Mobile Phone GPS Primer
Posted by iphoneguru under 3g iphone, iphone, iphone accessories, iphone car kit, iphone downloads, iphone games, iphone ringtones on Sunday May 9, 2010Before long GPS will become almost as common as the telephone, or more likely included with every mobile phone. GPS can calculate locations accurate to a matter of. In fact, incredibly with advanced forms of GPS you can achieve measurements to less than a centimeter!
In a sense it’s like giving every square meter on the globe a unique address. GPS receivers have become extremely economical as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits. These days GPS is finding its way into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially mobile phones.
Tracking cell phones is a active topic with a lot of interest. A lot of the discussion surrounding cell tracking, cell phone GPS and cell phone tracking software programs could be helped by a GPS Satellite introduction and glossary.
GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. GPS satellites broadcast signals from earth orbit that GPS receivers use to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time. The GPS system is composed of 3 main segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment.
The GPS Space Segment includes twenty-four to thirty-two satellites that orbit the earth in medium earth orbit MEO. These satellites are referred to as the GPS Constellation, and they are orbiting once every 12 hours. They are not geosynchronous, they travel at over 7,000 mph. GPS satellites are solar powered but have battery reserve for when they are in the earth’s shadow. They are placed so that at any given time there are at least 4 satellites ‘visible’ from any point on earth. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the correct path. The satellites last about ten years until all their fuel runs out.
GPS Satellites are not communications satellites. Geostationary or communications satellites use a higher altitude 22,300 miles above the equator. These satellites are used for weather forecasting, satellite TV, satellite radio and most other types of global communications. At exactly 22,000 miles above the equator, the earth’s force of gravity and centrifugal forces are canceled and are in equilibrium. This is the best location to place a stationary satellite. The earth rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour, and because of their high earth orbit the geostationary satellites need to travel at about 7,000 mph to maintain position. This is just about the same speed as GPS satellites, but since earth-synchronous satellites are 10,000 miles further away they don’t move relative to the earth.
The GPS Control Segment is composed of Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and a host of dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to ensure the satellites are functioning to specification and the information they beam down to earth is accurate.
The GPS User Segment includes of GPS receivers taking the shape of devices and , laptops, in-car navigation devices and hand-held tracking units along with the people that use them, and the software applications that make them work.
GPS receivers calculate position by precisely timing the signals sent by GPS satellites. This data includes the time the message was transmitted, precise orbital information (the ephemeris), and the general system health and rough orbits of all GPS satellites (the almanac).
Keep in mind that there is a fundamental difference between smartphone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation. GPS cell tracking is typically related to someone keeping records of either real-time or historical smartphone location, while Navigation deals with the handset user figuring out how to get from point A to point B. Neither use works without some sort of third-party software application.
A very good software package that includes remote control of smartphone settings, and combines Cell Phone Tracking with SMS text message, Call Log, MMS multi-media message monitoring, and a web account for storage and review is PhoneBeagle.
Follow this link if you are interested in Mobile Monitoring Software compatible with BlackBerry and Android Smartphones, used or Parental Monitoring and Small Business Employee Monitoring .
Global Satellite System Frequently Asked Questions
Why does GPS receiver only work outside?
GPS satellites are positioned in their orbits to be sure that from any point on earth there are at least four satellites visibile at any given time. Although they use radio signals, the signal needs a clear of site to the receiver. If the GPS satellite drops behind the horizon, or a building, or even heavy cloud cover, the radio signal may not reach the receiver.
What do the satellites do?
The GPS satellites are broadcasting the time. Both the satellite and the GPS receiver use atomic clocks for extreme accuracy. By comparing the difference between the time given by the satellite and the time in the GPS receiver, it can calculate the distance from the satellite.
How do GPS satellites know their location?
The satellites keep position stored internally in calculated tables. But satellites can deviate off course over time. To correct this, the satellite communicates with ground stations positioned around the world. Each time it touches base with the ground stations, the satellite adjusts its internal location tables.
Does a GPS receiver transmit information back to the satellite?
No, they don’t do that. GPS equipped mobile phones will transmit data but it isn’t going back to the satellite.
Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for GPS Tracking
