Mobile Device Location Inference for Network Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices face significant delays when connecting to networks at new locations due to the need to scan for and configure country-specific communication settings, which is exacerbated by multiple users attempting to connect simultaneously, particularly in crowded environments like airplanes.
Innovation Solution
The mobile device infers its location using stored trip data such as electronic tickets or calendar entries and changes in operation, allowing it to configure communication settings ahead of time, thereby reducing the time required to establish a network connection by determining location-specific requirements and operating modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mobile device scans for carrier network and exchanges data to establish location and configure settings, then the device can connect to the network, but significant delays occur during the connection process
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by inferring the device's location using stored trip data (electronic tickets, calendar entries, email, SMS) before the actual network connection is needed. The device analyzes these stored indicia to identify origination and destination locations, pre-determines the current location based on operation changes, and configures location-specific communication settings in advance. This preliminary configuration of country-specific requirements and operating modes eliminates the need for time-consuming network scanning and data exchange upon arrival, directly reducing connection delays while ensuring reliable network establishment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple passengers attempt to connect to the network simultaneously on a large airplane, then all users can access network services, but connection delays are compounded due to bandwidth competition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables each mobile device to independently perform preliminary location inference and settings configuration using stored trip data, eliminating the need for simultaneous network scanning and authentication. By determining location-specific communication settings before network connection attempts, each device prepares its configuration in advance, allowing multiple passengers to connect without compounding delays from bandwidth competition during the setup phase.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile device determines country-specific requirements and configures communication settings by scanning and network exchange, then the device can operate in the correct location mode, but the process is time-consuming and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling the mobile device to autonomously infer its location and configure appropriate communication settings without requiring network interaction. The device analyzes stored trip indicia (electronic tickets, calendar entries, email, SMS) to identify origination and destination locations, determines current location based on operation changes, and automatically configures location-specific settings including country codes, time zones, and communication protocols. This self-contained approach eliminates reliance on network scanning and data exchange, significantly improving both reliability and speed of settings configuration while maintaining full adaptability to location-specific requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for configuring settings of a mobile device based on an inferred location. The mobile device can use stored indicia of trip (e.g., an electronic ticket or itinerary) to identify origination and destination locations. The start and end of the trip can be inferred based on changes in operation of the mobile device. For instance, if the user is on an airplane, the user may turn off network connectivity at the origination location just prior to takeoff, and may turn the network connectivity back on upon landing at the destination location. If the time that elapsed between the changes in operation is consistent with the duration of the trip indicated by the stored indicia, the mobile device can infer that the current location is the destination location. The mobile device can then configure location-specific settings in accordance with the destination location to establish a network connection.