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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

GPS Tracker How It Works

By Kevin Hunt


Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have been universally available on the market for well over a decade now and are more common than ever in every day objects. GPS tracking is found within cars and mobile phones; you can purchase GPS watches, pens or a dongle for your laptop. Tracking a person or parcel has never been easier.

But how does it all work?

Orbiting around the earth are networks of satellites that are used for transmitting signals that can determine the location of GPS trackers. GPS receiver exist in three different forms: those that collect and save positional information, receivers called data pushers that are capable of transmitting their positions and GPS device that enable users to request position data via SMS text message. These last are known as data pullers.

Off the shelf GPS trackers are normally accurate to within 10 metres, which for most everyday use is sufficient. They are also available in two formats; the first, data pullers give a live, real time update of the trackers position, by using a computer, linked to mapping software such as Google Earth. Data pushing GPS trackers are used for tracking and following stolen goods or live vehicle progress such as emergency service vehicles, here the GPS device sends out a signal so a user can visualise a GPS tracers position.

With the second type of system, data pullers, the individual is required to request the location of the device. This is typically accomplished by sending a text message to the device, to which the tracker can reply via a response text message that provides the mapping co-ordinates for the current location. These can then be traced through a mapping application, GPRS mobile phone or fed into a compute. Businesses that possess fleet vehicles frequently need to know the availability and to the progress and thus, they employ this technology to make certain that taxis, ambulances and pizza delivery services are on schedule.

In cases where the exact position is not required but details of journeys or the route a particular vehicle took you can use a GPS logger. This records the details of position, speed and direction that can be recovered from a memory chip at a later date. They are small and lightweight and easily transported without causing inconvenience or obstruction. This type of product is popular with sports people such as cyclists where they can use GPS tracking to analyse their performance at a later date. Allowing for the user to make improvements to performance, route selection or driving style.




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