External Location Server for Mobile Position Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency response services face challenges in accurately determining the location of mobile devices, especially in urban environments or within buildings, due to the lack of stored reference point locations in the National Emergency Address Database (NEAD) and the unavailability or undetectability of mobile device identifiers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves using an external location server (ELS) to retrieve location information from an External Location Controller (ELC) when reference point locations are stored outside the NEAD, and implementing processes to handle scenarios where the mobile device's identifier is not available or detectable, by using alternative signaling and error handling mechanisms to estimate the mobile device's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reference point locations are stored in the NEAD, then mobile device position estimation can be performed using traditional methods, but the system cannot handle cases where reference point locations are stored externally or mobile device identifiers are unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an External Location Server (ELS) as an intermediary component between the NEAD and external location databases. The ELS receives queries from the NEAD, translates them into appropriate external queries, and returns results. This mediator enables the system to access externally stored reference point locations without requiring direct integration with multiple external systems, thereby improving adaptability while managing complexity through a standardized interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the location estimation system into distinct functional modules: the NEAD for storing basic reference point identifiers, the ELS for managing external location queries, and external location databases for storing actual reference point locations. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks and enables the system to handle both traditional and external location storage scenarios independently.
2Measurement precision
If mobile device identifier detection is required for position estimation, then location accuracy can be maintained, but the system fails when identifiers are unavailable or undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements error handling mechanisms that anticipate and cushion against the unavailability of mobile device identifiers. The system is designed to detect identifier unavailability in advance and automatically switch to alternative positioning methods using reference point identifiers alone. This prior cushioning ensures that position estimation can continue with reduced but acceptable accuracy rather than failing completely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows position estimation to proceed with partial information (reference point identifiers only) when complete information (mobile device identifier plus reference point identifiers) is unavailable. The system performs a simplified estimation using available data rather than requiring all ideal parameters, thereby maintaining reliability at the cost of some precision.
3Productivity
If traditional position estimation methods are used, then the system works for stored reference points, but it cannot retrieve externally stored reference point locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the NEAD universal by enabling it to handle both traditionally stored reference point locations and externally stored reference point locations through a unified interface. The ELS provides multi-functionality by supporting multiple external database formats and protocols, allowing the system to query diverse external location sources while maintaining a consistent internal operation mode.
Data Source
AI summary
Transmitting information used to estimate a position of a mobile device. This disclosure describes NEAD-based and external location server (ELS)-based positioning systems and methods that determine when an identifier of a mobile device is not known or when the identifier of the mobile device is known but cannot be detected during a search by reference points, and to then provide a location of a reference point that had previous contact with the mobile device instead of an estimated position of the mobile device. The provided location of the reference point can be used by a location server to generate an estimate of mobile device position.