System and method for determining location of a target device in a communication network

Abstract

Disclosed is a method (500) for determining a location of a target device in a communication network (100). The method comprises receiving a determine location request from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (202) for determining location of the target device and initiating a measurement request for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters. Based on receiving value of at least one positioning parameter received among the plurality of positioning parameters, a positioning technique is selected among a plurality of positioning techniques. The selection of the positioning technique is based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. Further, the positioning technique is executed, and a location of the target device is determined using the at least one positioning parameter. Subsequently, the location of the target device is sent to the AMF (202).

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF ATARGET DEVICE IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORKTECHNICAL 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 a target device in a communication 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] A wireless communication network utilizes a large number of wireless and wired nodes hosting one or more telecom functions. Some of the nodes are deployed in data centers to provide centralized services, while other nodes are positioned across a geographical area to provide telecom coverage. All these nodes forming a part of the communication network work together in cohesion for providing seamless telecom services to user devices in the communication network. The nodes performing in the communication network may be manufactured by different manufacturers. The nodes manufactured by the different vendors may perform the same functions or varied functions.

[0004] In a communication network, efficiency and accuracy of location-based services are crucial for maintaining optimal network performance. The nodes manufactured by different vendors may support different positioning techniques. Heretofore, conventional methods for position estimation are limited as not all vendors support the same positioning measurements, leading to inefficiencies andpotential disruptions in service. The conventional position estimation process is often restricted by non-availability of parameters or inconsistent data associated with a positioning technique, each supporting distinct operational requirements and performance characteristics based on the vendor of the node. This complexity leads to inconsistent results, making it challenging for users to achieve the desired level of accuracy and reliability.

[0005] To this end, there is a need to optimize the position estimation process since many location-based requests go unaddressed due to lack of availability of measurement results required to determine the location as supported by the vendor.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 a location of a target device in a communication network. The method comprises receiving, by a reception module from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a determine location request for determining a location of a target device among one or more devices. The method further comprises initiating by a processing module upon receiving the determine location request, a measurement request transmitted to the AMF using a transmitter module, for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodes serving the target device. Further, the method comprises receiving, by the reception module, from the AMF, a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters. Furthermore, the method comprises selecting by the processing module, a positioning technique among a plurality of positioningtechniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node. The positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. The method further comprises determining, by the processing module, the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter. Thereafter, the method comprises sending, by the transmitter module, the location of the target device to the AMF.

[0008] In one aspect, for determining the location of the target device, the method includes executing, by the processing module, the selected positioning technique based on one or more values of the plurality of positioning parameters.

[0009] In one aspect, the determine location request further comprises information related to one or more of Quality of Service (QoS) value, privacy settings, and a service Identifier (Id) associated with the target device.

[0010] In one aspect, for initiating the measurement request to the AMF, the method comprises determining, by the processing module based on the information indicating a request corresponding to an Uplink-Enhanced Cell Identifier (UL- ECID) position estimation procedure included in the determine location request.

[0011] In one aspect, for selecting the positioning technique, the method comprises determining, by the processing module, a confidence score of the pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. The method comprises selecting, by the processing module, the positioning technique based on the confidence score.

[0012] In one aspect, the one or more positioning parameters include one or more of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), New Radio (NR)-Time Advance 2 (TA2) signal, NR-Angle of Arrival (AoA), and pre-defined custom parameters.

[0013] In one aspect, the at least one positioning parameter corresponds to a measurement parameter supported by the at least one node associated with one or more vendors in the communication network.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, disclosed herein is a system for determining a location of a target device in a communication network. The system comprises a reception module, a processing module, and a transmitter module. The reception module is configured to receive, from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a determine location request for determining a location of a target device among one or more devices. The processing module is configured to initiate, using a transmitter module, a measurement request transmitted to the AMF upon receiving the determine location request, for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodes serving the target device. The reception module is further configured to receive from the AMF, a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters. The processing module is further configured to select a positioning technique among a plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node, the positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. Further, the processing module is configured to determine the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter. The transmitter module is configured to send the location of the target device to the AMF.

[0015] In one aspect, for determining the location of the target device, the processing module is further configured to execute the selected positioning technique based on one or more values of the plurality of positioning parameters.

