Java Location Services: Working to Bring GeoSpatial Technology to the Internet

By Carl Reed - article first appeared at Sun's Java Location Services web portal

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Application Service Provision in Telephony

CARTES `99, Hall: Brillat Savarin, Booth #BB06, Paris, France -- November 16, 1999 -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that Java CardTM technology has been adopted into the industry-leading worldwide standard for mobile phones: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

Every TelCO and TelCO technology provider is investing heavily in Mobile Location Services (MLS). MLS is the marriage of a wireless phone, GSM, an Internet access capability such as WAP, an appliance OS, Java, and a geospatial application service and data service provider. MLS promises to be exciting and lucrative value-added services for new revenue streams. By 2005, wireless location services are expected to produce a $9.75 billion market worldwide (Mobile Communications International). Companies such as SignalSoft, Webraska, and CellPoint are providing GSM operators on the European, Asian, and North American markets with end-user services built on GSM-based positioning technology.

The currently available application services are related to security, fleet and resource management, location-based information, vehicle tracking, and messaging. In terms of location based information, the cell phone users current location is used to download a "map chunk" as well as location-specific spatially referenced data, such as restaurant and hotel locations. Attribute information can also be downloaded. A Java applet controls the display and query of the map and location on the cell phone. Customers are charged a monthly usage fee, just like any other service provided by their cell phone service vendor of choice.



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Contents:

• Introduction
• Why A Java Location Services Web Site?
• Examples of "GeoJava" Applications
• Application Service Provision in Telephony
• Application Service Provision in Utilities
• Java, XML and the GIS Standards World
• In Conclusion: Has Java gone full circle?

This article is the property of Carl Reed - (c)2000. All rights reserved. Any copying or reproduction of the article in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.