Roaming Mobile Station Location Service Cache
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP-based location services in wireless communication systems require mobile stations to always signal their home network, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity when roaming, especially when the mobile station is far from its home network.
Innovation Solution
A method where a mobile station is provided with the address of a serving network position server, allowing direct communication for location services without needing to access its home network, using a cache to store the address of the serving network position server and maintaining authentication and profile information locally at the serving network position server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile station always signals home network for location services, then authentication and authorization are controlled, but signaling delays and complexity increase significantly when roaming
Solution Approach 1:
The home network position server performs preliminary action by providing the mobile station with the address of the serving network position server before location service requests are made. This pre-provisioning of the serving network address eliminates the need for real-time signaling to the home network during roaming, thereby reducing signaling delays while maintaining authentication control through the home network's prior authorization.
2Reliability
If mobile station always signals home network for location services, then administrative control is maintained, but signaling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The serving network position server acts as an intermediary that the mobile station directly contacts for location services while roaming. The home network position server continues to provide administrative control by pre-providing the serving network address and maintaining authentication credentials. This intermediary approach simplifies signaling by eliminating the need for the mobile station to repeatedly signal the home network for each location request.
3Reliability
If mobile station signals home network for each location request, then authorization is ensured, but communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The home network performs preliminary authorization by providing the mobile station with the serving network position server address and authentication credentials before roaming location requests are made. This pre-authorization mechanism ensures that the mobile station can directly access the serving network for location services without repeated authorization checks, thereby improving communication efficiency while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating performance of location services for a mobile station that roams beyond its home network. A cache is provided at the mobile station. The cache is populated with a value identifying the address of the serving position server. When a location service is requested, the cache is accessed, and a message is sent to the address identified in the cache. The cache is updatable, such as through the generation and forwarding of a message to the mobile station by the home position server responsive to registration of the mobile station.