CN100388843C - Implementation method of location-based services and location-based service middleware - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a location-based service implementation method and location service middleware. The method is as follows: a location service client responds to a service request initiated by a terminal user, and sends the service request to the location service middleware through a message interface; The service middleware initiates a positioning request to the positioning gateway through the message interface; the positioning gateway obtains the positioning result from the positioning device through the request; the positioning gateway returns the positioning result to the location service middleware; the location service middleware initiates a request to the geographic information system through the message interface; The geographical information system forms the service result required by the request and returns it to the location service middleware; the location service middleware returns the service result to the terminal user who initiates the service request through the location service client. The invention can reduce the threshold for SP to enter the location service field, help mobile operators realize the value-added of basic location information, and promote the rapid deployment and operation of location services.

Description

Implementation method of location-based services and location-based service middleware

technical field

The invention relates to a positioning method of a mobile communication system, in particular to a method for realizing location-based services and middleware for location services.

Background technique

Location-Based Services (LBS, also known as Location-Based Services), refers to the mobile communication system obtains the location information (such as Cell-sector, latitude and longitude) of the mobile station through a specific positioning technology, and in the electronic map information system (Geography Information System (GIS for short) and location-based content information system support, provide mobile users themselves, communication systems or third parties to complete location-related calling, data and management services.

With the increasing popularity of mobile communication among the urban population in our country, the importance of mobile positioning services has gradually become prominent. By activating location-based services, terminal users can easily know their current location, and use the terminal to query the information of various places near the user: where am I, where is my child, and dial a special number to directly connect to the nearest After-sales service point calls, where is the nearest hospital, where is the nearest hotel, where is the nearest restaurant, and you can enjoy preferential rates for using mobile phones at home... . At the same time, various existing access methods, such as SMS, MMS, WAP, Internet browser, etc., can be fully utilized for the return of information, which not only provides users with convenient and rich service enjoyment, but also enhances the user's understanding of operators. loyalty.

According to the existing location service protocol specifications of 3GPP and 3GPP2, the mobile positioning center (Mobile Position Center, referred to as MPC)/gateway mobile location center (GatewayMobile Location Center, referred to as GMLC) provides the longitude and latitude to the third party (SP) through the gateway equipment of the mobile network. In the location service of information, the service provider (Service Provider, referred to as SP) obtains the latitude and longitude, and then visits the GIS content provider to obtain location-related information and maps, and provides services to users. At present, when most SPs do not have the ability to provide GIS themselves, business promotion is relatively difficult, and the value chain has not really been formed. The key issue in the development of location services is that the value chain among GIS service providers, location service SPs, and telecom operators can be connected. The invention provides location service middleware packaged with GIS by telecom operators, provides value-added location information services to SP, accesses positioning equipment and GIS service providers after receiving requests from SPs, and returns results to SPs. In the process of service, it completes the authentication and billing of SP service requests, completes the realization of the service value of GIS service providers, and runs through the location service value chain.

At present, the mobile location service provides the location service of longitude and latitude information to the third party (SP) through the positioning gateway device (MPC/GMLC) of the mobile network. After the SP obtains the longitude and latitude, it then visits the GIS content provider to obtain location-related information, map to provide services to users. The structural diagram is shown in Figure 1.

Under the existing technology, mobile operators can only provide basic location information externally through a positioning gateway device, and cannot provide value-added services. Value-added services must be provided by the SP as a location service client. However, at present, most SPs do not have the ability to provide GIS themselves. Usually, professional GIS vendors also serve as location service clients to provide GIS systems themselves. Other non-GIS vendors must find GIS partners by themselves if they want to enter the field of location services. Business promotion is difficult, and the value chain has not really formed.

Contents of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for implementing location-based services and location service middleware, using location service middleware (Middle Ware) to encapsulate access to mobile network positioning equipment and GIS systems, and providing services to applications/SPs in the form of services Provided to penetrate the location service value chain.

