Design team members: Scott Corbett, Ben Moore, Jay Subramaniam
Supervisor: A.K.C. Wong
Have you ever found yourself in one of these situations?
- You’re in an unfamiliar downtown metropolitan area and were supposed to meet a friend at a local restaurant, 5 minutes ago.
- You have to make copies of your term report that is due in 30 minutes but don’t know where to find the nearest Kinko’s.
- You’re running out of gas on a major highway and want to know where the next refueling point is.
- You’re just plain lost, and wonder where the heck you are.
- You’re the CEO of a large courier company and desire a way to have all your employees connected over a large voice and data network that allows them to view their present location, their destinations, and possibly receive helpful directions that would help them avoid congested traffic areas.
Our workshop objectives
The goal of our workshop is to provide Internet content for a wireless digital personal device. In particular, we are creating an Internet based solution that provides digital cell phones with map information. To add value to this map information, we are designing our web server to interact with existing positioning technologies that will allow the map to display the current position of the user in a digital coverage area (within a certain margin of error). We are also adding features to enhance this service, such as providing the user the option to display geographical locations of businesses.
Technology components
1.Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP)
WAP is a global specification for wireless applications, which was recently developed in partnership between major wireless hardware and software providers such as Phone.com, Motorola, Ericsson, and Nokia. Applications that allow the transfer and display of graphical information on digital cell phones and other Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) can be developed using WAP toolkits, which are currently available to the public at no cost.
2. Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) technologies:
We require the ability to locate the position of the PDA user. TDOA technologies such as Cell-Loc provide us with this ability. These technologies are currently being integrated to fulfill E-911 mandates and will be readily available and scalable to meet our needs.
3. Global Information System (GIS) Map Databases and Development tools:
Maps which contain street networks and other geographic features, as well as software development tools are available from companies such as Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc.
Who is involved
Wireless telephone networks in the United States alone are expected to experience a subscriber base growth from 60 Million to 100 Million users early in the 21st century. WAP capable versions of these devices such as the Nokia 7110 are already available to consumers. Service providers such as Bell Mobility, ClearNET and Cantel will be providing unique value added WAP services to fulfill both commercial and private demands of this new market. WAPMAPS provides such a service as well.
Businesses may wish to have their locations and other related information accessible to the new WAP market. For example, restaurants, hotels, gas stations and so on, are all potential clients. Other services such as airports, hospitals, and educational institutions could be displayed to WAP users as well.
Our design methodology
Our project incorporates a true Systems Design Methodology as we address the following challenges:
-
The interfacing of wireless data, locating information, and server side map database technologies.
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Limitations to wireless device information display size and limited input flexibility (such as a phone key pad) reduce usability of phone-based applications.
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The limitations of wireless device processor capabilities, storage capacity, limited transmission speed.
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Low network connectivity times due to battery limitations and channel occupation costs.
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Time delays associated with information processing and access by means of the Internet.
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The utility of the data being transmitted to the end user.
Solution overview
Figure 1: WAPMAPS: a system overview
The
user
requests
WAPMAPS
service
(Figure
1.a,
1.b).
The
request
is
received
at
the
WAP
gateway
and
routed
to
the
WAPMAPS
web
server.
WAPMAPS
sends
a
request
to
the
TDOA
service
provider
(Figure
1.c)
to
locate
the
client
(PDA
user).
The
user’s
location
is
returned.
With
the
location
of
the
client,
WAPMAPS
queries
its
map
database
and
generates
a
map
image
that
is
appropriately
formatted
for
the
client’s
device
characteristics
(Figure
1.d).
Client
specific
information
is
then
appended
to
the
map
(such
as
the
location
of
a
restaurant).
The information is then sent to the user and the resultant map is displayed on the device (Figure 1.e). Further information for locations on the map is accessible, such as the addresses, hours of operation (if applicable) and so on.