FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 OF 1970) & THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
“METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING LOCATION DATA OF NODES IN A NETWORK”
We, Jio Platforms Limited, an Indian National, of Office - 101, Saffron, Nr. Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING LOCATION DATA OF
NODES IN A NETWORK
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network performance management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for accessing location data of nodes in a network.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the prior art.
[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. 3G technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication

technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users.
[0004] A cell identification (ID) information from a database (DB) or maintaining a comma-separated values (CSV) file for cell IDs is a time-consuming process and not feasible solution considering vast number of cell ID records are to be monitored by the one or more network functions (NF). Over the period of time, various solutions have been developed to improve the performance of communication devices and to fetch and update cell data. However, there are certain challenges with existing solutions. For example, fetching the cell ID information from the database (DB) or maintaining CSV file for cell IDs is time-consuming process and not feasible solution considering cell ID records.
[0005] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to fetch and update the cell data in a more efficient manner, which the present disclosure aims to address.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
[0007] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for accessing location data of nodes in a network.
[0008] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that retrieves and updates cell data at regular time intervals.
[0009] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that directly updates information into the database (DB) on a real time basis.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that fetches data in case of cell ID positioning in a more efficient manner.
SUMMARY
[0011] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0012] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for accessing location data of nodes in a network. The method comprises retrieving, by a transceiver unit, at one or more location management function (LMF) nodes, from a database connected to the one or more LMF nodes, location data of a set of nodes in the network. The location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes. Further, the method comprises storing, by a storage unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, the retrieved location data at a memory unit configured to the at least one LMF node. Furthermore, based on one or more operational parameters, the method comprises retrieving, by a processing unit, from the memory unit, location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
[0013] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, prior to the step of retrieving, by the transceiver unit, at one or more LMF nodes, from the database, the location data of the set of nodes in the network, the method comprises retrieving, by the transceiver unit, at the one or more LMF nodes, location data of the set of nodes in the network. The location data from the set of nodes is retrieved once every predefined duration of time. The method further comprises storing, by the storage unit, to the database, the retrieved location data of the set of nodes in the network.

[0014] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further comprises performing, by a validation unit connected at least to the database, a validation of the retrieved location data based on a set of validation parameters. The set of validation parameters comprise at least an expected cell ID of the set of nodes. The method also comprises at least one of : positively validating, by the validation unit, the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes correspond with the validation parameters; and negatively validating, by the validation unit, the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes does not correspond with the validation parameters.
[0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in response to negatively validating the location data, the method comprises rejecting, by the validation unit, the location data.
[0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the transceiver unit at the one or more LMF nodes corresponds with a cell data reader configured at the one or more LMF nodes.
[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the location data of the set of nodes is retrieved from a dataset. The dataset comprises a set of location data corresponding with the set of nodes. The dataset is formatted according to comma-separated value (CSV) format.
[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, prior to the step of retrieving, from the memory unit, location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes, the method comprises receiving, by the processing unit, at one or more LMF nodes, a request for executing one or more tasks relating to the one or more nodes. The request comprises one or more operational parameters related to requirement of location data of the one or more nodes from the set of nodes.

[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the memory unit is a cache memory.
[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for accessing location data of nodes in a network. The system comprises a transceiver unit configured to retrieve, at one or more location management function (LMF) nodes, from a database connected to the one or more LMF nodes, location data of a set of nodes in the network. The location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes. Further, the system comprises a storage unit connected at least to the transceiver unit. The storage unit is configured to store the retrieved location data at a memory unit configured to the at least one LMF node. Furthermore, the system comprises a processing unit. Based on one or more operational parameters, the processing unit is configured to retrieve, from the memory unit, location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
[0021] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for accessing location data of nodes in a network, the instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes: a transceiver unit of the system to retrieve, at one or more location management function (LMF) nodes, from a database connected to the one or more LMF nodes, location data of a set of nodes in the network, wherein the location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes; a storage unit of the system connected at least to the transceiver unit, to store the retrieved location data at a memory unit configured to the at least one LMF node; and a processing unit of the system to retrieve, from the memory unit, location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes, based on one or more operational parameters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method and system according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the advantages of the disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for accessing location data of nodes in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for accessing location data of nodes in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for accessing location data of nodes in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0028] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter may each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above.
[0030] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.
[0031] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0032] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure.
[0033] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without precluding any additional or other elements.
[0034] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor” includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the working of

the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor or processing unit is a hardware processor.
[0035] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”, “a smart-device”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”, “a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and/or computing device or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The user equipment/device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.
[0036] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective functions.
[0037] As used herein “interface” or “user interface refers to a shared boundary across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be called.

