Mobile Device Application to locate an Interest Point using Google Maps

International Journal of Science and Engineering Applications
Volume 5 Issue 1, 2016, ISSN-2319-7560 (Online)
www.ijsea.com 33
Mobile Device Application to locate an Interest Point
using Google Maps
Leo Willyanto Santoso
Informatics Department
Petra Christian University
Surabaya, Indonesia
Alvin Wilistio
Informatics Department
Petra Christian University
Surabaya, Indonesia
Abstract: Location-based service is a service mechanism that generates geographical location information. This service will certainly
give much benefit as there are many people who would like to find public facilities quickly and easily. The needs to know the
existence of public facilities quickly and easily is of great demands in the society. Based on the above problems, it is necessary to
develop an application that can get any access to the geographical location in mobile phones. Information from this application is
expected to help searching for such public facilities. This Searching for interest point information was read using the Location API in
Xcode IOS 4.2. The resulting information was displayed on the application of the iPhone. From the test results, the information of the
position was influenced by the availability of the information service provider, carrier signal strength, and mobile phone capabilities.
Keywords: location based service, Xcode iOS 4.2, Google Maps, public service, interest point
1. INTRODUCTION
Information on the location of public facilities at an area is
very much needed, especially for a person who is in that area
for the first time. Traditionally, a person searches for the
information on direction or a specific location is by asking
people in the vicinity. The increasing development of
technology in the field of telecommunication has driven
people to keep abreast with the current development. Many
advanced companies in the field of mobile multimedia are
competing in introducing new products to meet the needs of
the consumers. One of that mobile multimedia is called
Navigation Global Positioning System (GPS) or digital map
which acts as a sophisticated device on signal receiving and
positioning determinant. That product has started to be
developed by a multimedia production company due to some
frequent phenomena in the society. Some riders or pedestrians
often do not know their position when they are in an
unrecognized area. They often get lost and do not know the
direction to go home. This situation makes them confused,
worried and panic. This digital map or GPS navigation device
will help a rider or pedestrian not to be afraid of getting lost
on the way. In general, the location searching technique
usually makes use of two kinds of techniques.
The first technique is by connecting the telecommunication
device with the satellite. The second technique is by
connecting the telecommunication device with the database
server containing the geographical situation of a location
which is usually called Geographical Information System
(GIS). The first searching method is using the satellite
connection or what is usually called Global Positioning
System (GPS) [1]. This technique is using a device which can
do asynchronization with the satellite to determine the
positioning of a location. This application is usually used to
find a location based on the coordinate or the latitude and
longitude position using satellite as the mediator. The second
searching method is using an application used in a browser
using computers or mobile phones connected to SIG database
server, for instance the foursquare and Google maps.
Currently, the positioning technology has already been of
much used in the mobile phones. It is even a compulsory
capability in a smart phone. Therefore, the use of location
searching technology is growing in line with the rapid growth
of today software and hardware technology supported by
various smart phone vendors. Based on the needs of today
society who needs fast and accountable information, a mobile
device application to search interest point using Google maps
is very much needed [2, 3]. A visit to a gas station to refuel
the vehicle is a routine work in the society. The location of
ATM is also needed to withdraw some money fast and easy.
Hotels, supermarkets and hospitals are also of much needed
on certain conditions. This application is expected to help the
users not to bother asking people if they want to go
somewhere. The goal of this research is to develop an
application for iPhone that can help users determining the
closest location to the gas stations, hotels, hospitals,
supermarkets and ATMs.
2. LOCATION BASED SERVICE (LBS)
Location-based service (LBS) is a service to determine the
location of the user and provide certain information needed
[4]. LBS can be classified into 3 types. They are Local
Information, Traffic and Tracking Information and General
Services. Local Information enables users to search services
in the vicinity. Traffic and tracking information focuses at
assets or people locating. Meanwhile, General Services do not
provide information to users. They use the data of the user
location. The example of General Services, among others, is
emergency services. Various kinds of services have been
provided by the use of LBS, such as [5]:
- Providing public facility information services, such as
hospitals, gas stations, ATM, Hotels etc.
- Determining and finding the location of someone or
something.
- Showing the closest route to go somewhere.
- Direction to go to a certain address.
- Traffic information system services.
The most important thing in LBS is the method in locating
users. In general there are two methods used, using Global
Positioning System (GPS) or using Cellular Based stations.
The technology using Cellular-Based Station is usually called
Cell id.

