maintains the location of the users to facilitate delivery of services.

[0034] A “Network Function” in the present disclosure may be a processing function in the network, which has defined functional behaviour and defined interfaces. The network function can be implemented either as a network element on a dedicated hardware, as a software instance running on a dedicated hardware, or as a virtualized function instantiated on an appropriate platform, e.g. on a cloud infrastructure.

[0035] An “Authentication Server Function (AUSF)” in the present disclosure may act as an authentication server. The AUSF contains mainly an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication server functionality and acts as storage for keys and provides keying material to a requester NF.

[0036] An “Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)” in the present disclosure may be a key component of the Core Network and handles the registration of the UE to the network. The AMF authenticates the UE and authorizes access to the services. The AMF carries out termination of Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signalling, NAS ciphering & integrity protection, registration management, connection management, mobility management, access authentication and authorization, security context management. The AMF also includes the Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF).

[0037] A “Session Management Function (SMF)” in the present disclosure may carry out session management (session establishment, modification and release), UE Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation & management, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) functions, termination of NAS signalling related to session management, downlink data notification and traffic steering configuration for proper traffic routing.

[0038] A “User Plane Function (UPF)” in the present disclosure may carry out packet routing & forwarding, packet inspection, Quality of Service (QoS) handling, acts as external Packet Data Unit (PDU) session point of interconnect to Data Network (DN), and is an anchor point for intra- & inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility.

[0039] A “NF Repository Function (NRF)” in the present disclosure may discover network function instances. When the NRF receives an NF discovery request from a NF instance, it provides the discovered NF instances. The NRF maintains / supports Profiles of NF instances and their supported services within the network. The NRF maintains / supports Service-Based Interfaces, Management & Maintenance.

[0040] A “Policy Control Function (PCF)” in the present disclosure may carry out unified policy framework, providing policy rules to control plane functions, access subscription information for policy decisions in Unified Data Repository (UDR). The PCF provides a policy framework incorporating network slicing, roaming and mobility management.

[0041] A “Unified Data Management (UDM)” in the present disclosure may store subscriber data and profiles and carries out generation of Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) credentials, user identification handling, access authorization, subscription management.

[0042] A “Service Communication Proxy (SCP)” in the present disclosure may be network function enabling dynamic scaling and management of communication and services in a Fifth Generation (5G) network. The SCP provides an option for Core NFs to communicate indirectly. The SCP provides routing control, load balancing and delegated discovery.

[0043] An “Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server” in the present disclosure may be a network server that is used for providing access control. Authentication identifies a user. Authorization implements policies that determinewhich resources and services an authenticated user may access. Accounting keeps track of time and data resources that are used for billing and analysis.

[0044] A “Binding Support Function (BSF)” in the present disclosure may represent a network function for binding a request from the AMF targeting a particular UE to a specific PCF instance.

[0045] A “Network Exposure Function (NEF)” in the present disclosure may be a network function that provides a means to securely expose services and capabilities provided by other network functions.

[0046] A “Diameter Routing Agent (DRA)” in the present disclosure may be a network function to provide real-time routing capabilities to route signalling messages for policy control and charging.

[0047] A “Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)” in the present disclosure provides a Network Slice Selection Application Programming Interface (API) for the AMF for registration, UE Configuration Update and PDU Session Establishment, and Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) Availability API.

[0048] A “Charging Function Protocol Converter (CHF -PC)” in the present disclosure may be a protocol converter for converting messages received from the SMF and the PCF to diameter messages before forwarding them to an Online Charging System (OCS).

[0049] A “Equipment Identity Register (EIR)” in the present disclosure may verify a Permanent Equipment Identifier status of the UE to provide network services to the UE.

[0050] A “Short Message Service Function (SMSF)” in the present disclosure may be a network function to support Short Message Service (SMS) specific functionalities and to interact with gateway / interworking router for relaying the SMS between UE and a Service Centre. The SMSF may send and receive SMS to the AMF via the NAS.

[0051] A “Location Management Function (LMF)” in the present disclosure may be a network function to support location determination for the UE, obtain downlink location measurements or a location estimate from the UE, obtain uplink location measurements from the RAN, and obtain non-UE associated assistance data from the RAN.

[0052] A “Location Services (LCS)” in the present disclosure may provide locationbased services for obtaining location information of the UE to provide emergency services to the UE.

[0053] A “Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC)” in the present disclosure may support the LCS by requesting routing information from a Home Location Register (HLR) or Home Subscriber Server HSS).

[0054] A “Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF)” in the present disclosure may be a network function to collect data from the UE and other network functions to perform network analytics and provide network insights.