Method of the present invention comprises the following steps:

A. The location service client responds to the service request initiated by the end user, and sends the service request to the location service middleware through the message interface;

B. The location service middleware responds to the service request and initiates a location request to the location gateway through the message interface;

C. The positioning gateway initiates a positioning request to the positioning device;

D. The positioning device interacts with the positioned mobile terminal for positioning-related information, completes the positioning calculation, and returns the positioning result to the positioning gateway;

E. The positioning gateway returns the positioning result to the location service middleware through the message interface;

F. The location service middleware returns the location service client the location service client with the location service result or the service result obtained from the geographic information system (GIS) according to the location location result and the service request type received;

G. The location service client returns a result to the terminal user who initiates the service request.

According to the method above:

End users can initiate service requests to location service clients through short messages, multimedia messages, WAP, WEB or voice.

When the location service client responds to the service request of the terminal, it also includes authenticating the request, and only the service request that passes the authentication is further processed.

The request message sent by the location service client to the location service middleware at least includes: service provider (SP) identification information, calling user identification information, checked user identification information and requested service type information.

When the location service middleware responds to the service request, it also includes: authenticating the location service client, and performing authentication and privacy check on the positioning request required by the calling user.

In step F, the location middleware obtains the service result from the geographic information system (GIS), including the following steps:

a. The location service middleware initiates a request to the geographic information system (GIS) through a message interface;

b. The geographic information system (GIS) forms the service result required by the request according to the request message of the location service middleware;

c. The geographic information system (GIS) returns the result to the location service middleware through a message interface.

The location service middleware of the present invention includes: a communication management module, a service provider (SP) access control module, a GIS access agent module, a positioning agent module, a core service processing module and a service data management module;

The communication management module controls the communication between the service provider (SP) access control module, the geographic information system (GIS) agent module, the positioning agent module and the core business processing module;

The service provider (SP) access control module receives the service request and sends it to the core business processing module. The core business processing module obtains the positioning result through the positioning agent module and processes it. The core business processing module passes the geographic information system (GIS) according to the positioning result. The access agent module obtains the service result, and the positioning result and the service result can be returned through the service provider (SP) access agent module;

The business database and management module complete data management and storage under the control of the core business processing module.

Location service middleware according to the present invention:

It includes a middleware interconnection proxy module communicating with the communication management module, and is used for interconnection with other location middleware.

It also includes a map image management module for managing cached map image data, which communicates with the service provider (SP) access control module and the GIS access agent module under the control of the communication management module.

It also includes an operation and maintenance server communicating with the business data management module, and an operation and maintenance terminal connected with the server.

It also includes a service control point (SCP)/message center interface module that communicates with the core service processing module to support access to location services and result return in the form of voice and short messages.

The present invention connects the value chain among GIS service providers, location service SPs and telecom operators by providing location service middleware packaged with GIS for telecom operators, and provides value-added location information services to numerous SPs. Lower the threshold for non-GIS SP manufacturers to enter the location service field, and help GIS manufacturers realize value at the same time.

Therefore, using the present invention to carry out mobile location services can reduce the threshold for SPs to enter the field of location services, help mobile operators realize the value-added of basic location information, promote the rapid deployment and operation of location services, and at the same time make GIS content widely used. Helping GIS Service Providers Realize Profit

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of implementing mobile location services in the prior art;

Fig. 2 is the structural diagram of realizing the mobile location service of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of location service middleware;

Fig. 4 is another structural schematic diagram of location service middleware.

Detailed ways

The invention encapsulates the access to the network positioning equipment and the GIS system through the location service middleware, and opens the basic location information and the GIS value-added location service to the SP, as shown in FIG. 2 .

The basic internal structure of location business middleware and the interface relationship with external entities are shown in Figure 3:

The SP access control module is responsible for processing the WebService business interaction with the SP, flow control, message conversion and other functions;

The GIS access agent module is responsible for processing the interface interaction with GIS, and supports the GIS selection function in the case of multiple GIS;

The positioning agent module is responsible for processing the interface interaction with the positioning gateway device, and supports multiple MPC/GMLC; the middleware interconnection agent module handles remote query and business interaction under roaming conditions;

The communication management module is responsible for the management of communication links and message distribution;

The core business processing module is the business core of the location business middleware, and its functions include:

1. Triggering of location services: start corresponding business logic in response to requests from SP, SCP, short message center, and other middleware;

