Location Information for a Mobile Station

Abstract

In a wireless communications network, a method of performing a location service with respect to a mobile station includes communicating a paging message containing an indication of whether the paging message is related to at least one of an emergency-related location service and a law enforcement-related location service. In another aspect, a mobile station in a wireless communications network communicates messaging to move the mobile station to a traffic channel in response to a callback by at least one of an emergency services entity and a law enforcement entity. The mobile station also receives a location request on the traffic channel, the location request containing an indication of whether the location request is related to at least one of an emergency-related location service and a law enforcement-related location service.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a position request for a position of a mobile station;   ascertaining that the mobile station is involved in an active call session;   querying a base station involved in the call session for radio environment information associated with the call session;   receiving the radio environment information from the base station; and   forwarding the radio environment information to a remote entity for determining the position of the mobile station.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the position request is received from an emergency service. 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the position request pertains to an emergency service. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the position request comprises an InterSystemPositionRequest (ISPOSREQ). 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ascertaining comprises ascertaining that the mobile station is on an active traffic channel. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said querying comprises communicating a Radio Measurements for Position Request to the base station. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radio environment information is received as part of a Radio Measurements for Position Response. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more machine-readable storage media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including:
 receiving a position request for a position of a mobile station; 
 ascertaining that the mobile station is involved in an active call session; 
 querying a base station involved in the call session for radio environment information associated with the call session; 
 receiving the radio environment information from the base station; and 
 forwarding the radio environment information to a remote entity for determining the position of the mobile station. 
   
     
     
         9 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors and the one or more machine-readable storage media are implemented as part of a mobile switching center. 
     
     
         10 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors and the one or more machine-readable storage media are implemented as part of a mobile switching center that services a cell in which the base station resides. 
     
     
         11 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors and the one or more machine-readable storage media are implemented as part of a mobile switching center, and the position request is received from a mobile position center remote from the mobile switching center. 
     
     
         12 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the remote entity comprises a mobile position center. 
     
     
         13 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the position request pertains to an emergency service for the mobile station. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a position request for a position of a mobile station that is involved in an active call session, the position request indicating that the position request is related to an emergency service;   forwarding a request message for receipt by the mobile station, the request message requesting the position of the mobile station and indicating that the request is related to the emergency service;   receiving a response message from the mobile station including position information for the mobile station, the response message being multiplexed with the active call session; and   determining based on the position information a position of the mobile station.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the request message includes a configurable emergency services field that indicates that the request message is related to the emergency service. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising, prior to said forwarding, adding an emergency services field to the request message indicating that the request messaged is related to the emergency service. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the request message is multiplexed with the active call session. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the active call session occurs over a particular traffic channel, and wherein said forwarding comprises forwarding the request message over the particular traffic channel for receipt by the mobile station. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the active call session occurs over a particular traffic channel, and wherein said receiving comprises receiving the response message over the particular traffic channel. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising sending the position of the mobile station to a mobile position center.