[0055] A “Signalling Transfer Point (STP)” in the present disclosure may be a network entity to provide core network connectivity and routing between multiple networks.

[0056] An “endpoint” in the present disclosure may be a remote physical or virtual device that connects to a network, creating an entry or exit point for data communication. Endpoints may include a wide variety of devices that can send and receive data within a network environment.

[0057] A “Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)” endpoint in the present disclosure may be an interface for communication between the AMF with other network elements. The SCTP endpoint may handle signalling messages exchanged with base stations. The SCTP endpoint may establish and maintain reliable, multihomed connections between the AMF and the base station.

[0058] A “Service Based Interface (SBI)” endpoint in the present disclosure may be an interface for communication between the AMF and the SMF. The SBI endpoint may support dynamic configuration changes, including Tracking Area Identity (TAI) addition and removal, and slice addition and removal.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure relates to the system and the method for transmitting the location request from a client for obtaining location information of a subscriber. The client may send the location request to a gateway that is configured to provide a network-based location of the subscriber. The gateway may forward the request to a network entity to obtain the location information of the subscriber. The system and the method also provide a robust fallback mechanism when the network entity fails to validate the location request sent by the gateway due to network impairments and resource limitations. Therefore, the disclosed system and the method ensures successful delivery of the location requests to the network entity for obtaining the location information of the subscriber.

[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram depicting an environment of a communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] The wireless communication network 100 includes coverage regions 106-1 to 106-N (hereinafter cumulatively referred to as the coverage region 106). The coverage region 106 is served by one or more Base Stations (BSs) 102-1 to 102-N. Each base station among the BSs 102-1 to 102-N may have same or similar configuration and may also be referred to as “BS 102” or “node 102”. The BSs 102- 1 to 102-N serves one or more User Equipment (UEs) 104- 1 to 104-N in the coverage region 106. Each user equipment among the UEs 104-1 to 104-N may have same or similar configuration and may also be referred to as “UE 104”. The BSs 102-1 to 102-N are connected to a network 108 to provide one or more services to the UEs 104-1 to 104-N.

[0062] The BS 102 may be at least one relay, and at least one Distributed Unit (DU). Typically, the BS 102 may be a network infrastructure that provides wireless access to one or more terminals. The BS 102 has coverage defined to be a predeterminedgeographic area based on the distance over which a signal may be transmitted. The BS 102 may be referred to as, in addition to “base station”, “access point (AP)”, “evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB)”, “5G node (5th generation node)”, “next generation NodeB (gNB)”, “wireless point”, “transmission / reception point (TRP)”, “Radio Access Network (RAN)” or other terms having equivalent technical meanings.

[0063] The UE 104 may be at least one Mobile Termination (MT) unit, and at least one relay. Typically, the term “user equipment” or “UE” can refer to any component such as “mobile station”, “subscriber station”, “remote terminal”, “wireless terminal”, “receive point”, or “end user device”.

[0064] The network 108 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that may be configured to provide several network ports and several communication channels for transmission and reception of data related to operations of various entities of the wireless communication network 100. Each network port may correspond to a virtual address (or a physical machine address) for transmission and reception of the communication data. For example, the virtual address may be an Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPV4) (or an IPV6 address) and the physical address may be a Media Access Control (MAC) address. The network 108 may be associated with an application layer for implementation of communication protocols based on one or more communication requests from the various entities of the wireless communication network 100.

[0065] The communication data may be transmitted or received via the communication protocols. Examples of the communication protocols may include, but are not limited to, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Domain Network System (DNS) protocol, Common Management Interface Protocol (CMIP), Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication protocols, or any combination thereof. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the communication data may be transmitted orreceived via at least one communication channel of several communication channels in the network 108. The communication channels may include, but are not limited to, a wireless channel, a wired channel, a combination of wireless and wired channel thereof. The wireless or wired channel may be associated with a data standard which may be defined by one of a Local Area Network (LAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), Wireless Area Network (WAN), Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a satellite network, the Internet, an optical fiber network, a coaxial cable network, an infrared (IR) network, a radio frequency (RF) network, and a combination thereof. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of communication channel, including known, related art, and / or later developed technologies.

[0066] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a system 200 for obtaining the endpoints of the target node using the fallback mechanism in the wireless communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the system 200 includes the network 108, the BS 102, the UE 104, a plurality of core network entities 202 (hereinafter also referred to as the “core network entities 202” or “core network entity 202”) present inside the network 108, and a database 204.

