System and method for determining location of a customer premise equipment (CPE) within communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed is a system (300) a method (600) for determining a location of a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) (106) within a communication network (100). The method involves receiving, at a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node (242) from a fulfilment Management System (EMS) (304), a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE (106). Further, in response to the request, a location of the CPE (106) is monitored on a periodic basis. Furthermore, based on the monitoring a response including information of the location of the CPE (106) is transmitted to the FMS (304) from the GMLC node (242).

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF A CUSTOMER PREMISE EQUIPMENT (CPE) WITHIN COMMUNICATION NETWORKSTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of communication networks and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for determining location of ODCPE within a network.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 the advent of technological advancement in the field of telecommunications, several wireless technologies have been developed to meet growing number of broadband subscribers for providing better applications and services. As mobile and cellular communication networks experience growing data demands, there is a strong emphasis on achieving maximum throughput for users and ensuring uninterrupted service.

[0004] In modern telecommunications networks, managing a status of network elements is critical for efficient operations. Specifically, there is a need to determine the location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). For such determination, conventional network architecture is complex and requires much implementation efforts.

[0005] In light of the aforementioned challenges, there is a need for a solution that can address the issue related to the conventional network architecture and can determine the location of the CPE easily and efficiently with reduced implementation efforts.SUMMARY

[0006] 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.

[0007] In an embodiment, disclosed herein is a method for determining location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) within a communication network. The method comprises receiving, by a first service module in a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node, a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE from a Fulfilment Management System (FMS). Further, the method comprises monitoring, by the first service module, a location of the CPE on a periodic basis based on the request. Furthermore, the method comprises transmitting, by the first service module, a response including information of the location of the CPE to the FMS.

[0008] In an aspect, the method comprises receiving, by a second service module in the GMLC node, a location request for validation from the first service module. Furthermore, the method comprises transmitting, by the second service module upon completion of the validation, the location request received from the first service module to a third service module in the GMLC node for determining the location of the CPE.

[0009] In an aspect, the method comprises receiving, by the second service module from the third service module, data associated with the location of the CPE. Thelocation of the CPE is monitored through the second service module. Furthermore, the method comprises transmitting, by the second service module, the data associated with the location of the CPE to the first service module.

[0010] In an aspect, the method comprises determining, by the third service module, whether a network connection type associated with the CPE is a Fourth Generation (4G) network connection or a Fifth Generation (5G) network connection. Further, the method comprises routing, by the third service module, the location request to a fourth service module in the GMLC node upon the determination that the network connection type is the 5G network connection, or one of a fifth service module in the GMLC node or a sixth service module in the GMLC node upon the determination that the network connection type is the 4G network connection.

[0011] In an aspect, the method further comprises initiating, by the fourth service module, a PLR request towards an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node in the communication network. The method further comprises receiving, from the AMF node by the fourth service module, a PLR response to be transmitted to the second service module.

[0012] In one or more aspects, the first service module is a Gateway Mobile Location Centre Positioning Client (GMLC-PC), the second service module is a GMLC-LE, the third service module is a GMLC-NLS, the fourth service module is a GMLC-NLT, the fifth service module is a GMLC-SH, and the sixth service module is a GMLC-SLH.

[0013] In another aspect, the method comprises calculating, by the first service module, a location delta indicating a change in the location of the CPE based on the monitoring of the location of the CPE. Further, the method comprises generating, by the first service module, a notification that indicates the change in the location of the CPE. Furthermore, the method comprises transmitting, by the first service module, the notification to the FMS for managing resources of the communication network.

[0014] In another aspect, the one or more operations of the CPE comprise at least one of a location monitoring operation or a location determination operation for the CPE and the response further comprises the location delta indicating the change in the location of the CPE.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, disclosed is a system for determining a location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) within a communication network. The system comprises a Fulfilment Management System (FMS) and a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node comprising a first service module. The first service module is configured to receive a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE from the FMS. The first service module is further configured to monitor a location of the CPE on a periodic basis based on the request and transmit a response including information of the location of the CPE to the FMS.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] 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. 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.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example communication environment depicting a core network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating example components of the core network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram depicting an architecture of a system for determining a location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) within the communication environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system architecture of a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node of the core network for determining location of the CPE within the communication environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a line diagram depicting a flow of the method for determining the location of the CPE within communication environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart depicting the method for determining the location of CPE within the communication environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a method for monitoring the location of the CPE in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Aspects of the present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more example embodiments. The embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Rather, these descriptions are provided to ensure a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosed subject matter by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein may be modified, combined, or adapted without departing from the overall scope and intent of the invention.

[0025] 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.

[0026] The following description contains specific information pertaining to embodiments in the present disclosure. The detailed description uses the phrases “in some embodiments” or “some implementations” which may each refer to one or more or all of the same or different embodiments or implementations. The term “some” as used herein is defined as “one, or more than 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” or “in an implementation” refers to one embodiment or one implementation and the term, for example, “in one or more embodiments” refers to “at least one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments ”. Further, the term, for example, “in one or more implementations” refers to “at least one implementation, or more than one implementation, or all implementations.

[0027] 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.”

[0028] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, thatembodiments 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for determining location of a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) within a communication network. Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a novel architecture that can enable efficient oversight of CPE locations, streamlining system architecture, and reducing implementation complexity.

[0033] In the disclosure, various embodiments are described using terms used in some communication standards (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP),Extensible Radio Access Network (xRAN), and Open-Radio Access Network (O- RAN)), but these are merely examples for description. Various embodiments of the disclosure may also be easily modified and applied to other communication systems.

