Mobile Mapping via Messaging Apps and Wireless Access Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mapping and navigation services for mobile devices are limited in providing real-time directions in private areas, such as hospitals, where commercial services lack access and users may not have compatible mapping applications installed on their devices, especially feature phones.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a messaging application to request and receive map information using wireless access points and signs with unique identifiers, allowing users to obtain location and routing information without needing a dedicated mapping app, leveraging SMS, MMS, or chat applications, and using signal strength to track user location within a mapped area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If commercial mapping services are used, then mapping data can be obtained in public areas, but access to private areas (e.g., hospitals) is denied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless access points and signage systems as intermediaries between users and mapping data in private areas. These intermediaries provide localized access to mapping information without requiring users to have direct access to commercial mapping services or install dedicated applications, thereby enabling access to private area maps while maintaining the restrictions of the private property owners.
2Ease of operation
If a dedicated mapping application is installed, then navigation services are available, but device compatibility is limited (especially for feature phones)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the mapping service universal by enabling access through multiple existing communication channels (SMS, MMS, chat applications) that are already present on various mobile devices including feature phones. This eliminates the need for users to install dedicated mapping applications, as the service can be accessed through the messaging applications that are universally available across different device types and operating systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses wireless access points and signage as intermediaries to deliver mapping information to users through their existing messaging applications. This intermediary approach allows the mapping service to reach users on any device with messaging capability, bypassing the need for device-specific mapping applications and ensuring broad compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If messaging applications are used to request maps, then no dedicated mapping app is needed, but location tracking precision may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless access points and physical signage as intermediary reference points throughout the mapped area. These intermediaries provide known location markers that the system can use to triangulate and determine user position more accurately than would be possible using only messaging application data, thereby compensating for the lack of dedicated mapping application sensors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to receive accurate location and routing information within private areas using existing messaging apps, even without a dedicated mapping application, by integrating with wireless access points and signage, thus overcoming access limitations and device compatibility issues.
Implementation Method 1
determine a location of the mobile device based on signal strengths of a plurality of wireless signals received from a plurality of wireless access points
Implementation Method 2
receive a wireless signal from a wireless access point in the mapped area and determine a location of the mobile device based on signal strengths
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for mapping and navigation are provided. In implementations, the systems and methods perform operations including receiving, via a network, a message from a messaging application of a mobile device of a user requesting a map of a mapped area. The operations also include generating the map of the mapped area displaying an icon indicating a location of the user. Further, the operations include sending, via the network, the map to the messaging application of the mobile device.