[0038] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0039] As used herein the transceiver unit include at least one receiver and at least one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data, signals, information or a combination thereof between units/components within the system and/or connected with the system.
[0040] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several shortcomings. As mentioned above, fetching the cell ID information from the database (DB) or maintaining CSV file for cell IDs is a time-consuming process and not a feasible solution considering the vast number of cell ID records.
[0041] The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing method and system of accessing location data of nodes in a network. The present disclosure collects the cell ID information or associated data from the database and further stores the cell ID information or associated data onto a temporary cache memory and further retrieve the cell ID information or associated data from the temporary cache memory as per the one or more operational parameters, which may reduce total time taken while retrieving the cell ID information or associated data along with enhancing the operational efficiency of the network.
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the 5GC network

architecture [100] includes a user equipment (UE) [102], a radio access network (RAN) [104], an access and mobility management function (AMF) [106], a Session Management Function (SMF) [108], a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110], an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112], a Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF) [114], a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) [116], a Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118], a Network Repository Function (NRF) [120], a Policy Control Function (PCF) [122], a Unified Data Management (UDM) [124], an Application Function (AF) [126], a User Plane Function (UPF) [128], a Data Network (DN) [130], Location Management Function (LMF) [132], Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) [134], and Location Services (LCS) [136], wherein all the components are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for implementing features of the present disclosure.
[0043] Radio Access Network (RAN) [104] is the part of a mobile telecommunications system that connects user equipment (UE) [102] to the core network (CN) and provides access to different types of networks (e.g., 5G network). It consists of radio base stations and the radio access technologies that enable wireless communication.
[0044] Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) [106] is a 5G core network function responsible for managing access and mobility aspects, such as UE registration, connection, and reachability. It also handles mobility management procedures like handovers and paging.
[0045] Session Management Function (SMF) [108] is a 5G core network function responsible for managing session-related aspects, such as establishing, modifying, and releasing sessions. It coordinates with the User Plane Function (UPF) for data forwarding and handles IP address allocation and QoS enforcement.

[0046] Service Communication Proxy (SCP) [110] is a network function in the 5G core network that facilitates communication between other network functions by providing a secure and efficient messaging service. It acts as a mediator for service-based interfaces.
[0047] Authentication Server Function (AUSF) [112] is a network function in the 5G core responsible for authenticating UEs during registration and providing security services. It generates and verifies authentication vectors and tokens.
[0048] Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF) [114] is a network function that provides authentication and authorization services specific to network slices. It ensures that UEs can access only the slices for which they are authorized.
[0049] Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) [116] is a network function responsible for selecting the appropriate network slice for a UE based on factors such as subscription, requested services, and network policies.
[0050] Network Exposure Function (NEF) [118] is a network function that exposes capabilities and services of the 5G network to external applications, enabling integration with third-party services and applications.
[0051] Network Repository Function (NRF) [120] is a network function that acts as a central repository for information about available network functions and services. It facilitates the discovery and dynamic registration of network functions.
[0052] Policy Control Function (PCF) [122] is a network function responsible for policy control decisions, such as QoS, charging, and access control, based on subscriber information and network policies.

