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What are Location Services? - From a GIS
Perspective
by Ian Koeppel, ESRI Location Services Industry Manager
"he convergence o$ multiple technologies including geographic in$ormation s%stems &GIS'(
Internet( wireless communications( location determination( and porta)le devices has given
rise to e*citing new t%pes o$ in$ormation utilities that ma% )e re$erred to simpl% as location
services. +lso called mo)ile location services( wireless location services( or location-)ased
services( these s%stems are ma,ing a ma-or impact on how we navigate our world and how
)usiness is done. .nowing where a person or o)-ect is at an% time presents a power$ul new
dimension to the ,inds o$ in$ormation services that can )e o$$ered. Location services deliver
geographic in$ormation )etween mo)ile and/or static users via the Internet and/or wireless
networ,.
Why Is Location So Useful?
Location is central to how people organi/e and relate to their world. +s an in$ormation-)ased
societ%( we value s%stems and services that can tell us a)out the location o$ people( o)-ects(
and phenomena. 0ur e*isting in$ormation s%stems re$lect this( as most o$ the contents in
data)ases toda% are lin,ed to location or geographic components. Location services
leveraging communications and computing technologies can provide read% access to this
in$ormation in a )road arra% o$ applications $or the )usiness( consumer and government
mar,et sectors.
For e*ample( customer relationship management &123' s%stems integrated with GIS can
ena)le organi/ations to close the in$ormation gap )etween service providers and their
customers or constituencies. B% t%ing u)i4uitous geographic location in$ormation with all
aspects o$ )usiness activit%( service agents( mar,eters( planners( anal%sts( and managers
can detect patterns and trends in the data that ma% otherwise have )een missed. "hin, o$
personnel in the $ield( awa% $rom their o$$ice des,s( utili/ing wireless devices to access their
corporate data)ase( and lin,ing to in$ormation relevant to their current location. "his scenario
can deliver e*tremel% power$ul results. Instant access to remote data)ases( coupled with the
power to manipulate and 4uer% that data with a GIS will not onl% ma,e mo)ile wor,ers more
e$$icient( it ena)les service providers to interact with their customers in wa%s that were never
possi)le )e$ore.
How Does GIS Provide Value?
Simpl% ,nowing where %ou are( or how $ar %ou are $rom someone or something( is t%picall%
not valua)le )% itsel$. 2elating location to other pertinent in$ormation gives it meaning and
value. For e*ample( ,nowing that %ou are one mile $rom a particular $acilit% ma% give some
small com$ort that %ou are getting closer( )ut o)taining a travel path to that point adds value.
0)taining a valid or relia)le route adds even more value. +ccess to in$ormation a)out other
$eatures( such as stores or customers located along that route( ma% enhance the value even
$urther. 5aving the power to modi$% the route to avoid dela%s due to construction or tra$$ic
incident adds %et another level o$ value.
"o derive this t%pe o$ value( two t%pes o$ elements are re4uired: spatial data and tools to
manipulate spatial data. GIS is central to )oth o$ these elements. GIS has $or man% %ears
provided the tools to generate( manipulate( and manage spatial data. Government agencies
and commercial data vendors use GIS e*tensivel% to create and maintain the map data used
)% location services. 6endors such as Geographic 7ata "echnolog%( Inc. &G7"'( "ele +tlas(
and 8av"ech provide street centerline data sets that include address and street name( which
are essential to geocoding and routing applications.
Location services that incorporate GIS tools ena)le a wide range o$ spatial transactions that
can )e delivered in meaning$ul wa%s. 7ata )ase management s%stems &7B3Ss' now have
some spatial data management capa)ilities providing limited support to location services( )ut
the% are not competitive in terms o$ per$ormance( $le*i)ilit%( and scala)ilit% without direct
access to a ro)ust GIS at their $oundation.