[0016] In one aspect, the determine location request further comprises information related to one or more of Quality of Service (QoS) value, privacy settings, and service Identifier (Id) associated with the target device.

[0017] In one aspect, for initiating the measurement request to the AMF, the processing module is configured to determine, based on the information indicating a request corresponding to an Uplink-Enhanced Cell Identifier (UL-ECID) position estimation procedure included in the determine location request.

[0018] In one aspect, for selecting the positioning technique, the processing module is configured to determine a confidence score of the pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. Further, the processing module is configured to select the positioning technique based on the confidence score.

[0019] In one aspect, the one or more positioning parameters include one or more of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), New Radio (NR)-Time Advance 2 (TA2) signal, NR-Angle of Arrival (AoA), and pre-defined custom parameters.

[0020] In one aspect, the at least one positioning parameter corresponds to a measurement parameter supported by the at least one node associated with one or more vendors in the communication network.

[0021] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, disclosed herein is 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 receiving, from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a determine location request for determining a location of a target device among one or more devices. The operations further comprise initiating, upon receiving the determine location request, a measurement request to the AMF for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodesserving the target device. Further, the operations comprise receiving, from the AMF, a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters. Furthermore, the operations comprise selecting a positioning technique among a plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node. The positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. Thereafter, the operations comprise determining the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter and sending the location of the target device to the AMF.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] 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.

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary communication environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram depicting components of a core network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram depicting an architecture of a communication system for determining location of a target device in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram depicting a system architecture of a Location Management Function (LMF), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method for determining location of the target device in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.”

[0032] 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, 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] In the disclosure, various embodiments are described using terms used in some communication standards (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), xRadio 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.

[0037] In order to facilitate an understanding of the disclosed invention, a number of terms are defined below.

[0038] Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID) refers to a positioning technique that uses a User Equipment (UE) and / or Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) radio resource related measurements to improve location estimate of the UE. In case of a serving NG-eNodeB, uplink E-CID may use inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) New Radio (NR), GERAN, UTRA or WLAN measurements reported by the UE.

[0039] Quality of Service (QoS) in the field of telecommunications can be defined as a set of specific requirements provided by a network to users, which are necessary in order to achieve the required functionality of an application (service). The users specify their performance requirements in form of QoS parameters such as delay or packet loss.

[0040] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for determining a location of a target device in a communication network. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide the system and the method for determining location of the target device irrespective of a vendor of a node in the communication network. Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for a flexible position estimation process that is also vendoragnostic.

[0041] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, 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.

[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary environment of a communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the communication network 100 includes a core network 102 coupled with a plurality of nodes including Node 104-1 through Node 104-N. The core network 102 is configured to facilitate a secured communication among the plurality of nodes (collectively referred to as the “nodes 104”, and individually referred to as the “node 104”, hereinafter).

[0043] In an embodiment, each of the nodes are configured to be coupled with one or more devices 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, 106-4, through 106-(N-l), 106-N (collectively referred to as the “devices 106”, individually referred to as the “device 106” and “alternatively referred to as User Equipment (UEs) 106” or user devices 106, hereinafter). In one aspect, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the one or more user devices 106 associated with the plurality of nodes 104. In another aspect, the core network 102 may establish asecured communication between the one or more user devices 106 associated with a same node among the plurality of nodes 104.

[0044] In one embodiment, the core network 102 may effectively establish a secured communication between the user device 106-1 and the user device 106-2, where the user device 106-1 and the user device 106-2 both are coupled with the Node 104-1. In another embodiment, the core network 102 may establish a secured communication between the user device 106-2 and the user device 106-N, where the user device 106-2 is coupled with the Node 104-1 and the user device 106-N is coupled with the Node 104-N.

[0045] 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 user device 106 via a network coupled with a server. The core network 102 may pertain to 5G servicebased 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.

[0046] In one embodiment, the nodes 104 may be categorized based on a type of network operations hosted by the nodes 104. The communication network 100 may utilize the plurality of nodes 104 of same type i.e. nodes carrying out same network operations and of different types i.e. nodes carrying out different network operations. In one aspect, the nodes 104 of the same type and the different types manufactured by different vendors are utilized in the communication network 100.

