4G Science Technology

							Dick Lynch
Opportunistic RF Localization for Next Generation Wireless Devices
Keynote Speech
June 14, 2010
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA

FINAL 06-14-10


Introduction by Dr. John Orr, Provost and SVP, and Professor of Electrical &
Computer Engineering


Thank you, Dr. Orr, Professor Pahlavan and Dr. Rahman.


Good morning to all of you. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to speak before
this group today.


I firmly believe that location and presence will be the cornerstones of the most
successful wireless applications for the foreseeable future. As I look around
today, I recognize that each of you play a key role in making localization an
essential part of users’ lives. I’d also like to extend my appreciation to the
speakers and panelists whose expertise will make this event informative and
memorable.


Before I begin, I want to recognize what an honor it is to speak at WPI, a school
which – quite a few years ago – was on the short list of institutions I considered for
my own education. Your outstanding academics, faculty and research programs
create a unique environment where science and technology confront real-world
challenges. And after nearly a century and a half, you continue to live up to your
founders’ goal of providing “theory and practice.”


Today, we stand in the doorway to a time when wireless will be the preferred and
primary way that most consumers and businesses communicate. It’s a time where



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both traditional voice and the newer communication methods rely on a robust,
wireless IP platform that integrates smoothly with the next-generation Internet.


I’m excited about this new opportunity, and as the CTO of Verizon, I strive to drive
my company to advance this vision. That’s why I’ve been so aggressive in our
push toward LTE, and why I took great pleasure in announcing our plans to be a
“bleeding edge” leader of LTE at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona two
years ago.


Since I believe so strongly in LTE as an enabling platform for the future, let me
start by updating you on Verizon’s 4G plans. 2010 is the year in which we will
make LTE a commercial reality in the U.S. We’re currently in the final stages of
our pre-commercial testing in Boston and Seattle. Later this year, we’ll turn up
LTE coverage for one-third of the U.S. population, or 100 million POPs as the
industry likes to call it. By 2013, Verizon’s LTE network will grow to match or
exceed our current 3G footprint. And because the 700 MHz spectrum we’re using
for this deployment is assigned to Verizon on a nationwide basis, we intend to
keep going and bring 4G services to even more of the country.


But let’s get back to the focus of this conference. As I mentioned, I believe that
location and presence will be keys to the successful wireless applications i n the
months and years ahead. Imagine all the incredible commercial opportunities we
can create by processing all that information – on increasingly powerful
smartphones and other wireless devices – over a truly intelligent wireless
broadband network. Best of all, we’ll be able to maximize the value we deliver to
users.


To fully realize this vision, one thing we need is a “localization ecosystem” in which
we work together to improve the technology, agree on standards and guarantee
privacy for our users. I see this conference as an important part of that
ecosystem.



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Today’s GPS-enabled devices feature improving location accuracy and time-to-
delivery, which is helping to drive the popularity of localization services. In
addition, the growing consumer awareness of GPS devices is creating a virtuous
circle of user discovery and adoption of new location-based services.


Before I go on, I think it might be helpful to take a moment to review how
localization technology has evolved over the years.


As you know, GPS was originally developed for military use, but has also been
used extensively for commercial purposes such as fleet management and
consumer navigation systems in automobiles.


But in 1997, an intense focus on localization was triggered by the FCC mandate
requiring carriers to be able to locate the source of emergency 911 calls made
from wireless phones. Specific accuracy and time-to-deliver requirements were
demanding, and required extensive research and development. Closing the gap
between FCC requirements and actual capabilities took several years.


In an effort to meet the FCC mandate, the initial search was for one killer
technology. But GPS was designed specifically for outdoor locations, while the
wireless WANs – our cell phone networks – were designed for communication
anywhere. After years of trials, it was clear that one single technology could not
cover all the possible environments and scenarios. As a result, we’ve worked to
develop a hybrid of various technologies to meet the stringent accuracy and time-
to-deliver requirements set by the FCC.


We still have work to do to improve the hybrid model, and as additional
technologies evolve we’ll need to add them to the mix. But this shows how we as
an industry can come together to solve problems, improve the technology and
enhance the consumer experience. This challenge has literally created a new



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industry around Location Based Services – or LBS – and given this industry a
head start that it wouldn’t have had without this early challenge.




Consumers will see the next major location advances in the area of smartphone
applications. In fact, Juniper Research estimates that by 2014 the global LBS
market will be worth more than $12 billion, largely due to the increasing popularity
of advanced smartphones.


