Location Domain

Technology Domain Roadmap &

Strategy
October 2009

Richard Collins – Technology Manager

richardc@symbian.org

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Location Domain

• Definition of the domain

• Domain packages

• Primary stakeholders

• Stakeholders’ needs

• Domain objectives

• Domain initiatives

• Contributions roadmap

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Location Domain
Definition of the domain
 The location domain manages developments to improve the performance of
positioning modules such as A-GPS, enabling mobile network services and
extending the range of platform APIs to improve and enrich LBS applications
 Platform architecture defining frameworks for mapping and navigation,
landmark (POI) formats, location request data mandatory for device clients,
web based applications and mobile network operator services
 Mobile network adaptation protocols enabling user plane (device) and control
plane (network) based services

Key Drivers
 Mobile devices enabled with low power GPS and A-GPS functionality
 Vertical integration taking place around mapping and navigation technology
and the focus on branded high grain navigation services
 Extremely high growth in “location aware” applications
 New technologies using WLAN and GSM cell positioning as well as GLONASS
and Galileo as additional GNSS constellations to complement GPS

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Location Domain - Packages

Applications Location Applications (location)

layer All related UI elements and
application layer services

Middleware Location Services (locationsrv)

layer Enablers for SUPL plus provides API frameworks for
location acquisition and managing landmarks (POIs)

OS Layer Location Based Service (lbs)

Provides positioning modules and controls privacy
information requested by applications and networks

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Primary stakeholders’ needs
Device creators
 Advanced core platform feature set which enhance the user experience with an
intuitive UI
 SUPL supported A-GPS for improved LBS performance and interoperability
 Flexibility in the range of GPS chipsets supported by the platform
 Options for highly efficient hybrid positioning

Mobile network operators

 A service-agnostic platform supporting preferred 3rd party mobile location
content
 Opportunities to monetise network based services
 An active application development community providing service diversity and
incremental revenue streams from LBS
 User privacy protection is critical

Application developers
 Accessible API frameworks with a comprehensive set of available features for
native applications
 A rich set of APIs available in Qt which enable low-level native API calling

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Domain Objectives

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Where are we today?
Effective t g re at bu t
p t io n is n o
positionin Pe rc e
g y i s c om in g
nolo
the tech
g
Vibrant b e t ter at
to b e
developer We need v e l ope r s
d e
community engaging

LBS
infrastructur d!
ce
e dv an
a
i ghly
H
Mapping
or t u n i ty to
provider Lots of o
p p
t p ro v id e r s
h conte n
services wo r k w i t
Domain initiatives
Effective positioning
Effective Using a hybrid of positioning data
source modules will deliver fastest
positioning TTFF.

bu t New satellite GNSS capabilities are

t g re at
ep t io n is n o now starting to be made available
Pe rc
g y i s c om in g through chipset vendors.
nolo
the tech

Initiatives
 Extending platform data source modules to include WLAN positioning from
both 3rd party data sources plus focus on a “home grown” capability
 Identify relevant new positioning technologies and encourage contributions
from companies whose business models align with stakeholders’ needs for
ephemeris projection, new cell positioning technologies
 New adaptation modules from chipset vendors to enable GLONASS and
Galileo (with SUPL support) to complement GPS
 Various initiatives aiming for performance improvement and optimising
power consumption

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Domain initiatives
Vibrant developer
Vibrant
developer community
community A rich set of APIs will allow developers to
build better location aware applications

Initiatives need to focus on making APIs

b e b e t ter at more accessible and promote their
to
We need v e l opers relevance to applications such as social
d e
engaging networking.

Initiatives
 Better awareness of available APIs to be tackled through more effective
community engagement
 The high growth in social networking and “location-aware” applications
reflect the need for features to be more accessible from preferred
programming environments as well as C++
 Making relevant native APIs available as part of Qt

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Domain initiatives
LBS Infrastructure
The domain is focused on delivering
core enablers that allow MNO’s and
LBS device OEMs to more effectively
infrastructure support network based LBS.

Harmonising LBS standardisation

a dva nced! using OMA specifications provides

the most effective basis for service
ly
High interoperability

Initiatives
 Standardised network adaptation to support relevant control plane services
plus advancing user plane services
 Ongoing initiatives aimed at progressive SUPL compliance to improve
network and device interoperability
 Supporting network based location services as part of the SUPL roadmap to
align the platform with mobile operator strategies for LBS
 Test suite tools to support performance measurement of the infrastructure
elements of different positioning modules

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Domain initiatives
Mapping provider
Mapping
provider services
services MNO’s and device OEMs are
increasingly working with preferred
providers marketing branded
p or tu n i ty to mobile map and navigation
p iders
Lots of o n t p ro v services.
r k w i th conte
wo

Initiatives
 Defining plug-ins to enable the services of relevant mapping and location
service providers to extend the platform capability across a range of 3rd party
providers
 A key initiative will open the platform to integrate service partners and
enhance the platform Mapping and Navigation Framework
 Involves enabling service provider APIs in the form of adapter modules on
to the platform

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Symbian LBS base specification
(S^3)
Landmarks engine Components responsible for enabling landmark registering and management
Supported formats for managing landmark data: LMX (Nokia), KML/KMZ (Google)
The client converts a URL string to a landmark object, or vice versa.
Store place IDs in LMX format
Photo geo-tagging
User sends and receive landmarks using the messaging services
Access, search and update landmarks databases on the device or online

Location framework Location Based Triggering – scheduling component responsible for creating,
managing and firing triggers based on location information.
Context framework plug-in
Last known location check
Location Based Events UI
Basic Location Info Display enables the user to get the current location related
information and provides mechanisms to obtain and display satellite information to
other applications
Privacy management to apply policies to a location request
Emergency services support

Positioning Supported: Network (Cell), GPS , Hybrid (Cell + GPS)

technologies
SUPL V2 based A-GPS: MO/MT services (ASN1 libraries required under license)
Bluetooth module for GPS
Positioning simulation tool for application developers
Roadmap
Symbian^2
 Converged ex-Symbian & S60
Location Frameworks
 Last Know Position Area
 SUPL Proxy Protocol Module
 SUPL 2.0 W-LAN Support
 SUPL 2.0 Triggering Support
 Local Location Based
Triggering Enhancements
 ASN.1 SUPL Headers
definitions (binaries on R&D
license)
[Only used in ex-Symbian Ltd
SUPL]

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.
Symbian^3 Symbian^4
 Qt Location UI Apps  Power & Accuracy
Improvements High Accuracy
 Low level Geo-Coding Positioning
Framework and APIs
 Power & Accuracy
 Distance based updates API- Improvements for Medium to
Low Accuracy Positioning
extension to Location Server
 Power & Accuracy  SUPL2.0 Enhancements
Improvements for Medium
Accuracy Positioning  SMP Optimizations
 GNSS Assistance Data
Classes
 Compass & Accelerometer
Integration into Location
Framework
 SMP Conformance
 Items open for contribution

Initiative Package Objective

WLAN and Cell ID adaptation modules lbs Effective positioning
Satellite ephemeris projection services lbs Effective positioning
Extending the SUPLV2 feature set locationsrv Superior infrastructure
New GNSS assistance data classes lbs Effective positioning
API libraries available for preferred runtime location Vibrant developer
environments community
Map and navigation framework package contributor locationsrv Mapping provider services
Extend the geo-coding API location Vibrant developer
community
Location updater defined for 3rd party applications and locationsrv Vibrant developer
location service platforms community

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.

Thanks!

Richard Collins – Technology Manager

richardc@symbian.org

Copyright © 2009 Symbian Foundation.