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This technology is usually used at certain locations within
limited range as it depends on the BTS (Base Transceiver
Station) to receive and transmit signals. Therefore GPS
technology is currently used due to its high accuracy and its
ability to reach the entire surface of the earth. As this
navigation device depends entirely on the satellite, the
satellite signal is of utmost important. This satellite-based
navigation device can not work with a maximum capacity
when there are disturbances at the satellite signal.
3. DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM
The software developed, in general consists of two parts, the
application system to be installed at the mobile phone, and the
querying system installed at the Google server in taking and
generating data into the application. The main function of the
application installed at the mobile phone is to identify the
geographical coordinate point of the mobile phone to be sent
to the server. Whereas the main function of the querying
system installed at the server is to display the geographical
coordinate data in the form of information to the application.
Fig 1. shows the system design in general. The user can
access the location information displayed at the application.
Figure 1. General System Design
3.1 The design of the software system
installed at the Mobile phone
Fig. 2 shows the flowchart diagram at the software system of
the mobile phone. As the mobile phone application is being
run, the main menu using the application icon will be
displayed first. Centering the application page, the application
will make a checking procedure at the device whether the
location service has been activated or not. If it has been
activated, the application will be ready to receive the input of
the location that is going to be located, such as ATM, Hotels,
and hospitals.
If the location service has not been activated yet, the
application will display the information that the location
service has to be activated first. The use of the location
service is to locate the initial position of the user to be
converted at the form of a coordinate at the system.
At the main form, the user can set the data device_id which is
functioning as the mobile phone identifier towards the data at
the database server. The user can also set time interval to
update the geographical location and arrange the application
to be activated or to be deactivated. If the location reader is
activated, then the application can run the location reader at
the mobile phone. The process that occurs is when the mobile
phone application has managed to read the coordinate of the
mobile phone location, the data of the coordinate will be
displayed at the mobile phone and sent to the server.
Show Login Page
Show Failed Login
Start
Insert
username
and
password
Login
Process
Registration
Process
Show Main Menu
Success?
Registered No
Yes
Yes
No
Insert
Process
Adding data?
Delete
Process
Deleting data? Yes
Choosing
the Main
Menu
Searching for a
location?
No
Yes
No
Process of
searching
interest point
Yes
STOP
No
Figure 2. The Flowchart diagram of the software installed at
the mobile phone
3.2 The design of the software installed at
the Server
The software system installed at the server is a form of API
from Google Maps. Its main function is to display the
geographical location information at the mobile phone using
maps, direction from Google Maps. It can add and save the
data at the database. It can also delete the location data from
the database. The second database is using PHP. This server is
used to save the user database which has been logon and
registered at the application.
4. IMPLEMENTATION
In general the implementation was divided into two: the
implementation at the iPhone and at the server. The
implementation at the iPhone was using Xcode 4.02 and iOS
4.3. The implementation at the server was using:
- Server: Google.com and ta9.petra.ac.id
- Apache/2.2.9 (Debian) DAV/2 PHP/5.2.6-1+lenny16
with Suhosin-Patch
- MySQL client version: 5.0.51a
- PHP extension: My sql.
5. TESTING
The first step in running this application was by doing the
login as seen at Fig. 3 (a) and registering as a member.
Without the registration, the application could not be used. To
register, the user could select the register button. If the link
succeeded to be touched, then a form of registration would be
displayed as seen at Fig. 3 (b)
If the login succeeded to be done correctly, the application
would proceed to the main menu that was the search for
public service location. There would be a selection to do the
search nearby and search by keyword.

