Wireless Location Aware Applications for Mobile Commerce

This paper explores the emerging issues of future mobile computing, reliability, privacy, locality and context aware applications. Different location aware methods with technologies like Infrared Devices, WiFi, GPS and Landmark-based reporting are reviewed. Infrared Devices suffer line-of-sight problems and sunlight interference, GPS will incur connectivity problems for indoor readings, WiFi on the other hand does not share these problems and has the advantage of low cost with high accuracy. Preliminary studies on the role of WiFi in location awareness have been made and different driver platforms for detecting mobile clients are reviewed. Driver development for Microsoft DDK technologies and Linux-wlan kernel packages are explored in detail. The knowledge of location aids the efficiency of management system such as inventory control and customer information services. Services can then be aggregated in a timely and pertinent fashion, enhancing convenience and functionality for the user. WiFi location awareness method is adapted into an inventory control system and it demonstrates the applicability and usefulness of location awareness to e-business. Location awareness can also be adapted to numerous services like tourist systems, shopping assistant, chatting and dating services.