Streamlined Location Service Layer for Reduced Signaling Overhead

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing location services technologies face inefficiencies in managing location requests for terminals, leading to increased traffic and complexity in both terminals and location servers, especially when handling multiple terminals or trigger conditions.

Innovation Solution

A streamlined location service layer that allows terminals to establish extended location sessions with location servers, enabling efficient and repeated access to location services with reduced signaling and processing overhead, and allowing terminals to control positioning methods and parameters during the session.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the terminal establishes a new location session for each location request, then the location service can be obtained accurately, but the signaling traffic and processing overhead increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidsignaling traffic
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing location sessions in advance before location requests are generated. The terminal proactively sets up location sessions with the location server, so when a location request occurs, the session is already established and ready for immediate use, avoiding the need to create new sessions for each request and reducing signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by making a single location session serve multiple location requests. Instead of creating dedicated sessions for each request, one location session can handle numerous location requests throughout its duration, making the session multi-functional and reducing the total number of sessions needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the location server performs trigger condition detection for multiple terminals, then the location service is comprehensive, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service coverageVSAvoidlocation server complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the trigger condition detection function from the location server and relocating it to the terminal. The terminal now independently monitors its own location conditions and determines when to request location updates, while the location server focuses solely on providing location information when requested, thereby reducing server complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal performs self-service by autonomously detecting its own location-based trigger conditions and deciding when to initiate location requests. This self-monitoring capability eliminates the need for the location server to manage complex trigger condition logic for multiple terminals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If the terminal performs trigger condition detection and sends location requests frequently, then the location service responsiveness is high, but the use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service responsivenessVSAvoidterminal energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action by establishing location sessions with predetermined durations and structured intervals. Instead of continuous monitoring and requesting, the terminal sets up location sessions that automatically manage periodic location updates, reducing energy consumption while maintaining appropriate responsiveness through the session's built-in timing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2942929B1Method and apparatus for supporting location services with a streamlined location service layer
Publication Date: 2017.11.29 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2942929B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2942929B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2942929B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques for supporting location services with a streamlined location service layer are described. In one design, a terminal may receive a location service request from an application that is internal or external to the terminal. The terminal may exchange at least one message with a location server to establish an extended location session of a particular duration via the streamlined location service layer. The terminal can thereafter obtain location service from the location server at any time within the particular duration of the extended location session, e.g., whenever a location request is received from the application. The terminal may obtain location service any number of times and at any time during the extended location session. The terminal or application may emulate a more complex location service based on location information received from all of the times in which location service is obtained by the terminal.