System and method for authorization of location services

ES 2 187 259 B2

DESCRIPTION

System and method for authorization of location services.

Background of the present invention

Invention field

The present invention relates, in general, to telecommunications systems and to a method for determining the location of a mobile terminal within a cellular network and, specifically, for performing prior authorization checks on the location of the mobile terminal.

Background and objects of the present invention

Cellular telecommunications is one of the fastest growing and most in-demand applications in the telecommunications field to date. Today, they represent a high and continuously growing percentage of all telephone subscriptions worldwide. A standardization group, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), was established in 1982 to formulate specifications for the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) digital mobile cellular radio system. for Mobile Communications).

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a GSM PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network = Terrestrial Public Mobile Network), such as a cellular network 10 which, in turn, is composed of a plurality of areas. 12, each with an MSC (Mobile Switching Center = Central de Commutacion Movil) 14 and a VLR (Visitor Location Register = Visitors Situation Register) 16 in it. MSC / VLR areas 12 include, in turn, a plurality of LBs (Location Breas = Situation Areas) 18, which are defined as the part of an MSC / VLR area 12 in which a mobile station (MS) or terminal 20 It can move freely without having to send information to update its position to the MSC / VLT area 12 that controls the LB 18. Each location area 12 was divided into several cells 22. The MS 20 is the fossil equipment, for example a car phone or other portable phone, used by mobile subscribers to communicate with the cellular network 10, with each other and with users outside the subscriber network, both by cable and in communication. wireless.

The MSC 14 is in communication with at least one BSC (Base Station Controller = Base Station Controller) 23 which, in turn, is in contact with at least one BTS (Base Transceiver Station = Base Transceiver Station) 24. The BTS is the fossil equipment, illustrated for simplicity as a radio tower, which provides radio coverage for cell 22, for which it is responsible. It should be understood that the BSC 23 can be connected to several base transceiver stations 24 and that it can be incorporated as a stand-alone node or integrated with the MSC 14. In any event, reference is made generally to the components BSC 23 and BTS 24, together. , such as a BSS (Base Station

System = Base Station System) 25.

With additional reference to figure 1, the PLMN Service area or cellular network 10 includes an HLR (Home Location Register) 26, which is a database that keeps all the information about subscribers, for example profiles. user name, current position information, IMSI numbers (International Mobile Subscriber Identity = International Mobile Subscriber Identity), and other administrative information. The HLR 26 may be arranged in conjunction with a given MSC 14, integrated with the MSC 14, or alternatively, it may serve multiple MSCs 14, the latter of which is illustrated in Figure 1.

VLR 16 is a database containing information about all Mobile Stations 20 currently located within MSC / VLR area 12. If an MS 20 moves to a new MSC / VLR area 12, the VLR 16 connected to that MSC 14 will request data about Mobile Station 20 from the HLR 26 database (simultaneously informing HLR 26 about the current situation. of MS 20). Consequently, if the user of the MS 20 then wants to make a call, the local VLR 16 will have the required identification information without having to interrogate the HLR 26. As described above, the VLR and HLR databases , 16 and 26, respectively, contain various subscriber information associated with a given MS 20.

Determining the geographic position of an MS within a cellular network has recently gained importance for a wide range of applications. For example, location services can be used by transportation and taxi companies to determine the location of their vehicles. Also, for emergency calls, for example calls to 911, the exact location of the mobile terminal can be extremely important for the resolution of the emergency situation. Additionally, location services can be used to determine the position of a stolen vehicle, to detect calls in residential areas, which are charged at lower rates, to detect micro-battery collection points, or for the subscriber to Determine, for example, the nearest hospital, restaurant or gas station.

At present, as can be seen in fig. 2 of the drawings, in response to a network location request, the BSS (220 and 240) that serves the MS 200, generates positioning data, which is delivered to the MSC 260. These positioning data are then sent to an MPC (Mobile Positioning Center = Central de Localizacióon de Móoviles) 270 to calculate the geographic location of the MS 200. The MS 200 situation can then be sent to application 280 that requested the location. Alternatively, the requesting application 280 could be within the MS 200 itself or within the network (MSC / VLR 260).

In order to accurately determine the location of the MS 200, positioning data from three or more Stations is required.

ES 2 187 259 B2 Base Transceiver tions (210, 220 and 230). This positioning data for GSM systems can include, for example, a TA value (Timing Bdvance = Timing Advance), which corresponds to the lead time with which the MS 20θ must send a message in order for the BTS 220 receive it in the time interval assigned to that MS 200. When a message is sent from the MS 200 to the BTS 220, there is a propagation delay, which depends on the distance between the MS 200 and the BRS 220. The TA values ​​are expressed in bit periods, and may be in the range from 0 to 63, with each bit period corresponding to approximately 550 meters between the MS 200 and the BTS 220. It should be understood, however, that any estimate of time, distance or angle can be used for any cellular system, in place of the TA value described herein.