2. Calling user authentication: check whether the user has the authority to use the location service, and reject the service request of the unsubscribed user;

3. SP authentication: check whether the SP is a contracted service provider, and reject service requests from uncontracted SPs;

4. Privacy protection and authentication of the checked user: all positioning requests must be authorized by the checked user, and the system rejects the positioning request initiated by the calling user who has not obtained legal authorization;

5. Value-added location service: On the basis of providing basic location information, call different GIS service interfaces according to different service types to obtain value-added location service information for users;

6. Detailed positioning records: provide historical location information records to support user needs such as route queries;

7. Billing and settlement: support billing functions such as per-time, per-service, roaming, Qos, cost sharing, etc., and output corresponding bills;

8. Roaming processing: query the information of the called place (such as MSCID, etc.), determine whether the user is roaming and perform corresponding processing;

The business database and management module is the data storage and management core of the location business middleware system, responsible for maintaining SP data, user contract data, business data, privacy protection data, billing data, historical location information and system configuration data;

In order to enhance the function of the location business middleware, it may further include one or more of the map image data management module, the SCP/message center interface module, the middleware interconnection agent module, the operation and maintenance server and the operation and maintenance terminal, wherein:

The middleware interconnection proxy module is used to realize multiple middleware interconnections;

The map image data management module is responsible for caching map image data;

The SCP/message center interface module is responsible for handling the communication and message processing with the SCP and the short message center, so as to support the positioning service access and intelligent user billing in the form of voice and short message;

The operation and maintenance server and the operation and maintenance terminal service provide users with the composition function of the location business middleware system maintenance.

The present invention is described in detail below with the middleware shown in Figure 4, the message center in the SCP/message center interface module among the figure is the short message center;

The communication management module is responsible for the communication between the SP access control module, the GIS access agent module, the location agent module and the core business processing module, and controls the operation and status management of these modules including the map image management module. The message interaction between each module and the core business processing module is all forwarded by the communication management module, and this forwarding process will not be described in detail in the following business processing flow.

The middleware receives the business request from the client through the SP access control module or the SCP/SMS center interface, and sends it to the core business processing module for corresponding processing. The core business processing module sends a positioning request message to the positioning proxy module, and according to the returned positioning information Correspondingly deal with the specific business request, if there is no need to access GIS, then directly return the positioning result to the SP access control module. Otherwise, you need to send a message to the GIS access agent module to request geographical information. After the core business processing module receives the return message, it determines the return method of the service result according to the business request. If it returns to the SP, it returns the message to the SP access agent module. Return the service result to the location service client through the SP access agent module. If it is selected to return the service result by short message, then send a message to the SCP/short message center interface module, and return the service result to the short message center through this module. In addition, when the geographical information returned by GIS is image information, after the GIS access agent module receives the information returned by GIS, it temporarily stores the image in the map image management module, and returns a message to the core business processing module, and the The core business processing module returns the result to the SP access control module after corresponding processing, and then the SP access control module takes out the image information from the map image management module, deletes the data in the map image management module at the same time, and finally The result is returned to the location service client.

Except for the heartbeat connection, there is no other message interaction between the communication management module and the map image data module.

With reference to Fig. 2, the detailed steps that realize the inventive method are as follows:

1. The end users of the location service access the client SP or service control point that provides location-based services (Location-Based Service, referred to as LBS) through different access methods, such as: short message, multimedia message, WAP, WEB or voice, etc. (Service Control Point, SCP for short), select the required business, and initiate a business request.

2. The location service client receives the service request, authenticates the calling user, and determines whether the user can use the service. After the authentication is passed, the service request is forwarded to the location service middleware, including authentication information such as SP identification, calling user identification, checked user identification, SP and calling user password, and the requested service type.

3. The location service middleware performs authentication on the SP forwarding the service request, and performs authentication and privacy check on the positioning request required by the calling user. If the privacy protection information registered by the checked user allows the calling user to initiate a location query, the location service middleware selects the corresponding positioning gateway logic module or device according to the type of the checked user, and initiates a positioning request to it.

4. The positioning gateway initiates a positioning request to the positioning device.

5. The positioning device selects the positioning technology and interacts with the mobile terminal under investigation for positioning-related information through the mobile network.

