Simulation of Location Based Services in Mobile Networks
Welcome to another issue of GL's Newsletter providing information and insight into our Location Services (LCS) Test Suite to support emulation of location services on GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks.
Overview
3GPP legacy technologies (GSM, UMTS and LTE) support LCS architecture for positioning mobile devices. Though there are a massively scalable suite of tools and high-quality database available for mobile location services, there is a need for pinpoint user's location solution. The following discussion of mobile location services infrastructure focuses on mobile positioning.
The LCS architecture follows a client/server model with the Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) acting as the server providing information to External LCS Clients. Location service architecture specifies all the necessary network elements and entities, and their functionalities, interfaces, as well as communication messages, necessary to implement the positioning functionality in a cellular network.
Geographic location estimate of Mobile Equipment (ME), expressed in latitude and longitude data is represented in a well-defined universal format. Location based services provide information about the location of an entity and is widely used in social networking, vehicle tracking, stolen assets tracking, emergency services, and many more.
GL's MAPS™ LCS Test Suite comprises of multiple products working to support location based services in GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks.
Message Automation & Protocol Simulation (MAPS™) is a protocol simulation and conformance test tool that supports simulation of a wide range of telecommunication protocols (VoIP/IP, TDM, Analog, Wireless) all within a single framework. The application includes various test plans and test cases to support the testing of real-time entities.
LCS Network Emulation using MAPS™ in E-UTRAN Network
SLg, SLh Interfaces
MAPS™ Diameter supports both server and client emulation for Diameter SLg, SLh interface, between the GMLC and the Mobile Management Entity (MME) over SLg interface and over SLh interface between GMLC and HSS exchanging LCS messages. The SLg and SLh interface application implements the following Mobile Application Services:
- Provide Subscriber Location
- Subscriber Location Report
- Location Routing Info
Diameter SLg, SLh Interface Procedures
SLs Interface
MAPS™ SLs interface emulator can emulate LCS network elements supporting positioning procedures over SLs interface between Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC) and MME.
LCS Application Protocol (LCS-AP) is a logical interface between the MME and the E-SMLC supporting the location services in E-UTRAN. The LTE Positioning Protocols (LPP and LPPa) can be carried in LCS-AP messages which are transparent to the MME.
MAPS™ SLs supports LCS-AP interface procedure, which are divided as follows:
- Location service request procedure
- Location information exchange procedure
SLs Interface Procedure
LCS Network Emulation using MAPS™ in UTRAN Network
Lg, Lh Interfaces
MAPS™ MAPIP supports both server and client emulation for the Mobile Application Part (MAP) Lg, Lh Interface. Test SGSN/MSC in GSM/UMTS network with GMLC and vice-versa.
Location based services, such as Emergency Services, rely upon LCS. The Lg, Lh Interface enable LCS in the GSM/UMTS to provide support for specialized mobile location services for operators, subscribers, and third-party service providers.
The following are the supported procedures:
- MAP-Provide-Subscriber-Location
- MAP-Subscriber-Location-Report
- MAP-Send-Routing-Info-for-LCS
MAP Lg, Lh Interface Procedures
IuPC / PCAP Interface
MAPS™ IuPC supports emulation of location service operation using Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) protocol between the Radio Network Controller (RNC) and the Stand-Alone SMLC (SAS) and the associated signaling procedures are:
- Positioning Calculation Service
- SAS Centric Position
- Information Exchange Service
Position Calculation Request Procedure
LCS Network Emulation using MAPS™ in GERAN Network
Lg, Lh Interfaces
MAPS™ MAPIP supports both server and client emulation for the MAP Lg, Lh Interface. Test SGSN/MSC in GSM/UMTS network with GMLC and vice-versa.
Location based services, such as Emergency Services, rely upon LCS. The Lg, Lh Interface enable LCS in the GSM/UMTS to provide support for specialized mobile location services for operators, subscribers, and third-party service providers.
The following are the supported procedures:
- MAP-Provide-Subscriber-Location
- MAP-Subscriber-Location-Report
- MAP-Send-Routing-Info-for-LCS
MAP Lg, Lh Interface Procedures
Lb Interface
MAPS™ Lb interface emulator can emulate LCS network elements supporting positioning procedures over GSM Lb interface between Serving Mobile Location Center (SMLC) and Base Station Controller(BSC).
MAPS™ Lb supports BSSMAP-LE message exchange between BSS and SMLC as per 3GPP TS 49.031 specification. The Lb interface is transparent to all UE related and LMU (Location Measurement Utility) related positioning procedures. The following are the supported procedures.
- Location Service Request
- Location information exchange procedure
- Timing Advance (TA) Positioning Procedure
Lb Interface Procedure
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