[0034] In order to facilitate an understanding of the disclosed invention, a number of terms are defined below.

[0035] The term “Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)” refers to a physical device located at a customer’s premises that connects to a communication network for access to data or telecommunication services. The CPE may include, but is not limited to, routers, gateways, modems, or fixed wireless access terminals, and may support 4G, 5G, beyond 5G, or 6G network connectivity.

[0036] The term “location request” or “location determination operation” refers to a request initiated by an authorized entity such as Fulfilment Management System (FMS) to determine a geographical or network-based location of a target device, such as the CPE.

[0037] The term “periodic location monitoring” refers to a process of repeatedly determining the location of the target device, such as the CPE, at regular time intervals or in response to defined triggers.

[0038] The term “Positioning Location Request (PLR) request” is a message sent from an entity in a core network such as Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) or a related LCS client entity in the core network to a network node (such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in 5G) to initiate a location determination procedure.

[0039] The term “PLR response” is the corresponding message returned by the network node containing the requested location information or an error cause.

[0040] The term “location delta” refers to a computed measure representing the change in the location of the device, such as the CPE, between two successivelocation observations. The location delta may be used to detect device movement and trigger relevant network management functions.

[0041] The term “network connection type” refers to the radio access technology currently used by a CPE or wireless device, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) (i.e., 4G) or NR (i.e., 5G). The connection type determines which service modules or procedures are invoked in the GMLC for location services, including use of the AMF in 5G or Mobility Management Entity (MME) in 4G.

[0042] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, discussed below, and the one or more embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates an example communication environment 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the communication environment 100 shown in FIG. 1 is provided by way of example only, and other configurations may be implemented without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the terms “communication environment 100” and “communication network 100” may be used interchangeably herein without implying any deviation in meaning.

[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the communication network 100 includes a core network 102 coupled with a plurality of nodes including base stations 104-1 through 104-N and configured to facilitate a secured communication among the plurality of nodes (collectively referred to as the “base stations 104”, and individually referred to as the “base station 104”, hereinafter).

[0045] The term “base station 104” may refer to any component (or collection of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network. Examples of thebase station 104 may include, but not limited to, a Transmit Point (TP), a Transmit- Receive Point (TRP), an Evolved Base Station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G / NR base station (gNB), a macrocell, a femtocell, a Wi-Fi Access Point (AP), or other wirelessly enabled devices. The base station 104 may also be referred to a node that provide wireless access to the network in accordance with wireless communication protocols, e.g., 5G / NR 3GPP New Radio interface / access (NR), LTE, LTE-A, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include, or otherwise cover, any technology (known or later developed) bearing same or similar characteristics as of the above-mentioned base station, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For the sake of convenience, the terms “base stations”, “gNBs”, and “nodes” are used interchangeably in the present disclosure to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access to remote terminals.

[0046] The base 104 provides wireless broadband access to the network for one or more network devices 106-1 through 106-n (collectively referred to as “network devices 106”) within a serving region of the base station 104. The network devices 106 may be wired or wireless. Examples of the network devices 106 may include, but not limited to, Outdoor Customer Premise Equipment (ODCPE), an Indoor Customer Premise Equipment (IDCPE), and the like. In some embodiments, the base station 104 may communicate with each other and with the network devices 106 using a communication technique, such as a 5th Generation 5G / New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), or other wireless communication techniques.

[0047] Further, depending on the network connection type, the term “network device 106” may refer to any component such as “mobile station,” “subscriber station,” “remote terminal,” “wireless terminal,” “receiver terminal”. In a nonlimiting example, the “device” in this disclosure wirelessly accesses the base stations (i.e., gNBs 104). In a non-limiting example, the CPE disclosed herein may correspond to the ODCPE or IDCPE which is designed to transmit, receive, orprocess wireless signals for communication purposes, typically utilizing radio frequency technology, and may include components such as antennas, transmitters, receivers, and processors. The term “CPE” or “ODCPE” are used interchangeably throughout the disclosure without any deviation from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0048] In an embodiment, each of the network devices 106 is communicatively coupled with one or more user devices 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, 108-4, through 108-(N- 1), 108-N (collectively referred to as the “user devices 108”, and individually referred to as the “user device 108”, hereinafter) directly or via a fixed wireless device (for example, a router) connected with the network device 106. The User device 108 may correspond to, but is not limited to, any of mobile devices, tablets, or portable devices utilized by subscribers or users to access services provided by the core network 102. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the network device 106, when installed in the premises of a user (i.e., a customer of network service(s) rendered through the communication network 100), may also be referred to as the Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) 106.

[0049] In one aspect, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the one or more user devices 108 associated with the plurality of base stations 104 (i.e., gNBs 104 or nodes 104). In another aspect, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the one or more user devices 108 associated with the same base station 104.

[0050] In one embodiment, the core network 102 may effectively establish a secured communication between the user device 108-1 and the user device 108-2 or the CPE 106-1 and the CPE 106-2, where the user device 108-1 or the CPE 106-1 and user device 108-2 or the CPE 106-2 both are coupled with the base station 104- 1. In another embodiment, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the user device 108-2 or the CPE 106-2 and the user device 108-N or the CPE 106-n with equal effectiveness, where the user device 108-2 orthe CPE 106-2 is coupled with the base station 104-2 and the user device 108-N or the CPE 106-n is coupled with the base station 104-N.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, the core network 102 (also, referred to as network 102, herein) may be configured as an application server and may be communicably operational or may be integrated with the CPE 106 via a network coupled with a server. The core network 102 may pertain to 5G service-based architecture and may be configured to interconnect distinct networks associated with the architecture. Therefore, the core network 102 may provide a path for the exchange of information between one or more of the networks, and corresponding subnetworks.

