HK1108597B - Method and equipment for controlling information provided to a user in a network - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for controlling information provided to a user in a network

The present application is a divisional application filed on 29/10/2001 by nokia corporation under the title of 01823811.4, "method and apparatus for controlling information provided to users in a network.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method in a network for controlling information provided to a user. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to the control of information provided from a service provider to a mobile station.

Background

Various communication systems are known that provide mobility for their users. A well-known example of a mobile communication system is the public land line mobile network (PLMN), and a cellular communication network is an example of a PLMN. Another example is a mobile communication system based at least in part on the use of communication satellites.

A mobile network apparatus and/or a user equipment, such as a mobile station, may be used to provide information relating to the geographical location of the user equipment and thus also of its user. Various different techniques may be employed to locate a mobile user equipment and thus its user. For example, based on the known satellite Global Positioning System (GPS), substantially accurate geographical location information associated with the user device can be obtained. More accurate position information can be obtained by a differential GPS.

Another possibility is to use a location service associated with the cellular communication system for providing location information. In this scheme, cells or similar geographically limited radio access entities and controllers associated with the communication system are used to generate at least one rough location information estimate relating to the current location of the mobile user equipment. To improve the accuracy of the location information, the communication system may be provided with a dedicated location measurement unit which provides more accurate data about the user equipment within the service area of the cellular system. It is also possible to decide on the geographical location of a mobile user equipment when it is located within the coverage area of an accessed or "outside" network. The accessed network may be caused to send the location of the mobile user equipment back to its original home network, e.g. to support services based on location information or for routing and charging purposes.

The location data may be processed in a dedicated location service entity, which may be implemented in the cellular system or connected to the cellular system. The location data may also be processed in a user equipment provided with suitable processing capabilities. A location service entity provided by the communication system may provide services to different clients via appropriate interfaces.

The location information may be used for various purposes, such as locating a mobile phone that is sending an emergency call, locating various vehicles or a given mobile user, and so forth. Generally, a client, such as a user equipment or another entity wishing to receive location information relating to the user equipment, may send a request for such information to an entity providing location services. The entity providing the location service will then process the request, obtain the required data and generate an appropriate response.

Examples of location information provided by PLMNs are described in more detail in the third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification, see for example 3GPP TS23.271, release 4.2.0, entitled "description of LCS second functional stage", month 6 2001.

According to the 3GPP specification, a location services (LCS) server entity, referred to as a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC), is provided for managing various location services. The GMLC collects and stores various data that may be used to provide location information to location service clients (LCS clients). The LCS client may use the location information for various services/applications. One possible application includes arranging for an LCS client to: location information is provided in response to a location information request unrelated to a call. In the 3GPP specification, such a request for location information is referred to as a call independent mobile terminating location request (MT-LR).

The use of a so-called "list of authorized user equipment" has been proposed. This list contains the Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) numbers or subgroups of MSISDNs (ISDN-integrated services digital network) that are authorized to initiate the location information providing procedure. That is to say, a list is listed of the MSISDNs or groups of MSISDNs to which the LCS client may send a call independent MT-LR once. The list of independent MSISDNs may be associated with each unique external or call independent client identity. The location information may be provided by the LSC server to the LCS client in response to a location information request from a subscriber having an MSISDN number (present in the list).

For those LCS clients that are outside the PLMN system, only those subscribers that can find their MSISDN number in the "authorized user equipment list" can effectively send a location information request. That is, only those subscribers subscribed to the location services provided by the PLMN respond to their LCS client requests, since otherwise their MSISDNs would not appear in the list.

The request from the LCS client is authenticated and authorized according to an "authorized user equipment list" based on a combination of the client identity and the password stored in the LCS client profile of the LCS server (e.g. the GMLC). That is, the LCS client is authorized to receive information from the GMLC entity only if the User Equipment (UE) sending the request is found from the list.

The LCS clients are typically Application Service Providers (ASPs) which are not part of the PLMN system. Therefore, the operator of the PLMN cannot control the behaviour of the LCS client.

Another problem is that each application service provider may be authorized to send information to a user. Each application service provider can provide a wide range of information. Once the user has authorized a particular application service provider, he has no control over what information is received. This may result in, for example, children receiving adult-type material. This is clearly disadvantageous.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of the invention aim to address one or several of the problems described.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling information provided to a user from at least one information provider in a telecommunications network, the network having identification information defining at least one type of information that can be provided to the user, the method comprising the steps of: determining a type of information that an information provider plans to provide to the user; and if the information provided by the plan can be provided to the user, using the identification information and the determined information type for control.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a telecommunications network connected to at least one information provider and having at least one user, the network comprising: means for storing identification information defining at least one type of information that may be provided to the user; means for determining a type of information that an information provider plans to provide to the user; and means for controlling using the identification information and the determined information type if the user is provided with the information provided by the plan.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an entity for a telecommunications network, the entity comprising: means for causing a user to receive identification information defining at least one type of information that may be provided to the user from an information provider; means for determining a type of information that an information provider plans to provide to the user; means for controlling using the identification information and the determined information type if the information provided by the plan can be provided to the user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling services provided to a user from at least one information provider in a telecommunications network, the network having identification information defining at least one type of service that can be provided to the user, the method comprising the steps of: determining a type of service that an information provider plans to provide to the user; and if the service provided by the plan can be provided to the user, using the determined service type and the identification information for control.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the invention, and how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a system in which the present invention may be used; and

fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, this is a simplified representation of a cellular system providing local service. It should be appreciated that although the exemplary communication network shown and described in detail uses the term third generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), the proposed solution may be applied to any system providing mobile communications and some kind of location information services to users. Examples of other communication systems include, but are not limited to, standards such as the global system for mobile communications (GSM) or various GSM based systems [ e.g., General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), north American Mobile Phone System (AMPS) or digital north american mobile phone system (DAMPS), international mobile telecommunications system 2000(IMT2000) ], IP phones, etc.

More specifically, fig. 1 shows an arrangement in which base stations 3 (only 3 are shown for simplicity) of a cellular system 1 provide radio coverage areas, i.e. cells 2. Each radio coverage area is typically served by a base station. It should be appreciated that a cell may include more than one base station site. One base station apparatus or site may provide more than one cell. The shape and size of each cell 2 depends on the embodiment and may differ from the various shapes illustrated. The shape and size of each cell may also vary from cell to cell. It should be appreciated that in some systems, a base station may be referred to as a node B.

Two user equipments, e.g. two Mobile Stations (MS)6, are also shown. It should be appreciated that typically each base station is in communication with a plurality of user equipment. Each base station is arranged to transmit signals to mobile User Equipment (UE)6 and to receive signals from user equipment 6 via a radio interface. Similarly, the user equipment 6 can also transmit signals to and receive signals from the base stations.

Each base station is connected to an access network controller, such as the Radio Network Controller (RNC)7 of a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), or the base station controller of a GSM type system. The radio network controller may be connected via a suitable interface arrangement to suitable core network entities of the cellular system, such as a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)8 and/or serving general packet radio service support node (SGSN) 11. As user equipment is free to move within the coverage area of a base station and also from one coverage area to another, the location of the mobile user equipment may also change over time. Modern communication systems are capable of providing information relating to the geographical location of user equipment within a coverage area. The geographical location of a mobile station may be defined in terms of its position relative to the base station(s) of the mobile communications network.

For example, the geographical location of the user equipment may be defined in terms of X and Y coordinates or in terms of longitude and latitude. One possibility is to use a relation based on defined radii and angles, e.g. based on a spherical coordinate system or the like. It is also possible to define the position of the base stations and/or the mobile stations in vertical directions. For example, when providing position information in the vertical direction, the Z coordinate may be used. A vertical position may be required, for example, in a mountain environment or in a city with tall buildings.

Referring to fig. 2, each location element of a communication system is shown in detail. Each base station and each radio network controller defines a radio access network 14. Each different network has equivalent elements.

A Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) entity 10 provides location services (LCS) functionality for the communication system. The GMLC location service node 10 is used to collect and store data needed to provide location information. The location service node 10 is arranged to receive information relating to the location of the mobile user equipment from the cellular system via appropriate interface means.

The cellular system may be provided with various means for processing the information collected from the cells and/or some other parameters and/or appropriate calculations by the processor means in order to determine and output the geographical location of the target user equipment. The location information may be obtained by using one or more suitable positioning techniques. At least part of the location information may be provided on the basis of a system that is independent of the communication system, for example by means of a Global Positioning System (GPS) or similar. Since in cellular systems there are various possibilities how to implement location services and since the invention does not depend on the location determination technology used, this is not explained in any more detail herein.

In order to be able to distinguish the user equipments from each other, the location service entity 10 is able to handle at least one form of identifier. The identification information may be provided, for example, by means of an ISDN number (MSISDN) of a mobile subscriber, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), or a temporary identifier of the mobile subscriber device (e.g. a temporary international mobile subscriber identity: TIMSI), a password, or any other form of identifier that can be reliably used to identify a subscriber device and/or a subscriber.

The GMLC server 10 is arranged to receive location information from the radio access network 14 via a suitable controller entity, e.g. the MSC 8 and/or SGSN connected to the access network by suitable interface means.

The GMLC 10 may provide location information to a location services (LCS) client 12 in a predefined manner. The LCS client 12 may be any entity that utilizes location information. The LCS client 12 may be considered as a logically functional entity that may make requests to the location service entity 10 for location information of one or more target user equipments. The LCS client 12 may be an entity outside the communication network 1, the client entity 12 being provided in the domain 4 of an application provider (ASP). Examples of application providers are Yahoo and Aktivist. The LCS client may also be an internal client (ILCS), i.e. residing in any entity or node (including the mobile station) within the communication system 1.

