VoWLAN Emergency Location via EPC Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions fail to determine the location of a caller using an untrusted WLAN access point during emergency calls in VoWLAN systems, which is essential for dispatching emergency services.
Innovation Solution
The method involves user equipment (UE) determining its location using techniques such as DHCP, NEAD database queries, cell identity, GPS, or IKEv2 protocols, and reporting this information through the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network to provide location information to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) even when connected to untrusted Non-3GPP IP Access Points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If location determination is implemented for trusted WLAN access points, then emergency call location accuracy is improved, but the system cannot handle untrusted WLAN access points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the EPC network as an intermediary between the UE and PSAP for location information transmission. The EPC receives location information from the UE and forwards it to the PSAP, enabling location determination to work with both trusted and untrusted WLAN access points by mediating the information exchange through a trusted network component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the location determination process into independent components: (1) UE determines its own location using various techniques, (2) UE reports location information to EPC, and (3) EPC transmits location information to PSAP. This segmentation allows the system to handle untrusted WLAN access points by separating the untrusted access point function from the trusted location reporting function
2Measurement precision
If multiple location determination techniques are supported, then location accuracy for untrusted WLAN is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the UE to self-determine its location using multiple techniques (GPS, cell identity, DHCP, NEAD database queries) without requiring complex network-side processing. The UE autonomously selects and executes appropriate location determination methods based on available resources, reducing the complexity burden on the network infrastructure while maintaining high location accuracy
Data Source
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AI summary
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, user equipment (UE) comprises processing circuitry to connect to a network via an untrusted wireless local area network (WLAN) and determine a location of the UE to provide the location of the UE if a voice call is made by the UE via the untrusted WLAN. The UE provides the location of the UE to a Public-Safety Answering Point (PSAP) via one or more network nodes of the network via the untrusted WLAN.