[0052] Although FIG. 1 illustrates one example of the communication environment 100, various changes may be made to FIG. 1. For example, the communication environment 100 may include any number of nodes and user devices in any suitable arrangement, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, various components in FIG. 1 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted and additional components may be added according to particular needs.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating example components of the core network 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication system, the core network 102 connects a User Equipment (UE) 201 (cumulatively or individually referred to as “user device 108” or “CPE 106”) to a Radio Access Network (RAN) 236 i.e., the base station 104 or the gNB 104 configured to communicate with an AMF 202 (also referred to as an “AMF node 202”), a Unified Data Management (UDM) function 210, a Network Exposure Function (NEF) 226, and a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) 242 (also referred to as “GMLC node 242”).

[0054] Further, the core network 102 includes a Policy Control Function (PCF) 204, an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) 206, an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 208, a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) 212, a Short Message Service Function (SMSF) 214, a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 216, a SessionManagement Function (SMF) 220, a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 222, Charging Function-Protocol Converter (CHF -PC) 224, a Signaling Transfer Point (STP) 228, a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) 230, a Binding Support Function (BSF) 232, a User Plane Function (UPF) 238, a Data Network (DN) 240, a Location Management Function (LMF) 244, and a Location Services (LCS) client 246.

[0055] The components depicted in FIG. 2 may be implemented as dedicated hardware components or as virtualized functions implemented on top of a common shared physical infrastructure using Software-Defined Networking (SDN). For example, an SDN controller may implement one or more of the components of FIG. 2 using an adapter implementing a Virtual Network Function (VNF) virtual machine, an event driven serverless architecture interface, and / or another type of SDN architecture.

[0056] The AMF node 202 refers to a core network element in the 5G system architecture capable of performing registration management, connection management, reachability management, mobility management, lawful intercepts, SMS transport between the one or more UEs 201 and SMSF 214, session management messages transport between the one or more UEs 201 and the SMF 220, access authentication and authorization, location services management, functionality to support non-3GPP access networks, and / or other types of management processes. In the context of location services, the AMF node 202 plays a key role in receiving PLR requests and coordinating retrieval of location information from RAN or UE sources.

[0057] The PCF 204 is a network node capable of supporting policies to control network behavior, provide policy rules to control plane functions (e.g., to the SMF 220), access subscription information relevant to policy decisions, perform policy decisions, and / or perform other types of processes associated with policy enforcement.

[0058] The EIR 206 may correspond to an independent network component that may help telecom operators in protecting the telecom networks. The EIR 206 can aid in protecting a network by providing a mechanism to restrict malicious user terminals or devices in the network. The AUSF 208 may be a network element that is capable of performing authentication. The UDM 210 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining subscription information for UE devices 106, manage subscriptions, generate authentication credentials, handle user identification, perform access authorization based on subscription data, perform network function registration management, maintain service and / or session continuity by maintaining assignment of the SMF 220 for ongoing sessions, support SMS delivery, support lawful intercept functionality, and / or perform other processes associated with managing user data.

[0059] The SPR 212 corresponds to a centralized repository for storing subscriber profile information, service entitlements, and policy rules within the network. The SMSF 214 may be a network element that is capable of performing SMS services for the UE devices 106. The NSSF 216 includes one or more devices that select network slice instances for the UE devices 106. By providing network slicing, the NSSF 216 allows an operator to deploy multiple substantially independent end-to- end networks potentially with the same infrastructure.

[0060] The SMF 220 may be a network element that is capable of performing session establishment, session modification, and / or session release, perform IP address allocation and management, perform Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) functions, perform selection and control of the UPF 238, configure traffic steering at the UPF 238 to guide the traffic to the correct destinations, terminate interfaces toward the PCF 204, perform lawful intercepts, charge data collection, support charging interfaces, control and coordinate of charging data collection, terminate session management parts of NAS messages, perform downlink data notification, manage roaming functionality, and / or perform other types of control plane processes for managing user plane data.

[0061] The NWDAF 222 may be a network element that is capable of collecting analytics information associated with RAN and / or the core network 102. The CHF- PC 224 may be a network element that is capable of controlling and managing charging-related operations within the network. The CHF -PC 224 coordinates communication between a CHF, the PCF 204, and session management entities to ensure accurate and timely charging of subscriber services. The CHF PC 224 resides at the edge of the 4G and 5G networks. The CHF-PC 224 acts as a protocol converter for interactions with the existing 4G network diameter protocol-based online charging system to convert an HTTP / 2 message received from SMF and PCF in 5G network, to diameter messages before forwarding them to the online charging system and vice versa. The CHF-PC 224 has a highly scalable cluster which supports conversion for credit control (Gy / N40) and spending limit information (Sy / N28) exchange.

[0062] The NEF 226 may be a network element that is capable of exposing capabilities and events to other NFs, including third party NFs, AFs, edge computing NFs, and / or other types of NFs.

[0063] The STP 228 may be a node or a network element configured to route signaling messages based a destination point code in the core network 102. Specifically, the STP 228 acts a router that relays network messages between signaling end points and other STPs in the core network 102.