[0053] Unified Data Management (UDM) [124] is a network function that centralizes the management of subscriber data, including authentication, authorization, and subscription information.
[0054] Application Function (AF) [126] is a network function that represents external applications interfacing with the 5G core network to access network capabilities and services.
[0055] User Plane Function (UPF) [128] is a network function responsible for handling user data traffic, including packet routing, forwarding, and QoS enforcement.
[0056] Data Network (DN) [130] refers to a network that provides data services to user equipment (UE) in a telecommunications system. The data services may include but are not limited to Internet services and private data network related services.
[0057] Location Management Function (LMF) [132] is a network function in the 5G core responsible for managing the location information of user equipment (UE). It coordinates with other network functions to determine and provide the geographic location of a UE.
[0058] Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) [134] is a network entity that serves as an interface between the 5G core network and external location-based services. The GMLC retrieves location information from the LMF and other relevant network functions and provides it to authorized external applications, such as emergency services or location-based advertising platforms.
[0059] LCS (Location Services) is a service concept in system (e.g. GSM or UMTS) standardization. LCS specifies all the necessary network elements and

entities, their functionalities, interfaces, as well as communication messages, due to implement the positioning functionality in a cellular network.
[0060] LCS client is software and/or hardware entity that interacts with a LCS
5 server for the purpose of obtaining location information for one or more mobile
stations. LCS clients subscribe to LCS in order to obtain location information. LCS clients may or may not interact with human users. The LCS client is responsible for formatting and presenting data and managing the user interface (dialogue). The LCS client may reside in the mobile station (UE).
10
[0061] The 5GC network architecture also comprises a plurality of interfaces for connecting the network functions with a network entity for performing the network functions. The NSSF [116] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Nnssf) interface in the figure. The NEF [118] is connected with the
15 network entity via the interface denoted as (Nnef) interface in the figure. The NRF
[120] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Nnrf) interface in the figure. The PCF [122] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Npcf) interface in the figure. The UDM [124] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Nudm) interface in the figure.
20 The AF [126] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Naf)
interface in the figure. The NSSAAF [114] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Nnssaaf) interface in the figure. The AUSF [112] is connected with the network entity via the interface denoted as (Nausf) interface in the figure. The AMF [106] is connected with the network entity via the interface
25 denoted as (Namf) interface in the figure. The SMF [108] is connected with the
network entity via the interface denoted as (Nsmf) interface in the figure. The SMF [108] is connected with the UPF [128] via the interface denoted as (N4) interface in the figure. The UPF [128] is connected with the RAN [104] via the interface denoted as (N3) interface in the figure. The UPF [128] is connected with the DN
30 [130] via the interface denoted as (N6) interface in the figure. The RAN [104] is
connected with the AMF [106] via the interface denoted as (N2). The AMF [106]
15

is connected with the RAN [104] via the interface denoted as (N1). The UPF [128]
is connected with other UPF [128] via the interface denoted as (N9). The interfaces
such as Nnssf, Nnef, Nnrf, Npcf, Nudm, Naf, Nnssaaf, Nausf, Namf, Nsmf, N9,
N6, N4, N3, N2, and N1 can be referred to as a communication channel between
5 one or more functions or modules for enabling exchange of data or information
between such functions or modules, and network entities.
[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device [200] (hereinafter also referred to as a computer system [200]) upon which one or more
10 features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with an
exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the computing device [200] may implement a method for accessing location data of nodes in a network, utilising a system, or one or more sub-systems, provided in the network. In another implementation, the computing device [200] itself implements
15 the method for accessing location data of nodes in the network, using one or more
units configured within the computing device [200], wherein said one or more units are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.
[0063] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other
20 communication mechanism(s) for communicating information, and a hardware
processor [204] coupled with bus [202] for processing said information. The
hardware processor [204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor.
The computing device [200] may also include a main memory [206], such as a
random-access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the
25 bus [202], for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor
[204]. The main memory [206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or
other intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed
by the processor [204]. Such instructions, when stored in a non-transitory storage
media accessible to the processor [204], render the computing device [200] into a
30 special purpose device that is customized to perform operations according to the
instructions. The computing device [200] further includes a read only memory
16