[0047] The term “node 104” may refer to any component (or collection of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network. Examples of the node 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 nodes 104 may provide wireless access to thenetwork 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 BS, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For the sake of convenience, the terms “nodes” and “gNBs” are used interchangeably in the present disclosure to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access to remote terminals.

[0048] The nodes 104 provides wireless broadband access to the network to the devices 106 within a serving region of the node 104. The devices 106 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. The devices 104 may also include wired or wireless network devices such as outdoor or indoor Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). The term device 106 may refer to any component such as “mobile station,” “subscriber station,” “remote terminal,” “wireless terminal,” “receiver terminal.” The core network 102 may support a plurality of positioning protocols and position estimation procedures between the nodes 104 and the UE 106, for locating a target device among the devices 106. The plurality of position estimation procedures may include, but is not limited to, Enhanced Cell ID (ECID), Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) (UE based), AGPS (UE assisted), Autonomous GPS / GANSS, Enhanced Observed Time Difference (E-OTD), Cell Identifier (Id) based, and Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA). The plurality of positioning protocols may include, but is not limited to, New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa), Radio Resource Location services Protocol (RRLP), Radio Resource Control (RRC), LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP). The plurality of position estimation procedures and the plurality of positioning protocols supported between the nodes 104 and the UE 106 may depend upon the different vendors.

[0049] Although FIG. 1 illustrates one example of the communication network 100, various changes may be made to FIG. 1. For example, the communication network 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.

[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram depicting components of the core network 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the core network 102 connects the UE 106 to a Radio Access Network (RAN) 236 including the plurality of nodes 104. The UE 106 is configured to communicate with a plurality of network elements of the core network 102.

[0051] The plurality of network elements of the core network 102 includes an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node 202 (alternatively referred to as AMF 202), a Policy Control Function (PCF) node 204 (alternatively referred to as PCF 204), an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) node 206 (alternatively referred to as EIR 206), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) node 208 (alternatively referred to as AUSF 208), a Unified Data Management (UDM) function node 210 (alternatively referred to as UDM 210), a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) node 212 (alternatively referred to as SPR 212), a Short Message Service Function (SMSF) node 214 (alternatively referred to as SMSF 214), a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) node 216 (alternatively referred to as NSSF 216), a Location Management Function (LMF) node 218 (alternatively referred to as LMF 218), a Session Management Function (SMF) node 220 (alternatively referred to as SMF 220), a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) node 222 (alternatively referred to as NWDAF 222), a Charging Function-Protocol Converter (CHF -PC) node 224 (alternatively referred to as CHF- PC 224), a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node 226 (alternatively referred to as NEF 226), a Signaling Transfer Point (STP) node 228 (alternatively referred to as STP 228), a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) node 230 (alternatively referred to as DRA 230), a Binding Support Function (BSF) node 232 (alternatively referredto as BSF 232), a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) node 234 (alternatively referred to as GMLC 234), a User Plane Function (UPF) node 238 (alternatively referred to as UPF 238), and a Location Services (LCS) client node 240 (alternatively referred to as LCS 240).

[0052] 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.

[0053] The AMF 202 may be a network element that is capable of performing registration management, connection management, reachability management, mobility management, lawful intercepts, SMS transport between the one or more user device 108 and SMSF 214, session management messages transport between the one or more user device 108 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.

[0054] The PCF 204 is a network node capable of supporting policies to control network behavior, provides policy rules to control plane functions (e.g., to the SMF 220), access subscription information relevant to policy decisions, performs policy decisions, and / or performs other types of processes associated with policy enforcement.

[0055] 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.

[0056] The UDM 210 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining subscription information for user devices 108, 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.

[0057] 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 user devices 108. The NSSF 216 includes one or more devices that select network slice instances for the user devices 108. By providing network slicing, the NSSF 216 allows an operator to deploy multiple substantially independent end-to- end networks potentially with the same infrastructure.