[0064] The DRA 230 may be configured as a centralized diameter routing point, ensuring that diameter messages are directed to appropriate network elements (e.g., PCF 204, SMF 220, CHF-PC 224, BSF 232). The DRA 230 may further be configured for load balancing and ability to route traffic based on specific fields or policies, enhancing the efficiency of network operations.

[0065] The BSF 232 may be a network element that is capable of managing session bindings and subscriber contexts within the core network 102. The UPF 238 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining an anchor point for intra / inter-RAT mobility, maintain an external Packet Data Unit (PDU) point of interconnect to theDN 240, perform packet routing and forwarding, perform the user plane part of policy rule enforcement, perform packet inspection, perform lawful intercept, perform traffic usage reporting, perform QoS handling in the user plane, perform uplink traffic verification, perform transport level packet marking, perform downlink packet buffering, forward an “end marker” to the RAN 236 (e.g., gNB), and / or perform other types of user plane processes.

[0066] The GMLC node 242 refers to a network entity that acts as an interface between external Location-based Services (LBS) clients and a mobile network, and is responsible for managing location requests and obtaining the location of a target device. The GMLC node 242 is configured to provide location-based services within the 5G core network. The GMLC node 242 facilitates retrieval of mobile device location information, enabling services such as emergency call routing, locationbased advertising, and asset tracking. The GMLC node 242 may interface with network elements to provide accurate location data while ensuring user privacy and compliance with regulatory requirements. Further, the GMLC node 242 may perform authorization, routing, and coordination of location services across various network nodes, for example, the AMF node 202 (in 5G).

[0067] The LMF 244 may be a network element that is capable of managing subscriber location information within the core network 102. The LMF 244 may track the current location of mobile devices, handles location updates, and supports mobility management functions such as handover and roaming. The LMF 244 may interface with network elements such as the RAN 236, the AMF 202, and locationbased service platforms to ensure seamless mobility management and locationbased service provisioning for the subscribers.

[0068] The LCS client 246 may be a network element that is capable of enabling provisions of location-based functionalities and applications within the core network 102. The LCS client 246 may interface with application servers, service platforms, and subscriber devices to deliver personalized and context-aware location-based experiences.

[0069] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of core network 102, in other implementations, the core network 102 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the core network 102 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the core network 102.

[0070] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram depicting an architecture of a system 300 for determining the location of the CPE 106 within the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the communication system 300 as shown in FIG. 3 is for illustration only. However, the communication system 300 may come in a wide variety of configurations, and FIG. 3 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to any particular implementation of the communication system 300.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 3, the system 300 includes the AMF 202, the UDM 210, the NEF 226, the GMLC node 242, a Lawfully Interception Management (LIM) module 302, and a Fulfillment Management System (FMS) 304.

[0072] The LIM module 302 corresponds to a control module capable of interfacing with one or more location services infrastructure to ensure compliance with regulatory obligations when processing a user-initiated location request. The LIM module 302 is communicatively connected to the GMLC node 242 and is functionally integrated with a service module (GMLC-LE) (described below) of the GMLC node 242.

[0073] The FMS 304 refers to a backend enterprise system responsible for managing provisioning, activation, and configuration workflows for devices and services within the communication network 100. In the context of location-based operations, the FMS 304 may issue location monitoring or tracking requests for CPE devices (i.e., CPE 106) to the GMLC node 242.

[0074] The GMLC node 242 includes multiple service modules, such as GMLC-LE 306, Gateway Mobile Location Centre Positioning Client (GMLC-PC) 308, GMLC- NLF 310, GMLC-NLT 312, and GMLC-NLS 314. All the modules of GMLC node 242 are communicatively coupled with each other. The GMLC node 242 is communicatively coupled with the AMF node 202, the UDM 210, and the NEF 226 via NLt, NLs, and Nlf interfaces within the core network 102. As shown in FIG. 3, the NLt refers to an interface between the GMLC node 242 and AMF node 202. The NLs refers to an interface between the GMLC node 242 and the UDM 210. The NLf refers to an interface between the GMLC node 242 and the NEF 226.

[0075] In the GMLC node 242 architecture, a newly introduced interface by GMLC named "GMLC-PC" facilitates the provision of various monitoring services by GMLC servers.

[0076] The GMLC-PC 308 is a microservice or a client-facing service module within the GMLC node 242 that is responsible for handling incoming positioning requests from external systems such as the FMS 304 and initiate internal processing of such requests. When a request corresponding to determination of location information of the CPE 106 is received at the GMLC node 242 from the FMS 304, the GMLC-PC 308 starts monitoring the location of the CPE 106 on a periodic basis. Further, the GMLC-PC 308 sends a location request for validation to the GMLC- LE 306.

[0077] Further, the GMLC-PC 308 calculates a location delta indicating a change in the location of the CPE 106 based on the monitoring of the location of the CPE 106 and generates a notification that indicates the change in the location of the CPE 106. Furthermore, the GMLC-PC 308 transmits the generated notification to the FMS for managing resources of the communication network 100.

[0078] The GMLC-LE 306 is a microservice that is responsible for receiving location requests from external clients or the LIM 302 for validating and managing the incoming location requests, and coordinating with other service modules for location determination and reporting. When the GMLC-LE 306 receives thelocation request for the validation from the GMLC-APC 308 via the LIM 302, the GMLC-LE 306 may also calculate location delta, if any location change of the CPE 106 is detected, and notifies the calculated location delta to the FMS 304.