(ROM) [208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus [202] for storing static information and instructions for the processor [204].
[0064] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state
5 drive is provided and coupled to the bus [202] for storing information and
instructions. The computing device [200] may be coupled via the bus [202] to a display [212], such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc., for displaying information to a user of the computing device [200]. An input device
10 [214], including alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may
be coupled to the bus [202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor [204]. Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller [216], such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor
15 [204], and for controlling cursor movement on the display [212]. The cursor
controller [216] typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the cursor controller [216] to specify positions in a plane.
20 [0065] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described
herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/or program logic which, in combination with the computing device [200], causes or programs the computing device [200] to be a special-purpose device. According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the
25 computing device [200] in response to the processor [204] executing one or more
sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory [206]. The one or more instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another storage medium, such as the storage device [210]. Execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions contained in the main memory [206]
30 causes the processor [204] to perform the process steps described herein. In
17

alternative implementations of the present disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions.
[0066] The computing device [200] also may include a communication interface
5 [218] coupled to the bus [202]. The communication interface [218] provides two-
way data communication coupling to a network link [220] that is connected to a local network [222]. For example, the communication interface [218] may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of
10 telecommunication line. In another example, the communication interface [218]
may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface [218] sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams
15 representing different types of information.
[0067] The computing device [200] can send and receive data, including program
code, messages, etc. through the network(s), the network link [220], and the
communication interface [218]. In an example, a server [230] might transmit a
20 requested code for an application program through the Internet [228], the ISP [226],
the local network [222], the host [224], and the communication interface [218]. The received code may be executed by the processor [204] as it is received, and/or stored in the storage device [210], or other non-volatile storage for later execution.
25 [0068] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system [300] for
accessing location data of nodes in a network is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system [300] comprises at least one transceiver unit [302], at least one storage unit [304], at least one memory unit [306], at least one processing unit [308], and at least one validation
30 unit [310]. Also, all of the components/ units of the system [300] are assumed to be
connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in FIG. 3, all
18

the units shown within the system [300] should also be assumed to be connected to
each other. Also, in FIG. 3, only a few units are shown, however, the system [300]
may comprise multiple such units or the system [300] may comprise any such
numbers of said units, as required to implement the features of the present
5 disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a user
device/ user equipment [102] to implement the features of the present disclosure.
The system [300] may be a part of the user device [102]/ or may be independent of
but in communication with the user device [102] (may also referred herein as a UE).
In another implementation, the system [300] may reside in a server or a network
10 entity. In yet another implementation, the system [300] may reside partly in the
server/ network entity and partly in the user device.
[0069] The system [300] is configured to access location data of nodes in a network,
with the help of the interconnection between the components/units of the system
15 [300].
[0070] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various the components/units can be implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a
20 particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various
configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended
25 functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope
of the present disclosure.
[0071] The system [300] includes the transceiver unit [302]. The transceiver unit
[302] is configured to retrieve, at one or more location management function (LMF)
30 nodes [312], from the database [314] connected to the one or more LMF nodes
[312], location data of a set of nodes in the network. Herein, the one or more LMF
19

nodes [312] are a part of the 5G core network architecture. The one or more LMF
nodes [312] are responsible for providing location-based services. In an
implementation, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may manage and process the
positioning information (e.g., location data) of other network nodes in the network.
5 The other network nodes may include but not limited to gNBs (gNodeBs), Next-
generation eNodeBs (ng-eNBs), Access and Mobility Management Functions
(AMFs) [106], and other network elements. The database [314] may refer to a
repository that may store the location data and other information associated with
the other one or more nodes, where the location data may be further utilized by the
10 one or more LMF nodes [312] for performing several operations within the
network.
[0072] In one implementation, the set of nodes may correspond to a group of
network elements or nodes within the network. In some examples, the set of nodes
15 may include: gNB, ng-eNB, the AMF [106], the User Plane Function (UPF) [128],
Mobility Management Entity (MME), and similar nodes.
[0073] The location data includes at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes. The location data may refer to information that may facilitate in
20 identification of the position of the set of nodes in the network. The cell ID (present
in the location data) may refer to a unique identifier for a specific cell in the network. The cell ID is used to identify the location of any node within the coverage area of said specific cell. It is to be noted that the one or more LMF nodes [312] may use a plurality of methods to fetch the positioning of the other network nodes,
25 that is already known to a person skilled in the art.
[0074] In an implementation, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may utilize a cell
ID positioning method to determine the location of the UE [102]. The cell ID
positioning method includes determining, by the one or more LMF nodes [312],
30 positioning of the UE [102] based on the serving cells (e.g., ng-eNB, gNB, etc.)
associated with the UE [102]. The information associated with the serving cells
20

