Mediation Server for Geolocation Service Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current geolocation services for mobile terminals are unreliable, often requiring subscription and incorporating geolocation means in mobile terminals, and may provide erroneous location information.

Innovation Solution

A mediation server in a communication network that obtains and validates the location of a terminal, requests explicit user authorization before sharing it, and communicates the location using SMS or WAP protocols, ensuring accuracy by comparing locally obtained locations with those from trusted servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If geolocation means are incorporated in mobile terminals to enable location services, then location information can be obtained, but device complexity and subscription requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation information reliabilityVSAvoidterminal device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a location server as an intermediary between mobile terminals. The server obtains, validates, and manages location information centrally, eliminating the need for each terminal to have complex geolocation means. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by centralizing the complex functionality while keeping individual terminals simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If any device can obtain location via SMS, then accessibility is improved, but location accuracy becomes unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service accessibilityVSAvoidlocation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The location server performs preliminary validation of location information before it is made available to users. The server verifies the accuracy and authenticity of location data obtained from various sources, ensuring that only validated location information is transmitted via SMS or other channels. This preliminary validation step maintains accessibility while ensuring accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the location server continuously validates and updates location information. The server receives location data, verifies its accuracy against multiple sources, and provides corrected information back to the network. This feedback loop ensures that location information remains accurate while being widely accessible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If user authorization is required for each location request, then privacy protection is improved, but service response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser consent reliabilityVSAvoidlocation service response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system obtains user authorization in advance before location information is requested. Users provide consent upfront, and the location server stores this authorization information. When location requests are made, the server can quickly verify pre-existing authorization rather than requiring real-time user interaction, thus maintaining privacy protection while reducing response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2659722B1Mediation method and server for a geopositioning service in a network
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 ORANGE SA
  • EP2659722B1 patent drawingFigure 1~10
  • EP2659722B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2659722B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a mediation server for a geopositioning service in a network. Said mediation server (TE) comprises: - means for obtaining an identifier of a first terminal (UA) desiring to obtain a position of a second terminal (UB); - means for obtaining a position of a second terminal (UB) and for validating said position; - means for obtaining an authorization issued by said second terminal (UB) for communicating said position of the second terminal (UB) to the first terminal (UA); and - means of communicating said position of the second terminal (UB) to the first terminal (UA).