Location Services

Geospatial data is a key aspect of any location system. A location-based service (LBS) provides the tools to provision and administer geospatial data such as man made structures (streets, buildings) and terrain (mountains, rivers). The LBS is also used to manage point-of-interest data such as location of gas stations, restaurants, nightclubs, etc. Finally, the LBS contain information about the characteristics of the mobile network. This allows the system to determine the location of the user. GeoEye imagery allows users to visualize the location of where wireless device users are i.e. mobile phones, personal navigation devices, wireless computers, etc. When this imagery is incorporated into location-based services (LBS) system, information can be exploited that can be of value to the end user, for example, the user of a wireless-connected device could be shown advertisements specific to the area the user is currently in. The wireless device user can use the imagery as a visual reference to obtain their bearings and easily locate objects of interest. This provides companies and their end users with different application opportunities, such as:

Location-Based Information

Leveraging the Internet, companies have the potential to provide highly personalized services to their users. For example, an individual searching for a list of nearby restaurants can be given options based on the LBS interacting with other location-technology components.

Emergency Services

An LBS emergency-service application can be used to accurately pinpoint a mobile caller's location and relay it to the appropriate authorities.

Tracking

Tracking can involve uses such as:

  • Fleet-management applications, designed to track vehicles for owners who want to know their whereabouts and contents
  • Mobile-commerce services that enable companies to track their mobile users and provide predetermined desired notifications
  • Locating family members by tracking a car's speed and pinpointing its location, to find children if they go beyond a certain distance

Location-Based Preferential Billing

Companies that offer location-based preferential billing can allow users to establish "home" or "work" zones to determine billing rates. This application can be especially useful in conjunction with other mobile applications, such as the use of prepaid wireless devices.