Each LCS client is entitled to receive, at least to some extent, information relating to the location (or location history) of a target user equipment. Typically, the location service server of a communication system is aware of the special requirements and properties of an LCS client by means of its LCS client subscription profile. This will be discussed in more detail below.

The GMLC 10 may include various components and bearers required to provide services to the LCS client 12. The GMLC 10 may provide a platform for location based services to be supported in parallel with other telecommunications services such as voice, data, messaging, other remote services, user applications and supplementary services. Thus, the GMLC 10 may provide the current or latest geographical location of the target user device (if available) to the client 12 on an as-needed or periodic basis, or, if the location fails, an error indication and optionally a reason for the failure. A more detailed description of an LCS entity applicable to embodiments of the present invention can be found, for example, in the third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification No. 3GPP TS23.271 referred to above.

A home location register 20 is provided. The home location register is arranged to store for each subscriber of the network information as to whether location information relating to the subscriber can be given to a client. If so, the clients from which the user may receive information are listed. In addition, each client 12 from which the mobile station 3 may receive information optionally has a service type identifier. This service type identifier specifies the type of service to which the user 3 has subscribed or is willing to receive information from. In this context, the STID determines the specific services that are allowed to locate the user. There may be no need to subscribe to or use the service (the user does not necessarily need to use a service that requires him to be located, e.g. to find your friends). The service type identifier may, for example, identify various data services, various games, various chat room services, various adult services, various entertainment services, various travel services, or any other of various services. It should be appreciated that these enumerated services are merely examples. The number of service types that can be provided can be as few as two or very many. The actual traffic classification may take any suitable form.

When an LCS request is received from an LCS client, the request includes information identifying the client and a particular service type. In practice, the STID is optional. For a given subscriber, a check is made in the mobile switching center/visitor location register (MSC/VLR) to see if subscriber 3 needs to receive the information. Service provider and/or service type information is stored in a Home Location Register (HLR) and transmitted to the MSC/VLR. If the check result is positive, the location request is accepted. If the service is not subscribed to or needed by the user, the location request is terminated.

It will be appreciated that when a subscriber 3 roams into a different network (the so-called "visited network"), information relating to that subscriber is copied from the home location register 20 to the visitor location register of the visited network. In the MSC of the accessed network, a check is made as to whether the subscriber can receive the information using the information temporarily stored in the Visitor Location Register (VLR). Thus, the information identifying the LCS client is used to mask requests from the client based on the client's identification. In this way the user can control which LCS client can make a location request relating to the user.

In the described embodiment of the invention, the home location register lists those LCS clients for which location requests can be accepted. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the home location register may list those LCS clients for which no location request is available. In other words, if a request is received from an LCS client that is not incorporated into the home location register, the request is not accepted.

The service type identifier indicates to a given service provider the type of service from which location services may be received. In this way, the user can avoid obtaining location requests in terms of inappropriate or unwanted traffic. As with the LCS client information, the service type identifier may indicate those service types that are not needed for a given LCS client and for which any location requests relating thereto should be terminated. In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least some of the traffic type identifiers may be standardized on a global scale.

In current proposals, a MAP provides user location information, including LCS client identifiers. In preferred embodiments of the invention this may be modified to also include a service type identifier. The GMLC uses the client identifier to mask unwanted service providers, thereby blocking location requests from service providers that are not authenticated by the GMLC operator. Typically, a business agreement needs to be made between the GMLC operator and the service provider. The mobile services switching centre uses the client identifier to protect its users against unauthenticated traffic. In practice, when receiving the information including the identifier, the MSC maps it into the user's security parameters stored in the home location register to mask unwanted location calculations. Furthermore, the GMLC may use the service type identifier to specify a more accurate application/LCS client screening, thereby not only screening specific service providers, but also screening specific service types. In the MSC, a more detailed user privacy content check is possible. In particular, the user may specify that the location information is applicable only to certain types of services provided by one service provider, but not to others.

It should be appreciated that the GMLC or other appropriate entity may instead or in addition make the checks carried out by the mobile switching center. In this case, the service type identifier may be used to communicate the result to the mobile switching center (e.g., by sending a notification, etc.). This enables higher level profiles to be used based on time of day, approximate location of the user, etc. For example, the GMLC performs a check that if passed, the traffic type identifier will be set to a given value. The J $ in the mobile exchange may look at the value of the service type identifier and, if it has a given value, provide location services or provide the specified service. Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, the traffic type identifier may be used to convey the results of the checks made by the GMLC or the like.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, only the traffic type is specified. In other words, for a given service type, whatever the identifier of the LCS client, any request relating to that service type will be accepted. In other words, the information identifying the LCS client may be omitted in the home location register.