(e.g., ng-eNB, gNB, etc.) may be obtained by using one or more mechanisms. Examples of the one or more mechanisms may include paging, registration, and the like.
5 [0075] In another implementation, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may utilize a
NR Enhanced Cell ID (NR E-CID) positioning method to determine the location of the UE [102]. The NR E-CID positioning method may utilize a measurement (such as UE measurement, gNB measurement, etc.) to improve the location estimate of the UE [102].
10
[0076] In yet another implementation, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may interact with a serving gNB or ng-eNB to retrieve the location information for the UE [102]. The location information may include uplink measurements made by a next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) and downlink measurements
15 made by the UE [102].
[0077] In one implementation, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may further
interact with multiple NG-RAN nodes to provide assistance data for broadcasting,
ensuring that the assistance data is appropriately segmented and/or ciphered.
20 Furthermore, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may coordinate with the AMFs
[106] to provide ciphering key data, which is essential for maintaining the security and integrity of the location-based services.
[0078] In an implementation, to facilitate positioning and data acquisition, the
25 system [300] may utilize a new radio positioning protocol (NRPPa) for exchanging
positioning information and data acquisition between the one or more LMF nodes
[312] and the NG-RAN. The NRPPa may follow a UE-associated procedure. The
UE-associated procedure may include the transfer of information for a particular
UE (e.g., the UE [102]), including procedures supporting Positioning Information
30 Transfer and E-CID Location Information Transfer functions.
21

[0079] In another implementation, to facilitate positioning and data acquisition, the system [300] may perform an information transfer between NG-RAN and 5GC elements. In this case, the information may include physical cell IDs (PCIs), global cell IDs (GCIs), TP IDs, etc. from the ng-eNB to the one or more LMF nodes [312].
[0080] Further, the transceiver unit [302] at the one or more LMF nodes [312] includes a cell data reader. The cell data reader is configured at the one or more LMF nodes [312]. In one implementation, the cell data reader is configured to fetch and process the cell ID information for a vast number of cells from the database [314].
[0081] The storage unit [304] of the system [300] is connected at least to the transceiver unit [302]. The storage unit [304] herein is configured to store the retrieved location data at a memory unit [306] configured to the at least one LMF node [312]. Further, the memory unit [306] is a cache memory. The memory unit [306] is a high-speed memory that may be utilized to store data (such as the location data) that is frequently used by the one or more LMF nodes [312]. The one or more LMF nodes [312] may directly retrieve the location data from the memory unit [306] at the time of requirement for fast and reliable outputs in the location-based services.
[0082] In one implementation, the location data of the set of nodes is retrieved from a dataset. The dataset comprises a set of location data corresponding to the set of nodes. The dataset may refer to an organized collection of the location data for the set of nodes in the network. The dataset is organized in such a manner that it allows an efficient storing, fetching, and processing of the location data by the one or more LMF nodes [312]. For example, the dataset may include at least one of a topographical data, a geographical data or similar data, associated with the set of nodes.

[0083] Moreover, the dataset is formatted according to comma-separated value (CSV) format. The CSV format is a simple, text-based format for organizing tabular data (herein, the location data). In particular, each row in the dataset may correspond to a specific node or the set of nodes, and each corresponding column in the dataset may represent a parameter, (e.g., cell ID, timestamp, geographic coordinates, or other parameters). For example, an exemplary tabular data in a CSV format may be presented as:
NodeID, CellID, Latitude, Longitude, Timestamp
UE1234, 456789, 37.7749, -122.4194, 2024-08-25, 10:00:00
UE5678, 123456, 34.0522, -118.2437, 2024-08-25, 10:05:00
[0084] The system [300] further comprises the processing unit [308] connected at least to the memory unit [306]. Furthermore, based on one or more operational parameters, the processing unit [308] is configured to retrieve, from the memory unit [306], location data corresponding to the one or more nodes from the set of nodes. The one or more operational parameters may facilitate in determining type of location data to be retrieved by the processing unit [308]. In some examples, the one or more operational parameters may include at least one of: specific time intervals to retrieve the location data, geographic location of the set of nodes, node identifier for the set of nodes, a type of service requested which may utilize the location data, and the like. It is to be noted that the one or more operational parameters mentioned herein are just exemplary and any other parameters can be utilized.
[0085] However, prior to the step of retrieving the location data, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to retrieve, at the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of the set of nodes in the network. In particular, the location data from the set of nodes is retrieved once every predefined duration of time. The predefined duration of time may refer to a specific interval at which the transceiver unit [302] retrieves the location data from the set of nodes. In some examples, the predefined

