SUPL Configuration Server Pre-Configures Location Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current user plane location services, such as SUPL, face challenges in providing accurate location assistance when a mobile device roams outside its home network, as the home location server may lack necessary data for positioning, leading to delayed or inaccurate location services.
Innovation Solution
A SUPL configuration server configures multiple location platforms, including home, discovered, and emergency location servers, within a mobile device, allowing it to dynamically select the most suitable server based on location and network conditions, ensuring improved location service quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mobile device uses only its home location server for location services, then service simplicity is maintained, but location service accuracy and availability deteriorate when roaming outside home network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures multiple location server identities (home SLP, discovered SLP, emergency SLP) in the SET before roaming occurs. This preliminary configuration ensures that when the device roams, it immediately has access to alternative location servers without needing to search or discover them in real-time, thus improving location service availability while maintaining relatively simple device logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the pre-configured list of location server identities) that mediates between the SET and multiple possible location servers. This intermediary structure allows the SET to seamlessly switch between different location servers based on roaming conditions without directly managing the complexity of multiple server connections.
2Measurement precision
If a mobile device is configured with multiple location platforms, then location service accuracy improves during roaming, but configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the complex configuration of multiple location server identities in advance, before the device needs to use them. The SUPL configuration server pre-provisions the SET with a structured list containing home SLP, discovered SLP, and emergency SLP identities. This preliminary action reduces the perceived complexity during actual operation, as the device simply selects from pre-organized options rather than managing complex configurations in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of location server selection from a single static value to a multi-value parameter structure. The SET is configured with multiple location server identities as a structured list, allowing dynamic selection based on operational conditions. This parameter change enables the system to maintain simple device logic while supporting multiple location servers for improved accuracy.
3Reliability
If a mobile device switches to discovered or emergency location servers during roaming, then location service quality improves, but service delay may increase due to server selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures the ordered list of location server identities before roaming occurs. The SET receives a structured configuration containing home SLP, discovered SLP, and emergency SLP in a predetermined order. When roaming begins, the device can immediately attempt connections in this pre-established sequence without needing to discover or evaluate multiple servers in real-time, thus minimizing selection delay while ensuring service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic server selection mechanism where the SET can adaptively choose from multiple pre-configured location servers based on real-time roaming conditions. The system maintains a flexible, ordered list of server identities that can be traversed dynamically, allowing the device to switch between home, discovered, and emergency servers as conditions change, thereby balancing service quality with minimal delay.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for providing location services to an application in a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Enabled Terminal (SET). In some embodiments, a SUPL configuration server (SUPLCS) may configure multiple secure user plane location (SUPL) location platforms (SLPs) in a first stage. Subsequently, the SUPL CS may configure information independently for the application in a second stage, wherein the configuration information for the application includes identification of a particular Home SLP (HSLP) configured in the first stage.