IMS SIP Location Discovery With User-Approved Device Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems face challenges in efficiently obtaining user device location information outside emergency communications contexts while ensuring user and device security and safety, leading to inefficient resource utilization and reduced user control over location data sharing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing systems and methods that utilize SIP communications sessions and IMS data channels to request and provide user device location information, with user approval mechanisms, thereby enhancing security and efficiency by reducing out-of-band location discovery traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user devices are configured to prevent sharing of location information to maintain security and safety, then user and device security is improved, but the ability to enable location-based applications and services deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the network (specifically the Mobility Management Entity or MME) acts as a mediator to obtain and manage location information. Instead of the application directly requesting location from the user device, the network intermediary handles the location discovery process, allowing location-based services to function while maintaining the user device's security configuration that prevents direct location sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service location discovery where the network infrastructure automatically performs location acquisition and management without requiring explicit user device participation or configuration changes. The MME autonomously handles the location information retrieval and makes it available to applications, allowing location-based services to operate independently of user device location sharing settings.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems obtain location information outside emergency contexts, then location-based services are enabled, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates due to out-of-band location discovery traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the location discovery function with existing emergency communication infrastructure and protocols. By utilizing the same signaling channels and network elements (MME, SIP INFO messages) already dedicated to emergency services, the system combines multiple functions into a single efficient pathway, eliminating the need for separate out-of-band location discovery channels and thereby improving resource utilization efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If user approval mechanisms are implemented for location sharing, then user control over location data is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The network intermediary (MME) absorbs the complexity of implementing user approval mechanisms, shielding the user device from complex security logic. The MME handles the intricate processes of verifying user consent, managing location data permissions, and coordinating with application servers, thereby maintaining simple user device operation while providing robust user control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A location discovery system may use session initiation protocol to provide more efficient means of determining a user's location. An application executing on an IMS application server may request a user's location with an HTTP request. A call session control component may generate an SIP location request message based on the HTTP request and transmit that message to a UE. The UE may solicit approval from the user to provide the device's location to the application. If the user approves, the UE may generate and transmit a responsive SIP user location information message that may be used by the call session control component to generate an HTTP user location message that is then forwarded to the application server.