duration of time may include, but not be limited to, an hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours. The predefined duration of time to retrieve the location data is entirely based on the requirement of the network for one or more services (for example, location-based services).
[0086] Thereafter, the storage unit [304] is configured to store, to the database [314], the retrieved location data of the set of nodes in the network. The storage unit [304] is configured to store the updated location data of the set of nodes in the database [314]. The updated location data of the set of nodes may further be utilized by the one or more LMF nodes [312] for the one or more services (for example, location-based services).
[0087] Moreover, the system [300] comprises a validation unit [310] connected at least to the database [314]. The validation unit [310] is configured to perform a validation of the retrieved location data based on a set of validation parameters. The set of validation parameters comprise at least an expected cell ID of the set of nodes. The expected cell ID may refer to a requested identifier that may be associated with a specific node (or a set of nodes) in the network. The validation unit [310] may utilize the expected cell ID as a reference to compare with the retrieved cell IDs of the set of nodes.
[0088] If the cell ID of the set of nodes correspond with the validation parameters, the validation unit [310] is configured to positively validate the location data. In particular, the validation unit [310] confirms that the location data is correct and may further allow the storage unit [304] to store the location data in the database [314].
[0089] If the cell ID of the set of nodes does not correspond with the validation parameters, the validation unit [310] is configured to negatively validate the location data. In particular, the validation unit [310] is configured to reject the location data. More specifically, in case of the negative validation, the storage unit

[304] is configured to ignore the location data and eliminate any chances of storing any incorrect or an outdated location data within the database [314].
[0090] Further, prior to the step of retrieving, from the memory unit [306], the location data corresponding to the one or more nodes from the set of nodes, the processing unit [308] is configured to receive, at one or more LMF nodes [312], a request to execute one or more tasks relating to the one or more nodes. Further, the request comprises one or more operational parameters related to requirement of the location data of the one or more nodes from the set of nodes. The processing unit [308] is then configured to determine a method to retrieve the required location data from the memory unit [306] based on the one or more operational parameters mentioned in the request.
[0091] Herein, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may receive the request from an external entity that may require the location data of the one or more nodes for the one or more services (e.g., location-based services).
[0092] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram [400] for accessing the location data of nodes in the network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the method [400] is performed by the system [300]. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a server device to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method [400] starts at step [402].
[0093] At step [404], the method [400] comprises retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the one or more location management function (LMF) nodes [312], from the database [314] connected to the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of the set of nodes in the network. The location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes.

[0094] The transceiver unit [302], at the one or more LMF nodes [312], corresponds with the cell data reader. In other words, the cell data reader is configured at the one or more LMF nodes [312].
[0095] At step [406], the method [400] comprises storing, by the storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the retrieved location data at the memory unit [306] configured to the at least one LMF node. Further, the memory unit [306] is a cache memory.
[0096] At step [408], based on the one or more operational parameters, the method [400] comprises retrieving, by the processing unit [308], from the memory unit [306], the location data corresponding to the one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
[0097] Prior to the step of retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at one or more LMF nodes [312], from the database [314], the location data of the set of nodes in the network, the method [400] comprises retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of the set of nodes in the network. The location data is retrieved from the set of nodes once every predefined duration of time. The method [400] also comprises storing, by the storage unit [304], to the database [314], the retrieved location data of the set of nodes in the network.
[0098] Also, the method [400] comprises performing, by the validation unit [310] connected at least to the database [314], a validation of the retrieved location data based on the set of validation parameters. The set of validation parameters comprise at least an expected cell ID of the set of nodes. The method [400] then comprises at least one of: positively validating, by the validation unit [310], the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes correspond with the validation parameters, or negatively validating, by the validation unit [310], the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes does not correspond with the validation parameters.