[0079] In an embodiment, the GMLC-LE 306 forwards the location request after the validation to the GMLC-NLS 314 of the GMLC node 242 for determining the location of the CPE 106. In response, the GMLC-LE 306 receives data associated with the determined location of the CPE 106 from the GMLC-NLS 314. Further, the location of the CPE 106 may be monitored by the GMLC-PC 308 through the GMLC-LE 306, and the GMLC-LE 306 may transmit the data associated with the determined location of the CPE 106 to the GMLC-PC 308 based on the monitoring.

[0080] The GMLC-NLF 310 is a microservice or a service module within the GMLC node 242 responsible for receiving the location requests from the NEF 226 or the FMS 304.

[0081] The GMLC-NLS 314 is a service module or a microservice that interprets the validated location request and determines appropriate routing based on network technology (for example, 4G / 5G / beyond 5G, etc.). The GMLC-NLS 314 determines whether the network connection type associated with the CPE 106 is a Fourth Generation (4G) network connection or a Fifth Generation (5G) network connection i.e., determines whether the customer is using the 4G or the 5G and delegates the location request accordingly to 4G or 5G flows. If the customer is using 5G, the location request is forwarded or routed to the GMLC-NLT 312 of the GMLC node, otherwise, the location request is forwarded to an SH interface (i.e., an interface between the GMLC node 242 and a Home Subscriber Server (HSS)) or a SLH interface (i.e., an interface between the GMLC node 242 and the HSS typically used for routing location information. For instance, the GMLC-NLS 314 determines a subscriber type (4G or 5G). For 5G subscribers, the GMLC-NLS 314 retrieves the location information from serving AMF 202 via the GMLC-NLT 312. For 4G subscribers, the GMLC-NLS 314 delegates the location request to one of the GMLC-SH or the GMLC-SLH (described below with reference to FIG. 4).

[0082] The GMLC-NLT 312 is a microservice or a service module responsible for handling location determination request received from the GMLC-NLS 314. If the subscriber is determined as 5G by the GMLC-NLS 314, the location request may be delegated the GMLC-NLT 312 and the GMLC-NLT 312 forwards the delegated location request to the AMF 202 for retrieval of the location information of the CPE 106. In an embodiment, the GMLC-NLT 312 initiates the PLR request towards the AMF node 202 and sends the response of the PLR request back to the GMLC-LE 306.

[0083] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system architecture of the GMLC node 242 of the core network 102 for determining the location of the CPE 106 within the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the system architecture of the GMLC node 242 as shown in FIG. 4 is for illustration only. However, the GMLC node 242 may come in a wide variety of configurations, and FIG. 4 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to any particular system architecture of the GMLC node 242.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 4, the GMLC node 242 includes one or more processors 410 (hereinafter also referred to as “processor 410”), a memory 420, service module(s) 430, and a communication unit 440. These components may be in electronic communication via one or more buses (e.g., communication bus 450).

[0085] The one or more components of the GMLC node 242 are communicatively coupled with the processor 410 (described below) to perform operations for determining the location of the CPE 106 in the communication network 100. The processor 410 may include various processing circuitry and configured to execute programs or computer readable instructions stored in the memory 420. The processor 410 may also 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 microcontroller, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any combinationthereof. In some cases, the processor 410 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some cases, a memory controller may be integrated into the processor 410. The processor 410 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 420) to cause the GMLC node 242 to perform various functions (e.g., receiving the request corresponding to the one or more operations of the CPE 106 from the FMS 304, monitoring the location of the CPE 106 on the periodic basis, transmitting the response including the information of the location of the CPE 106 to the FMS 304, etc.).

[0086] The memory 420 is communicatively coupled to the processor 410. A part of the memory 420 may include a RAM, and another part of the memory 420 may include a flash memory or other ROM. The memory 420 is configured to store a set of instructions required by the processor 410 for controlling overall operations of the PCF 204. The memory 420 may include non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements may include magnetic hard discs, optical discs, floppy discs, flash memories, or forms of electrically programmable memories (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable (EEPROM) memories. In addition, the memory 420 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 that the memory 420 is non-movable. In some examples, the memory 420 can 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 420 can be an internal storage unit or it can be an external storage unit of the GMLC node 242, cloud storage, or any other type of external storage.

[0087] More specifically, the memory 420 may store computer-readable instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., the processor 410) cause the GMLC node 242 to perform various functions described herein. In some cases, the memory 420 may contain, among other things, a BIOSwhich may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0088] In one or more embodiments, the service module(s) 430 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the GMLC node 242. In non-limiting examples, described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the service module(s) 430 may be processorexecutable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor 410 may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the service module(s) 430. In such examples, the GMLC node 242 may also comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the GMLC node 242 and the processing resource. In other examples, the service module(s) 430 may be implemented using an electronic circuitry.

[0089] In one or more embodiments, the service module(s) 430 may include one or more units / modules selected from any of, the GMLC-PC 308 (interchangeably referred to as a “first service module 308”), the GMLC-LE 306 (interchangeably referred to as a “second service module 306”), the GMLC-NLF 310, the GMLC- NLS 314 (interchangeably referred to as a “third service module 314”), the GMLC- NLT 312 (interchangeably referred to as a “fourth service module 312”), a GMLC- SH 316 (interchangeably referred to as a “fifth service module 316”), and a GMLC- SLH 318 (interchangeably referred to as a “sixth service module 318”).

[0090] It should be noted that some of the serving module(s) such as GMLC-PC 308, the GMLC-LE 306, the GMLC-NLF 310, the GMLC-NLS 314, and the GMLC-NLT 312 as shown in FIG. 4 is similar to that of the FIG. 3 described above.Therefore, a detailed description of the same is omitted herein for the sake of brevity of the present disclosure.