[0058] The LMF 218 may be a network element that is capable of managing device location information within the core network 102. The LMF 218 may track the current location of mobile devices, handles location updates, and supports mobility management functions such as handover and roaming. The LMF 218 may interface with network elements such as the RAN 236, the AMF 202, and location -based service platforms to ensure seamless mobility management and location-based service provisioning for the subscribers.

[0059] 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 datanotification, manage roaming functionality, and / or perform other types of control plane processes for managing user plane data.

[0060] 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 the SMF 220 and the PCF 204 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] The STP 228 may be a network element configured to route signaling messages based a destination point code in core network 102. Specifically, the STP 228 acts a router that relays network messages between signaling end points and other signal transfer points in the core network 102.

[0063] The DRA 230 may be a network element configured as a centralized diameter routing point, ensuring that diameter messages are directed to appropriate network elements (e.g., PCF 204, SMF 214, CHF-PC 224, BSF 232). The DRA230 may further be configured for load balancing and ability to route traffic based on specific fields or policies, enhancing the efficiency of network operations.

[0064] The BSF 232 may be a network element that is capable of managing session bindings and subscriber contexts within the core network 102.

[0065] The GMLC 234 is a critical network element configured to provide locationbased services within the 5G core network. The GMLC 234 facilitates the retrieval of mobile device location information, enabling services such as emergency call routing, location-based advertising, and asset tracking. The GMLC 234 may interface with location-based service applications and network elements to provide accurate location data while ensuring user privacy and compliance with regulatory requirements. The GMLC 234 may serve as a gateway for location-based queries and requests.

[0066] The LCS client 240 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 240 may interface with application servers, service platforms, and subscriber devices to deliver personalized and context-aware location-based experiences.

[0067] The UPF 238 may be a network element that is capable of maintaining an anchor point for intra / inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility, maintain an external Protocol Data Unit (PDU) point of interconnect to Data Network (DN) 242, 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 Quality of Service (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.

[0068] 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 ofthe core network 102 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the core network 102.

[0069] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram depicting an architecture of a communication system 300 for determining the location of the target device in 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.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 3, the communication system 300 (alternatively referred to as system 300) includes the AMF 202 and the LMF 218. The LMF 218 may interact with the AMF 202 over an LMF_NLo interface. The LMF_NLo supports measurements of location of user devices 106 corresponding to nodes 104 of all vendors, using custom measurements as well as predefined measurements of the positioning parameters, or a combination of both. The AMF 202 may receive position estimation request (alternatively referred to as a “determine location request”) associated with the target device among the devices 106 from one or more of the plurality of network elements, other devices 106, or the AMF 202 may itself decide to initiate determine location request on behalf of the target device. The target device among the devices 106 may be the device that has to be located for one or more location services and corresponding to which the determine location request is initiated. The determine location request may include information corresponding to the target device and a plurality of positioning parameters for determining a location of the target device, for determining position of the target device in the communication network. At the AMF 202, along with the determine location request, one or more of Quality of Service (QoS) value, privacy settings, and service Identifier (Id) associated with the devices 106 are stored.

[0071] At first step, the AMF 202 transfers data associated with the determine location requests to the LMF 218. Upon receiving the data associated with thedetermine location request, the LMF 218 determines whether one or more of the service Id and the QoS value are received with the data associated with the position estimation request. The service identifier is used to identify and route location services related requests to a correct network function. Based on the reception of the one or more of the service Id and the QoS value, the LMF 218 determines whether the position estimation request corresponds to utilizing the UL-ECID position estimation procedure from among the plurality of position estimation procedures for position estimation of the target device. The UL-ECID position estimation procedure may operate over the NRPPa position estimation protocol.

[0072] At second step, upon determination that the UL-ECID is selected, the LMF 218 is triggered to initiate a measurement request to the AMF 202. The measurement request is initiated to obtain plurality of positioning parameters corresponding to the target device from the AMF 202. In one embodiment, the plurality of positioning parameters may correspond to UL-ECID and may include one or more of the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), New Radio (NR)-Time Advance 2 (TA2) signal, NR- Angle of Arrival (AoA), and other custom parameters. The AMF 202 may forward the measurement request to the nodes 104 of the different vendors serving the UE 106, to obtain values corresponding to the positioning parameters.