"hese issues have )een central to the 0pen GIS 1onsortium( Inc. &0G1'( which( in its call $or
sponsors o$ the 0pen Location Services Initiative( www.openls.org/ states
Spatial connectivity is a primary, universal construct for business planning
and modeling, service development and deployment, network provisioning
and operation and customer satisfaction. Location application services are of
universal industry service significance and depend upon the availability of
relevant spatial information infrastructures in forms useful for small devices.
"o )etter understand this( a more complete de$inition o$ location services is re4uired. "hese
services address so man% di$$erent t%pes o$ industries and applications that it is use$ul to
consider a range o$ de$initions.
The Broadest Definition
+ location service( in the )roadest sense( is an% service or application that e*tends spatial
in$ormation processing( or GIS capa)ilities( to end users via the Internet and/or wireless
networ,. +pplications accessi)le via des,top computer lin,ed to the Internet( such as
provided )% 2ealtor.com &www.realtor.com' and the 9nited States :nvironmental !rotection
+genc%;s :nviro3apper &http://maps.epa.gov/enviromapper/' are location services. 1all
centers where telephone operators manuall% enter or automaticall% access a customer;s
location could also )e considered location services. :*amples include emergenc% response
services such as :-<== centers or +merican +utomo)ile +ssociation;s &+++' roadside
assistance service. Sel$-service applications o$$ered )% pu)lic agencies such as !lanning
7epartments empower citi/ens to view government records via geographic search. 5undreds
o$ local government agencies in the 9nited States have deplo%ed Internet servers allowing
an%one with a )rowser to view and 4uer% wide arra%s o$ data and to ma,e maps. "his is
leading to electronic government &e-gov' initiatives that ena)le on line transactions. "hese
also are considered to )e location services.
ith the convergence o$ wireless communications and the Internet( the term location services
has ta,en on a new meaning and has captured our attention as the ne*t )ig technolog%
advancement that will impact our lives( even more than the wired Internet has. "his emerging
industr% will )ring wireless location services to mar,et. hether wired or wireless( all t%pes o$
location services re4uire spatial data handling capa)ilities( and GIS is the technolog% that
provides the $oundation to these s%stems.
The !"## Definition
B% mandate o$ the 9nited States Federal 1ommunications 1ommission &F11'( the
geographic position o$ all cellular phone devices must )e detected so that emergenc%
services can )e dispatched to the caller;s location. It is estimated that more than =00(000
calls per da% to <== come $rom wireless phones. 3ost o$ these wireless calls are $rom
highwa%s where it is di$$icult $or callers to identi$% their precise location. !hase = o$ the :<==
mandate re4uired carriers to identi$% what cell site the caller was connected to. !hase 2 o$ the
F11 mandate re4uires that )% 0cto)er =( 200=( carriers provide a location within a =2>-meter
radius &?=0 $eet' in at least @A percent o$ the cases. Be%ond the F11 mandate( !hase B
emergenc% services will include location service authentication methods providing more
control to the user to protect privac% and allow them to select which services the% want to
receive. It will support a wider arra% o$ in$ormation content such as a caller;s emergenc%
medical pro$ile( and will )e opera)le on a )roader range o$ devices.
3an% services such as roadside assistance( stolen vehicle recover%( tra$$ic alerts( driving
directions( and vehicle trac,ing are availa)le now. "he :-<== mandate is an important driver
in the 9nited States $or the investment that will ma,e these applications wor, $or large
volumes o$ users in wide geographic areas o$ coverage on wireless plat$orms.
"he wireless phone carriers are committing enormous resources to )uilding the
communications in$rastructure to ma,e wireless services relia)le and widel% accessi)le.
ireless carriers have consistentl% cited location services as one o$ the top applications that
will ena)le them to recoup these investments. Growing competition( commoditi/ation( and the
spread o$ prepaid wireless services have reduced the average revenue per user &+2!9' $rom
traditional cellular communications services. ireless carriers are scram)ling to pac,age
location services in their o$$erings to increase air-time usage( improve customer satis$action(
achieve di$$erentiation $rom competitors( and to develop strong new revenue sources.