[0091] The GMLC-SH 316 refers to a service module or a microservice component implemented within the GMLC node 242 to process and manage location requests associated with the UEs operating in an LTE communication network. For instance, the GMLC-SH 316 determines a serving MME in the LTE communication network by sending a User Data request (UDR) over the SH interface.

[0092] The GMLC-SLH 318 refers to a functional module or a service module within the GMLC node 242 that determines the serving MME in the LTE communication network by sending a Routing Information Request (RIR) over the SLH interface.

[0093] The communication unit 440 includes an electronic circuit specific to a standard that enables wired or wireless communication. The communication unit 440 is configured to communicate internally between internal hardware components and with external devices via one or more networks. The communication unit 440 may be configured to enable the GMLC node 242 to communicate with various entities of the communication network 100 (such as UEs, nodes, and components of the core network 102 and in some scenarios external user device) through backhaul connection (e.g. wired backhaul or wireless backhaul) or a network. Examples of the communication unit 440 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 tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a coder-decoder (CODEC) chipset, and a local buffer circuit. It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the communication unit 440 may include any device and / or apparatus capable of providing wireless or wired communications between the GMLC node 242 and various other entities of the communication network 100.

[0094] Although FIG. 4 illustrates one example of the system architecture of the GMLC node 242, various changes may be made to FIG. 4. Further, the GMLC node 242 may include any number of components in addition to those shown in FIG. 4, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, various components in FIG. 4 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to particular needs.

[0095] FIG. 5 illustrates a line diagram 500 depicting a process flow for determining the location of CPE 106 within the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The line diagram 500 comprises a series of operation steps 1 through 14.

[0096] At step 1, the GLMC-PC 308 transmits a location request to the GMLC node 242. The location request is associated with the CPE 106 such as the ODCPE or the IDCPE. In an implementation, the request may include provisioning, deprovisioning, activation, deactivation, and Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD) operations for CPE information.

[0097] At step 2, the GLMC node 242 transmits Nudm_UECM_Get signal to the UDM 210. In response to the Nudm_UECM_Get signal, the UDM 210 sends Nudm_UECM_Get Response to the GLMC node 242, at step 3. The Nudm_UECM_Get signal / Nudm_UECM_Get Response refers to a message that is a part of UE context management service between the GLMC node 242 and the UDM 210, where the Nudm_UECM_Get is used to retrieve UE -related context (e.g., CPE related context such as access type, serving PLMN, mobility state) from the UDM 210.

[0098] At step 4, the GLMC node 242 transmits Namf_Location_ProvidePositioningInfo request to the AMF node 202. Such request is transmitted based on the Nudm_UECM_Get Response. The Namf_Location_ProvidePositioningInfo request refers to a request sent by the GLMC node 242 the AMF node 202 to request the positioning information. Such request may include the target UE identity (such as the CPE identity), requestedlocation method, and service type. Further, this request may be triggered after obtaining the UE context from the UDM 210.

[0099] At step 5, the AMF node may determine whether the CPE 106 is in CM_IDLE_Paging Procedure to be used. If a result of the determination at the step 5 is yes, the AMF node 202 transmits Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation Request to the LMF 244, at step 6. In particular, the CM_IDLE_Paging Procedure Check refers to an internal decision taken by the AMF node 202 to check whether the UE (such as the CPE 106) is in CM-IDLE or CM-CONNECTED state. If it is determined that the UE is in CM-IDLE state, paging is required to trigger the UE response for location procedure. Further, the Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation Request refers to a request sent by the AMF node 202 to the LMF 244 requesting to initiate a positioning session. This request may include information related to UE identity, location method (e.g., OTDOA, GNSS), and QoS requirements.

[0100] At step 7, the LMF 244 transmits Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation transfer message to the AMF node 202. The Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation Transfer refers to a command used by the LMF 244 to send auxiliary or intermediate location information to the AMF node 202, for example, RAN assistance data.

[0101] At step 8, the AMF node 202 transmits N2 transport network positioning message to the NG-RAN 236. The N2 transport positioning message refers to positioning-related control messages sent by the AMF node 202 to the NG-RAN 236 via N2 interface.

[0102] At step 9, the NG-RAN 236 collects the location measurements (i.e., raw data for determining the location of the CPE 106 from the devices connected to it and calculates the position of the CPE 106.

[0103] At step 10, the NG-RAN 236 transmits N2 transport response to the AMF node 202. The N2 transport response refers to a message including the measurement results or location estimate sent by the NG-RAN 236 back to the AMF node 202.

[0104] Further, at step 11, the AMF node 202 transmits Namf_Communication_N2InforNotify signal to the LMF 244 to notify that the location measurements have been received at the AMF node 202. Specifically, the Namf_Communication_N2InfoNotify refers to a notification signal transmitted by the AMF node 202 to the LMF 244 about reception of the location information from the NG-RAN 236.

[0105] At step 12, the LMF 244 transmits Nlmf Location DetermineLocation Response to the AMF node 202 in response to the Namf_Communication_N2InforNotify signal. TheNlmf Location DetermineLocation Response refers to a response sent from the LMF 244 to the AMF node in order to indicate final location positioning result to the AMF node 202. The Nlmf Location DetermineLocation Response may include calculated location coordinates of the CPE 106 and confidence level and timestamp associated with the location coordinates of the CPE 106.

