Location Server Session Info Query for SUPL Context Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

In user plane location architectures, such as SUPL, there is a challenge in maintaining consistent session context between terminals and location servers due to factors like accidental power down, communication failures, or prolonged inability to communicate, leading to improper support of location services.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a session info query mechanism where the location server periodically or upon suspicion of inconsistent context requests the terminal to return information on active location sessions, allowing for synchronization and corrective actions to be taken.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If the terminal and location server maintain location sessions without periodic verification, then the session duration can be extended and communication overhead is reduced, but inconsistent session context may develop due to power down, failures, or communication interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation session durationVSAvoidsession context consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The location server performs periodic session info queries to the terminal to verify session context consistency. This periodic verification mechanism allows the system to maintain extended location sessions while detecting and correcting inconsistencies before they lead to service failures, thus resolving the contradiction between session duration and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the location server performs frequent session info queries to verify session context, then session context consistency is maintained, but network overhead and signaling load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesession context consistencyVSAvoidnetwork signaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The session info query mechanism implements a feedback-based verification approach where the location server queries session information only when needed to detect inconsistencies. The terminal provides feedback about its active sessions, allowing the server to verify context without continuous monitoring, thus maintaining reliability while minimizing network overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the location server performs session info queries to detect inconsistent sessions, then location service reliability is improved, but query processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service reliabilityVSAvoidquery processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The session info query mechanism performs preliminary verification of session context before location services are affected by inconsistencies. By proactively querying and detecting potential issues before they impact service delivery, the system maintains high reliability without requiring extensive processing time during actual location operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3506605B1Methods for performing session info query for user plane location
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3506605B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3506605B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3506605B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques for querying for information on location sessions in a user plane location architecture are described. In an aspect, a location server may send a query message to a terminal to query for information on active location sessions, e.g., when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is deemed to be active. The terminal may return a response message containing a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions, parameters for the active location sessions, capabilities of the terminal, etc. The location server may compare the information received from the terminal and information stored at the location server. The location server may terminate each location session deemed to be active at only the terminal or only the location server. The location server may restart or terminate each location session having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server.