Hybrid Location System for Power-Efficient Content Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content providers face challenges in efficiently managing access to content based on user device location, as existing location systems consume significant power and provide varying levels of precision, making it difficult to determine whether a user device is within a content availability area with irregular boundaries.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hybrid location system that uses a passive location system for less precise, power-efficient location determination within defined smaller or larger areas and switches to an active location system when higher precision is needed to accurately determine access permissions within irregularly shaped content availability areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an active location system (e.g., GPS) is used to determine user device location, then location precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the precision parameter of location determination by switching between passive location system (lower precision, lower power) and active location system (higher precision, higher power) based on the device's position relative to the content availability area boundaries
Solution Approach 2:
The location determination process is segmented into two stages: first using passive location system for coarse location checking, then using active location system only when the device is near boundaries where precise determination is needed
2Use of energy by moving object
If a passive location system is used to determine user device location, then power consumption is reduced, but location precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The passive location system is used for partial location determination - sufficient for devices clearly inside or outside the content availability area, but insufficient for devices near boundaries, triggering supplementary active location system usage
3Reliability
If active location system is continuously used to determine access permissions, then access control accuracy is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary location checking using the passive location system before engaging the active location system, filtering out devices that are clearly inside or outside the content availability area and avoiding unnecessary activation of the power-consuming GPS
Data Source
AI summary
A method may include receiving a request for content. The content may be associated with a content availability area. User devices located inside of the content availability area may be permitted access to the content. The method may include determining a first area entirely encompassed by the content availability area and/or a second area entirely encompassing the content availability area. The method may include obtaining first location information that identifies a location of a user device. The method may include selectively obtaining second location information based on whether the user device is located inside of the first area, outside of the second area, or outside of the first area and inside of the second area. The second location information may be more precise than the first location information, and may be used to determine whether the user device is located within the content availability area.