Cached Location Area Code Server for Mobile Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination methods in cellular communications networks face challenges in providing accurate location information, especially for non-GPS-enabled devices and in areas with weak GPS signals, as they rely on resource-intensive and power-consuming GPS technology.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of cached location area codes (LACs) allows a server computer to estimate coarse geographic locations using location information from GPS-enabled devices and store these estimates, enabling non-GPS-enabled devices to determine their location efficiently by looking up cached LACs, which reduces power consumption and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS data is continuously collected to determine location, then location accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores coarse geographic locations for multiple location areas before they are needed. When a mobile device needs location information, it simply retrieves the pre-computed location from memory rather than performing new calculations or continuous GPS tracking, thereby reducing real-time energy consumption while maintaining location accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using continuous GPS data for all location determinations, the system uses partial GPS data collected from multiple devices to build a comprehensive location database. This partial data collection approach, when aggregated, provides sufficient accuracy for location estimation without requiring each device to continuously use GPS
2Measurement precision
If location determination resources are increased to improve accuracy, then location estimation quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that performs the complex task of collecting GPS data from multiple mobile devices, calculating coarse geographic locations, and storing this information in a database. Individual mobile devices then simply query this pre-computed data without performing complex calculations themselves, thereby improving location estimation quality while keeping individual device complexity low
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having each mobile device independently perform complex location calculations, the system creates a copy of the location information in the form of a centralized database containing pre-computed coarse geographic locations. Devices can then retrieve this copied information through simple database queries, reducing the computational burden on individual devices while maintaining high location estimation quality
3Quantity of substance
If memory footprint is reduced to store cached LACs, then resource efficiency is improved, but location information completeness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential location information needed for coarse location determination and stores it in a compact format in the database. By taking out only the necessary data elements (location area codes and their corresponding coarse geographic locations) rather than storing complete detailed location data, the system achieves small memory footprint while maintaining sufficient location information completeness for the intended application
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, program products, and systems for location determination using cached location area codes are described. A server computer can receive location information from location-aware mobile devices (e.g., GPS-enabled devices) located in a location area of a cellular communications network. The server computer can also receive from the mobile device the location area code associated with the location area in which the mobile devices are located. The server computer can estimate a coarse geographic location of the location area, as well as a number of cells encompassed by the location area using the received information. The server computer can store the estimated geographic locations associated with sufficiently large location areas (e.g., location areas having more than a certain number of cells). The server computer can provide the stored geographic locations to second mobile devices that are not GPS-enabled for estimating current locations of the second mobile devices.