[0067] The network 108 may comprise the core network entity 202 and may be connected to a wireless access network such as the BS 102 and the UE 104. The core network entity 202 may support a Fourth Generation (4G) technology, a Fifth Generation (5G), and a Sixth Generation (6G) technology. The core network entity 202 may utilize cloud- aligned, Service-Based Architecture (SBA) that spans across all network functions and interactions including authentication, security, session management and aggregation of traffic from the UE 104. The core network entity 202 may enable support for increased throughput demand, reduced latency, and increased reliability as per requirements of various applications and services.

[0068] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the network 108 may be coupled to the database 204 that provides data storage space to the core network entity 202. The database 204 may store information related to configuration parameters, location information of the UE 104 of the subscriber and other relevant information needed for the operation of the core network entity 202. The database 204 may correspond to a centralized database system configured to store and manage structured data, such as network-related data and configurations. The database may be a relational database organizing related data such as in a table, or a non-relational database organizing graphical and time series data.

[0069] Although FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate one example of the system 200, various changes may be made to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. For example, the system 200 may include any number of user devices in any suitable arrangement. Further, in another example, the network 108 may include any number of components in addition to the components shown in FIG. 2. Further, various components in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted and additional components may be added according to particular needs.

[0070] FIG. 3 illustrates a network architecture 300 depicting the core network entities 202, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The UE 104 and the BS 102 may be connected with the network 108 which comprises the core network entities 202.

[0071] The network architecture 300 may depict the connections and interfaces between the core network entities 202, the UE 104, and the BS 102. The core network entities 202 may comprise at least one of User Plane Function (UPF) 302, Data Network (DN) 304, Network Exposure Function (NEF) 306, Binding Support Function (BSF) 308, Access and Mobility management Function (AMF) 310, Session Management Function (SMF) 312, Unified Data Management (UDM) 314, Policy Control Function (PCF) 316, Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 318, Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 320, 5G-Equipment Identity Register (5G- EIR) 322, Short Message Service Function (SMSF) 324, Gateway Mobile EocationCentre (GMLC) 326, Location management function (LMF) 328, Location Services Client (LCS) 330, Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 332, Signalling Transfer Point (STP) 334, Charging Function Protocol Converter (CHF-PC) 336, and Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) 338. The core network entities 202 are interfaced with each other and interfaced with the UE 104 and BS 102 using reference points N1-N52 and NL1-NL7.

[0072] The SMF 312 may be a network function of managing a packet data network (PDN) connection provided to the UE 104. The PCF 316 may provide a network function of applying a service policy, a charging policy, and a policy for the PDU session of a mobile communication service provider with the UE 104. The NEF 306 may access information for managing the UE 104 in the network. The NEF 306 may perform subscribing the UE 104 to a mobility management event, a session management event, requesting session-related information, configuring charging information, making a request for changing a PDU session policy, and transmitting small data for the UE 104. The UPF 302 may transmit packets that are transmitted and received by the UE 104 to the network 108. The UPF 302 may also be connected to the DN 304 leading to the Internet. The UDM 314 may be a network function for storing subscription data of the UE 104.

[0073] The AMF 310 may be a network function of managing the mobility of the UE 104. The AMF 310 may be responsible for registering the UE 104 with the network 108 and assigning the UE 104 a unique identifier. The AMF 310 may perform access management functions such as authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) for the UE 104. The AMF 310 may verify an identity of the UE 104 and may determine whether the UE 104 is authorized to access the network 108. The AMF 310 may track the location of the UE 104 and may manage handovers between the UE 104 and the BS 102.

[0074] The GMLC 326 may be a node that provides the functionality required to support location-based services. The GMLC 326 may be integrated with the locationbased services to locate the UE 104 of the subscriber that is connected to the network108 at a given time. The GMLC 326 may provide network services and authorized third parties with standardized subscriber location information access.

[0075] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram depicting a communication system 400 between the core network entities 202 for obtaining endpoints of the target node in the wireless communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] In one embodiment, the GMLC 326 includes a communication interface 408, a processor 410, and a memory 412 coupled to the processor 410. The processor 410 may include one or more modules 414 (hereinafter also referred to as the “modules 414”). The processor 410 may control the operation of the GMLC 326. The processor 410 may also be referred to as a Central Processing Unit (CPU). The memory 412 may provide instructions and data to the processor 410 for performing functions of the GMLC 326. The memory 412 may include a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM) and a portion of the memory 412 may also include Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM). The processor 410 may perform logical and arithmetic operations based on instructions stored within the memory 412. The communication interface 408 may allow transmission and reception of data between the GMLC 326 and the network 108. The communication interface 408 may include a transmitter, a receiver, and a single or a plurality of transmit antennas electrically coupled to the transmitter and the receiver of the communication interface 408.

