System and method for providing location information
A computer implemented method for determining the location of a target device is disclosed. A locate request is received for the target device. The locate request is forwarded. A locate for the target device in response to the locate request is received, the locate including a location and a location accuracy. The received location accuracy is compared with an accuracy threshold, and a calculated location of the target device is forwarded when the received location accuracy is not within the accuracy threshold.
1. A computer-implemented method for determining a location of a first device comprising:
receiving a locate request for the first device from a second device via a network;
forwarding the locate request for the first device;
receiving a locate for the first device in response to the locate request, the locate including a location and a location accuracy, the location including a latitude and longitude;
comparing the received location accuracy with an accuracy threshold;
forwarding to a telecommunication carrier system a set of repeat locate requests for the first device when the received location accuracy is not within the accuracy threshold;
receiving a set of locates for the first device, the set of locates comprising a plurality of locations and plurality of location accuracies, the plurality of locations comprising latitudes and longitudes;
calculating a location of the first device based on the set of locates, wherein calculating the location of the first device comprises determining a weighted centroid of the set of locates; and
forwarding the calculated location of the first device to the second device;
wherein the weighted centroid is:
CentroidLatitude=Σ( S −accuracy i )/( S *( N− 1))* latitude i ;
and
CentroidLongitude=Σ( S −accuracy i )/( S *( N− 1))* longitude i ;
where S=Σaccuracy i , with the summation taken over i=1 to N; where N is the number of locates in the set of locates.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding the received location of the first device when the location accuracy is within the accuracy threshold.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the set of repeat locate requests comprising at least seven (7) serially performed locate requests.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a locate loading on the telecommunication carrier system; and
determining the number of locate requests to be forwarded based on the determined locate loading on the telecommunication carrier system.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining a historic record of locate request times for the first device;
comparing the time of the locate request to the times of prior requests stored in the historic record; and
determining the accuracy threshold based on the comparison of the time of the locate request and the times of the prior requests.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the repeat locate requests are performed serially, wherein it is determined that the telecommunication carrier system completes the processing of a particular location request prior to initiating a subsequent location request.
7. A location server for determining a location of a first device comprising a processor for performing a computer-implemented method, the method including:
receiving a locate for the first device in response to a locate request from a second device via a network, the locate including a location and a location accuracy, the location including a latitude and longitude;
comparing the received location accuracy with an accuracy threshold;
forwarding to a telecommunication carrier system a set of repeat locate requests for the first device when the received location accuracy is not within the accuracy threshold;
receiving a set of locates for the first device, the set of locates comprising a plurality of locations and plurality of location accuracies, the plurality of locations comprising latitudes and longitudes;
calculating a location of the first device based on the set of locates, the calculating the location comprising determining a weighted centroid of the set of locates; and
forwarding the calculated location of the first device to the second device;
wherein the weighted centroid is:
CentroidLatitude=Σ( S −accuracy i )/( S *( N− 1))*latitude i ;
and
CentroidLongitude=Σ( S −accuracy i )/( S *( N− 1))*longitude i ;
where S=Σaccuracy i , with the summation taken over i=1 to N; where N is the number of locates in the set of locates.
8. The location server of claim 7 , wherein the computer-implemented method further includes forwarding the received location of the first device when the location accuracy is within the accuracy threshold.
9. The location server of claim 7 , wherein in the method for performance by the processor the repeat locate requests are performed serially, wherein it is determined that the telecommunication carrier system completes the processing of a particular location request prior to initiating a subsequent location request.