Network Protocols and Algorithms

ISSN 1943-3581
2010, Vol. 2, Issue. 2

A Systematic Approach for Developing Mobile

Information System based on Location Based Services

Furqan H. Khan
Center for Advance Studies in Telecommunication (CAST), CIIT
Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92 51 9258481-3, E-mail: [email protected]

Zeashan Khan
GIPSA-lab, Grenoble, France
Tel: +33 62 81 71 76 22, E-mail: [email protected]

Received: January 9, 2010 Accepted: June 14, 2010 DOI: 10.5296/npa.v2i2.295

Abstract
This paper describes the mechanism of some novice location based services that can be used
over the Mobile Information System frame work that we have developed. In this paper, a
simple and innovative network based mobile information system technique is introduced, that
provides extensive flexibility at the user end. This paper discusses the methodology adopted
for the design and simulation of location based friend finder and location based web tracking
services. Both these services are integrated with the real-time billing system. An advance
technology of using spatial triggers is introduced that results in a cost-effective solution for
mobile companies.
Keywords: Location Based Services, Spatial Trigger, GSM, CDMA, LMU.

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1. Introduction
Location based services (LBS) is becoming one of the most promising and challenging
market for various multinational mobile companies [1] [2]. Every company is making efforts
to produce a best possible solution of location based services for their customers at lowest
possible cost. Research shows that the network designers, service providers, vendors and
application developers should carefully consider the user requirements in order to introduce
attractive location based services into the market [3]. This requires the need of making
flexible and robust LBS applications, so that they can decrease the load at network end
without adding much to the overall cost.
One of the best solutions of this lies in using the spatial trigger technology. This means that
user is provided information services based on his location or movement. A trigger is created
whenever a user enters a spatial region or between two moving users, in this case the user
gets a prompt with respect to his interests [4]. Spatial trigger technology informs the LBS
application whenever a certain condition is fulfilled. When this criterion is fulfilled our LBS
application gets notified. An LBS supply chain mainly corresponds to the functionalities of
following components namely LBS user, LBS provider, content provider, location data,
position originator and the target hand set [5].

1.1 An Overview of Positioning Techniques

An important matter involves the choice between network based and terminal based
technology, because it may creates a very immense impact on operators of LBS business [1]
[6]. It will affect both the required investment as well as the future control of user data.
Cell ID, Cell-ID/TA, AOA and TOA are the low cost network based positioning techniques
whereas TDOA require high cost. E-OTD is mainly used in GSM and it requires
measurements from 3 base transceiver systems (BTS) by any other location measurement unit
(LMU) embedded within the handset or connected with it as an external unit. In this case the
position of mobile station is calculated by comparing the time difference between two sets of
measurements [7].
A-GPS is the most advance and accurate network assisted positioning technique that is
currently used worldwide for the tracking of precious assets like high value load, shipping
containers, etc [7]. This technology is recently introduced in GSM handsets. Table 1 gives a
comparison between different positioning techniques in terms of cost, accuracy, enhancement
required and coverage [8]. It becomes evident from the table below that technologies having
high accuracy require high investments. The key trend in the European and Asian countries at
the moment is E-OTD for GSM operators and A-GPS for CDMA operators. But as GSM is
used more frequently, so E-OTD is more dominant. AFLT/EFLT is normally use in CDMA
based networks. AFLT is normally use as a hybrid with A-GPS technology whereas EFLT is
use as a backup technology for non AFLT/AGPS based mobile sets.

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Table 1. Positioning techniques their classification and comparison

Positioning Characteristic Cost Modifications Accuracy Location

Required (in Area
Techniques
meters)

Cell-ID Network Network end 100-1500

Based
Cell-ID + Timing Advance Network end Limited to
(TA) within the
Low
cell
Angle of Arrival (AOA) Network end 100-500

Time of Arrival (TOA) Network end

Time Difference of Arrival High Network end 50-200

(TDOA)
Limited to
Enhanced Observed Time Medium Network + Handset 100-400 within the
Difference of arrival (E-OTD) country

A-GPS Terminal Medium Using GPS or any 5-40 Limited in

Based other Location canyon
Autonomous GPS Medium 5-40
Measurement Unit location
(LMU)
Advanced Forward Link Medium 50-200 Limited to
Trilateration (AFLT) within the
country
Enhanced Forward Link Medium 250-350
Trilateration (EFLT)