Once a TA value has been determined for a BTS 220, the distance between the MS 200 and that particular BTS 220 is known, but the actual situation is not known. If, for example, the value of TA is equal to one, the MS 200 could be anywhere within a radius of 550 meters. Two TA values ​​from two BTSs, for example BTS 210 and BTS 220, provide two possible points where the MS 200 could be found (where the two radii intersect). However, with three TB values ​​from three BTS, for example BTS 210, 220 and 230, the location of the MS 200 can be determined with some degree of precision. Using a triangulation algorithm, knowing the three TB values ​​and the site position data associated with each BTS (210, 220 and 230), the position of the mobile station 200 can be determined (with some precision) by the MPC 270 .

Therefore, TB values ​​are obtained from the original (service) BTS 220 and two neighboring BTSs (210 and 230). In order for each target BTS (210 and 230) to determine a TB value, a location handover must occur for each of the BTS (210 and 230). A location transfer is similar to an ordinary asynchronous transfer. The target BTS, eg BTS 210, distinguishes Location Handover from ordinary handover by a new BCTIVBTION TYPE in the CBNBL BCTIVBCION message. Unlike an ordinary transfer, when a TRBNSFERENCIB BCCESS message is received from the MS 200, the target BTS 210 only calculates the TB value and does not respond to the mobile station 200, that is, no FISICB INFORMATION is sent to the MS. 200. Then the MS 200 will revert to the previous channel assigned by the original BTS 220 after the period of time defined by the internal counter of the MS 200 has expired, eg 320 milliseconds.

Location services have a high potential to invade a subscriber's privacy. This is especially true when business applications are equipped with the ability to access location services. Appropriate authorization and access facilities must be provided to prevent misuse and allow the subscriber adequate control over the ability of external parties to determine their position. Also, these authorization procedures must provide adequate protection even when the subscriber is on the move.

Currently, there are authorization procedures for only a limited set of location services. For example, as described in US Patent No. 5,485,163, Singer et al., A requesting user must enter a PIN (personal identification number) assigned to location services for a particular portable locator unit (PLU) to activate location services for that PLU. These procedures do not include the possibility of managing subscribers in motion, and can only be applied to services that offer the possibility of locating, only, subscribers that are in a certain group (LSG services (Location of Subscriber within Group = Location of Bbonado within Furthermore, the subscriber typically does not have the ability to prevent their location.

A previously considered solution to the problem of position secrecy includes an option, which can be adjusted by the subscriber, to disable / enable any possibility of locating initiated by the application. However, this option disables any location request initiated by the application and, if the subscriber chooses to enable applications initiated by the application, any agency subscribed to location possibilities that has the subscriber number can locate the MS at any time.

Another solution considered would allow locating by activating an indicator on the telephone. However, allowing the localization is intrusive and, at present, there are no mechanisms in the MS that allow its localization. Bdemaós, it is difficult for the MS to determine when the application of locating the MS situation has finished (multiple locations may be necessary).

Another solution considered would provide a confirmation dialog during which the subscriber must allow or prevent the location request. However, this solution is also intrusive. If the user does not satisfactorily indicate acceptance during the dialogue, the location will not be carried out.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an authorization check in location applications, prior to location of a mobile terminal in a cellular network.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to telecommunications systems and to methods that carry out authorization checks prior to granting permission for a location service to determine the position of a mobile terminal in a cellular network. The various checks include ensuring that the requesting agency has the authorization to request the location of mobile terminals, to finish whether the location of mobile terminals is allowed in the cellular network in which the ter3 is located at that time.

ES 2 187 259 B2 mobile terminal, verify the authenticity of the identity of the mobile location exchange, ensure whether the mobile subscriber has allowed the requesting agency to locate the mobile terminal, and confirm that all relevant criteria have been met for localization, both by the mobile subscriber and by the requesting agency. For example, in certain circumstances, an agency may only be allowed to locate a mobile terminal while it has an established call with a specific number (or group of numbers). In that case, each agency location request is checked against a directory number or a set of directory numbers, specific to that agency. The agency requesting the location (taxi company, police, etc.) is interconnected with a localization application, which is interconnected with a local MPC. This location application asked the MPC to locate a mobile terminal with a certain directory number, on behalf of a given agency. The MPC will only allow the location to take place if that mobile terminal has established, at that moment, a call with one of the numbers associated with the given agency. Otherwise, the location request is rejected. Brief description of the drawings

The inventions described will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show important illustrative embodiments of the invention and which are incorporated herein by reference, and in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a conventional land-based wireless telecommunications system;

