Underlying Technology for Location Based Service Applications

AITIA’s SGA Location Server delivers reliable location data down to the size of the GSM cell. It essentially enables plotting the location of wireless users based on the cell information of their mobile equipment. The Location Server acts as a mediator device between the core GSM network and the Location Based Service (LBS) applications.

Fetching Location Information through SGA-LBS

Various LBS applications can attach to the Location Server in order to get geographical information of GSM users’ mobile equipment. The Location Server accepts requests from LBS applications and queries the Home Location Register (HLR) about the cell information of the mobile equipment (ME). When the available information is not up-to-date, the Location Server can send an invisible SMS to the ME to trigger a location update. The received cell-information is translated into the actual geographical format required by the requesting LBS application and returned via TCP/IP.

A Fine Example: Fleet Tracking

As long as the subscribed user’s ME is attached to the GSM network, its location is periodically queried and the yielded geographical information is presented on a map with an associated icon. A reference Fleet Tracking application used together with our Location Server features simple location queries, time-dependent queries, distance measurement, location archive queries - among other services.

Connectivity Features

• SS7 interface towards the operator’s network
• TCP/IP based interface towards LBS applications
• Capability to interrogate the HLR about subscribers’ location (cell information)
• SNMP traps about system events

Special Functionalities

• Request priority handling
• Active localization capability (initiating hidden SMS’s to subscribers)
• SMS sending capabilities (e.g., informing the subscriber about being interrogated)
• Translating cell information to various geographical map formats
• Event logging in various detail levels
• Call Detail Record generation for charging purposes
• Compliant with the LIF Mobile Location Protocol v3.0.0 specification

Black and white lists for the different users

Service usage statistics

Security and Reliability

SGA-LBS is a highly reliable system due to its simplicity and redundancy. The system is equipped with enhanced security features: various interrogation types and authority levels can be set for the application users; the authorization is checked at each localization-request.