Clause 6.18 describes the management of the user plane connection between UE and LMF. LMF or UE may trigger the establishment of the user plane connection.
UE and LMF may maintain the established user plane connection. LMF may modify or terminate the established user plane connection between UE and LMF.
Precondition:
The LMF can send its user plane information (i.e. IP address or FQDN) to the UE via a DL NAS TRANSPORT message of the AMF. If LMF sends its FQDN to the UE, a DNS server/resolver is used to resolve the IP address of LMF (e.g. EASDF or local DNS for local LMF address resolution). UE uses URSP which includes user plane positioning related PDU session parameters (e.g. a dedicated DNN and S-NSSAI) to establish a PDU session used for user plane positioning. SMF should select a PSA UPF (located in central site or local site) connecting with the LMF for this PDU session, based on S-NSSAI, DNN and UE location information, etc.
Session break out for local LMF service for user plane positioning can be supported by preconfiguring SMF with local LMF(s) IP address(es)/network prefix(es) and their DNAIs for positioning dedicated PDU session in certain service area(s) for local PSA and UL CL/BP insertion.
LMF may trigger the user plane connection establishment after receiving a location request from AMF if target UE does not have user plane connection with LMF. AMF also subscribes from LMF the status of LCS user plane connection for the target UE, using a Nlmf_Location_UPNotify Subscribe message if the UE supports user plane positioning. Figure 6.18.1-1 shows a procedure triggered by LMF to support positioning over the user plane connection between UE and LMF.
Based on UE user plane positioning capability, control plane congestion status (e.g. AMF load status) and other implementation factors, LMF decides whether to continue the position procedure via a user plane connection between UE and LMF.
LMF may invoke Nnrf_NFDiscovery service operation for control plane congestion status (e.g. AMF load information). Based on AMF load information, LMF may determine to use user plane positioning, if there is available user plane connection between UE and LMF.
Steps 2-7 are skipped if there is already a user plane connection context of the target UE in LMF and LMF determines to utilize the user plane connection for positioning.
[Conditional] If LMF decides to utilize user plane for positioning and there is no established secure user plane connection between the UE and LMF, LMF sends a user plane information to AMF to indicate UE to utilize user plane over TLS for positioning. The user plane information includes the user plane positioning address of the LMF, security related information.
[Conditional] If there is no established applicable PDU session for the user plane positioning, the UE uses the URSP as defined in TS 23.503 which includes user plane positioning related PDU session parameters, e.g. a dedicated DNN and S-NSSAI, to establish the PDU session for user plane positioning. UE may send an acknowledgement to LMF through AMF to indicate a success of utilization of a user plane connection for positioning service or a failure to utilize the user plane connection, e.g. no suitable PDU session established.
[Conditional] UE establishes a secured user plane connection with LMF. If LMF send its FQDN to the UE, a DNS server/resolver is used to resolve the IP address of LMF (e.g. EASDF or local DNS for local LMF address resolution).
If LMF or UE determines to utilize the user plane connection for positioning and the secure user plane connection is established, LPP messages are transferred between UE and LMF for UE based positioning, UE assisted positioning and delivery of assistance data. Supplementary services event report messages from UE may also be transferred to LMF via the established user plane connection.
UE may trigger the user plane connection establishment if the UE does not have user plane connection with LMF. Figure 6.18.2-1 shows a procedure triggered by UE to support positioning over the user plane connection between UE and LMF.
UE may send a user plane establishment request to AMF via NAS Message, if UE decides to prepare a user plane connection for upcoming positioning requests.
[Conditional] If the UE is authorized based on UE Subscription to use the user plane positioning, AMF selects an LMF which capable to establish a user plane session for positioning with the UE.
[Conditional] If LMF accept to utilize user plane for positioning and there is no established secure user plane connection between the UE and LMF, LMF sends a user plane information to AMF to indicate UE to accept and utilize user plane for positioning. The user plane information includes the user plane positioning address of the LMF, security related information.
[Conditional] After the secure user plane connection is established, if LMF determines to utilize the user plane connection for positioning after receiving a positioning request from AMF, or UE determines to utilize the user plane connection for positioning, LPP messages are transferred between UE and LMF for UE based positioning, UE assisted positioning and delivery of assistance data. Supplementary services event report messages from UE may also be transferred to LMF via the established user plane connection.
The Figure 6.18.3-1 shows how a secure user plane connection between UE and LMF is modified. The flow describes change of LMF but applies also when source and target LMF is the same. The procedure can also be used to terminate the user plane connection to Source LMF not selecting any Target LMF.
[Conditional] The LMF discovers a need to change LMF or re-establish the user plane connection between UE and LMF or terminate the user plane connection. The LMF sends an Nlmf_Location_UPNotify message that includes -target LMF identification and indicates the reason for modification or termination. The address of the AMF was provided to LMF as a "Notification Target Address" in latest Nlmf_Location_UPConfig message or Nlmf_Location_UPNotify Subscribe message.
[Conditional] AMF based on LMF indications need to reselect an LMF used for user plane positioning, or AMF may perform LMF reselection if UE moves to a new location (which may be out of serving area of source LMF and in serving area of target LMF) and select the target LMF for the current UE location based on LMF service area and other information listed in clause 5.1. LMF needs to be capable to establish a user plane session for positioning with the UE. Further at AMF relocation the target AMF needs to inform the LMF of the AMF change.
[Conditional] If AMF reallocation has occurred, this step is skipped. Otherwise, steps 3-8 of Figure 6.18.2-1 are performed between AMF, UE, and Target LMF with addition that UE also terminate connection to Source LMF.
The AMF sends an Nlmf_Location_UPConfig Request towards the source LMF. The message may include a request for the Source LMF to terminate a specific user plane connection to the UE and the Target LMF identification. Alternatively, it may include information about AMF reallocation.
[Conditional] The source LMF may invoke an Nlmf_Location_LocationContextTransfer Request service operation towards the target LMF to provide the current location context of the UE, if there is periodic and triggered UE location events report context. The target LMF informs source LMF of the location context transfer operation results.
The LMF sends Nlmf_Location_UPConfig Response message to AMF to confirm connection termination or acknowledge change of AMF. If this procedure is used for termination, the AMF will release the LCS-UP context after receiving the response message.