Figure 2 illustrates a sample location handoff, in which positioning data is acquired by a target base transceiver station, and transmitted to a serving base station controller;

Figure 3 represents our operations in an authorization process for the location of a specific mobile terminal within a cellular network, according to preferred embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 4 describes a sample flow to validate the authority of an agency to locate a mobile terminal based on criteria to be satisfied by both the mobile terminal and the requesting agency, in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention; and Figure 5 illustrates operations, in a sample location process, after authorization for location has been obtained, in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Currently Preferred Illustrative Embodiments

The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to the presently preferred illustrative embodiment. However, it should be understood that this class of embodiments only provides a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, what is established in the specification of the present application does not necessarily delimit any of the various claimed inventions. Bdemaós, some statements may apply to some inventive features, but not to others.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, sample authorization process operations are illustrated for locating a specific Mobile Station (MS) 200 within a cellular network 205. Initially, when a location request is received by a main or local (service) Mobile Location Central (MPC) 270 (operation 300), the main or local MPC 270 must verify the identity of the requesting agency 280 and the Agency authority 280 to request the location (operation 310). This can be accomplished by having the MPC 270 cross-check the identity of the requesting agency 280 against a list of agencies (location nodes) stored in a database 275 of the MPC 270 possessing authority to locate mobile stations 200. If the requesting agency 280 is not a valid agency or lacks authorization to locate mobile stations 200 (operation 310), a message indicating the denial of the location is sent to the requesting agency 280 (operation 320). The following authorization checks, with the exception of the identity verification of the requesting MPC 270, can be avoided if the requesting agency 280 is an agency with power of attorney or an emergency center.

However, if the requesting agency 280 is valid and has authority to locate mobile stations (operation 310), the service MPC 270 (main or local, depending on the current situation of the MS 200) can optionally check, in addition, the authority requesting agency 280 to locate the specific MS 200 requested (operation 330). For example, if the requesting agency 280 is only allowed to locate specific MS 200s within a group of MS 200s, for example a taxi service connected to the main PLMN 205 may require the location of a taxi-mounted Ms, it has to confirm, firstly, the membership of the specific MS 200 to the group. Topically, the MPC 270 verifies that the identity of the MS 200 to be located, for example the International Mobile Social Security Identity (IMSI) number, is found in a list of mobile identities whose location the requesting agency 280 has permission to obtain. This list could be provided by the requesting agency 280 when it matches the main MPC 270, or it could be stored in the main MPC 270. If the specific Ms 200 to be located has moved out of the main PLMN 205, the serving MPC (not shown) could then request this list from the main MPC 270. If the identity of the MS 200 is not found in the list of identities of mobiles that can be located, a message can be sent to the requesting agency 280 (operation 320) indicating that the location has been denied.

If the subscriber has moved to a new PLMN (not shown) (step 340), the serving MPC (not shown) must ensure that the location of the MS 200 within the serving PLMN (not shown) is allowed

ES 2 187 259 B2 (step 350). If the location of the moving MS 200 is not allowed (step 350), a message is sent indicating that location has been denied to the requesting agency 280 (step 320). Furthermore, the main MPC 270 may prohibit the serving MPC from locating the MS 200 when it has moved. The serving MSC / VLR (not shown) must make sure if the location of the MS 200 is restricted when the MS 200 is moving (operation 360), for example by asking the HLR 265 and, if the location is restricted (operation 360) , a denial message is to be sent to the requesting agency 280 (step 320). Alternatively, all information regarding the location can be sent to the serving MSC / VLR when the MS 200 performs a location update.

If the location of the MS 200 is allowed in the serving PLMN (operations 350 and 360), the serving MSC / VLR must further verify the identity of the requesting MPC 270 (operation 370) by determining the identity of the MPC 270, for example by querying the HLR 265 or checking the subscriber record sent by the HLR 265 to the serving MSC / VLR when a location update was performed, and cross-checking that identity with the identity of the requesting MPC 270. If the requesting MPC 270 is not the primary MPC 270 (operation 370), a denial message is sent to the requesting agency 280 (operation 320).

Next, the main or serving MSC / VLR 260 checks the subscriber record obtained from the HLR 265 to ensure that the subscriber associated with the MS 200 to be located has subscribed to the location service offered by the requesting agency 280 ( operation 380) and that the subscriber has enabled his location by the requesting agency 280 (operation 390). For example, a requesting agency 280 could provide location services to place MS orders. In that case, the main or serving MSC / VLR 260 must determine if the subscriber has subscribed to the paging services provided by the requesting agency 280 (operation 380) and if the subscriber has enabled paging (operation 390), for For example, the request for location comes from MS 200. If the subscriber has not contracted the service or has disabled it (or has not activated it), a denial message is sent to the requesting agency 280 (operation 320).