"he mo)ile operators are aggressivel% partnering with providers o$ technolog% and data
content to 4uic,l% ena)le location services applications. :S2I is uni4uel% positioned as a
provider o$ GIS tools to the ena)lers o$ location services including application service
providers &+S!s' and s%stems integrators. SignalSo$t 1orporation( C%point 1orporation and
S11 1ommunications 1orporation are -ust a $ew o$ the ma-or pla%ers using :S2I products to
deliver :-<== services. "hese companies operate the service centers that relate a wireless
caller;s location to a pu)lic sa$et% access point &!S+!'( which dispatches emergenc%
response vehicles to the location o$ a reported emergenc%.
GIS pla%s a ,e% role in :-<== services. "he transportation and in$rastructure data)ases must
)e care$ull% maintained $or ma*imum accurac% and completeness. Lives are at sta,e i$ an
address cannot )e accuratel% geocoded( or i$ errors in the street networ, are not corrected.
!ro$essional-level GIS tools such as :S2I;s +rcIn$o are t%picall% utili/ed to support
demanding data reconciliation and preparation tas,s such as con$lation( generali/ation( and
update.
The Pull Definition
Services that utili/e the geographic position o$ a wireless device to derive in$ormation related
to that location ena)le users to DpullD in$ormation to them wherever and whenever it is
needed. "%pes o$ pull services include
"ravel 7irections - I am here( how do I get thereE - Services o$$ering on-line driving
directions have gained )road acceptance. "hese are some o$ the $irst location
services to )e o$$ered via the wired e)( and more recentl% $or access )% wireless
devices.
"a*i 5ailing - I need a ta*i now - + holder o$ a mo)ile device signals that a ta*i is
needed. "a*i services operating in that territor% can automaticall% pass on the caller;s
location and phone num)er either to a dispatcher or directl% to the nearest ta*i.
1allers are contacted )% a respondent in$orming them that a ta*i is near)% and will
soon arrive.
3o)ile Fellow !ages - here is the nearest *E - 9sers indicate the )usiness
categories the% are interested in and pull up a set o$ listings in order o$ pro*imit% to
the user;s location. 3an% t%pes o$ speciali/ed directories are coming to mar,et. "he%
will include the a)ilit% to locate places such as medical $acilities( entertainment
venues( or an% other t%pe o$ $acilit% or event.
Bu%ing Services - 8oti$% me when I am near a supplier that carries the speci$ic item I
have )een loo,ing $or - "his t%pe o$ service( re$erred to as mo)ile commerce &m-
commerce'( connects )u%ers to sellers. 9sers entering a shopping area with an
electronic list including the )rands( $eatures( or model num)ers o$ the products the%
wish to purchase can receive in$ormation $rom near)% stores that carr% the products
corresponding to these shopping lists. 8aturall%( )u%ers could also o)tain directions
to the store. "hese applications greatl% reduce the time people need to spend
searching $or items while( $or vendors( it represents a highl% $ocused means to
communicate to their prospective )u%ers.
Instant In$ormation - "hese services ena)le users to point their wireless device at a
landmar, or $acilit% and o)tain in$ormation a)out it( either $rom a central data)ase( or
$rom the $acilit% itsel$ via in$rared( or other t%pe o$ wireless data trans$er. "his is use$ul
not -ust $or sightseeing tourists( )ut also $or mo)ile wor,ers that need details a)out
the $acilities the% encounter. "his could also )e implemented as a ,ind o$ DpushD
service. For e*ample( a $acilit% could )e out$itted to signal that it is in need o$ attention
&see telemetr% de$inition )elow'.
The Push Definition
D!ushD re$ers to location services that utili/e the position o$ the wireless device to 4uali$% the
holder as a potential customer or recipient o$ a service. +pplications and services include
target mar,eting with advertisements to wireless devices( $riend $inders( tra$$ic alerts( and
/one alerts. 1oncerns a)out privac% and user authentication ma,e these t%pes o$ services
rather controversial( )ut these issues are li,el% to )e resolved with the anticipated growth o$
mo)ile commerce.
