User Plane Location Reporting for Low-Latency UE Event Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current location solutions in wireless networks suffer from high latency, with most solutions taking 1 to 10 seconds or more, and no known solutions achieve latency consistently less than 1 second without using mobile device-based positioning, which limits their effectiveness in applications requiring low or very low latency and high accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing user plane signaling for location reports directly from a user equipment (UE) to an external client, reducing latency by bypassing intermediate entities and using control plane signaling for periodic or triggered cumulative event reports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control plane signaling is used for location reports, then reliability and network management are improved, but latency increases to 1 to 10 seconds or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location reporting process into two distinct paths: control plane signaling for setup and confirmation, and user plane signaling for actual location report transmission. This segmentation allows each plane to perform its optimal function - control plane for reliable management and user plane for low-latency data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the network establishes control plane signaling for reliable setup and confirmation, while simultaneously enabling direct user plane signaling as a mediator for fast location report transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and latency.
2Loss of time
If user plane signaling is used for location reports, then latency is reduced to less than 1 second, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic signaling approach where the system can adaptively choose between control plane and user plane signaling based on latency requirements and network conditions, allowing flexible optimization without permanently increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal location reporting framework that supports both control plane and user plane signaling modes, allowing the same system to handle different latency requirements and network scenarios without requiring separate implementations.
3Reliability
If cumulative event reports are sent using control plane signaling, then signaling reliability is improved, but latency and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic cumulative event reporting where summaries are sent at predetermined intervals or trigger points using control plane signaling, while individual events are reported immediately via user plane signaling, thus balancing reliability with latency optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for reducing end-to-end latency for location determination of a user equipment (UE). Location requests from an external client for a UE may be supported using control plane signaling. Location reports to the external client may be supported with user plane signaling to minimize delay. An event report with location information may be sent using user plane signaling to the external client (or Application Function) directly or via a Location Management Function (LMF) or Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) or via both the LMF and GMLC. If the LMF or GMLC receive an event report from the UE, the LMF or GMLC may send the event report to the external client with user plane signaling. A periodic or triggered cumulative event report may be sent to the LMF, GMLC or external client using control plane signaling to confirm the periodic or triggered location request remains operational.