[0073] At third step, the LMF 218 receives values of the plurality of positioning parameters from the nodes 104 of the different vendors, in response to the measurement request.

[0074] Upon receiving the values of the one or more of the positioning parameters, the LMF 218 selects a positioning technique that utilizes the available values of the plurality of positioning parameters, depending on capabilities of vendor-specific nodes among the nodes 104 with respect to supporting the plurality of position estimation procedures and the plurality of positioning protocols. The positioning techniques may be based on utilization of the one or more position procedures for determining the location. The LMF 218 determines the location of the target deviceby executing the selected positioning technique based on the available values of the plurality of positioning parameters with respect to the vendor-specific node among the nodes 104. Thereafter, at fourth step, the location of the target device is sent to the AMF 202.

[0075] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram depicting a system architecture 400 of the LMF 218, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the server 400 as shown in FIG. 4 is for illustration only. However, the LMF node 218 may come in a wide variety of configurations, and FIG. 4 does not limit the scope of the present disclosure to any particular implementation of the LMF 218.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 4, the LMF node 218 includes one or more processors 402 (hereinafter may also be referred to as “processor 402” or “at least one processor 402”), a memory 404, a communication interface 406, a database 408, and a plurality of module(s) 410 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “module(s) 410”). Components of the LMF 218 are communicatively coupled to each other via a communication bus 412.

[0077] The processor 402 may include processing circuitry, logic, interface(s), and / or code(s), and may be configured to communicate with the memory 404, the communication interface 406, the database 408, and the modules 410 via the communication bus 412. Examples of the communication bus 412 may include, but are not limited to, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI- X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and a Front Side Bus (FSB). Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of coupling means present or related to later developed technologies, that may be configured to connect the processor 402 to the other subsystems of the LMF 218, as the communication bus 412, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0078] The processor 402 may include one or a plurality of processors, including a general-purpose processor, such as, for example, and without limitation, a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), a dedicated processor, a graphics-only processing unit such as a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) or the like, a programmable logic device, or any combination thereof.

[0079] In an embodiment, the module(s) 410 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the LMF 218. In non-limiting examples, described herein, such combinations of hardware and software programming may be implemented in several different ways, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. The module(s) 410 may include suitable logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or codes. For example, the programming for the module(s) 410 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the module(s) 410 may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In an embodiment, the module(s) 410 may be combined to a single module or each module of the module(s) 410 may be further subdivided into different modules.

[0080] In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the module(s) 410. In such examples, the LMF 218 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 LMF 218 and the processing resource. In other examples, the module(s) 410 may be implemented using an electronic circuitry.

[0081] In one or more embodiments, the module(s) 410 may include one or more modules such as a reception module 410-1, a processing module 410-2, and a transmitter module 410-3. Each of the module(s) 410 is communicatively coupled with each other.

[0082] The processor 402 may include various processing circuitry and communicate with the memory 404, and the communication interface 406 via thecommunication bus 412. The processor 404 is configured to execute instructions 404-1 (hereinafter also referred to as “a set of instructions 404-1”) stored in the memory 404 and to perform various processes. The processor 402 may also include a plurality of processing engines i.e., information processing units for controlling overall operation of LMF 218. For example, the processor 402 is configured to execute programs and other processes stored in the memory 404. The processor 402 is further configured to move data into or out of the memory 404 as required by an execution process.

[0083] In an aspect, the processor 402, using the reception module 410-1, is configured to receive from the AMF 202, the determine location request for determining a location of the target device. The reception module 410-1 may receive incoming RF signals, such as signals transmitted by the nodes 104 and the UEs 106 in the communication network. The reception module 410-1 may downconvert the incoming RF signals to generate the IF or baseband signals which may be sent to the receiver processing circuitry. The reception module 410-1 may transmit the processed baseband signals to the processor 402 for further processing.

[0084] In an aspect, the processing module 410-2 is configured to initiate the measurement request to the AMF 202 for measuring the plurality of positioning parameters of an at least one node among the nodes 104 serving the target device. The measurement request is initiated by the processing module 410-2 using the transmitter module 410-3, upon receiving the determine location request. The processor 402, using the reception module 410-3 is configured to receive from the AMF 202, a measurement report including a value corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters. Furthermore, the processor 402, using the processing module 410-2, is configured to select the positioning technique among the plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node from the nodes 104. The processing module 410-2 is configured to select the positioning technique based on the pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. The processor 402,using the processing module 410-2, is configured to determine the location of the target device based on the execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter.