Embodiments of the present invention may additionally or alternatively be applied to various presence profiles. Presence services provide other users or services with available access to presence information. Presence information is a set of attributes that characterize the current characteristics of the information provider (or user), such as status, an optional communication address, and other optional attributes. For example, the presence information may be the following states: "meeting", location: "estpu", voice mail "activated", etc.

The term "viewer" in presence information refers in a simple sense to an application or a user that is requesting presence information. An "information provider" is a person who owns presence information intended for a viewer (the "store owner" is the owner of the information).

The store owner who controls the information provider can define access rules to control how the presence information of the information provider is made available to viewers. These access rules will define

A list of viewers who are allowed to access presence information of the information provider. This list of viewers allows access to the presence information of the information provider. This list may be defined in a number of ways. For example, viewers x and y are allowed, or each viewer other than viewer z is allowed.

The validity of the access authorization granted to a given viewer. Access to presence information of an information provider may be limited to a certain time or to specified periods of the day.

Attributes of presence information for information providers available to a given viewer.

The ability to provide different presence information is based on the viewer's and store owner's preferences (e.g., its availability). For example, viewer x receives "Online/Instant Messaging/im: ether.com" and viewer y receives "Offline/Instant Messaging/im: ether.com".

The store owner will define a default set of access rules.

The home subscriber environment will be able to override the privacy requirements if necessary.

Embodiments of the present invention may be used to define the type of information or service to be provided. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to manage other aspects of presence services.

Embodiments of the present invention may additionally or alternatively be applied to user profiles. A user profile is logically a set of information relating to a given user. In embodiments of the present invention, only certain applications are entitled to access the service profile of the user.

An application can access user profile data whenever the user profile access administrator gives permission. The user profile access administrator will be able to:

for a given application and a user, verifying authorized access to the requested portion of the user profile,

a determination is made as to the type of access that is requested,

access rights for the request are specified,

the exclusive access is allowed to the mobile terminal,

verifying authorized access, an

Each access request is denied.

An application must pass through framework functions before initiating the authorization mechanism for user profile access to the administrator.

The type of access is one of the following:

reading user profile information; in the case where portions of the user profile are read, it will be determined by the application without ambiguity,

information is added to the user profile in order to,

in the user profile, the existing information is modified.

The control of the access rights is based on the principle of free decision of the user. It would be possible for a user to allow or restrict the retrieval and display of data relevant to that user.

Embodiments of the invention are arranged to define the type of service or information to be provided. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to manage other aspects of presence services.

It should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention have been described in the context of a location request. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the service provider identifier and/or the traffic type identifier may be used to mask information directed to a mobile station without any location request.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, a user may define sets of service type identifiers that may be associated with one or more location services clients.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, a user may define sets of service type identifiers that may be associated with one or more information providers.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the services may be divided into service groups. In those cases, the service type identifier will determine a given group. It is to be understood that in embodiments of the invention, the various functions associated with the various illustrated entities may be provided in different entities or may be distributed.

It should be appreciated that whilst embodiments of the present invention have been described in relation to user equipment, for example mobile stations, embodiments of the present invention are also applicable to any other suitable type of user equipment.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described in the context of third generation communication systems. The present invention is also applicable to any other communication system.

It is also noted herein that while the above describes exemplifying embodiments of the invention, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (3)

1. A method of controlling information provided to a user in a telecommunications network from at least one location service client, said network having identification information defining at least one type of information which can be provided to said user, said identification information containing identification information defining at least one service identity of information which can be provided to said user, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a service identity for information the location service client plans to provide to the user; and

controlling whether the information scheduled to be provided can be provided to the user and controlling whether location information associated with the user can be provided to the location service client using the identification information defining at least one service identity and a service identity of the determined information.

2. A method of controlling information provided to a user in a telecommunications network from at least one location service client, said network having identification information defining at least one type of information that can be provided to said user, said identification information including identification information of at least one location service client that is permitted to provide information to said user, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an identity of a location service client; and

using the identification information of the at least one location service client and the determined identity of the location service client, controlling information the location service client plans to provide to the user and controlling whether location information associated with the user can be provided to the location service client.

3. A method of controlling information provided to a user in a telecommunications network from at least one location service client, said network having identification information defining at least one type of information which can be provided to said user, said identification information containing identification information defining at least one service identity of information which can be provided to said user, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a location service request associated with the user from the location service client, wherein the request identifies a service identity of information the location service client is planning to provide in response to location information associated with the user;

determining a service identity for information the location service client plans to provide to the user;

using the identification information defining at least one service identity and a service identity of the determined information that the location service client is scheduled to provide, controlling whether the scheduled information can be provided to the user, and controlling whether location information associated with the user can be provided to the location service client.