Like most carriers, all of Verizon’s wireless phones are GPS-enabled. We
launched our VZ Navigator application several years ago. It remains one of our
premier applications and is broadly perceived as adding significant value for
consumers. The product has evolved to include 3D views, integrate real-time
traffic information, and to provide information on restaurants, gas stations and
other places of interest. There’s also a wide array of other location-based apps
developed for our smartphone operating systems.


The LBS market continues to grow at a rapid pace. A recent Mobile Marketing
Association survey indicated that a quarter of all U.S. wireless phone users have
used a mobile location-based service – and anecdotal information shows that
people who own Android devices or iPhones are heavy users of location
applications. Smartphones currently make up nearly 20 percent of the wireless
phone market, but their sales grew by an impressive 57 percent worldwide in the
first quarter of this year. With this kind of growth, the tipping point to mass-
acceptance and adoption of LBS has definitely arrived.


Not all location apps will get or need a large audience, as even niche products are
valuable to their target audience. Let’s briefly examine some of the LBS
categories to understand the breadth of the market opportunities we’re seeing.




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The first location service that nearly everyone with a new LBS-enabled device will
experience is mapping their location. From there the user moves to navigation,
which provides turn-by-turn directions, as well as drive time, construction and
traffic delays, and mass transit options.


The next logical progression of LBS adoption is local search, which Juniper
Research estimates will be used by 1.5 billion people worldwide by 2014. Search
can occur simultaneously with mapping and navigation, and the convergence of
these services enables a key revenue opportunity – local advertising – that
supports the application’s business model. Services that provide user reviews as
part of location-aware search have gained a strong foothold with smartphone
users.


A great LBS success story is telematics, an area in which I have a significant
personal interest and involvement. Verizon is the underlying carrier for GM
OnStar, the location-based service where millions of subscribers are provided with
in-vehicle services, navigation, and life-saving emergency assistance.


Another service category features various “Family Finder” applications, which are
aimed at parents of younger and teenage children. Parents can track the
whereabouts of their child, or they can be alerted when the child has left a pre-
designated zone. These apps can also be used to check the location of family
members with medical conditions, such as Alzheimer’s patients.


Social networking applications that allow you to check in and locate friends are
well received by their users. They’re typically aimed at young adults who grew up
in the digital age, are comfortable with new technology and know how to set an
app’s privacy controls. While there are few privacy concerns among this group of
users, this could be an issue. However, we believe this is resolved by requiring the
consent of each party before enabling the application.




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I want to point out that Verizon has always maintained the highest ethical
standards when it comes to protecting customer privacy. But new location-based
services have the potential to allow personal information to be used – and possibly
abused – by third parties. The industry has the responsibility to safeguard that
information in compliance with customers’ requirements.


You’ve probably heard the rumors that Facebook may be getting ready to add a
location-based mobile app, which would be available to 500 million registered
users. At the end of last year, more than 65 million users accessed Facebook
through wireless devices – and these mobile users are 50 percent more active on
Facebook than non-mobile users. Providing a useful – and trustworthy – location-
based service to this huge group would drive usage into the mainstream and we’d
move well beyond that doorway at which we stand today.


Another popular location service is geo-tagging, which allows users to search for
content, based on where it was created. Twitter is encouraging subscribers to add
location tags to their tweets, so that others can search for things that interest them
based on location. For example, you could get information on the Gulf oil spill
from people who are in New Orleans. The National Wildlife Federation has an app
that lets nature lovers instantly post wildlife sightings containing geo-tags of an
animal’s location, providing a searchable archive of observations.


I happen to enjoy photography, and geo-tagging will allow me to automatically
identify exactly where each shot was taken. From there I could generate a map of
my vacation, along with stories, restaurant reviews and notes about local points of
interest, which I could share with others. With the increased bandwidth of
Verizon’s upcoming LTE network, I’ll be able to instantly share geo-tagged videos
and allow others to “see what I see.”


So far, I’ve highlighted LBS services focused on consumers. But another area
Verizon has targeted is machine-to-machine communications. I believe that we’ll



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see M2M communications built into a wide variety of things that may seem
unusual to people today, such as shipping containers, medical monitoring
equipment, and smart electric meters, to name just a few.