3o)ile +dvertisements - Studies done )% electronic %ellow page service providers
indicate that users ma% )e receptive to advertisements on their wireless devices in
e*change $or electronic coupons or other t%pes o$ discounts or awards. !rivac%
issues aside( consumers ma% )ene$it $rom allowing suppliers to ,now the% are
near)%. "he ,e% to success will )e allowing the consumer to opt into such services.
"he potential )u%er/seller relationship could )ene$it i$ mo)ile advertising is handled
properl%. GIS tools used e*tensivel% in target mar,eting can )e use$ul $or pro$iling
consumer;s spatial )ehavior so that promotions ma% )e tailored to derive ma*imum
value.
Friend Finders - Services are now availa)le that allow users to $ind the locations o$
their $riends or $amil%. Short message services &S3S'( operating in :urope and
Southeast +sia has )ecome e*tremel% popular. "he service automaticall% noti$ies a
user when a selected person &who also has a wireless device' is near)% or has
entered into a speci$ied area. Such a service could )e designed to noti$% a parent
when a child has arrived at home( school( or other speci$ied location.
Gone +lerts - Similar in $unctionalit% to $riend $inder services( /one alerts can indicate
when a person or vehicle has entered into or e*ited out o$ a speci$ied region. :arl%
implementations were used to trac, the movements o$ +l/heimer patients. I$ that
person stra%s a certain distance $rom home( a caregiver can )e noti$ied( and the
person could )e easil% located. "he same t%pe o$ service could )e used to detect
when an unwanted person enters within pro*imit% o$ another person or place. "his
would )e use$ul( $or e*ample( to trac, people under court restraining orders.
"ra$$ic +lerts - 2eal-time tra$$ic service providers such as "ra$$icStation noti$% users o$
the status o$ prede$ined travel routes. "his service is especiall% use$ul to commuters
who want to ,now in advance o$ committing to a particular route what the level o$
tra$$ic congestion is. For people who tend to leave little e*tra time $or dela%s( this
service could ma,e a )ig di$$erence in helping to get them to their destination on time.
The Tele$etry Definition
3achine-to-machine communication ena)les distri)uted assets to automaticall% noti$% service
providers o$ their location and status. "his applies to $i*ed assets such as vending machinesH
heating( ventilation and air conditioner &56+1' s%stemsH copiersH utilit% metersH alarm
s%stemsH or mo)ile assets such as truc,s( rail cars( or pac,ages. +eris.net and 1ellemetr%
LL1 are the leading providers o$ telemetr% communication services that ena)le a wide range
o$ location service applications.
GIS adds value to these applications )% pinpointing the location o$ the asset in relation to the
service provider. For e*ample( a compan% that provides commercial air conditioner
maintenance can receive wireless short )urst messages $rom a speci$ic unit that the $reon
level is )ecoming criticall% low and the unit is a)out to shut down. "he origin o$ the message
can )e located and a near)% service technician can )e dispatched.
1ompound services such as telematics s%stems li,e General 3otor;s 0nStar span multiple
categories o$ service. "elematics o$$erings ma% incorporate a wide range o$ services in
addition to :-<== response such as in-vehicle navigation( electronic %ellow page directories(
access to a human operator $or concierge services( remote door unloc,ing( and advertising in
the $orm o$ e-coupons( etc. "he open( integrative nature o$ GIS will help to develop new t%pes
o$ compound services %et to emerge.
The volution of Location Services
+ white paper )% Gravitate( Inc. &2000'( identi$ies three generations o$ location services
&www.grvtI.com/docs/whitepaper.pd$'. First generation services re4uire the user to manuall%
input location in the $orm o$ a street address or postal code and are t%picall% availa)le to
stationar% des,top computers or mo)ile units. :*amples o$ this include 3apJuest(
3aps0n9s( or other local in$ormation services.
Second generation location services( which are availa)le toda%( have the a)ilit% to determine
rough locations t%picall% at the postal code level. 9sing a device such as the !alm6II to
access the !alm8et data networ,( a mo)ile user can $ind restaurants or gas stations in order
o$ pro*imit% or travel directions.