[0077] The communication interface 408 may be configured to enable the GMLC 326 to communicate with various entities of the system 200 via the network 108. Examples of the communication interface 408 may include, but are not limited to, a modem, a network interface such as an Ethernet card, a communication port, and / or a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, an antenna, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a coderdecoder (CODEC) chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a local buffer circuit. It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that thecommunication interface 408 may include any device and / or apparatus capable of providing wireless or wired communications between the GMLC 326 and various other entities of the system 400.

[0078] The processor 410 may include one or more general purpose processors and / or one or more special purpose processors, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a microcontroller, a state machine, or ay any type of programmable logic array. The processor 410 may include may include an intelligent hardware device including a general-purpose processor, such as, for example, and without limitation, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), a dedicated processor, or the like, a graphics-only processing unit such as a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a microcontroller, a Field- Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof.

[0079] The memory 412 may further include, but not limited to, non-transitory machine-readable storage devices such as hard drives, magnetic tape, floppy diskettes, optical disks, compact disc read-Only Memories (CD-ROMs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories, such as ROMs, RAMS, programmable read-only memories PROMs), erasable PROMs (EPROMs), electrically erasable PROMs (EEPROMs), flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, or other type of media / machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0080] In addition, the memory may, in some examples, be considered a non- transitory storage medium. The "non-transitory" storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. However, the term "non-transitory" should not be interpreted as the memory is non-movable. In some examples, the memory may be configured to store larger amounts of information. In certain examples, a non- transitory storage medium may store data that can, over time, change (e.g., in Random Access Memory (RAM) or cache). The memory may be an internal storageunit or an external storage unit of the server, cloud storage, or any other type of external storage.

[0081] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the one or more modules 414 may comprise a reception module 416, a transmission module 418, a processing module 420, and an acquiring module 422. In an embodiment, the one or more modules 414 may be combined to a single module or each module of the one or more modules 414 may be further subdivided into different modules with divided responsibilities.

[0082] In one embodiment, the transmission module 418 of a network function may be configured to transmit a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 based on a determination that the communication proxy is available. The transmission module 418 of the network function may be configured to transmit a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable. The acquiring module 422 may be configured to acquire the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable. The transmission module 418 may be configured to transmit, based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain the location information of the UE 104.

[0083] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the location request may be a Provide Location Request (PLR), the network function may be the GMLC 326, the communication proxy may be a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) 402, the repository function may be a Network Repository Function (NRF) 404, the target node may be the AMF 310.

[0084] In some embodiments, the core network entities 202 such as the LCS client 330 and the GMLC 326 may communicate with each other to obtain the location information of the UE 104. The LCS client 330 may transmit the location request to the GMLC 326 to obtain the location information of the UE 104. The GMLC 326may forward the location request to the AMF 310 via the SCP 402 and / or the NRF404 to obtain the location information of the UE 104.

[0085] The NRF 404 may provide a discovery response for specific producer Network Function (NF) types. When a consumer NF (NF consuming services) sends a discovery request, the NRF 404 may access a list of producer NF (NF providing services) for the producer NF type requested. The producer NF may have multiple service endpoints. The endpoint is a combination of Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)ZIntemet protocol (IP) address and port number on a network node that hosts the producer NF. The producer NF may register with the NRF 404. The NRF 404 may maintain the NF profile of available NF instances and supported services. The consumer NF may subscribe to receive information about producer NF instances registered with the NRF 404. For instance, the consumer NF may be the GMLC 326 and / or the LCS client 330 and the producer NF may be the AMF 310 and / or the UDM 314.

[0086] The SCP 402 may subscribe to the NRF 404 and obtain reachability and service profile information regarding registered producer NF. The consumer NF may connect to the SCP 402. The SCP 402 may provide load balances or alternate / optimal routing among the producer NF that provide the required service. The SCP 402 may directly route traffic to the producer NF.

[0087] In some embodiments, the LCS client 330 may transmit the PLR to the GMLC 326 for obtaining the location of the UE 104. The GMLC 326 may forward the PLR to the SCP 402. The SCP 402 may validate the request and may retrieve endpoints of a target node from the database 204. For instance, the target node may be the AMF 310. When the SCP is unavailable, the GMLC may transmit a discovery and access token request to the NRF 404. When the NRF fails to validate the discovery and access token request, the GMLC 326 may resort to local configurations by acquiring the endpoints of the AMF 310 from a Local Configuration Database 406.

