Hybrid Location Determination

One reason that mobile location management is not yet in widespread use is because solutions to date have not been able to satisfy enterprise use cases that require the service to function both indoors and out. ZOS realized the critical importance of determining device location reliably in any environment and developed a hybrid approach to garner device location.

The ZOS platform uses multiple location determination methods−GPS, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, cell tower positioning (Cell ID), and 3rd party location databases. Redundant sources of information provide increased reliability, accuracy and reduce location query response time in any environment. Most other marketplace solutions rely solely on GPS or A-GPS, which limits their utility indoors.

How it Works

Location data is processed in the cloud using ZOS algorithms to improve accuracy, decrease time to first fix and maximize device battery life.

When the mobile user is located outdoors with a clear view of the sky, GPS/A-GPS can be used reliably.

Wi-Fi is appropriate for indoor environments that obstruct satellite signals. Wi-Fi is also essential for determining location where latitude and longitude may be irrelevant, specifically for proximity positioning in indoor environments.

ZOS can also pinpoint device location by identifying the network cell tower to which it is connected (Cell ID).