"hird generation location services are more location aware( ta,ing advantage o$ more precise
positional in$ormation and have the capa)ilit% to initiate services proactivel% )ased on
location. "hese trigger mode services can noti$% the user o$ relevant events or conditions
without the active participation o$ the user such as tra$$ic alerts that meet the user;s preset
pre$erences.
Gravitate identi$ies three t%pes o$ triggers: 0)-ect triggers noti$% the user o$ the mo)ile device
when entering within a prede$ined distance o$ a $acilit%. For e*ample( a chocoholic might want
to ,now when a Godiva chocolate shop is near)%
&http://godiva.geoserve.com/$orms/GodivaSep2000.htm'.
0)-ect-temporal triggers add the dimension o$ time. +$$init% triggers allow one mo)ile device
to ,now o$ the location o$ another mo)ile device. "his is o$ particular value to $riend $inder
applications on the consumer side and to $ield $orce automation s%stems on the )usiness
side. For e*ample( a construction $oreman might use this t%pe o$ service to locate a piece o$
heav% e4uipment or a speciali/ed tool.
Location Service %&&lications
Given the u)i4uit% o$ location in$ormation( the increasing mo)ilit% o$ modern societ%( and the
anticipated availa)ilit% o$ )road)and communications and mo)ile inter$aces( the potential
applications o$ location services are e*tremel% diverse. "here will )e no single D,iller
applicationD( )ut each industr% sector will em)race services that signi$icantl% change the wa%
in$ormation is gathered( maintained( and distri)uted. "he integration o$ GIS with s%stems such
as customer relationship management &123' and $ield $orce automation will produce some
ver% promising location service applications.
"oda% the mar,et $ocus is on location service applications that are consumer-oriented and
involve -ust a $ew primar% $unctions( which $orm the )asis $or man% other t%pes o$ applications:
Locators &locate persons( o)-ects( or places'
!ro*imit% Search &where is the nearestKE'
"ravel 7irections &how do I get toKE'
"ra$$ic 1onditions &is the route clearE'
Locators
From these ,e% $unctions( a )road range o$ applications have emerged. Locating a vehicle(
$or e*ample( provides the )asis $or trac,ing( dispatch( and $leet management s%stems. "hese
applications are ver% important to pu)lic sa$et%( transportation( logistics and man% other
industries as well as government. For man% %ears( truc,s and emergenc% vehicles have )een
trac,ed manuall% )% having the driver Dradio inD their location. 1omparing the vehicle;s
position in relation to an origin or destination provides dispatchers with in$ormation a)out the
status o$ a $leet o$ vehicles.
8ow( with automated location s%stems it is $easi)le to trac, an% t%pe o$ vehicle or mo)ile
o)-ect. :mergenc% response personnel can $ind victims o$ accidents( contractors can trac,
construction e4uipment( deliver% companies can trace pac,ages( service companies can
locate $ield personnel( and police can $ind stolen propert%.
0ne o$ the $irst consumer services to emplo% trac,ing solutions was o$$ered to caregivers that
need to monitor the movement o$ +l/heimer patients. It remains to )e seen i$ services
ena)ling the trac,ing o$ pets( teenagers( and other $amil% mem)ers will )ecome
commonplace. :arl% implementations o$ location services )ased on short message services
&S3S' deplo%ed in mar,ets such as Lapan and Finland have e*perienced surprising
popularit% o$ $riend $inder services where( $or a small $ee( people &mainl% teens' can locate
each other at an% time.
:arl% consumer-oriented locator services were implemented )% 6isa $or $inding +utomated
"eller 3achines &+"3s' an%where in the world &www.visa.com/pd/atm/main.html'. 3an%
e)-)ased locator services developed initiall% $or des,top access are moving to the wireless
world. In the 9nited States( where e) access via des,top has )een readil% availa)le( there
has )een resistance to adopting mo)ile locators partiall% )ecause o$ the limitations o$ the user
inter$ace. In other countries( where des,top access to the e) is less readil% availa)le( user
inter$ace e*pectations are much di$$erent and people are more tolerant o$ the limitations such
as the si/e and 4ualit% o$ the ,e%pad and displa% screen.
