Apparatus and method for providing positioning data based on authentication result

An apparatus, comprising:

• communication circuitry;
• positioning circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• retrieve a device identifier (ID) corresponding to the communication circuitry or corresponding to the positioning circuitry;
• encrypt the retrieved device ID as an encrypted ID code;
• send authentication information that includes the encrypted ID code to authentication processing circuitry;
• receive from the authentication processing circuitry an authentication result of an authentication process that is performed by the authentication processing circuitry, the authentication process including:
• matching the encrypted ID code with an authentication record;
• and
• when the encrypted ID code fails to have a match in the authentication record, performing:
• determining whether the user device is valid based on an authentication file included in the authentication information;
• obtaining subscription information based on the authentication file when the user device is valid;
• and
• determining whether the subscription information is valid:
• receiving a set of positioning assistance data that corresponds to a value of a flag included in the authentication information from a server when the user device and the subscription information are valid;
• and
• when the authentication result indicates that the apparatus is an authorized user device, provide the positioning circuitry with the set of positioning assistance data that aids the positioning circuitry to determine a location of the apparatus.

A method for authenticating a user device, the method comprising:

• receiving authentication information from the user device, the authentication information including an encrypted identifier (ID) code that is an encrypted device ID corresponding to communication circuitry of the user device or corresponding to positioning circuitry of the user device;
• performing, by authentication processing circuitry, an authentication process for the user device, the authentication process including:
• matching the encrypted ID code with an authentication record;
• and
• when the encrypted ID code fails to have a match in the authentication record, performing:
• determining whether the user device is valid based on an authentication file included in the authentication information;
• obtaining subscription information based on the authentication file when the user device is valid;
• and
• determining whether the subscription information is valid;
• sending a set of positioning assistance data that corresponds to a value of a flag included in the authentication information to the user device when the user device and the subscription information are valid;
• and
• sending an authentication result to the user device, the authentication result indicating whether the user device passes the authentication process such that the positioning circuitry of the user device is authorized to use the set of positioning assistance data to determine a location of the user device when the user device passes the authentication process.