Introducing OpenCellId
Here is a project that I wanted to introduce to you: OpenCellID.The purpose of this project is to create an OpenSource database of GSM cells.
Why? Because this can be used as a “cheap” way to get your location. There is not a lot of phones that provides this access to JavaMe application (mostly SonyEricsson), but this may change in the near future.
The idea is do it in a transparent way for end user, thanks to 8Motions or other applications. This is not a new idea, as Google probably made the same for his GoogleMap mobile application. The only issue, is that the application needs to access to two informations:
- the cellID
- the GPS position
and for now, no handset provides this. N95 for instance, haves a GPS but does not provide CellID information in JavaME. Latest SonyEricsson phone, provides CellID, but not GPS position. I think that new GPS enabled handsets will provide both, but for new you need to use a SonyEricsson phone and an external bluetooth receiver….
You can check the result of collected data on the OpenCellID.org web site….
There were other initiatives like this, but the idea is to provide the Datas as an OpenSource information. The code of the project is hosted on Google Code.
Identificateurs Technorati : cellid, mobile, opencellid, gsm, towers
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Thomas - good to see you get this up and running!
Please keep us posted on progress.
I believe Christopher Schmidt is looking to do something with some data he has from another system
http://crschmidt.net/blog/archives/305/gsmloc-cell-data/
Might be good for you two to come together in this effort, as it may help you build out the US side quickly.
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Thanks Jon, I’ve take a look, and I’ll integrate the data. That’s obvously the point, to share as much as possible the datas….
April 4th, 2008 at 11:36 am
OpenCellID - Datenbank mit Zellinformationen…
Thomas Landspurg, CTO von 8Motions und Entwickler von j2memap, hat mit opencellid, ein Open Source-Projekt ins Leben gerufen. Ziel von opencellid ist es, den Standort von Mobilfunkzellen zu erfassen und eine freie zugängliche Datenbank zu erstellen.
….
April 7th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Hi,
Good initiative!
I am trying to contribute by using 8Motions’ application on my SonyEricsson W880i (which does expose the needed cellID infos) and Bluetooth GPS (which works), but I am not sure that the application sends any information back to opencellid.org server: nothing appear in on the cells map, while the cell I have sent by hand has been added (measure 30555). Is there an option to choose somewhere? Is there any feedback when it does so?
I take the chance to suggest adding access to the CellID infos from the 8Motions’ application, when they are available.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hello Alexandre,
There is no feedback yet, but the first thing to be added will be a “Mapz” (an overlay) displaying the current cells around your area.
Next step is to better integrate the discovery of the cells with 8Motions.
In the meantime, you can go to http://www.opencellid.org and check the cells map. It should display the latest found cells
April 7th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Hello Thomas and thanks for your quick answer.
I understand that 8Motions’ application does not have feedback yet, but remains my first question: is it possible to use 8Motions’ Java application as a client to upload measurements (automatically?) to the OpenCellID database?
If yes, how (option to check…)? I have tried to play around with 8Motions program, but no new cell appear on http://www.opencellid.org/cell/list or http://www.opencellid.org/cell/map
(The two cells I have added by hand did appear fine).
April 7th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Yes, there are two condition to use 8Motions to automatically upload data:
- the progam need to access to GPS data, internal (like an N95) or external through bluetooth
- the program need to access to CellID data. Only latest SonyEricsson and some Motorola provides this information
So you need these to condition to automatically upload cell data. The way upload are done, is the following: cell id information+gps location are added when map tiles are requested to the server (to reduce interaction with the server) in a transparent way…
You don’t need to set up any option for this.
So Alexandre, what is your handset?
April 8th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Hi again,
My Bluetooth GPS is a Transystem i-Blue747 data logger, and is correctly detected by your J2ME Map and 8Motions.
My telephone is a SonyEricsson W880i, and it does provide CellID data, but the API javax.microedition.location does not seem supported.
However, in JavaME, something like System.getProperty(”com.sonyericsson.net.cellid”) does the job (similar commands for mcc, mnc, lac, …).
It works for instance very well with Google Map mobile “my position” (blue dot).
So every criteria should be matched. Isn’t it?
April 8th, 2008 at 12:50 am
For the record, here is the documentation for the system properties I referred to:
“Developers’ Guidelines Java ME CLDC (MIDP 2)” (page 72)
http://developer.sonyericsson.com/site/global/docstools/java/p_java.jsp
Direct link: http://developer.sonyericsson.com/getDocument.do?docId=65067
I got this info from http://www.ottaky.com/k800i.php a while ago.
April 8th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Final comment: as far as I know, with this System.getProperty(”com.sonyericsson.net.cellid”) and related commands, one can get Cell ID informations since Java platform JP-7 generation (K550, K610, K770, K790, K800, K810, S500, T650, W380, W580, W610, W660, W710, W830, W850, W880, Z310, Z610, Z710) and over, such as JP-8 (K630, K660, K850, V640, W890, W910, Z750, etc.).
This has already quite a large market penetration. I have tested myself this feature positivelly on a W880i and a K810i, which are not that new.
Location API (JSR 179) is only supported since JP-8 generation.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Hello Alexandre, you are right, with what you describe this should work. Which version of 8Motions are you using?
April 8th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
For other readers: it works now fine with the new version of 8Motions 0.9.47 on my SonyEricsson W880i.
April 21st, 2008 at 4:21 pm
This is a great initiative Thomas; great to see you are leading this. I am interested in participating/contributing to it… Let me know.
ceo