User Device Location Determination via Access Point Lookup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination methods for user devices rely on GPS hardware, which consumes battery power and metered network data, and may not provide accurate location information without invoking location identification hardware.
Innovation Solution
The system determines the location of a user device by receiving access point ID information from nearby wireless networks, storing this information in a location table, and using it to identify the device's geographic location without needing GPS queries, thereby reducing power consumption and data usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS hardware is used to determine location, then location accuracy is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses access point ID information as an intermediary to determine location. Instead of directly using GPS hardware, the system receives access point IDs from nearby wireless networks, looks up their stored locations, and determines the device's location based on these intermediaries. This approach provides location information without continuously activating GPS, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining reasonable location accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing access point ID information and their corresponding locations in advance in a location table. When location determination is needed, the device simply queries this pre-stored data rather than performing real-time GPS measurements. This preliminary preparation reduces the need for energy-intensive GPS operations during actual location determination.
2Loss of information
If GPS queries are invoked to determine location, then location information is obtained, but network data usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system stores access point ID information and their corresponding locations in a local location table in advance. When location determination is needed, the device queries this pre-stored local database rather than making network requests to external location services. This eliminates or significantly reduces network data usage for location determination while still providing accurate location information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses locally stored access point location data as an intermediary to obtain location information without needing to query external network services. The access point IDs serve as keys to look up pre-stored location information, providing a network-efficient method for obtaining location data.
3Use of energy by moving object
If approximate location based on base station is used, then power consumption is reduced, but location accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses access point ID information as a more precise intermediary compared to base station locations. Access points typically have more precise and readily available location data stored in the location table, and their signals are better suited for determining precise device location compared to the broader coverage areas of base stations. This intermediary approach maintains low power consumption while improving location accuracy over base station-based methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A user device may determine an access point within communication range of the user device; determine whether location information, associated with the access point, is stored by the user device in the data structure; and obtain, based on the determination that the location information is not stored by the user device, a location of the user device. When obtaining the location information of the user device, the user device may invoke location identification hardware. The user device may store the obtained location information of the user device, in the data structure, as location information corresponding to the access point; obtain, based on the determination that the location information is stored in the data structure, the location information of the user device from the data structure; generate a location record identifying the location of the user device; and store or output the location record.