Central Network Location Routing via Visited GMLC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Location Service (LCS) systems in mobile communication networks face challenges in accurately charging for location services and providing location information to specified requesters, especially when the target UE is roaming, due to complex routing and service correlation issues at Central Network (CN) nodes, which hinders the development and popularization of location services.
Innovation Solution
The method involves the User Equipment (UE) requesting the Central Network (CN) for location information, with the CN sending the location estimate to a Visited Gateway Mobile Location Center (V-GMLC) or Home GMLC (H-GMLC), allowing these GMLCs to generate charging information and ensure correct routing of location data to the specified requester, even when the UE is roaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the CN sends location information directly to the requester, then the location service can be provided, but accurate charging cannot be implemented and routing issues occur when UE is roaming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces V-GMLC and H-GMLC as intermediary entities between the CN and the requester. These GMLCs act as mediators that receive location information from the CN, generate charging information, and then forward the location data to the appropriate requester. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling accurate charging through the GMLC while simplifying the CN's role and avoiding direct complex routing from CN to requester.
2Ease of operation
If the CN maintains service correlation for location requests, then location information can be provided, but routing to specified requesters becomes complex during UE roaming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service correlation and routing functions from the CN and relocates them to the V-GMLC and H-GMLC. The CN's role is simplified to merely providing location information to the GMLC, while the GMLCs handle the complex tasks of maintaining service correlation, determining the appropriate requester, and routing location data accordingly. This extraction resolves the contradiction by simplifying CN operations while enabling proper routing during UE roaming.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system supports MO-LR with external requester, then value-added services can be provided, but charging information generation becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces GMLC as an intermediary that specifically handles charging information generation for MO-LR services with external requesters. The GMLC receives location information from the CN, generates accurate charging information based on the service details, and then forwards the location data to the requester. This intermediary mechanism ensures charging accuracy while maintaining the versatility of supporting external requesters for value-added services.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method for processing location information request initiated by a User Equipment (UE), which comprises: a target UE requests a Central Network (CN) for location information; the CN obtains a location estimate of the target UE and sends the location estimate of the target UE to a Visited GMLC of the target UE. According to the present invention, when the target UE requests the network with the Location Service system for location information of the target UE, after receiving the location estimate of the target UE from the Radio Access Network, the CN provides the location estimate of the target UE to the V-GMLC at first, and the V-GMLC provides the location estimate to the target UE through the CN after processing the location request, so that the V-GMLC can obtain the processing information of the location information request initiated by the target UE, and furthermore V-GMLC can correctly charge the Mobile Original Location Request initiated by the target UE.