Method and apparatus for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate routing of messages of a positioning protocol, such as long term evolution (LTE) positioning protocol annex (LPPa). A positioning server can determine a network area identifier of one or more messages based at least in part on an identifier of a base station associated with the one or more messages. Based at least in part on the network area identifier, the positioning server can provide the one or more messages to an intermediate network node corresponding to the one or more base stations, such as a mobility management entity (MME). MME can similarly provide the one or more messages to an optional gateway between it and the one or more base stations based at least in part on receiving the network area identifier in the one or more messages. In addition, a base station can update positioning information with the positioning server.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, executable by a positioning server, of communicating a message of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 storing, by the positioning server, a mapping between a plurality of base stations identifiers and network area identifiers; 
 generating, by the positioning server, a message of a positioning protocol associated with a base station; 
 obtaining an identifier of the base station; 
 determining a network area identifier associated with the base station based on the identifier of the base station in accordance with the mapping; and 
 delivering the message to an intermediate network node based at least in part on the determined network area identifier. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of the identifier of the base station comprises receiving the identifier of the base station from the base station. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivering the message to the intermediate network node further comprises including the network area identifier with the message. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate network node is a mobility management entity, and the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus of a positioning server for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a plurality of components; 
 at least one processor, at the positioning server, configured to process functions associated with the plurality of components to:
 store a mapping between a plurality of base stations identifiers and network area identifiers; 
 generate a message of a positioning protocol associated with a base station; 
 obtain an identifier of the base station; 
 determine a network area identifier associated with the base station based on the identifier of the base station in accordance with the mapping; and 
 provide the message to an intermediate network node based at least in part on the determined network area identifier; and 
 
 a memory coupled to the at least one processor. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to process functions associated with the plurality of components to receive the identifier of the base station from the base station. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to process functions associated with the plurality of components to include the network area identifier in the message. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate network node is a mobility management entity, and the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus of a positioning server for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 means for storing a mapping between a plurality of base stations identifiers and network area identifiers; 
 means for generating a message of a positioning protocol associated with a base station; 
 means for obtaining an identifier of the base station; 
 means for determining a network area identifier associated with the base station based on the identifier of the base station in accordance with the mapping; and 
 means for delivering the message to an intermediate network node based at least in part on the determined network area identifier. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the means for obtaining comprises means for receiving the identifier of the base station from the base station. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the means for delivering further comprises means for including the network area identifier with the message. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the intermediate network node is a mobility management entity, and the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       13. A computer program product, executable by a positioning server, for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising: 
 code for causing at least one computer to store a mapping between a plurality of base stations identifiers and network area identifiers; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to generate a message of a positioning protocol associated with a base station; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to obtain an identifier of the base station; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to determine a network area identifier associated with the base station based on the identifier of the base station in accordance with the mapping; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to provide the message to an intermediate network node based at least in part on the determined network area identifier. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the obtaining of the identifier of the base station comprises receiving the identifier of the base station from the base station. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to include the network area identifier in the message. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the intermediate network node is a mobility management entity, and the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus of a positioning server for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a message component for generating, executable by the positioning server, a message of a positioning protocol associated with a base station; 
 a network area identifier receiving component for obtaining an identifier of the base station from the base station; 
 a network area identifier determining component, comprising hardware, for:
 storing a mapping between a plurality of base stations identifiers and network area identifiers, and 
 determining a network area identifier associated with the base station based on the identifier of the base station in accordance with the mapping; and 
 
 a message routing component for delivering the message to an intermediate network node based at least in part on the determined network area identifier. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the network area identifier receiving component obtains the identifier of the base station from the base station. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the message routing component further includes the network area identifier with the message. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the intermediate network node is a mobility management entity, and the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       21. A method, executable by an intermediate network node, for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 determining and storing, by the intermediate network node, a mapping between a plurality of network area identifiers and gateway identifiers; 
 receiving a network area identifier related to a base station in a message of a positioning protocol from a positioning server; 
 determining whether a gateway is present based at least in part on the network area identifier in accordance with the mapping; and 
 delivering the message to a network node based at least in part on whether the gateway is present. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the determining includes determining that the gateway is present, and the delivering includes delivering the message to the gateway along with an identifier of the base station. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the determining includes determining that the gateway is not present, and the delivering includes delivering the message to the base station. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus of an intermediate network node for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a plurality of components; 
 at least one processor configured to process functions associated with the plurality of components to:
 determine and store a mapping between a plurality of network area identifiers and gateway identifiers; 
 receive a network area identifier related to a base station in a message of a positioning protocol from a positioning server; 
 determine whether a gateway is present based at least in part on the network area identifier in accordance with the mapping; and 
 provide the message to a network node based at least in part on whether the gateway is present; and 
 
 a memory coupled to the at least one processor. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one processor determines that the gateway is present, the network node is the gateway, and the at least one processor provides the message to the gateway along with an identifier of the base station. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one processor determines that the gateway is not present, and the network node is the base station. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus of an intermediate network node for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 means for determining and storing a mapping between a plurality of network area identifiers and gateway identifiers; 
 means for receiving a network area identifier related to a base station in a message of a positioning protocol from a positioning server; 
 means for determining whether a gateway is present based at least in part on the network area identifier in accordance with the mapping; and 
 means for delivering the message to a network node based at least in part on whether the gateway is present. 
 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the means for determining determines that the gateway is present, the network node is the gateway, and the means for delivering includes an identifier of the base station in the message. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the means for determining determines that the gateway is not present, and the network node is the base station. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       33. A computer program product, executable by of an intermediate network node, for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to determine and store a mapping between a plurality of network area identifiers and gateway identifiers; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to receive a network area identifier related to a base station in a message of a positioning protocol from a positioning server; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether a gateway is present based at least in part on the network area identifier in accordance with the mapping; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to provide the message to a network node based at least in part on whether the gateway is present. 
 
 
     
     
       34. The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines that the gateway is present, the network node is the gateway, and the code for causing the at least one computer to provide provides the message to the gateway along with an identifier of the base station. 
     
     
       35. The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines that the gateway is not present, and the network node is the base station. 
     
     
       36. The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus of an intermediate network node for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network, comprising:
 a network area identifier receiving component for determining and storing a mapping between a plurality of network area identifiers and gateway identifiers; 
 a message receiving component for obtaining a network area identifier related to a base station in a message of a positioning protocol; 
 a gateway presence determining component, comprising hardware, for determining whether a gateway is present based at least in part on the network area identifier in accordance with the mapping; and 
 a message routing component for delivering the message to a network node based at least in part on whether the gateway is present. 
 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the gateway presence determining component discerns that the gateway is present, the network node is the gateway, and the means for delivering includes an identifier of the base station in the message. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the gateway presence determining component discerns that the gateway is not present, and the network node is the base station. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the positioning protocol is long term evolution positioning protocol annex.