ABSTRACT
The availability and pervasiveness of powerful mobile phones along with advances in software development platforms, databases, positioning technology, Geographic Information Systems, and communication networks have led to the creation of Location-Based Information Systems, which promise to change the way people live. A location-based service is an application that provides users with information based on the geographical position of the mobile device. This is one of the main differentiating features of Location-Based Services (LBS) systems with regard to other systems, such as well-known enterprise systems, that is, the system knows the physical location of the mobile device. A reactive LBS application is triggered by the user who, based on his current location, queries the system in search of information. LBS have to deal with erroneous and variable information, as the accuracy of Global Positioning System fixes depends on the positioning system, user location, weather conditions, and others. This chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