[0099] In response to negatively validating the location data, the method [400] comprises rejecting, by the validation unit [310], the location data.
[0100] Prior to the step of retrieving, from the memory unit [306], the location data corresponding to the one or more nodes from the set of nodes, the method [400] comprises receiving, by the processing unit [308], at the one or more LMF nodes [312], a request for executing one or more tasks relating to the one or more nodes. The request comprises the one or more operational parameters related to requirement of location data of the one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
[0101] The method [400] terminates at step [410].
[0102] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary flow diagram [500] for accessing location data of nodes in the network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the flow diagram [500] is a demonstration and is performed by the system [300]. The flow diagram [500] illustrates the functioning of the system [300] in managing and processing the location data (or more specifically a cell data) for the set of nodes in the network.
[0103] The flow diagram [500] comprises the one or more LMF nodes [312] for managing and utilizing cell data for a plurality of services. In particular, the one or more LMP nodes [312] may perform a timer-based cell data extraction to retrieve the cell data from the database [314] based on the predefined duration of time, to ensure that the cell data is updated. The cell data may further be utilized for a plurality of services.
[0104] The cell data can then be loaded into the memory unit [306] associated with the one or more LMF nodes [312]. The database [314] acts as a repository for storing the cell data retrieved by the one or more LMF nodes [312].

[0105] The cell data job (as shown in FIG. 5) may refer to one or more components that is responsible for managing the cell data. Further, the cell data extraction timer may ensure that the cell data is extracted from a cell data CSV file at regular intervals. Further, the extracted cell data is updated into the database [314]. The cell data job may ensure that the database [314] is stored with the latest data that may be utilized by the one or more LMF nodes [312] for the plurality of services.
[0106] The cell data CSV file shown in FIG. 5 may refer as a source of the cell data that is periodically extracted and updated into the database [314]. The use of CSV format indicates that the cell data is organised in a simple, tabular form, which makes the cell data easy to parse and process.
[0107] In one implementation, the implementation of the flow diagram [500] is explained below.
[0108] Firstly, the cell data job may periodically extract data from the cell data CSV file based on the time duration defined by the cell data extraction timer. Thereafter, the cell data is updated into the database [314], which may ensure that the one or more LMF nodes [312] have access to the latest and updated cell data. Lastly, the one or more LMF nodes [312] may then retrieve the updated cell data from the database [314] based on the predefined duration of time. The retrieved cell data is then loaded into the memory associated with the one or more LMF nodes [312] for performing the plurality of services.
[0109] In an aspect, the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for accessing location data of nodes in a network. The instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of the system [300], causes: the transceiver unit [302] of the system [300] to retrieve, at the one or more location management function (LMF) nodes [312], from the database [314] connected to the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of a set of nodes in the network, wherein the location data

comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes; the storage unit [304] of the system [300] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], to store the retrieved location data at the memory unit [306] configured to the at least one LMF node; and the processing unit [308] of the system [300] to retrieve, from the memory unit [306], location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes, based on one or more operational parameters.
[0110] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for accessing location data of nodes in the network. The present solution loads cell ID into the database in a cache memory, which does not affect the core functionality of the LMF. Further, the present disclosure retrieves and updates the cell data very easily by the addition of the one or more units (such as the cell data reader) and due to the storage of the cell ID in an organized and structured manner. The present disclosure is further able to directly update information into the database on real time basis. Furthermore, the present disclosure fetches data from the cache memory in case of cell ID provisioning.
[0111] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative and non-limiting.