6. The positioning device completes the positioning calculation after obtaining the required positioning information, and returns the positioning result to the positioning gateway.

7. The positioning gateway performs necessary conversion on the positioning result and sends it to the location service middleware.

8. After obtaining the latitude and longitude information, the location service middleware initiates a request to the GIS system according to the type of service requested by the user to obtain value-added service information including text or maps. Before initiating the request, the location service middleware needs to determine the addressing information of the target GIS system according to the positioning result of the checked user terminal (area code or latitude and longitude information of the user's location).

9. According to the information type and latitude and longitude requested by the middleware, the GIS system queries the database to form the required service results. Return to the location business middleware.

10. The location service middleware returns the service result to the location service client.

11. The location service client returns the result to the end user.

In this embodiment, the short message center can also be replaced by other types of message centers, and correspondingly, the short message mode can be replaced by a corresponding type of message mode. The message types include multimedia messages, unified messages, and instant messages.

Claims (11)

1. the implementation method of a position-based class business is characterized in that comprising the steps:

A, locations services client response terminal Client-initiated service request are sent to the location service middleware by message interface with this service request;

B, location service middleware respond this service request, initiate Location Request by message interface to the location gateway;

C, location gateway are initiated Location Request to positioning equipment;

It is mutual that D, positioning equipment and the portable terminal that is positioned position relevant information, finishes location Calculation, and positioning result is returned to the location gateway;

E, location gateway return to the location service middleware by message interface with positioning result;

F, location service middleware return to locations services client with positioning result or according to positioning result from the service result that GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) obtains according to positioning result and the service request type received;

G, locations services client are to terminal use's return results of initiating service request.

2. the method for claim 1, it is characterized in that: the terminal use initiates service request by short message, Multimedia Message, WAP, WEB or voice mode to locations services client.

3. the method for claim 1 comprises also when it is characterized in that carrying out described steps A service request is carried out authentication that pass through as authentication, locations services client is sent to the location service middleware through message interface with this service request.

4. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that locations services client comprises in the request message that the location service middleware sends: service provider (SP) identifying information, caller id information, looked into the traffic type information of customer identification information and request.

5. the method for claim 1 comprises also when it is characterized in that carrying out step B that the location service middleware carries out authentication to locations services client, and the desired Location Request of calling subscriber is carried out authentication and privacy inspection.

6. as the described method of one of claim 1 to 5, it is characterized in that location middleware comprises the steps: from GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) acquisition service result in the step F

A, location service middleware are determined the addressing information of target GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) according to positioning result;

B, location service middleware are initiated request by message interface to target GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS);

C, GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) form the required service result of this request according to the request message of location service middleware;

D, GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) return to the location service middleware by message interface with service result.

7. location service middleware, it is characterized in that comprising: communication management module, service provider (SP) access control module, GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) proxy module, location proxy module, core business processing module and Service Database and administration module;

Communication between communication management module control service provider (SP) access control module, GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) proxy module, location proxy module and core business processing module;

Service provider (SP) access control module receives service request and sends the core business processing module to, the core business processing module obtains positioning result by the location proxy module and handles, the core business processing module inserts proxy module according to positioning result by GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) and obtains service result, and positioning result and service result can insert proxy module through service provider (SP) and return;

Service Database and administration module are finished the management and the storage of data under the control of core business processing module.

8. location service middleware as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that also comprising the interconnected proxy module of the middleware of communicating by letter with communication management module, is used for other location middleware interconnected.

9. location service middleware as claimed in claim 7, it is characterized in that also comprising the map image administration module that is used to manage buffer memory map image data, this module inserts proxy module with service provider (SP) access control module and GIS-Geographic Information System (GIS) and communicates by letter under communication management module control.

10. location service middleware as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that also comprising the Operation and Maintenance server with the Service Data Management module communication, and the operating maintenance terminal that is connected with this server.

11. as the described location service middleware of one of claim 7 to 10, it is characterized in that also comprising the Service Control Point/message center interface module of communicating by letter, insert with the positioning service of supporting speech and short message mode with the core business processing module.

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