Offline LocationThe ability to locate or position a device when it’s offline can be critical, especially in use cases where personal safety or asset tracking is concerned. However, it can be difficult to achieve in limited-hardware devices or those not equipped with the right location software. Instead, Skyhook’s Precision Location hybrid positioning software offers several ways for users to locate offline devices anywhere, at any time.
Precision Location technology accurately locates offline devices anywhere in the world, indoors or outdoors, with minimal hardware, battery, or bandwidth requirements.
With a combination of location caching and tokening solutions, Skyhook provides offline location resolution for a broad range of use cases including:
Connected Wearables Mobile Device Management Asset Trackers & Logistics Mobile Phones Applications
Skyhook integration options include customizable SDKs, firmware, cloud APIs, and embedded solutions. This level of flexibility means location can be integrated at the hardware, chipset, or operating system level, and has helped establish Skyhook as a leading independent location provider with drop-in solutions for devices running alternative operating systems and custom versions of Android.
Skyhook software can be directly embedded onto the device firmware or operating system, thanks to our collaboration with a network of leading chipset and operating system partners, such as Qualcomm and KaiOS. This helps devices use offline location quickly, without dedicating time and resources to pre-test or validate the solution.
Offline Location is enabled by our flagship Precision Location software, a proprietary hybrid positioning system that intelligently uses a global location network with more than 5 billion Wi-Fi access points, over 200 million cellular towers, and blends them alongside GPS signals using a suite of tools and algorithms to position connected devices with accuracy and precision.
Skyhook pioneered mobile location since the first generation of smartphones; every solution we design is customized to your unique needs to deliver the accuracy and features you require. We are dedicated to your success and provide a level of service, reliability, and flexibility that other solutions can’t match.
Learn MoreSkyhook uses two approaches to resolve locations when devices are offline, known as tiling and tokening. Both work well, but the intended use case will determine which method is best. For example, tokening is a better option for devices that lack cellular connectivity, such as fitness trackers. Devices like cameras and smartwatches that have throttled connections or wearables like body-worn cameras that operate in reference to a home hub or network may benefit from tiling. Additional benefits include:
Allocated memory, session size, and coverage areas can also be configured as needed.
Token reconciliation enables devices running Skyhook software to use passive Wi-Fi observations to detect nearby wireless access points if no connection is present. Tokens are reconciled or “redeemed” against the server when devices re-establish a network connection.
Tiling is a patented technique that works by downloading and caching portions of Skyhook’s global reference database locally on a device. This allows devices to resolve network location locally without the need to make a request.
With tiling, advanced algorithms are in place to score tiles and a device’s most commonly observed access points, for example, in order to optimize tile storage and refresh rates.
Learn the value that industry-leading accuracy can add to connected devices when they go offline.
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