[0106] At step 13, AMF 202 sends Namf Location ProvidePositioninglnfo Response to the GMLC node 242 including the location information along with the location coordinates of the CPE 106. The Namf Location ProvidePositioninglnfo Response corresponds to a message including precise location coordinates of the CPE 106 sent by the AMF node 202 to an external network function, such as the GMLC node 242. Further, the GMLC node 242 provides the location response to the GMLC-PC 308 based on the message received from the AMF node 202.

[0107] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method 600 for determining the location of the CPE 106 within the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 600 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by blocks 602 through 610. The method 600 starts at block 602. The method 600 described herein is a process executed by the processor 410 utilizing the service modules(s) 430 to determining the location of the CPE 106 in the communication network 100.1

[0108] At block 602, the GMLC-PC 308 receives a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE 106 from the FMS 304. The one or more operations of the CPE 106 comprise a location monitoring operation or a location determination operation (i.e., location request) for the CPE 106.

[0109] At block 604, the GMLC-PC 308 monitors the location of the CPE 106 on a periodic basis based on the request. The location is monitored through the GMLC- LE 306.

[0110] At block 606, the GMLC-PC 308 calculates the location delta indicating a change in the location of the CPE 106. The location delta may be calculated based on the monitoring of the location of the CPE 106.

[0111] At block 608, the GMLC-PC 308 generates the notification indicating the change in the location of the CPE 106, based on the location delta.

[0112] At block 610, the GMLC-PC 308 transmits the notification to the FMS 304 for managing the resources of the communication network 100.

[0113] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a method 700 for monitoring the location of the CPE 106 in the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 700 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by blocks 702 through 712. The method 700 starts at block 702.

[0114] At block 702, the GMLC-PC 308 sends the location request to the GMLC- LE for validation.

[0115] At block 704, the GMLC-LE 306 transmits the location request received from the GMLC-PC 308 to the GMLC-NLS for determining the location of the CPE 106.

[0116] At block 706, the GMLC-NLS 306 determines whether the network connection type associated with the CPE 106 is the 4G network connection or the5G network connection. If a result of the determination at the block 608 indicates that the network connection type is 5G, then the GMLC-NLS 306 routes the location request to the GMLC-NLT 312 for location retrieval, at block 708. Further, if the result of the determination at the block 706 indicates that the network connection type is 4G, then the GMLC-NLS 306 routes the location request to the GMLC-SH 316 or the GMLC-SLH 318 for the location retrieval, at the block 710.

[0117] Furthermore, at block 712, the GMLC-NLS 306 transmits the retrieved location information to the GMLC-PC 308 via the GMLC-LE 306.

[0118] Embodiments of the present technology may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the technology, 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 by one 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 methods.

[0119] 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 420) that can direct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions 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).

[0120] 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) to perform one or more functions as described herein. The instructions may also be stored remotely such as on a server, or all or a portion of the instructions can be stored locally and remotely.

[0121] One or more embodiments disclosed herein may provide one or more technical advantages and other advantages. The system architecture as disclosed herein utilizes the Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) infrastructure in combination with additional service modules which enables efficient oversight and determination of the CPE location information. The system architecture of the GMLC as disclosed above is streamlined by logically separating microservices (i.e., service modules) such as the GMLC-PC, the GMLC-LE, the GMLC-NLF, the GMLC-NLS, and the GMLC-NLT. Such an arrangement reduces implementation complexity and allows for efficient deployment across diverse network environments.

[0122] The design of the GMLC node as disclosed above further allows each service module to perform dedicated functions, thereby enabling scalability, simplified maintenance, and efficient reuse of network resources. For instance, the GMLC- NLS performs access-type detection and routing logic, while the GMLC-NLT facilitates PLR messaging towards the AMF node. This modularization enables independent scaling and upgrading of location-related services without affecting overall system behavior.

[0123] In an embodiment, the system supports periodic monitoring of the CPE location and computes the location delta value indicative of the change in the position of the CPE 106. This allows proactive detection of mobility events and supports dynamic reconfiguration or orchestration of network resources by external systems such as the FMS.

[0124] The system architecture of the GMLC as disclosed herein is further adapted to handle network-type-specific routing logic. Upon detection that the CPE 106 isconnected to the 5G network, the location request is routed to the GMLC-NLT microservice, whereas for the 4G network connections, the request is routed to the GMLC-SH microservice or the GMLC-SLH microservice. This access-aware management ensures efficient resource utilization and accurate location determination of the CPE 106.

[0125] 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 invention. The above-described embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0126] 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.

[0127] 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

[0001] 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 - Communication environment / communication network102 - Core network104-1 through 104-N - Nodes / Node106-1 through 106-(N-l), 106-N - Network devices108-1 through 108-(N-l), 108-N - User devices / User Equipment (UEs)202 - Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)204 - Policy Control Function (PCF)206 - Equipment Identity Register (EIR)208 - Authentication Server Function (AUSF)210 - Unified Data Management (UDM) function212 - Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR)214 - Short Message Service Function (SMSF)216 - Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)220 - Session Management Function (SMF)222 - Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF)224 - Charging Function-Protocol Converter (CHF-PC)226 - Network Exposure Function (NEF)228 - Signaling Transfer Point (STP)230 - Diameter Routing Agent (DRA)232 - Binding Support Function (BSF)236 -Radio Access Network (RAN)238 - User Plane Function (UPF)240 - Data Network (DN)242 - Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) Node244 - Location Management Function (LMF)246 - Location Services (LCS) client300 - System architecture for determining the location of CPE within the communication network302 - Lawfully Intercepted Management (LIM)304 - Fulfillment Management System (FMS)306 - GMLC-LE308 - GMLC Positioning Client (GMLC-PC)310 - GMLC-NLF312 - GMLC-NLT314 - GMLC-NLS316 - GMLC-SH318 - GMLC-SLH410 - Processor420 - Memory430 - Service module(s)440 - Communication Unit450 - Communication Bus500 - Process flow for determining the location of CPE within the communication network600 - Method 600 for determining the location of the CPE within the communication network

