Fujitsu Services Oy
Integration of Location Based Services with Mobile Business Processes Management
Supervisor: prof. Heikki HämmäinenInstructor: fm Ville Westerholm
Master’s Thesis Seminar14.3.2006
Fujitsu Services Oy
Agenda
Introduction
– Background
– Location Based Services
– Mobile Personnel Management System
Research Problem
Research Method
– Requirements of Integration
– Solution Architectures
– Pilot Integration
Conclusions
Fujitsu Services Oy
Background
In many business areas, such as logistics, the mobility is compulsory
Traditionally the business process management has been more or less stationary and therefore mobile field force personnel may have had old or even faulty information of the task
Another area of interest, when working with mobile personnel, is location
When systems are not integrated, Location Based Services (LBS) cannot offer functionality that would seamlessly support the mobile field force management
Fujitsu Services Oy
Location Based Services
Services, which contain: defining location, location information transporting, and services, which are related to information of mobile device user location
Geographic Information System (GIS) studies the geographical information of world’s surface and man-made structures -> Used for digital maps
Positioning is location of an object in a specified reference system
Navigation is an action that helps finding the specified location based on the user choices
Tracking is defined as positioning based functionality that aims for reporting a position of the object in close to real-time fashion and may also contain surveillance of the object
Fujitsu Services Oy
Mobile Personnel Management System
Offers end-to-end solution for mobile workers to be connected to operative processes of enterprises
Fujitsu Services Oy
Research Problem
Required functionality of LBS to support field force management?
Architectural design of the integration based on current products?
Positioning method that can be used for locating the users?
Fujitsu Services Oy
Requirements of Integration (1/3)
Requirement Logistics Service Security Maintenance
Navigation X X X X
Special Maps X X
‘Automatic’ task starting and ending
X
Assignee tracking X X X X
Tracking of other X X
Tracking history (X) (X) X X
Route planning X X X X
Other real-time applications
X
Customer requirements
Fujitsu Services Oy
Requirements of Integration (2/3)
Functional requirements of LBS– Define Point of Interest
– Define User of Interest
– Show Map
– Solve Coordinates for Address
– Solve Address for Coordinates
– Define Distance Between Coordinates
– Define Driving Distance Between Coordinates
– Define Shortest Route
– Collect User Location Information
– Store User Location Information History
– Navigate to Coordinates
– Update Maps
– Download Special Maps
Fujitsu Services Oy
Requirements of Integration (3/3)
Other requirements
– Have to meet common requirements set for mobile field force management system
Global
Support Distinctive Resale Models
Scalable
Secure
Reliable
– Requirements that enable fulfilling functionality
Adequate positioning
Real-Time Tracking Information
Fujitsu Services Oy
Modules of Integration
Tracking Module
MFFM Module
Tracking Database
MobileTracker
LocationServer
TrackingApplication
GIS Database
Application Database
ClientApplication
TaskManager
User Database
Navigation Maps
Mobile Mapping Module
Fujitsu Services Oy
Architectural Solution 1
Client Appliance
Po
sition
ing
AP
I
Mo
bile
Tra
cker
Tracking Data
NavigateTo
coordinates
MFFM ClientMFFM Data
Mo
bile
Ma
pp
ing
Stand-Alone Task Management
Task Management
MFFM TaskMangager
MFFM Server
ApplicationDatabase
Tra
cking
Co
nne
ctorRequest maps with
POIs (x,y), UOIs (id), etc…
Maps withUOIs, POIs...
Ta
skM
anag
er
Syn
chron
izatio
n
TrackingApplication
Location Server
Lo
catio
nS
ervices
TrackingHandler
TrackingDatabase
Po
sition
Ga
tew
ay
MFFM Data
GISDatabase
Map Data
Fujitsu Services Oy
Architectural Solution 2
Stand-Alone Task Management
Client Appliance
PositioningAPI
Mo
bile
Tra
cker
Tracking Data
NavigateTo
Coord.
MF
FM
Clie
nt
MFFM Data
Task Management
MFFM TaskMangager
MFFM Server
ApplicationDatabase
Tra
cking
Co
nn
ector
Request maps withPOIs (x,y), UOIs (x,y), etc…
Ta
skM
ana
ger
Syn
chro
niza
tion
TrackingApplication
Location Server
Lo
catio
nS
ervices
TrackingHandler
TrackingDatabase *
MFFM Data
Mo
bile
Ma
pp
ing
GISDatabaseMap Data
Sig
na
ling
TrackingDatabase *
* Interchangeable
Maps withUOIs, POIs...
Fujitsu Services Oy
Comparison of the Solutions
Feature Solution 1 Solution 2
Location data path Separate form MFFM data path Partly common to MFFM data path
Location of the Tracking DB
Location server Location server or MFFM server
Security Requires 2 different authentications and authorization methods of terminal users
Authentication and authorization of terminal users handled in one spot
Changes required to MFFM product
Few changes in database, logic for handling the POI and UOI requests
Changes in database, logic for handling the POI and UOI requests, support for sending location information form MFFM client to server, logic for forwarding the location reports or adding Tracking DB
Complexity More simple More complex
Ongoing administration work
Double administration of terminals and terminal users
User and terminal data only once
Support for reviewed products
Maporama, Indadon, (MapPoint with large restrictions)
Maporama, MapPoint
General support for distinctive tracking products
Worse Better
Fujitsu Services Oy
Positioning Methods
[http://www.tekes.fi/julkaisut/paikannus_mobiilipalveluissa.pdf]
Fujitsu Services Oy
Pilot Integration
Indagon Leader tracking solution is integrated to Fujitsu mProcess field force management solution
Based on architectural solution 1 -> Fast to implement and only one point of integration with mProcess
Offers proof of concept
Most of the defined functionality was implemented -> Enables evaluation of defined requirements
Will be taken to production, after enhancements
Fujitsu Services Oy
Screen Shots
Fujitsu Services Oy
Conclusions
LBS can be used to enhance mobile personnel management
Defined functionality is sufficient, but further research should be done as new requirements emerges
GPS positioning is sufficient for most of the use scenarios. For greater accuracy, enhanced GPS or hybrid positioning is required.
Based on pilot integration feed-back, it is possible to take the concept to production after some technical enhancements
Fujitsu Services Oy