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(a) (b)
Figure 3. Application: (a) Login Form, (b) Register Form
5.1 Steps to search the nearest Public
Services Part 1
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 4. Application: (a) Main Menu Form, (b) List of
nearest public services, (c) Empty
If the user would like to search some location nearby, then the
menu search nearby should be touched. Then the application
would display the nearest location with the category selected
before. If there was no data of the target location at Google,
then the application would display an empty table view. It
can be seen in Fig. 4.
If there was no data at Google, new data could be added by
touching the button with the symbol “+”. After entering the
names of the location in accordance with the category, the
button save should be touched.
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 5. Application: (a) Adding New Place Form, (b) List of
nearest public services after adding process, (c) Routing Form
After the process of adding data was successful, the
application could proceed to the list menu as followed. After
being added to the Google database, a routing procedure could
be made by touching the target location. A map with certain
route would be displayed. The application would display the
route to the tested location towards the nearest ATM. There
was also a narration if the button with the symbol “>” was
touched, showing how to reach the target location at the map.
It can be seen in Fig. 5.
5.2 Steps to search the nearest Public
Services Part 2
This testing was using the location at Petra Christian
University in searching for a hospital. It can be seen in Fig. 6.

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(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 6. Application: (a) Result after Searching Process, (b)
1st
Alternative Routing Process, (c) Direction
The search for the hospital was similar to that search of ATM.
The symbol of Hospital at the category menu was touched. A
map showing the route to the location of the hospital would be
displayed.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 7. Application: (a) 2nd
Alternative Routing Process, (b)
Direction, (c) 3rd
Alternative Routing Process, (d) Direction
5.3 Steps to Add New Locations to the
Application
The following process was the way of adding a new location
at the application. The Fig. 8 (a) is the example of inserting a
new location at the Supermarket category.
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 8. Application: (a) Adding New Place Form, (b)
Confirmation after adding process, (c) List Form

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A form would appear, ready to be inserted the
name of a location into the database. After the save button
was touched, the name of the location would be saved and
added to the database. A pop up result would appear as seen at
Fig. 8 (b). The data of the location added would be displayed
at the search list as seen at Fig. 8 (c).
6. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
6.1 Conclusion
Based in the development and testing of the application by
detecting the geographical location installed at the mobile
phone using API Google Location, it was concluded that:
- The mobile phone application was able to identify the
coordinate of the geographical location of the mobile
phone at a certain time.
- The success of the application to read the coordinate of
the geographical location was influenced by the
availability of the information service provider, carrier
signal strength, GPS signal strength and the availability
of the mobile phone capabilities.
- The geographical coordinate could be read accurately
based on the testing of the geographical coordinate
accuracy in Surabaya.
- The application requires a stable signal and data
connection to guarantee the success of the process of
the transmission of the coordinate data to the server.
- The application could be installed at some mobile
phones simultaneously based on the testing.
- The mobile phone application required a lot of battery
power source.
- The application can not be free open source software, as
Google limits the use of API to a maximum of 25.000
map load. Payment to Google is required if more map
load is needed.
- A long approval process allowed the possibility of
delays in inputting and managing the location that has
been input.
- A long querying process of inputting a new location to
the Google server, was allowing the possibility of the
application developer to have to create a database first.
- It took some time to route Google to do the search for
the first time. Therefore the sophisticated database
availability is a necessity in routing
6.2 Suggestion
The following suggestions are expected to encourage further
developments, such as:
- The mobile phone application can be developed at other
platforms supporting Google API Location such as
Android, Symbian and Windows phone.
- The mobile phone application can be developed further
to save the required battery resources.
- It might be necessary to try other API locations such as
API Bing, yellow pages etc.
- Before developing this application, a complete database
on public services has to be created first. Otherwise it
will create problems in running the application.
7. REFERENCES
[1] X.Y. Zhaoa, “On processing GPS tracking data of spatio-
temporal car movements: a case study”, Journal of
Location Based Services, Vol. 9, No. 4, 2015, pp. 235-
253.
[2] Udell, S. 2009. Beginning Google Maps Mashups with
Mapplets, KML, and GeoRSS. New York, NY: Apress.
[3] Peterson, M. P. 2012. Online Mapping with APIs, Online
Maps with APIs and Mapservices (M. P. Peterson, ed.),
Springer, pp. 3-12.
[4] Kremera, D and Schliedera, C., “Less is more: empirical
design criteria for a tourist place recommendation service
which decelerates the visiting experience”, Journal of
Location Based Services, Vol. 8, No. 4, 2014, pp. 268-
284.
[5] S, Hu, 2012. Multimedia Mapping on the Internet Using
Commercial APIs, Online Maps with APIs and
Mapservices (M. P. Peterson, ed.), Springer, pp. 61-71.

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