Extending the location API for J2ME™ to support friend finder services

Abstract

The Location API for J2ME is a standard Java mobile client API that is intended to provide a generic interface to multiple positioning technologies. Its client side object model goes beyond the provision of raw location data to enable geocoding and reverse geocoding of physical landmarks, utilising the mobile device's persistent storage. However this alone does not provide direct support for 'friend finder' type applications that encompass third party mobile devices. In this paper we propose some extensions to the Location API that would enable such applications to be supported in a client centric manner, and demonstrate the use of these extensions within a simulation environment