Dynamic Device Location Grouping for Low-Overhead Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current networking standards lack intelligent services to dynamically and opportunistically group devices based on proximity and similar location service requirements, leading to inefficient location reporting and tracking on an individual device basis, which increases resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implement Locationing Group (LG) services that include LG Clients (LGC) on devices and LG Servers (LGS) in the network, capable of collecting situational context to dynamically form groups, assign leaders, and manage location reporting on a group basis, reducing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual device-based location reporting is used, then each device can independently report its location, but the number of location reporting messages and resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual device location reports into a single group-based location report. Devices are organized into location groups where a representative device reports the location of the entire group, consolidating multiple individual reporting streams into one unified report, thereby reducing message overhead and resource consumption while maintaining location tracking capability
Solution Approach 2:
The location group representative performs multiple functions: it reports location for itself and simultaneously represents multiple other devices in the group. This multi-functionality allows a single device to serve as the location reporting agent for the entire group, eliminating the need for each device to independently report its location
2Productivity
If group-based location reporting is implemented, then location tracking overhead is reduced, but intelligent services to dynamically detect grouping opportunities are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the location server receives location information from devices, analyzes it to determine physical location groupings, and then sends location group operations back to devices. This closed-loop feedback enables dynamic detection of grouping opportunities and automated formation of location groups based on actual location data and service requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The location grouping system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. Groups are formed and dissolved based on real-time location data, service requirements, and device proximity. The system can opportunistically create groups when devices are near each other with similar location needs and dissolve them when conditions change, enabling adaptive resource optimization
3Loss of energy
If location groups are dynamically formed, then resource consumption is reduced, but device complexity and management operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex group management operations from individual devices and concentrates them in the location server. The server handles group formation, dissolution, member addition, and representative selection, while devices simply participate in groups and receive operations from the server. This extraction reduces device complexity by removing burden of managing group dynamics
Data Source
AI summary
Methods are described for dynamically managing device locationing groups. According to some aspects, mobile devices may be tracked on a group basis, e.g., as opposed to being tracking on an individual basis. For example, location information for each of a plurality of mobile devices may be received at a location group server (LGS) and the LGS may determine (e.g., based on the location information) that each of the plurality of devices are in a physical location. One or more location group operations may be triggered by the location group server (e.g., based on determining that each of the plurality of devices are in the physical location) and the LGS may receive a location update from a device of the plurality of mobile devices (e.g., wherein the location update is not received from a remainder of the plurality of mobile devices).