[0085] The processor 402, using the transmitter module 410-3 is configured to send the location of the target device to the AMF 202. The transmitter module 410-3 may receive analog or digital data from the processor 402 and may encode, multiplex, and / or digitize the outgoing baseband data to generate processed baseband or IF signals. The transmitter module 410-3 may further process the outgoing processed baseband or IF signals from the transmit processing circuitry and up-converts the baseband or IF signals to RF signals that may be transmitted to the UEs 106 and the nodes 104.

[0086] The memory 404 stores the set of instructions 404-1 required by the processor 402 for controlling its overall operations. A part of the memory 404 may include a Random Access Memory (RAM), a cache memory, or a Read Only Memory (ROM). The memory 404 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 404 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 404 is non-movable. In some examples, the memory 404 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 RAM or cache). The memory 404 may be an internal storage unit or an external storage unit of the LMF 218, cloud storage, or any other type of external storage. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any data storage medium as ‘the memory 404’, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0087] The communication interface 406 may manage communications with the nodes 104 and the UE 106. For example, the communication interface 406 may manage the reception of the values of the positioning parameters from the AMF 202. The communication interface 406 may include an electronic circuit specific to a standard that enables wired or wireless communication. The communication interface 406 is configured for communicating with external devices via one or more networks.

[0088] The LMF 218 may further include a storage medium for storing the measurement report including values of the plurality of the positioning parameters. Storage medium may generally be one or more of, without limitation, disk drives, hard-disk arrays, solid state storage devices, Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, tape libraries or other magnetic, non-tape storage devices, and optical media storage devices. In an embodiment, the storage medium may be integrated outside of the LMF 218.

[0089] The database 408 is configured to store the pre-defined combination of the positioning techniques. The database 408 is also configured to store the measurement report including values of the plurality of the positioning parameters. In one embodiment, the database 408 may be implemented as a centralized database, Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), Non-Relational Database Management System, and Hierarchical Database Management System, and Network Database Management System. In another embodiment, the database 408 may also be an in-memory database including a distributed in-memory data storage of the LMF 218.

[0090] Although FIG. 4 illustrates one example of LMF 218, various changes may be made to FIG. 4. For example, the LMF 218may include any number of components in addition to the components shown in FIG. 4. Further, various components in FIG. 4 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to particular needs.

[0091] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method 500 for determining the location of the target device in the communication network 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure The method 500 comprises a series of operations indicated by steps 502 through 514. Although method 500 shows example blocks of steps 502 to 514, in some embodiments, the method 500 may include additional steps, fewer steps or steps in different order than those depicted in FIG. 5. In other embodiments, the steps 502-514 may be combined or may be performed in parallel.

[0092] At step 502, the LMF 218, using the reception module 410-1, receives the determine location request from the AMF 202 for determining location of the target device among the devices 106. The determine location request further comprises information related to one or more of Quality of Service (QoS) value, privacy settings, and a service Identifier (Id) associated with the target device.

[0093] At step 504, based on the information included in the position estimation request, the LMF 218 determines whether the position estimation request indicates a request corresponding to the UL-ECID position estimation procedure. In an embodiment, the processor 402 determines whether the service Id is present in the determine location request. If the service Id is determined to be present, the processor 402 determines that the UL-ECID position estimation procedure is to be utilized for determining the location of the target device corresponding to the service Id. If the service Id is determined to be absent, the processor 402 determines a position estimation procedure to be utilized first among the plurality of position estimation procedures for determining the location of the target device based on presence of the QoS value. Based on the QoS value, the processor 402 utilizes the UL-ECID position estimation procedure first.

[0094] Upon determination that the position estimation request indicates the request corresponding to the UL-ECID position estimation procedure, at step 506, the processor 402, using the processing module 410-2, is triggered to initiate a measurement request to the AMF 202. The measurement request is initiated toobtain values of the plurality of positioning parameters corresponding to the target device from the AMF 202.

