Location Service API for Mobile Device Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile device applications cannot provide location-based services if they are not running, limiting the availability of location-specific functionalities such as targeted advertisements and marketing communications.
Innovation Solution
Enabling multiple applications on a mobile device to query the device's location hardware and transmit location information to a location service, even when the primary application is not active, using a location service API to simplify data transmission and aggregation, allowing for timely and thorough location data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single application queries location hardware when active, then location-based services can be provided during application execution, but location services become unavailable when the application is not running
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables multiple applications to query location hardware through a common location service API, allowing the system to collect location data through multiple channels. This multi-functionality ensures that location services remain available even when individual applications are not running, as other applications can continue to query the location hardware and report data to the location service.
Solution Approach 2:
The location service acts as an intermediary between multiple applications and the location hardware. Applications communicate location requests and receive data through this mediator rather than directly querying hardware, enabling centralized management and continuous operation even when individual applications are inactive. The location service maintains persistent connections and coordinates queries across multiple applications.
2Reliability
If multiple applications query location hardware simultaneously, then location data availability increases, but system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The location service serves as a mediator that coordinates queries from multiple applications to the location hardware. It manages the complexity of simultaneous access by serializing requests, deduplicating redundant queries, and distributing location data to multiple applications efficiently. This intermediary approach maintains timely location information while reducing the actual coordination overhead through intelligent request management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple location queries from different applications into a single coordinated system. The location service consolidates redundant queries and combines results, so that instead of each application independently querying hardware and managing its own state, all applications share a unified location service that handles coordination centrally, reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If applications continuously query location hardware, then location information is always current, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The location service implements periodic action by scheduling location queries at optimized intervals rather than continuously. It monitors which applications need location data and when, then triggers queries only when necessary. This periodic approach maintains current location information for active applications while avoiding unnecessary continuous querying that would waste energy, dynamically adjusting query frequency based on application activity and location service needs.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing location information to a location server by a plurality of applications are described. The plurality of applications of a computing device determines location information associated with the computing device, such as by querying location hardware of the computing device. The applications cause transmission of the location information to a location service via a communication network. The location service utilizes the location information in various ways to target communications to users associated with the computing devices.