Method and apparatus for supporting location services via a home node b (hnb)

Abstract

Techniques for supporting location services for a home Node B (HNB) and its user equipments (UEs) are disclosed. In an aspect, location services may be supported for a UE by having an HNB inter-work between user plane and control plane location solutions. In one design, the HNB receives a request for a location service for the UE and communicates (i) with a location server via the user plane location solution and (ii) with the UE via the control plane location solution to support the location service for the UE. The HNB inter-works between the user plane and control plane location solutions. In another aspect, a location server may be used to support assisted GNSS (A-GNSS) for HNBs and UEs. In one design, an HNB exchanges PCAP messages with the location server via an HNB GW and exchanges RRC messages with a UE to support a location service for the UE.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of supporting location services, comprising:
 performing a location procedure with a location server by a first home Node B (HNB) to support a location service for a user equipment (UE) communicating with the first HNB;   obtaining an indication to handover the UE from the first HNB to a second HNB; and   transferring location status information from the first HNB to the second HNB, wherein the location procedure is continued by the second HNB and the location server based on the location status information provided by the first HNB.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first HNB and the second HNB both interface with a same HNB Gateway (HNB GW) and communicate with the location server via the HNB Gateway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deciding whether to abort the location procedure or continue the location procedure after handover of the UE to the second HNB, wherein the location status information is transferred to the second HNB in response to a decision to continue the location procedure.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that handover of the UE from the first HNB to the second HNB failed; and   continuing the location procedure with the location server by the first HNB upon determining handover failure for the UE.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location service includes positioning to determine location of the UE, or delivery of assistance data to the UE, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location status information comprises at least one positioning method used in the location procedure, information obtained for each of the at least one positioning method, information related to location reporting, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of supporting location services, comprising:
 exchanging Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) messages with a location server by a home Node B (HNB) for positioning of the HNB; and   determining location of the HNB based on the PCAP messages.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 sending information for the HNB to the location server, the information comprising a cell global identifier (CGI) for the HNB, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for the HNB, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) for the HNB, location of the HNB, at least one cell ID of at least one neighbor cell, positioning capabilities of the HNB, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the exchanging PCAP messages comprises exchanging the PCAP messages with the location server via an HNB Gateway (HNB GW), wherein the PCAP messages are transferred in messages of a first protocol between the HNB and the HNB GW and are transferred in messages of a second protocol between the HNB GW and the location server. 
     
     
         10 . A device for supporting location services, comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a processor configured to:   perform a location procedure with a location server by a first home Node B (HNB) to support a location service for a user equipment (UE) communicating with the first HNB;   obtain an indication to handover the UE from the first HNB to a second HNB; and   transfer location status information from the first HNB to the second HNB, wherein the location procedure is continued by the second HNB and the location server based on the location status information provided by the first HNB.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the first HNB and the second HNB both interface with a same HNB Gateway (HNB GW) and communicate with the location server via the HNB Gateway. 
     
     
         12 . The processor of  claim 10 , further configured to:
 decide whether to abort the location procedure or continue the location procedure after handover of the UE to the second HNB, wherein the location status information is transferred to the second HNB in response to a decision to continue the location procedure.   
     
     
         13 . The processor of  claim 10 , further configured to:
 determine that handover of the UE from the first HNB to the second HNB failed; and   continue the location procedure with the location server by the first HNB upon determining handover failure for the UE.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the location service includes positioning to determine location of the UE, or delivery of assistance data to the UE, or both. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the location status information comprises at least one positioning method used in the location procedure, information obtained for each of the at least one positioning method, information related to location reporting, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A device for supporting location services, comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a processor configured to:   exchange Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) messages with a location server by a home Node B (HNB) for positioning of the HNB; and   determine location of the HNB based on the PCAP messages.   
     
     
         17 . The processor of  claim 16 , further configured to:
 send information for the HNB to the location server, the information comprising a cell global identifier (CGI) for the HNB, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for the HNB, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) for the HNB, location of the HNB, at least one cell ID of at least one neighbor cell, positioning capabilities of the HNB, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor configured to exchange PCAP messages comprises the processor configured to exchange the PCAP messages with the location server via an HNB Gateway (HNB GW), wherein the PCAP messages are transferred in messages of a first protocol between the HNB and the HNB GW and are transferred in messages of a second protocol between the HNB GW and the location server.