[0088] In some embodiments, the GMLC 326 may communicate indirectly with the AMF 310 through the SCP 402. Alternatively, the GMLC 326 may directly communicate with the AMF 310 using the local configurations and / or the NRF 404.

[0089] The GMLC 326 may utilize a three-tier fallback mechanism for delivering the location request to the target node associated with location services. The utilization of the three-tier fallback mechanism may ensure successful delivery of the location request to the target node for obtaining the location information of the UE 104 by preventing request failures due to resource limitations. The communication system 400 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by steps 1 through 6.

[0090] At step 1, the transmission module 418 of the GMLC 326 may transmit the PLR to the SCP 402 to obtain the location information of the UE 104. The reception module 416 of the GMLC 326 may receive the PLR from the LCS client 330. The processing module 420 of the GMLC 326 may determine whether the SCP 402 is available to validate the PLR from the GMLC 326. If a result of the determination at step 1 is no, then the flow of the communication system 400 proceeds to step 3. If a result of the determination at step 1 is yes, then the flow of the communication system 400 proceeds to step 2.

[0091] At step 2, the SCP 402 may validate the PLR from the GMLC 326. The SCP 402 may retrieve endpoints of the target node, for example, the AMF 310 from the database 204 before forwarding the PLR to the AMF 310. The SCP may forward the PLR to the AMF 310 to obtain the location information of the UE 104.

[0092] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the GMLC 326 may perform an indirect communication with the AMF 310 via the SCP 402. The SCP 402 may perform a delegated discovery to identify a suitable AMF 310 for the PLR received from the GMLC 326. The GMLC 326 may add discovery and selection parameters required to find the suitable AMF 310 to the PLR. The GMLC 326 may send a request to the SCP 402 that includes specific discovery and selection parameters. The discovery and selection parameters may include information about the UE 104, desired location services, or other relevant criteria.

[0093] The SCP 402 may validate the PLR and the discovery and selection parameters in the PLR to route the PLR to the suitable AMF 310. The SCP 402 may validate the PLR by acting as a routing control point and ensuring proper authorization and routing of messages. The SCP 402 may validate whether the GMLC 326 is authorized to make location requests through the network's security mechanisms, which may involve authentication protocols and authorization rules defined in the network's policy management system. The SCP 402 may perform discovery with the NRF 404 and obtain suitable AMF 310. The SCP 402 may use the parameters to query the NRF 404.

[0094] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the parameters to query the NRF 404 may be UE identifiers such as Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI), Permanent Equipment Identifier (PEI), and Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI) of the UE 104. The parameters may be obtained from the PLR received from the LCS client 330 via the GMLC 326. The SUPI may be global unique identifier for a subscriber of the UE 104 within the network 108. The PEI may identify the UE 104 based on a device identifier. The GPSI may be public identifier used to address a subscription in different data networks outside the network 108.

[0095] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the parameters to query the NRF 404 may be the NSSAI. During initial registration, the UE 104 may provide information such as supported NSSAI and Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) preferences to the BS 102. The UE 104 may be registered to the AMF 310 based on the NSSAI. The NRF 404 may used the NSSAI of the UE 104 from the PLR and query the UDM 314. The UDM 314 may provide the appropriate endpoints of the AMF 310 associated with the UE 104 to the GMLC 326.

[0096] The NRF 404 is a central repository of network function information. The NRF 404, based on the query from the SCP 402 and other stored network function (NF) profiles, may identify available AMF instances that match the provided criteria or the parameters of the query. The NRF 404 may return matching endpoint information of the AMF 310 to the SCP 402. The SCP 402 may perform thediscovery utilizing an access token request procedure and requests service from the AMF 310 with the obtained access token. The SCP 402 may forward the PLR to the AMF 310.

[0097] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the services of the SCP 402 for the GMLC 326 may fail during the access token request procedure with the NRF 404 or during the service request from the SCP 402 to the AMF 310. When the service request gets rejected during the access token request procedure with the NRF 404, the GMLC 326 may receive a notification. When the service request from the SCP 402 to the AMF 310 gets rejected, the GMLC 326 may not be aware of the failure. The GMLC 326 may assume that the SCP 402 may be unavailable to forward the PLR to the AMF 310.

[0098] At step 3, if the GMLC 326 determines that the SCP 402 is unavailable, the GMLC 326 may transmit a discovery and access token request to the NRF 404 to obtain the endpoints of the AMF 310 and an access token. The access token is a credential that allows a network function to access protected resources. The access tokens may be obtained through a process called the access token request, which involves discovery of the authorization server and the endpoints, followed by the actual token exchange between the network function and the endpoints. The GMLC 326 may determine whether the NRF 404 is available to validate the PLR from the GMLC 326. If a result of the determination at step 3 is no, then the flow of the communication system 400 proceeds to step 5. If a result of the determination at step 3 is yes, then the flow of the communication system 400 proceeds to step 4.