2. Related Work
Currently most of the researchers have developed LBS applications which can control spatial
data but are unable to run automatically [9]. Our proposed friend proximity teller service
have the advantage that it is activated automatically using the spatial trigger technology.
The authors emphasize the aptness, suitability, and efficiency of SMS based emergency
warning systems in [10]. As a large number of mobile subscribers particularly in Europe use
SMS in their daily routine. So, these types of systems are particularly helpful for recovery
from different spontaneous disasters like tsunami, earthquake and terrorist attacks. The
utilization and complete methodology for designing the autonomous LBS is described in [9],
[11] and [12]. Autonomous location based services have the ability of advance decision

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making based on the mobile user location without their interruption. A number of problems
with the recent LBS solutions proposed by various researchers namely limited interoperation,
complex interfaces, static services etc are discussed in [11]. Complex interfaces means that
due to small screen size it is difficult for users to focus the useful map information for
complicated images. These proposed LBS systems lacks in features like context adaptive
behavior, self awareness and self optimizing characteristics. In this context there is a need to
develop autonomous LBS applications that not only based on user friendly interfaces but also
decreases the load at the network end effectively.

3. Positioning Requests
This is one of the most important concepts that should be considered in designing a
server-end application. There are three types of positioning requests as explain below:

3.1 Mobile Terminating Location Request (MT-LR)

In this case, the mobile subscriber himself makes a location request. When an application
makes a location request for a particular mobile station to gateway mobile location center
(GMLC), the GMLC performs verification and authentication and forwards the request to
serving mobile location center (SMLC). SMLC calculates the position of the specific mobile
subscriber and sends the result back to GMLC. Finally GMLC forward the calculated result
to application (which is the part externally connected with it) as a response.

Figure 1. MO-LR Process

3.2 Mobile Originating Location Request (MO-LR)

It is the procedure where the mobile itself triggers the request for location after a specified
offset. In this case a mobile subscriber can activate the network to push the positioning data

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of the mobile subscriber to a universal resource locator where an LBS application is deployed,
it is normally known as MO-LR with push. In a typical MO-LR process the mobile services
switching center connected with visitor location register (MSC/VLR) gets MOLR invocation
through base station controller (BSC) after a certain time that depends on the traffic condition
on a specific handset. BSC sends the cell global identity and timing advance values to serving
mobile location center (SMLC). SMLC uses the specified positioning method (in our case it
is CGI+TA) to calculate the actual position (latitude and longitude) of mobile subscriber and
return them back to BSC through base station subsystem management application part (BSS
MAP) request and response. BSC forwards this exact location to GMLC via MSC/VLR.
Finally our application gets this value from GMLC as shown in Figure 1.

3.3 Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR)

In this type of positioning request, the location request is initiated by the network which
allows positioning for an emergency service call [13].

4. Proposed Framework
The overall infrastructure required to run the services is shown in Figure 2. Mobile station
(MS), BTS, BSC and MSC/VLR are all part of a typical GSM network. GMLC and SMLC
are the part of Ericsson’s MPS (Mobile Positioning System) [14]. As we see that our
application runs over the GMLC in MPS-live network. This means that over application is
integrated within the GMLC, and communicate with it through signaling system 7 (SS7)
protocol. In this way whenever the position of mobile subscriber changes, the GMLC gets the
X and Y coordinates of client’s position. Our application takes that position and updates the
database. A web interface is designed to use the web based tracking service.

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Figure 2. Mobile Information System Designed Framework.

Our LBS application is connected with an external handset through NowSMS® Gateway i.e.
acting as an Inter short messaging service center (SMSC) Gateway. This SMSC requires a
TCP/IP (Transmission control protocol/ Internet protocol) connection over the internet or
private network with a service to send and receive SMS messages. This connection is
provided by the short message peer to peer protocol (SMPP) or hypertext transfer protocol
(HTTP) SMSC protocols that are configured in NowSMS® Gateway (SMSC).
By this way, we send and receive our requests and responses to clients. As shown in the
Figure 2, the web interface, PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) scripts and billing module all are
connected with a central database management system (DBMS) that is created in MySQL.
The updated values about the location of all the customers are stored in the database. Billing
Module controls the charging of all services by deducting the specified amount from the
user’s account.

5. Services Launched
Today highly efficient softwares and systems are designed which helps in simulating the
behavior of the overall live communication network. Once the LBS applications are
successfully tested using these simulation tools, they can be deployed confidently over the

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underlying live network. In this scenario, the freely available Ericsson Mobile Positioning
System (MPS) provides a positioning gateway interface [15], through which our application
communicate with GMLC and get location information whenever it is updated for a
particular mobile user. The formulated LBS application is acting as an integral part of GMLC.
All the triggers criteria’s are defined inside the GMLC as it keep tracks on the position of all
mobile subscribers.