Finally, the main or service MPC 270 must validate that all the criteria for locating have been met (operation 395). If so, then the MS 200 can be located (operation 398). For example, when an external agency 280 locates an MS 200 in order to provide a service or to assist the mobile subscriber, it must be able to restrict the location of the MS 200 by the external agency 280 if the mobile subscriber does not you need the service. The LSC (Location of Subscriber while Connected) service provides a way to achieve this. For example, the LSC service can be used by a taxi service to determine the subscriber's location and then send a taxi to this location. In addition, these LSC services are useful for demolition companies and emergency calls.

Such agencies 280 can only locate an MS 200 as long as it has an established call with a specific number (or set of numbers). Thus, the taxi company could only locate 200 mobile stations that called his number to order a taxi. Each of the location requests of agencies 280 would be filtered by the MPC 270 by contrasting it with a directory number or a set of directory numbers specific to this agency 280.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, a sample flow is depicted to validate the authority of an agency 280 to locate a mobile station (MS) 200 based on criteria to be satisfied by both the MS 200 and by the 280 applicant agency. The agency requesting the location (taxi company, police, etc.) will be interconnected with a location application 280 (operation 400), which is interconnected with a local MPC 270 (operation 410). The set of valid directory numbers for the agency represented by that application 280 is communicated to MPC 270 (operation 430) when the location application 280 coincides with MPC 270 (operation 420). This application 280 will ask MPV 270 to locate an MS 200 with a certain directory number on behalf of agency xxx (operation 440). MPC 270 will only allow paging to take place (operation 460) if that MS 200 has concurrently established a call to one of the numbers associated with agency xxx (operation 450). Otherwise, the location request is rejected (operation 470).

Referring now to figure 5 of the drawings, once the authorization of the requesting agency to locate the MS has been confirmed, it continued to locate the MS 200 by sending the MPC 270 the location request to the MSC / VLR 260 ( operation 500). The MPC 270 may be located in the MSC / VLR 260 or it could be a separate node in communication with the MSC / VLR 260. The serving MSC / VLR 260 then sends the location request to the BSC 240 (step 510). If the MS 200 is in idle mode (not in use), the MSC / VLR 260 must alert the MS 200 and establish a call with the MS 200 before sending the page request to the BSC 240 (operation 510). This call does not activate the ringing signal in the MS 200 and therefore the MS 200 does not draw attention to it.

The home BSC 240 then determines which BTS 220 is currently serving the MS 200 (step 520) and obtains a value of TB (TB1), or other location data, from this serving BTS 220 (step 525). , if possible. After that, TB values ​​of two target BTSs (210 and 230) are obtained (operation 560) by performing a location transfer (operation 530). If the serving BTS 220 does not support paging, an additional target BTS (not shown) must be selected. Has to observe

ES 2 187 259 B2 varse that other triangulation-based location methods can be used, instead of obtaining TB values, as described herein. Furthermore, the location of the MS 200 can be accomplished using more than three BTSs (210, 220 and 230).

The location transfer for one of the target BTSs (step 530) is achieved by having the serving BSC 240 send a new ACTIVATION TYPE in a CHANNEL ACTIVATION message to the target BTS 230, informing the target BTS 230 of that a location transfer is to be performed (step 535). The target BTS 230 then acknowledges receipt of the CHANNEL ACTIVATION message to the serving BSC 250 (step 540).

Then, the BSC 240 sends a command to the MS 200 through the serving BTS 220 (operation 545) to transmit an ACCESS TO TRANSFER message to the target BTS 230 (operation 550). During the time that the MS 220 is waiting for a response from the target BTS 230, for example about 320 milliseconds, the target BTS 230 measures the value of TA (access delay) (TA3) (operation 555), using pulse trains access codes sent by the MS 200, and sends this location data to the serving BSC 240 (step 560). A location handover can then be performed for the other target BTS 210 in the same manner as set forth above. The TA value measured by the target BTS 230 (TA3) is then transmitted by the serving BSC 250 to the MSC 260 (operation 565), along with the TA values ​​(TA1 and TA2) obtained from the serving BTS 220 and from other BTS 210 target.

Finally, the TA value acquired from the target BTS 230 (TA3), along with other TA values ​​(TA1 and TA2), are sent to the MPC 270 from the MSC 260 (operation 570), where the situation of the MS 200 using the triangulation algorithm (operation 575). The MPC 270 then presents the geographic position of the MS 200 to the requesting agency (node) 280 (operation 580).

As those skilled in the art will recognize, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a huge range of applications. Consequently, the scope of the subject matter of the patent should not be limited to any of the specific illustrative teachings described.