Multi-Source Device Location Determination Beyond IP Gateways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination methods based on IP addresses are often inaccurate as they indicate the location of an internet service provider or mobile carrier's gateway rather than the user device's actual location, leading to incorrect location-dependent determinations.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the geographic location of a user's electronic device using first data and, if the determined location is insufficient, employs additional data sources such as Wi-Fi access points, Bluetooth beacons, and cellular tower data to enhance location accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If IP address-based location determination is used, then the location can be obtained quickly and easily, but the location accuracy deteriorates because it indicates the gateway location而非用户设备实际位置
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple location determination methods (IP address-based location, Wi-Fi positioning, cellular tower triangulation, GPS) into a unified location determination system. The system merges results from these different data sources and uses them collectively to determine the user device's actual location, thereby resolving the contradiction between quick determination and accurate results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary location determination module that acts as a mediator between the IP address gateway location and the user device actual location. This intermediary processes multiple data sources including Wi-Fi access point data, cellular tower data, and GPS data to bridge the gap between the gateway location and the true device location, improving accuracy while maintaining efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If multiple data sources are used to enhance location accuracy, then the location-dependent determination precision improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location determination system into distinct functional modules: an IP address-based location module, a Wi-Fi positioning module, a cellular tower triangulation module, and a GPS module. Each module independently processes specific types of data and contributes its results to the overall location determination. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple data sources without becoming unmanageably complex, as each segment can be developed and maintained independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal location determination system that can handle multiple types of location data (IP addresses, Wi-Fi signals, cellular tower signals, GPS coordinates) through a single integrated framework. The system is designed to be multi-functional, accepting various data sources and processing them through common algorithms to determine location. This universality reduces overall system complexity by providing a single solution that handles diverse input types rather than requiring separate specialized systems for each data source.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for location-dependent determination comprises: determining, with one or more processors, a geographic location of a user's electronic device using first data; in response to determining the determined geographic location is insufficient for performing a location-dependent determination, requesting second data to determine an updated geographic location of the user's electronic device; performing, with an Application Programming Interface (API), the location-dependent determination based on the updated geographic location; and completing, with the API, a transaction using the location-dependent determination.