Mobile Device Location Detection via Scheduled Wireless Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices often reduce energy consumption by limiting their wireless receiver and transmitter excitation, making it difficult for wireless access points to detect their location, resulting in incomplete location estimation within wireless communication networks, especially in scenarios where GPS and cellular triangulation provide poor estimates.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an API call on the mobile device to initiate a scheduled scan of nearby wireless access points, allowing network devices or servers to detect and estimate the mobile device's location more accurately, even when the device is not actively transmitting, and providing location-based services through different communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If mobile devices limit excitation of wireless receivers and transmitters to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but location detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic scanning at scheduled times when the mobile device excites its wireless transmitter, rather than continuous operation. This allows the device to maintain low energy consumption while still providing periodic location detection opportunities for access points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where access points detect mobile devices during scheduled transmission windows, and a separate location estimation process calculates positions based on these detections. This intermediary approach allows location tracking without requiring continuous device transmission.
2Productivity
If mobile devices limit excitation of wireless transmitters to reduce network congestion, then network efficiency is improved, but location detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic scanning at scheduled intervals when devices transmit, creating predictable traffic patterns that improve network efficiency while maintaining location detection capability during these windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous location tracking capability through coordinated periodic actions among multiple access points and scheduled device transmissions, ensuring location information is continuously updated without requiring constant device activity.
3Reliability
If network performs location estimation only when mobile devices are transmitting, then detection reliability is improved, but time coverage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent schedules transmission windows in advance and pre-coordinates among access points to be listening during these windows, ensuring detection opportunities are prepared beforehand rather than reacting ad hoc to device transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from scheduled detection attempts to refine location estimation, where access points report detection results back to the location estimation process, which then updates position information and adjusts future detection strategies.
Data Source
AI summary
Location detection of a mobile device is achieved by initiating an API call at an application program. The API call directs an operating system of the mobile device to initiate a scan of wireless access points within wireless communication range of the mobile device. The scanning performed by the mobile device is detected by the network via one or more of the wireless access points. A location of the mobile device is estimated by the network based on detection of the mobile device via the one or more wireless access points. Location-based services are provided to the mobile device by the network based on the estimated location of the mobile device. The location-based services may be transmitted to the mobile device via a different wireless access point and/or wireless communication protocol than used during scanning and/or detection of the mobile device.