Push-Based Location Update for Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices engaged in location-sharing consume significant power due to the need for periodic location updates, even when no other devices are requesting the current location, leading to reduced battery life.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a push-based location update mechanism that allows mobile devices to enter a sleep mode until awakened by a location-update-request from a location-information server, using a push notification service to conserve power and only update location information when requested by friend devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If mobile devices periodically recalculate and submit location updates to keep location information up-to-date, then location information freshness is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous periodic location updates to event-driven updates. Location updates are triggered by push notifications from the location information server rather than occurring at fixed intervals, eliminating unnecessary periodic calculations when location data is still fresh
Solution Approach 2:
The location information server autonomously determines when location updates are needed and pushes requests to mobile devices. The server monitors location freshness criteria and initiates updates only when necessary, freeing mobile devices from maintaining active background processes for continuous location determination
2Reliability
If mobile devices maintain active background processes for periodic location determination and update submission, then location information is continuously current, but battery life is significantly shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces continuous background processes with event-triggered operations. Mobile devices can enter sleep mode between push notification events, activating location determination only when a push request is received, thereby extending battery life while maintaining location information currentness when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The push notification server acts as an intermediary between the location information server and mobile devices. It manages the communication channel, allowing mobile devices to remain in low-power states while still receiving timely location update requests without maintaining active background processes
3Loss of information
If mobile devices submit location updates frequently to ensure up-to-date information, then location information accuracy is improved, but unnecessary power consumption occurs when no devices request location data
Solution Approach 1:
The location information server provides feedback to mobile devices through push notifications indicating when location updates are needed. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt update frequency to actual demand, consuming power only when location information needs refreshing rather than updating continuously regardless of need
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts location update behavior based on real-time conditions. Update frequency is not fixed but responds to push notification events, allowing the system to transition between active location determination and power-saving states according to actual location information requirements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2D~2F
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for a location information server to gather location updates by sending location-update-requests through a push notification service to a mobile device are disclosed. The mobile device provides location updates in response to the push-based location-update-requests received through the push notification service. The mobile device can switch from a self-initiated location update mode to a push-based location update mode depending on the current state of the mobile device. The mobile device can also choose an appropriate positioning system for self-locating based on the information embedded in the location-update-request received through the push notification service.; The information embedded in the pushed location-update-request can be a precision requirement or context information that can be used to determine a precision requirement for the location update.