Virtual Mapping Device for Proximity-Based Information Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often need to manually search for information about nearby objects, such as stores or events, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming, as existing systems do not efficiently provide relevant information based on proximity.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a virtual mapping device to detect the proximity of a user device to an object and provides relevant information, such as coupons or statistics, by connecting the device to a network and an object information server, allowing for automatic delivery of useful data based on user preferences and location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users manually search for information about nearby objects, then they can obtain relevant information, but it requires significant time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring user location and pre-fetching information about nearby objects before users actually need it. The server maintains ready-to-deliver information about stores, restaurants, and other points of interest in the user's vicinity, so when proximity is detected, information is immediately available for delivery without requiring user search or wait time.
2Loss of information
If the system provides information about all nearby objects, then users receive comprehensive information, but it increases information overload and reduces relevance
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by customizing information delivery based on specific user context including location, movement patterns, and expressed interests. Rather than uniformly delivering information about all nearby objects, the system selectively provides information about objects in specific categories relevant to the user, such as restaurants near a user's workplace or stores near a user's home, making the information both complete for the user's needs and highly relevant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to learn from user interactions and adjust information delivery. By monitoring which information users engage with, which locations they visit, and what categories interest them, the system refines its information selection to improve relevance over time while maintaining completeness of coverage for relevant categories.
3Loss of time
If the system continuously monitors user location to provide timely information, then information delivery timeliness improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by updating location monitoring at intervals rather than continuously. The device determines user location at scheduled periods and compares it to previously recorded locations to detect proximity changes. This periodic approach maintains timeliness of information delivery by catching significant location changes while reducing energy consumption by allowing the device to enter lower-power states between monitoring intervals.
4Measurement precision
If the system integrates multiple data sources and processing layers, then information accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary server as a mediator between the user device and multiple data sources. The server handles the complexity of integrating data from GPS, cellular towers, Wi-Fi access points, and other location sources, as well as filtering and processing information from multiple categories of objects. This intermediary approach improves proximity detection accuracy through multi-source data fusion while containing system complexity on the server side rather than burdening the user device.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is configured to determine a geographic location of a user device and determine, based on the geographic location of the user device, that the user device is within a threshold distance of a structure that includes a quantity of objects. The device is configured to receive, from the user device, an image of an object of the quantity of objects, and analyze, based on receiving the image of the object and based on the user device being within the threshold distance of the structure, the image to identify the object. The device is configured to receive user information associated with the user device, determine, based on the user information, object information associated with the object; and provide the object information for display on the user device.