User Plane Location Protocols for Bearer-Independent Navigation Assistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current assisted navigation systems, such as SUPL, rely on control plane protocols for location assistance data transfer, which limits advanced location-based services and seamless positioning across different radio bearers, leading to complex architectures and suboptimal solutions, particularly in supporting continuous data streaming and bearer independence.

Innovation Solution

The development of user plane location protocols and metastructures that enable periodic and continuous assistance data transfer independently of satellite and bearer systems, reducing the need for multiple subsessions and allowing for scalable, bearer-independent location services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If control plane protocols are used for assistance data transfer, then location services can be provided, but the system complexity increases and continuous streaming capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service availabilityVSAvoidprotocol architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the assistance data transfer function from the control plane protocol and relocates it to the user plane. This separation removes the constraint that limited continuous streaming capability while maintaining location service availability, as the user plane can support persistent data flows independent of control plane signaling cycles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the location service functionality into two independent planes: control plane for signaling and user plane for data transfer. This segmentation allows each plane to operate independently with optimized protocols, reducing overall system complexity while enabling advanced features like continuous streaming that require dedicated data pathways

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple individual subsessions are used for different bearers, then bearer-specific requirements are met, but the architecture becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearer compatibilityVSAvoidsession management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal user plane protocol that can handle multiple radio bearers through a single session framework. The protocol is designed to be bearer-agnostic, allowing the same data transfer mechanism to serve different bearer types (GSM, UMTS, LTE, etc.) without requiring separate subsession management for each bearer

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

3Use of energy by moving object

If periodic reporting is used instead of continuous streaming, then resource consumption is reduced, but advanced positioning technologies cannot be supported

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice power consumptionVSAvoidpositioning technology support
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic data transfer mechanism in the user plane that can adapt its operation mode based on service requirements. The system can switch between continuous streaming for advanced positioning technologies and periodic reporting for standard services, allowing optimal power consumption while maintaining support for all positioning technologies through the same protocol framework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4124076B1Assistance data specifications and protocols for navigation systems
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4124076B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(d)
  • EP4124076B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4124076B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Assistance data specifications and protocols for navigation systems in cellular networks and/or other networks. These specifications and protocols do not impact system-specific control plane protocols. According to various embodiments, a bearer and satellite system-independent meta structure may be protected for periodic and/or continuous transfer, e.g., streaming, of assistance data in a network. As a result, the need for the arrangement of multiple individual subsessions may be reduced or eliminated in various embodiments.