Mobile Device Location Uncertainty Display via Obscuring Features
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users often misinterpret the central location of a mobile device's uncertainty region as its actual location, leading to incorrect assumptions about the device's whereabouts, especially when the uncertainty region is significant, and existing location systems provide only approximate locations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obscuring the central location of a mobile device's uncertainty region on a location diagram using graphical elements such as opacity-to-transparency gradients, blurring, or pixilation, while correlating the uncertainty region with the extent of geographic data displayed, and incorporating a location score to indicate the likelihood of the device's presence within that region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the central location of the uncertainty region is displayed clearly, then the location can be easily identified, but users may misinterpret it as the actual location of the mobile device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual transformation techniques including opacity-to-transparency gradients, blurring, shading, and pixilation to the central location marker. These visual effects change the appearance of the location indicator to communicate uncertainty while maintaining visibility, resolving the contradiction between ease of identification and accurate perception of location precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new visual dimension by applying obscuring features to the location marker. This transforms the flat, clear location indicator into a multi-layered visual element with transparency and blur effects, adding a visual dimension that encodes uncertainty information without sacrificing location identifiability
2Loss of information
If geographic data is displayed in full detail, then comprehensive information is provided, but it may reveal precise location information that should be obscured due to uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the visual treatment of different regions. The central location receives obscuring features (blur, transparency) while surrounding geographic data maintains its normal clarity. This allows comprehensive geographic information to be displayed while locally obscuring only the precise location indicator to reflect uncertainty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the display into distinct functional zones: the uncertainty region with obscured central location marker, and the surrounding geographic data area with full detail. This segmentation allows simultaneous presentation of comprehensive geographic information and honest representation of location uncertainty
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for displaying location uncertainty of locations of mobile devices are provided. A location of a mobile device may be determined using a location system. The mobile device can be associated with a location service that locates the mobile device. The location system identifies the location of the mobile device that is an approximation of the location of the mobile device. An uncertainty region for the location of the mobile device is identified. The uncertainty region determines an extent of geographic data that is displayed on a location diagram based on a correlation between the uncertainty region and the extent of geographic data. The extent of geographic data that corresponds to the uncertainty region is determined. The location associated with the uncertainty region is communicated such that the location is displayed on the location diagram with the extent of geographic data using the obscuring feature.