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method (600) for determining location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) (106) within a communication network (100), the method comprising: receiving, by a first service module in a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node (242), a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE (106) from a Fulfilment Management System (FMS) (304); monitoring, by the first service module, a location of the CPE (106) on a periodic basis based on the request; and transmitting, by the first service module, a response including information of the location of the CPE (106) to the FMS (304).

2. The method (600) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by a second service module in the GMLC node (242), a location request for validation from the first service module; and transmitting, by the second service module upon completion of the validation, the location request received from the first service module to a third service module in the GMLC node (242) for determining the location of the CPE (106).

3. The method (600) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: receiving, by the second service module from the third service module, data associated with the location of the CPE (106), wherein the location of the CPE (106) is monitored through the second service module; and transmitting, by the second service module, the data associated with the location of the CPE (106) to the first service module.

4. The method (600) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: determining, by the third service module, whether a network connection type associated with the CPE (106) is a Fourth Generation (4G) network connection or a Fifth Generation (5G) network connection; and routing, by the third service module, the location request toa fourth service module in the GMLC node (242) upon the determination that the network connection type is the 5G network connection, or one of a fifth service module in the GMLC node (242) or a sixth service module in the GMLC node (242) upon the determination that the network connection type is the 4G network connection.

5. The method (600) as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: initiating, by the fourth service module, a PLR request towards an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node (202) in the communication network (100); and receiving, from the AMF node (202) by the fourth service module, a PLR response to be transmitted to the second service module.

6. The method (600) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first service module is a Gateway Mobile Location Centre Positioning Client (GMLC-PC) (308), the second service module is a GMLC-LE (306), the third service module is a GMLC-NLS (314), the fourth service module is a GMLC-NLT (312), the fifth service module is a GMLC-SH (316), and the sixth service module is a GMLC-SLH (318).

7. The method (600) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: calculating, by the first service module, a location delta indicating a change in the location of the CPE (106) based on the monitoring of the location of the CPE (106); generating, by the first service module, a notification that indicates the change in the location of the CPE (106); and transmitting, by the first service module, the notification to the FMS (304) for managing resources of the communication network (100).

8. The method (600) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more operations of the CPE (106) comprise at least one of a location monitoring operation or a location determination operation for the CPE (106), and the response further comprises the location delta indicating the change in the location of the CPE (106).

9. A system (300) for determining a location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) (106) within a communication network (100), the system (300) comprising: a Fulfilment Management System (FMS) (304); and a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node (242) comprising a first service module configured to: receive a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE (106) from the FMS (304); monitor a location of the CPE (106) on a periodic basis based on the request; and transmit a response including information of the location of the CPE (106) to the FMS (304).

10. The system (300) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the GMLC node (242) further comprises a second service module and a third service module, wherein the second service module is configured to: receive a location request for validation from the first service module; and transmit, upon completion of the validation, the location request received from the first service module to the third service module for determining the location of the CPE (106).

11. The system (300) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second service module is further configured to: receive, from the third service module, data associated with the location of the CPE (106), wherein the location of the CPE (106) is monitored through the second service module; andtransmit the data associated with the location of the CPE (106) to the first service module.

12. The system (300) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the GMLC node (242) further comprises a fourth service module, a fifth service module, and a sixth service module, wherein the third service module is configured to: determine whether a network connection type associated with the CPE (106) is a Fourth Generation (4G) network connection or a Fifth Generation (5G) network connection; and route the location request to the fourth service module upon the determination that the network connection type is the 5G network connection, or one of the fifth service module or the sixth service module upon the determination that the network connection type is the 4G network connection.

13. The system (300) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fourth service module is configured to: initiate a PLR request towards an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node (202) in the communication network (100); and receive, from the AMF node (202), a PLR response to be transmitted to the second service module.

14. The system (300) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first service module is a Gateway Mobile Location Centre Positioning Client (GMLC-PC) (308), the second service module is a GMLC-LE (306), the third service module is a GMLC-NLS (314), the fourth service module is a GMLC-NLT (312), the fifth service module is a GMLC-SH (316), and the sixth service module is a GMLC-SLH (318).

15. The system (300) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first service module is further configured to: calculate a location delta indicating a change in the location of the CPE (106) based on the monitoring of the location of the CPE (106); generate a notification that indicates the change in the location of the CPE (106); and transmit the notification to the FMS (304) for managing resources of the communication network (100).

16. The system (300) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more operations of the CPE (106) comprise at least one of a location monitoring operation or a location determination operation for the CPE (106), and the response further comprises the location delta indicating the change in the location of the CPE (106).

17. A computer-program product for determining location of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) (106) within a communication network (100), the computerprogram 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: receiving, at a first service module in a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) node (242), a request corresponding to one or more operations of the CPE (106) from a Fulfilment Management System (FMS) (304); monitoring, at the first service module, a location of the CPE (106) on a periodic basis based on the request; and transmitting a response including information of the location of the CPE (106) from the first service module to the FMS (304).

Images