Patent ID: 7133683

Claim:
A method of exchanging messages through a signaling network between a position determining entity (PDE) and a mobile switching center (MSC) of a wireless communication system serving a plurality of mobile stations, to obtain information relating to a geographic location of an identified mobile station operating in the wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving a message at the PDE from the MSC via the signaling network, related to an operation for determining the geographic location of the identified mobile station; sending an acknowledgement of the received message, intended for the MSC, through the signaling network from the PDE; after sending the acknowledgement of the received message, sending a request message requesting information related to the geographic location of the identified mobile station, intended for the MSC, through the signaling network from the PDE; receiving a message at the PDE from the MSC via the signaling network indicating a predetermined one of a plurality of possible failure conditions; in response to the receipt of the message indicating the predetermined failure condition, resending the request message, intended for the MSC, through the signaling network from the PDE; and receiving a response message at the PDE from the MSC via the signaling network, the response message containing the requested information related to the geographic location of the identified mobile station.