[0099] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the GMLC 326 may perform the direct communication with the NRF 404, upon determining that the SCP 402 is unavailable to provide service to the GMLC 326. The GMLC 326 may send the discovery and access token request to the NRF 404 to obtain the endpoints of the AMF 310 and the access token.

[0100] At step 4, the NRF 404 may validate the discovery and access token request from the GMLC 326 with respect to the AMF 310. The NRF 404 may transmit the endpoints of the AMF 310 and the access token to the GMLC 326.

[0101] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the NRF 404 may be configured to act as a service access authorization server and provide a cryptographic access token authorizing the GMLC 326 to use the service provided by the AMF 310. The access token may comprise identifiers of the AMF 310, the NRF 404, a timestamp, an identifier of a specific service which is authorised for the GMLC 326 with the access token, and a serial number. The serial number may uniquely identify the token. The access token may be cryptographically signed using a private key of the NRF 404. When the GMLC 326 contacts the AMF 310, the GMLC 326 may present the access token. The AMF 310 may verify the validity of a cryptographic signature using a public key, which the AMF 310 may obtain in connection with registering with the NRF 404. The GMLC 326 may transmit the PLR to the AMF 310 using the endpoints of the AMF 310 and the access token to obtain the location information of the UE 104.

[0102] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the NRF 404 may not validate the access token and may lead to an access token error. The access token error may be due to the NRF 404 rejecting an access token request transmitted by the GMLC 326. The GMLC 326 may detect the error based on an access token response received from the NRF 404. The GMLC 326 may assume that the NRF 404 may be unavailable to authorize the access token.

[0103] At step 5, if the GMLC 326 determines that the NRF 404 is unavailable, the GMLC 326 may acquire the endpoints of the AMF 310 using local configurations stored in the Local Configuration Database 406. The Local Configuration Database 406 may comprise details of the core network entities 202. The Local Configuration Database 406 may store registration details of the UE 104 obtained from the BS 102. The slice information of the UE 104 may be obtained using the NSSAI of the UE 104. The Local Configuration Database 406 may be a large database comprising theinformation about each core entity or the network function attached to the network 108. The GMLC 326 may query the Local Configuration Database 406 using at least one of the parameters of the query such as the SUPI, the PEI, the GPSI, or the NSSAI. The GMLC 326 may send an API request using either of the parameters to query the Local Configuration Database 406.

[0104] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the GMLC 326 may perform the direct communication with the Local Configuration Database 406. The GMLC 326 may query the Local Configuration Database 406 especially in scenarios where NRF 404 discovery might be slow or unreliable. However, determining the endpoints of the AMF 310 in the Local Configuration Database 406 is time consuming due to massive data availability and mapping the endpoints of the AMF 310 to the parameters of the query may be difficult. Although the procedure is time consuming, the GMLC 326 may succeed in finding the endpoints of the AMF 310 to forward the PLR. As the request from the LCS client 330 may arise mostly in emergency situations, the GMLC 326 may utilize the three-tier fallback mechanism to identify the suitable endpoints of the AMF 310 for transmitting the PLR to the AMF 310, even during the unavailability of the SCP 402 and the NRF 404.

[0105] At step 6, the GMLC 326 may transmit the PLR to the AMF 310 acquired using the local configuration to obtain the location information of the UE 104. The GMLC 326 may utilize the three-tier fallback mechanism for successful delivery of the PLR to the AMF 310. The AMF 310 may either invoke BS location reporting procedures towards the BS 102 or may perform paging to fetch the current location of the UE 104 and send the location information of the UE 104 to the GMLC 326 accordingly. If the AMF 310 fails to fetch the current location, the AMF 310 may send a last known location information of the UE 104 to the GMLC 326.

[0106] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of a method 500 for obtaining the endpoints of the target node using the fallback mechanism in the wireless communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 500 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by blocks 502 through 508.

[0107] At block 502, the processor 410 may transmit the PLR to the SCP 402 to obtain endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 and to forward the PLR to the endpoints of the target node. The target node may be the AMF 310.

[0108] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the processor 410 may determine whether the SCP 402 is available or unavailable to validate the PLR received from the GMLC 326, either prior to transmitting the PLR to the SCP 402 or after transmitting the PLR to the SCP 402. If the processor 410 may not receive any acknowledgement from the SCP 402, the processor 410 may determine that the SCP 402 is unavailable.