5.1 Location Based Friend Proximity Teller Service

Considering the case of friend proximity teller service, our LBS application keeps monitoring
the location (lat & long values) of all subscribers of this service. Whenever the distance
between two friends satisfies the trigger criterion (i.e. less than 1 Km) an alert notification as
an SMS is sent to both subscriber’s that mentions the distance and direction of the other one.
It is worth noting that we have simulated this service between a maximum numbers of three
subscribers. This means that each user can use this service with a maximum numbers of two
friends.
When this service becomes activated an initial messages is send to all clients that request
them to reply with this format “FFS: MSISDN ( Mobile Station International Services Digital
Network) of 1st friend: MSISDN of 2nd friend” for the subscription of this service. Once the
user replies with the specified format the database is updated and a spatial zone is defined
around the subscriber of this service. PHP scripts run sequentially and check every incoming
location of mobile subscriber, his subscription and calculate his distance and direction with
his friend. If his subscription is valid and the distance satisfies the trigger criteria (i.e. is less
than 1km), then our scripts send a response (as SMS) to the specific subscriber through the
GSM modem as shown in Figure 3.

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Figure 3. Message sequence flow in location based friend proximity teller service.

The overall framework for this service is divided into three modules for simplification; these
are described as the user, server and billing module as follows:
5.1.1 User Module
It is worth mentioning that each user has to subscribe for this friend proximity teller service
in response to a request that mention the format of response for subscription of this service.
Once a user gets subscribed; he will receive timely alerts based on his friend location.

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5.1.2 Server Module

This is the part where the recent position of all subscribers is stored and distance is calculated
based on the specified criteria. Once the trigger criteria become fulfilled our application gets
notified automatically and in response a distance is calculated and sends onto the customer
handset.
5.1.3 Billing Module
This module is one of most important feature as it equipped over application with
instantaneous billing capabilities. Whenever a user subscribes for a particular service or uses
it, the billing flag becomes set corresponding to that particular user, in response our billing
module becomes activated that deduct the specified amount and reset the flag as shown by
checking, billing, and updating process in Figure 3.
This service is based on the spatial triggers but here it is between two moving objects. This
service can be used among mobile subscribers through mutual understanding. So that when
they come within a specified distance (1Km or whatever specified) from each other they
automatically get aware by the message generated by our application to prompt the subscriber
about the proximity of his friend. One of the most important characteristic of spatial triggers
is that the reporting is event based. This means that whenever a particular event takes place
the LBS application invoke the subscriber by a sending an alert to him.

Figure 4. Web based tracking service.

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5.2 Location based Web tracking Service

A web interface is designed, so that every customer has allotted an account. After signing in
the account, when one submits his MS-ISDN a 9-digit tracking code is allocated to him. Now
if someone wants to track his friend he should know his tracking number. In this way, the
tracking number is an individual property of every person and this can only be known to
others by conversation with that specific person or with the authority of that person. When
someone enters the tracking number of his friend the live position of his friend comes on the
map that alters with the change in his position. A general use of these services can be
implemented for enterprises which need to monitor their employers in task involving mobility
and to know about their progress [16]. This service is particularly useful for parents who want
to track their children. Thus, they can track their children and check their daily activities by
just entering their tracking code.

6. Conclusion
This system provides better features as compared to LBS applications provided by many
service providers. It provides a cost-effective solution for multi-national vendors to give LBS
to their customers. The present framework of mobile information system is simulated and
works fine with GSM network in Pakistan. It is hoped that it will work comfortably with all
others types of mobile networks. The paper, presents a smart solution that is compatible with
all types of networks. We have used JAVA and PHP scripts that keep on running at the
server-end, and by doing slight modifications in them; a variety of other applications can be
developed. Besides all these, we have also built up a client-server billing module that
provides real time payments of these services. The use of spatial trigger technology in these
services plays its effective role in decreasing the load over the network end [4].

7. Future Work
This paper is the second one written in continuation of our research project “Mobile
Application development for LBS”. As mentioned earlier, aside from the two services
presented above, the proposed mobile information system framework can be used to develop
a variety of other LBS applications as well. So, our future work is to develop more
applications over the present mobile information system (MIS) framework by making some
modifications in it. The next focus is to implement more LBS applications on Symbian OS
based mobile phones. This mainly involves programming in Symbian C++ using the carbide
IDE and examines it on the GUI of s60 emulator.

Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the professionals of Ericsson (Pvt.) Ltd. who provided us with

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the platform and required software’s (like MPC map tool, Ericsson’s MPS-SDK, etc) to
complete this research and development work. We are also thankful to the efforts of Assistant
Prof. Riaz Hussain, CIIT Islamabad, who helped in every possible manner.

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