Support of location services using a positioning protocol

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to determine a set of included parameters from a plurality of allowed parameters for the positioning protocol between the first apparatus and a second device;
• the one or more processors is further configured to create a message for a positioning protocol at the apparatus using the set of included parameters from the plurality of allowed parameters;
• an encoder and/or the one or more processors to encode the message by embedding each of the included parameters in an encoded string;
• and
• a transmitter to transmit the encoded message to the second device wherein the second device supports a subset of position methods and position functions that correspond to the included parameters and wherein the second device decodes the included parameters corresponding to the subset of supported position methods and position functions and omits decoding of the included parameters corresponding to position methods and position functions that are not supported by the second device;
• and
• wherein each of the plurality of allowed parameters corresponds to a distinct position method or a distinct position function and each of the included parameters corresponds to a position method or a position function that is supported by the apparatus.

A non-transitory medium storing instructions for execution by one or more computer systems, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for determining a set of included parameters from a plurality of allowed parameters for the positioning protocol between a first device and a second device;
• instructions for creating a message for the positioning protocol at the first device using the set of included parameters from the plurality of allowed parameters;
• instructions for encoding the message by embedding each of the included parameters in an encoded string;
• and
• instructions for transmitting the encoded message to the second device,
• wherein the second device supports a subset of position methods and position functions that correspond to the included parameters and wherein the second device decodes the included parameters corresponding to the subset of supported position methods and position functions and omits decoding of the included parameters corresponding to position methods and position functions that are not supported by the second device, and
• wherein each of the plurality of allowed parameters corresponds to a distinct position method or a distinct position function and each of the included parameters corresponds to a position method or a position function that is supported by the first device.