User plane location based service using message tunneling to support roaming

Abstract

An improved User Plane location based service (LBS) architecture and message flow, enabling seamless User Plane location based services even when a mobile or wireless device has roamed among different carrier networks. The present invention overcomes constraints inherent in the current protocol for roaming support defined by the Secure User Plane Location Service specification. A location system is enabled to automatically fall back to a message tunneling mechanism to ensure the security of a communication path between the location service system and the target wireless device, ensuring that the communication path is uninterrupted as the wireless device travels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing user plane location services using message tunneling to support roaming, comprising:
 establishing a user plane roaming communication over a roaming interface (Lr) between a roaming wireless device (MT) and a visited location server (V-LCS) that serves a geographic area where said roaming wireless device is currently, via an intermediary home location server (H-LCS), said user plane roaming communication being tunneled in a Position Data message (PDMESS), wherein said user plane roaming communication includes an indicator that message tunneling is being used; and   providing an IP address of said serving positioning server to said roaming wireless device.