Pro'i$ity Search
0nce geographic location is esta)lished( the ne*t logical 4uestion to as, is( Dwhere are the
nearest $acilities to m% positionED. :lectronic %ellow pages and other director% services utili/e
pro*imit% search algorithms to $ind the nearest )usiness listings or other $acilities within a
speci$ied radius o$ a location. :lectronic %ellow pages and direction services have attracted
large audiences on the des,top. 3an% o$ these consumer-oriented services are now availa)le
via wireless devices such as cell phones( personal digital assistants &!7+s'( and pagers.
Business-oriented services can appl% pro*imit% search to an% organi/ation;s data)ase o$
$acilities( assets( or customers. 3an% o$ these services are )ased on :S2I;s 2oute3ap I3S
so$tware. In man% cases the search is not limited to assets along a street networ,( )ut can
also )e applied to $acilit% networ,s in the case o$ pu)lic utilities( pipelines( or
telecommunications networ,s.
!ro*imit% search can ta,e man% $orms. Simple and sophisticated searches are supported )%
GIS so$tware( which can )e resident on a handheld client device or )e accessed remotel%.
"he common e*ample cited $or a )asic o$$ering is a consumer-oriented service that ena)les
users to $ind the nearest restaurant )% t%pe o$ cuisine. "he same set o$ $unctions could )e
emplo%ed in the )usiness world to $ind all t%pes o$ $acilities or assets that are geographicall%
dispersed. +s more o$ the wor, $orce goes mo)ile( the% will need help in $inding the location o$
people( o)-ects and phenomena( and to relate those locations to the organi/ation;s data
resources.
Travel Directions
Services such as 3apJuest utili/e +rcIn$o to develop seamless( high-4ualit% geographic
data)ases. +rcIn$o is a pro$essional-level GIS pac,age that provides a ro)ust set o$
cartographic $unctionalit% ena)ling map data users to com)ine the )est $eatures o$$ered )%
multiple data vendors in a set o$ processes ,nown as con$lation. 3apJuest( :ta,( and man%
other direction service providers use :S2I;s +rcIn$o so$tware to per$orm tas,s such as edge
matching( which com)ines multiple map area $iles into a seamless map coverage that
ena)les routing across multiple geographic data $iles.
(eal!Ti$e Traffic )onditions
"ra$$ic in$ormation has traditionall% )een reported via radio and television. +udio te*t deliver%
via telephone allowed users to o)tain reports $or selected roads. 8ow( companies such as
"ra$$icStation are providing a uni4ue service - live tra$$ic data( pic,ed up $rom sensors that
monitor vehicle speed( com)ined with incident reports &www.tra$$icstation.com/'. "his service
is provided to su)scri)ers over the Internet. "ra$$icStation su)scri)ers can download this
in$ormation using their des,top )rowser( )ut more importantl%( the% can get live access
through mo)ile devices. "his means people are a)le to d%namicall% evaluate a planned
itinerar% and( i$ needed( select an alternative route to avoid pro)lems.
)onclusion
Location services ta,e man% $orms and provide value in a diversit% o$ wa%s( )ut the common
denominator is the spatial data handling capa)ilit% that lin,s location to other t%pes o$ data.
:S2I;s strateg% is to provide tools to location service ena)lers. Location services re4uire
technolog% that can manage e*tremel% large volumes o$ spatial data and can integrate
directl% with all the rapidl% evolving Internet and I" standards. :S2I;s technolog% uni4uel%
supports these re4uirements $or )oth simple and more comple* spatial data processing tas,s.
B% providing a GIS technolog% plat$orm as a $oundation $or location services( :S2I is
empowering not onl% the service providers( )ut also its worldwide GIS user )ase. !roviding
the )est tools and support possi)le ena)les partners and customers to develop applications
to solve pro)lems that are uni4ue to each industr%.