Location support using a device identification conveyed by a positioning protocol

A method of using device-related information for positioning of a mobile device, the method comprising:

• sending, from the mobile device to a server, non-unique device-related information regarding the mobile device in a message, using a positioning protocol, the non-unique device-related information and comprising:
• an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendor,
• an OEM model,
• an OEM model version,
• a chip vendor,
• a chip model, or
• a chip model version ID,
• or any combination thereof;
• and
• receiving location support for the mobile device in accordance with the positioning protocol, wherein the location support is based at least in part on the non-unique device-related information.

A server comprising:

• a communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processing unit communicatively coupled with the communications interface and the memory, the processing unit configured to cause the server to:
• obtain, from a first mobile device via the communications interface, non-unique device-related information regarding the first mobile device in a message, using a positioning protocol, the non-unique device-related information comprising:
• an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendor,
• an OEM model,
• an OEM model version,
• a chip vendor,
• a chip model, or
• a chip model version ID,
• or any combination thereof;
• determine a positioning characteristic for the first mobile device, wherein the positioning characteristic for the first mobile device is determined based at least in part on the non-unique device-related information;
• and
• use the positioning characteristic for the first mobile device to provide location support to the first mobile device via the communications interface.

A mobile device comprising:

• a communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processing unit communicatively coupled with the communications interface and the memory, the processing unit configured to cause the mobile device to:
• send, via the communications interface to a server, non-unique device-related information regarding the mobile device in a message, using a positioning protocol, the non-unique device-related information including comprising:
• an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendor,
• an OEM model,
• an OEM model version,
• a chip vendor,
• a chip model, or
• a chip model version ID,
• or any combination thereof;
• and
• receive location support for the mobile device in accordance with the positioning protocol, wherein the location support is based at least in part on the non-unique device-related information.