[0095] At step 508, in response to the measurement request, the processor 402, using the processing module 410-2, is configured to receive measurement results. The measurements results may be in form of a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter from among the plurality of positioning parameters from the AMF 202 via the nodes 104 of the different vendors. The at least one positioning parameter corresponds to a measurement parameter supported by the at least one node associated with one or more vendors in the communication network 100.

[0096] Further, upon receiving the value of the at least one positioning parameters, at step 510, the processor 402, using the processing module 410-2, is configured to select a positioning technique corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by vendor-specific node among the nodes 104 depending upon capability of the vendor-specific node providing the plurality of positioning parameters. The positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter with the plurality of positioning parameters utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques. The processing module 410-2 is configured to combine the value of the at least one positioning parameter with pre-defined measurements and / or the values of other plurality of positioning parameters available from the nodes 104. The pre-defined measurements corresponding to the target device may be stored in the database 408. The LMF 218 may also include a confidence score corresponding to the different positioning techniques utilizing the combination of the plurality of positioning parameters with respect to the vendor-specific nodes. The confidence score may be based on an accuracy of the determined location using the combination of the plurality of positioning parameters.

[0097] The LMF 218 selects the positioning technique that utilizes the at least one positioning parameter received in response to the measurement request. In anotherembodiment, the LMF 218 may also utilize the confidence score for selecting the positioning techniques.

[0098] At step 512, the processor 402, using the processing module 410-2, determines the location of the target device by executing the selected positioning technique based on one or more values of the at least one positioning parameter with respect to the vendor-specific node among the nodes 104. In one scenario, the processing module 410-2, utilizes the values of the at least one positioning parameter to calculate a mean distance between UE 106 and the nodes 104 and combines with the plurality of positioning parameters. For an example, the processing module 410-2 may determine the location of the target device such as the RSRP and / or the NR-TA2, combined with NR-AoA. In another scenario, the processing module 410-2 utilizes the values of the at least one positioning parameter to calculate an azimuth angle between user device 106 and the nodes 104 based in the RSRP and NR-AoA.

[0099] At step 514, the transmitter module 410-3 sends the location of the target device to the AMF 202. Thus, the location of the target device is determined without a requirement of receiving all the requested plurality of positioning parameters. In one scenario, when the processing module 410-2 does not obtain the at least one positioning parameter with respect to the vendor-specific node among the nodes 104, the processing module 410-2 restricts determining the location using the UL- ECID position estimation procedure and may determine the location using another position estimation procedure.

[0100] Now, referring to the technical abilities and advantageous effect of the present disclosure, the embodiments disclosed herein provides a system and a method of determining the location of the UE that has the capability to furnish location across the nodes of the different vendors with minimal measurements. Furthermore, the system and the method disclosed herein is vendor agnostic and provides flexibility to offer support for determining location of the target device irrespective of the vendor-specific node. The system and the method also supportmeasurement of the location based on customized positioning parameters supported by different vendors.

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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 404) 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).

[0103] 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 402) 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.

[0104] 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.

[0105] 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.

[0106] 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

[0107] 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 recitednear 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 network102 - Core network104 - Plurality of nodes106 - Devices202 - Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node204 - Policy Control Function (PCF) node206 - Equipment Identity Register (EIR) node208 - Authentication Server Function (AUSF) node210 - Unified Data Management (UDM) function node212 - Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) node214 - Short Message Service Function (SMSF) node216 - Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) node218 - Location Management Function (LMF) node220 - Session Management Function (SMF) node222 - Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) node224 - Charging Function-Proxy Control (CHF-PC) node226 - Network Exposure Function (NEF) node228 - Signaling Transfer Point (STP) node230 - Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) node232 - Binding Support Function (BSF) node234 - Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) node238 - User Plane Function (UPF) node240 - Location Services (LCS) client node300 - Communication system402 - Processor(s)404 - Memory406 - Communication interface408 - Database410 - Module(s)410-1 - Reception Module410-2 - Processing Module 410-3 - Transmitter Module412 - Communication bus500 - Method for determining the location of the target device in the communication network502-514 - Operational steps of method 500