[0109] In some aspects of the present disclosure, if the SCP 402 is available, the SCP 402 may obtain, based on the PLR, the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 from the database 204. The database 204 may be the central repository associated with the NRF 404. The SCP 402 may forward the PLR to the target node to obtain the location of the UE 104.

[0110] At block 504, if the SCP 402 is unavailable, the processor 410 may transmit the discovery and access token request to the NRF 404 to obtain the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 and the access token.

[0111] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the processor 410 may determine whether the NRF 404 is available or unavailable to validate the discovery and access token request from the GMLC to obtain the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE and the access token.

[0112] In some aspects of the present disclosure, if the NRF 404 is available, the NRF 404 may validate the discovery and access token request received from the GMLC 326. The NRF 404 may transmit the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 and the access token to the GMLC 326. The GMLC 326 may transmit the PLR to the target node based on the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 and the access token received from the NRF 404. The1AMF 310 may validate the access token provided by the NRF 404 and provides the location information of the UE 104 to the GMLC 326.

[0113] At block 506, if the NRF 404 is unavailable, the processor 410 may acquire the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE 104 using local configurations. The local configurations may be stored in the Local Configuration Database 406.

[0114] At block 508, the processor 410 may transmit, based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the PLR to the target node associated with the UE 104 to obtain the location information of the UE 104. The AMF 310 may provide the location information of the UE 104 to the GMLC 326.

[0115] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing system 600 for obtaining the endpoints of the target node in the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0116] The computing system 600 includes a network 602, a network interface 604, a processor 606 (similar in functionality to the processor 410 of FIG. 4), an Input / Output (I / O) interface 608 (similar in functionality to the communication interface 408 of FIG. 4), and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium 610 (hereinafter may also be referred to as the “storage medium 610” or the “storage media 610”). The network interface 604 includes wireless network interfaces such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) or wired network interfaces such as Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-864 (IEEE-864).

[0117] The processor 606 may include various processing circuitry / modules and communicate with the storage medium 610 and the I / O interface 608. The processor 606 is configured to execute instructions stored in the storage medium 610 and to perform various processes. The processor 606 may include an intelligent hardware device including a general-purpose processor, such as, for example, and withoutlimitation, the CPU, the AP, the dedicated processor, or the like, the graphics-only processing unit such as the GPU, the microcontroller, the FPGA, the programmable logic device, the discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof. The processor 606 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions 610-1 stored in the storage medium 610 to cause the system 400 to perform various functions disclosed throughput the disclosure.

[0118] The storage medium 610 stores a set of instructions i.e., computer program instructions 610-1 (hereinafter may also be referred to as instructions 610-1) required by the processor 606 for controlling its overall operations. The storage media 610 may include an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a quantum storage medium, or the like. For example, the storage media 610 may include, but are not limited to, hard drives, floppy diskettes, optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, solid-state memory devices, or other types of physical media suitable for storing electronic instructions. In one or more embodiments, the storage media 610 includes a Compact Disk- Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), a Compact Disk- Read / Write (CD-R / W), and / or a Digital Video Disc (DVD). In one or more implementations, the storage medium 610 stores computer program code configured to cause the computing system 600 to perform at least a portion of the processes and / or methods disclosed herein throughput the disclosure.

[0119] Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the disclosure, and / or procedures, algorithms, steps, operations, formulae, or other computational depictions, which may also be implemented as computer program products. In this regard, each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and / or steps) in the flowchart, as well as any procedure, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or computational depiction can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and / or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be executed byone or more computer processors, including without limitation a general-purpose computer or special purpose computer, or other programmable processing apparatus to perform a group of operations comprising the operations or blocks described in connection with the disclosed method.

[0120] Further, these computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer- readable program code, may also be stored in one or more computer-readable memory or memory devices (for example, the memory 212 or the storage medium 610) that can direct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions 610-1 stored in the computer-readable memory or memory devices produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s).

[0121] It will further be appreciated that the term “computer program instructions” as used herein refer to one or more instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors (for example, the processor 410 or the processor 606) to perform one or more functions as described herein. The instructions 610-1 may also be stored remotely such as on a server, or all or a portion of the instructions can be stored locally and remotely.