I/We claim:
1. A method [400] for accessing location data of nodes in a network, the method
[400] comprising:
- retrieving, by a transceiver unit [302], at one or more location management function (LMF) nodes [312], from a database [314] connected to the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of a set of nodes in the network, wherein the location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes;
- storing, by a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the retrieved location data at a memory unit [306] configured to at least one LMF node,
wherein, based on one or more operational parameters, the method [400] comprises:
- retrieving, by a processing unit [308], from the memory unit [306],
location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of
nodes.
2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior to the step of
retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at one or more LMF nodes [312],
from the database [314], the location data of the set of nodes in the network,
the method [400] comprises:
- retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of the set of nodes in the network, wherein, the location data from the set of nodes is retrieved once every predefined duration of time; and
- storing, by the storage unit [304], to the database [314], the retrieved location data of the set of nodes in the network.

3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 2, wherein the method [400] comprises:
- performing, by a validation unit [310] connected at least to the database [314], a validation of the retrieved location data based on a set of validation parameters, wherein the set of validation parameters comprise at least an expected cell ID of the set of nodes, and wherein the method [400] comprises at least one of:
- positively validating, by the validation unit [310], the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes correspond with the validation parameters; and
- negatively validating, by the validation unit [310], the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes does not correspond with the validation parameters.

4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 3, wherein, in response to negatively validating the location data, the method [400] comprises rejecting, by the validation unit [310], the location data.
5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transceiver unit [302] at the one or more LMF nodes [312] corresponds with a cell data reader configured at the one or more LMF nodes [312].
6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location data of the set of nodes is retrieved from a dataset, wherein the dataset comprises a set of location data corresponding with the set of nodes, and wherein the dataset is formatted according to comma-separated value (CSV) format.
7. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein, prior to the step of retrieving, from the memory unit [306], location data corresponding to the one or more nodes from the set of nodes, the method [400] comprises:

- receiving, by the processing unit [308], at one or more LMF nodes [312],
a request for executing one or more tasks relating to the one or more
nodes, wherein the request comprises one or more operational parameters
related to requirement of location data of the one or more nodes from the
set of nodes.
8. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit [306] is a cache memory.
9. A system [300] for accessing location data of nodes in a network, the system [300] comprising:

- a transceiver unit [302] configured to retrieve, at one or more location management function (LMF) nodes [312], from a database [314] connected to the one or more LMF nodes [312], location data of a set of nodes in the network, wherein the location data comprises at least a cell identification (ID) of the set of nodes;
- a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the storage unit [304] configured to store the retrieved location data at a memory unit [306] configured to at least one LMF node; and
- a processing unit [308], wherein, based on one or more operational parameters, the processing unit [308] is configured to retrieve, from the memory unit [306], location data corresponding to one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein, prior to the retrieving, at the one or more LMF nodes [312], from the database [314], the location data of the set of nodes in the network:
- the transceiver unit [302] is configured to retrieve, at the one or more
LMF nodes [312], location data of the set of nodes in the network,

wherein, the location data from the set of nodes is retrieved once every predefined duration of time; and
- the storage unit [304] is configured to store, to the database [314], the
retrieved location data of the set of nodes in the network.
11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the system [300] comprises
a validation unit [310] connected at least to the database [314], and wherein
the validation unit [310] is configured to:
- perform a validation of the retrieved location data based on a set of
validation parameters, wherein the set of validation parameters comprise
at least an expected cell ID of the set of nodes, and wherein the validation
unit [310] is further configured to at least one of:
- positively validate the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes correspond with the validation parameters; and
- negatively validate the location data if the cell ID of the set of nodes does not correspond with the validation parameters.

12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in response to negatively validating the location data, the validation unit [310] is configured to reject the location data.
13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transceiver unit [302] at the one or more LMF nodes [312] corresponds with a cell data reader configured at the one or more LMF nodes [312].
14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the location data of the set of nodes is retrieved from a dataset, wherein the dataset comprises a set of location data corresponding with the set of nodes, and wherein the dataset is formatted according to comma-separated value (CSV) format.

15. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein, prior to retrieving, from the
memory unit [306], location data corresponding to the one or more nodes
from the set of nodes, the processing unit [308] is configured to:
- receive, at one or more LMF nodes [312], a request for executing one or more tasks relating to the one or more nodes, wherein the request comprises one or more operational parameters related to requirement of location data of the one or more nodes from the set of nodes.
16. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the memory unit [306] is a
cache memory.