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A method (500) for determining a location of a target device in a communication network (100), the method (500) comprising: receiving, by a reception module (410-1) from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (202), a determine location request for determining a location of a target device among one or more devices (106); initiating, by a processing module (410-2) upon receiving the determine location request, a measurement request transmitted to the AMF (202) using a transmitter module (410-3), for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodes (104) serving the target device; receiving, by the reception module (410-1) from the AMF (202), a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters; selecting, by the processing module (410-2), a positioning technique among a plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node, wherein the positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques; determining, by the processing module (410-2), the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter; and sending, by the transmitter module (410-3), the location of the target device to the AMF (202).

2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein for determining the location of the target device, the method comprises executing, by the processing module (410-2), the selected positioning technique based on one or more values of the plurality of positioning parameters.

3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determine location request further comprises information related to one or more of Quality of Service (QoS) value, privacy settings, and a service Identifier (Id) associated with the target device.

4. The method (500) as claimed in claim 3, for initiating the measurement request to the AMF (202), the method comprises determining, by the processing module (410-2) based on the information indicating a request corresponding to an Uplink-Enhanced Cell Identifier (UL-ECID) position estimation procedure included in the determine location request.

5. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, for selecting the positioning technique, the method comprising: determining, by the processing module (410-2), a confidence score of the pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques; and selecting, by the processing module (410-2), the positioning technique based on the confidence score.

6. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more positioning parameters include one or more of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), New Radio (NR)-Time Advance 2 (TA2) signal, NR-Angle of Arrival (AoA), and predefined custom parameters.

7. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one positioning parameter corresponds to a measurement parameter supported by the at least one node associated with one or more vendors in the communication network (100).

8. A system (300) of determining a location of a target device in a communication network (100), the system comprising: a reception module (410-1) configured to receive, from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a determine location requestfor determining a location of a target device among one or more devices (106); a processing module (410-2) configured to: initiate, using a transmitter module (410-3), a measurement request transmitted to the AMF upon receiving the determine location request, for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodes (104) serving the target device, wherein: the reception module (410-1) is further configured to receive from the AMF, a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters; the processing module (410-2) is further configured to: select a positioning technique among a plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node, wherein the positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques; and determine the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter; and the transmitter module (410-3) is configured to send the location of the target device to the AMF (202).

9. The system (300) as claimed in claim 8, wherein for determining the location of the target device, the processing module (410-2) is further configured to execute the selected positioning technique based on one or more values of the plurality of positioning parameters.

10. The system (300) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the determine location request further comprises information related to one or more of Quality ofService (QoS) value, privacy settings, and service Identifier (Id) associated with the target device.

11. The system (300) as claimed in claim 10, wherein for initiating the measurement request to the AMF, the processing module (410-2) is configured to determine, based on the information indicating a request corresponding to an Uplink-Enhanced Cell Identifier (UL-ECID) position estimation procedure.

12. The system (300) as claimed in claim 8, for selecting the positioning technique, the processing module (410-2) is configured to: determine a confidence score of the pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques; and select the positioning technique based on the confidence score.

13. The system (300) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the one or more positioning parameters include one or more of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), New Radio (NR)- Time Advance 2 (TA2) signal, NR- Angle of Arrival (Ao A), and pre-defined custom parameters.

14. The system (300) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one positioning parameter corresponds to a measurement parameter supported by the at least one node associated with one or more vendors in the communication network (100).

15. 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: receiving, from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a determine location request for determining a location of a target device among one or more devices;initiating, upon receiving the determine location request, a measurement request to the AMF for measuring a plurality of positioning parameters of the target device via at least one node among a plurality of nodes serving the target device; receiving, from the AMF, a measurement report including a value corresponding to at least one positioning parameter among the plurality of positioning parameters; selecting a positioning technique among a plurality of positioning techniques corresponding to the at least one positioning parameter supported by the at least one node, wherein the positioning technique is selected based on a pre-defined combination of the at least one positioning parameter utilized by the plurality of positioning techniques; determining the location of the target device based on an execution of the selected positioning technique utilizing the value of the at least one positioning parameter; and sending the location of the target device to the AMF.

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