[0122] Referring to the technical abilities and advantageous effect of the present disclosure, operational advantages that may be provided by embodiments disclosed herein may include utilizing the three-tier fallback mechanism for delivering the location request to the target node associated with location services. The utilization of the three-tier fallback mechanism may ensure successful delivery of the location request to the target node for obtaining the location information of the UE by preventing request failures due to resource limitations.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methodology described herein in the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein in the above disclosed embodiments without departing from essential characteristics and features of the present disclosure. The above-describedembodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0124] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0125] In the present disclosure, each of the embodiments has been described with reference to numerous specific details which may vary from embodiment to embodiment. The foregoing description of the specific embodiments disclosed herein may reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and is not limited in scope.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0126] The following list is provided for convenience and in support of the drawing figures and as part of the text of the specification, which describe innovations by reference to multiple items. Items not listed here may nonetheless be part of a given embodiment. For better legibility of the text, a given reference number is recited near some, but not all, recitations of the referenced item in the text. The same reference number may be used with reference to different examples or different instances of a given item. The list of reference numerals is:100 - Wireless communication network102 - Base Station (BS) or Radio Access Network (RAN)102-1 to 102-N - One or more BSs104 - User Equipment (UE)104-1 to 104-N -One or more UEs106-1 to 106-N - Coverage region108 - Network200 - System for obtaining endpoints of a target node202 - Core network entities / Core network entity204 - Database300 - Network architecture depicting the core network entities 202302 - User Plane Function (UPF)304 - Data Network (DN)306 - Network Exposure Function (NEF)308 - Binding Support Function (BSF)310 - Access and Mobility management Function (AMF)312 - Session Management Function (SMF)314 - Unified Data Management (UDM)316 - Policy Control Function (PCF)318 - Authentication Server Function (AUSF)320 - Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)322 - Fifth Generation-Equipment Identity Register (5G-EIR)324 - Short Message Service Function (SMSF)326 - Gateway Mobile Eocation Center (GMLC)328 - Location management function (LMF)330 - Location Services Client (LCS)332 - Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF)334 - Signalling Transfer Point (STP)336 - Charging Function-Protocol Converter (CHF-PC)338 - Diameter Routing Agent (DRA)400 - Communication system between the core network entities 202402 - Service Communication Proxy (SCP)404 - Network Repository Function (NRF)406 - Local Configuration Database408 - Communication Interface410 - Processor412 - Memory414 - One or more modules416 - Reception module418 - Transmission module420 - Processing module422 - Acquiring module500 - Method for obtaining the endpoints of the target node502-510 - Operation steps of the method 500600 - Block diagram of a computing system602 - Network604 - Network interface606 - Processor608 - Input / Output (I / O) interface610 - Non-transitory computer readable storage medium610-1 - Set of instructions

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method (500) for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism, the method (500) comprising: transmitting (502), by a transmission module (418), a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) (104) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available; transmitting (504), by the transmission module (418), a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable; acquiring (506), by an acquiring module (422), the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable; and transmitting (508), by the transmission module (418) based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE (104).

2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the communication proxy, upon receiving the location request, validates the location request and obtains the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) from a database (204), and the communication proxy forwards the location request to the endpoints of the target node to obtain the location information of the UE (104).

3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the repository function, upon receiving the discovery and the access token request, validates the discovery and the access token request, and the repository function transmits the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token.

4. The method (500) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: receiving, by a reception module (416) from the repository function, the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token; and transmitting, by the transmission module (418), the location request to the target node based on the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token.

5. A system (400) for obtaining endpoints of a target node using a fallback mechanism, the system (400) comprising: a transmission module (418) configured to: transmit a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to the endpoints of the target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) (104) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available; and transmit a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable; and an acquiring module (422) configured to acquire the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable, wherein the transmission module (418) configured to transmit, based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE (104).

6. The system (400) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication proxy, upon receiving the location request, validates the location request and obtains the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE from a database, and the communication proxy forwards the location request to the endpoints of the target node to obtain the location information of the UE (104).

7. The system (400) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the repository function, upon receiving the discovery and the access token request, validates the discovery and access token request, and the repository function transmits the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token.

8. The system (400) as claimed in claim 7, further comprises: a reception module (416) configured to receive, from the repository function, the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token, wherein the transmission module (418) is further configured to transmit the location request to the target node based on the endpoints of the target node associated with the UE (104) and the access token.

9. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and that, when executed by at least one processor performs operations comprising: transmitting a location request to a communication proxy to forward the location request to endpoints of a target node associated with a User Equipment (UE) (104) based on a determination that the communication proxy is available; transmitting a discovery and access token request to a repository function to obtain the endpoints of the target node and an access token based on a determination that the communication proxy is unavailable; acquiring the endpoints of the target node using local configurations based on a determination that the repository function is unavailable; and transmitting, based on the acquisition of the endpoints of the target node, the location request to the target node to obtain location information of the UE (104).

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