Localization can be used to provide faster and better health care delivery by
allowing administrators to track care givers, medical resources and patients. For
example, as our population continues to age, telecare will play a significant role in
providing safe independent living for the elderly. We could see a wearable device
that measures specific vital signs, detects falls and location, and communicates
automatically in real-time with care providers in the event of an emergency
situation.


Localization can also be used to mine geo-specific traffic data that can provide
real-time updates, allowing drivers to find nearby available parking, avoid traffic
jams or report unsafe road conditions. Aggregate and anonymous data from
mobile devices, traffic cameras and toll stations can give government agencies the
ability to monitor and control traffic lights for optimal flow.


The same concepts could be put to use for public transportation and commercial
shippers. Location-based sensors can assist corporations who need to monitor
their infrastructure and track their assets. In addition, companies can use
localization to enhance their customer relationships by providing geo-based loyalty
programs and promotions based on individual customer preferences.


These examples are just the tip of the geo-iceberg. We’re only limited by our
imagination. Twenty years ago, when plain-vanilla cell phones were becoming
popular, few could have imagined the dynamic transformation those devices would
go through. And as we walk through today’s doorway of wireless innovation, the
same will be true for the future of LBS-enabled devices, if we do it right.




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So in the WPI spirit of “theory and practice,” here are a few thoughts on what I
believe is necessary to deliver a superior LBS experience to users.


Increasing adoption of location-based services will require cooperative efforts by
many disparate interests. The participants in this workshop represent one of the
key interest groups necessary to move location technology and services forward.


Our mutual philosophy needs to be focused on a collaborative approach to driving
success in mobile, location-based services. No single entity – whether you’re a
network provider, a manufacturer, a technologist or an apps developer – will be
able to envision and provide every aspect of the ecosystem on its own.


Together we’ll help to create the next-generation services that will release the full
power and potential of LBS to consumers and businesses, and create the
opportunity to drive additional demand and service innovation.


We need to encourage standardization and interoperability, because a proliferation
of proprietary solutions will stunt the growth of localization. There are many
partners involved in the delivery of the final service. This could make it difficult to
align multiple proprietary pieces into a positive user experience. Interfaces must
be standardized so that developers can build a consistent service for all operating
systems.


Another key area is improving energy efficiencies in our devices. We must
continue research and development that will advance technologies that allow us to
design smaller GPS devices that use less power.


We also need to improve location accuracy. One key approach is to recognize the
synergistic improvement in results which can be achieved if we can find a way to
logically and efficiently integrate the data available from multiple technologies and
sources at one time. I’d like to see data from GPS, Wi-Fi access points, radio



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frequency finger- printing and proximity sensors be algorithmically used for an
accurate location fix.


As is often the case, military developments provide significant civilian benefit, as
we saw with the deployment of the original and subsequent updates to our U.S.
GPS system – NAVSTAR. We need to continue to cooperatively work to gain
benefits for the public from the military advances in this area.


To those in academia, we continue to need your research in areas such as:
   Next-generation IP routing algorithms to reduce latency in delivery of content
    for data hungry location-based applications
   Improved position accuracy for indoor locations
   Privacy architectures to establish location and presence so that user identity
    can remain anonymous and protected
   Wireless sensors and automated tracking which support M2M communications
    without human intervention
   Exploring and understanding human mobility patterns that open opportunities
    for location-relevant information delivery based on predictive behaviors


For service providers, there is the responsibility of integrating and delivering a
variety of localization services to the end user. A precise and accurate user
experience is essential for mass adoption of these new services.


Finally, if you’re in the application development arena, you need to focus on the
unmet needs of users. Location-based apps – especially those with a subscription
model – must offer a superior value proposition.


Location-based service opportunities must allow users to control their privacy
concerns. Users must be comfortable with the information they provide, and they
need to know how their personal data will be used. With the integration of social
networking and retail apps, their concerns extend to sharing information about


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their friends or receiving intrusive marketing. We need to work together to ensure
that customers always have the choice to opt-in, and they can easily change
settings to control their personal information.


This conference is critical to the continued development of location services that
will advance and improve the quality of life in the digital age.


Working together, we can improve localization accuracy, establish industry
standards and create useful platforms for application developers. I encourage you
to make the most of this great opportunity to expand the localization ecosystem.
Today’s program is an excellent forum to share information on new technologies
and opportunities that will allow users to manage their lives better and have a
more seamless and spontaneous wireless experience.


Thank you, and have a productive conference.




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