The General Positioning System (GPS) tracking system is the latest breakthrough of the technology aiming at improving people’s lives. The GPS tracking system is reported to be used as a travel guide and as a tracking device of vehicles. No matter its application, GPS devices are good traveling companions.
The actual process of GPS tracking system is straightforward. In short, there are exactly 27 satellites rolling around the center of the Earth. Out of them, 24 are used by the GPS technology and the remaining ones are used for storage purposes. A GPS receiver installed in your car emits a signal to these satellites. Four available satellites will be used to find out your exact position. The mathematical tenet involves in this computing process is called trilateration. It can be achieved in either two dimensions or three dimensions.
Adverse weather conditions can affect the accuracy of the position. This issue is still to be addressed by GPS vendors as they are struggling to tweak their devices as a way around this problem.
Applications of GPS devices are twofold: the first one being as travelling guide as you can set your destination and the receiver will work out your location. It will also tell the best trajectory to reach your destination. It should be noted that some devices are able to talk as well. The GPS technology is also reported to be used in the military industry as it was first created for such purposes.
Another application of GPS devices is for tracking purposes. For instance a car company may decide to install GPS device in their cars in order to record their position all over the time. This can help them improving their delivery times and also increase their efficiency. An employer also can make use of this device to make sure that his employees are not abusing company car privileges.
Private investigators also make use of GPS tracking devices in order to keep track of cheating wives. Law enforcement also makes use of GPS devices to locate people who steal cars. Recent GPS devices are also able to report a driver’s habits therefore deciding if the driver is responsible enough to carry on.
The GPS tracking system is also a perfect way around home construction site thefts. Indeed, recent news from the Tennessee reveals that GPS tracking devices have helped identify a rash of construction site thefts where many thieves were used to nicking home appliances. A Tennessee police spokesman later on claims that these hard to break burglaries could be tracked down in less than 24 hours with suitable GPS tracking devices.
Still in the US, it is well known that some school buses are equipped with GPS tracking devices for emergency response purposes. Indeed, school buses equipped with the GPS tracking devices can be used to shuttle emergency responders such as fire fighters, and evacuate those in need, including nursing home residents.
In summary, GPS device applications are growing more and more over the time. There are mainly used for military and civilian purposes as we described in previous sections. It is nowadays commonplace to see GPS devices almost everywhere as we saw in the previous sections.
By: John B Mayall
Posts Tagged ‘Military Industry’
GPS System Tracking – Applications of GPS Tracking System
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October 22nd, 2009
Before the arrival of the General Positioning System (GPS) technology, having a trip was certainly the most daunting experience in our life. For instance, it was perfectly acceptable to see a situation where someone was driving his car, another one was looking at the map to find the right direction, quite funny! Nowadays, this situation is obsolete and ridiculous for GPS systems have drastically changed the way we used to deal with route finding during a trip. Indeed by just installing a GPS device in your car, you can accurately and safely get the right direction.
Usually when someone mentions GPS, he is referring to the GPS receiver even if the GPS architecture is actually more complex than this small device installed in your car. In short, GPS systems are a cohort of 27 satellites rolling around the center of the Earth. Only 24 satellites are fully functional while the remaining ones are just used for storage purposes. The military industry pioneered the technology before being used for general purpose by the public.
Each GPS satellite powered by the Sun rotates around the center of the Earth completes a distance of about 12,000 miles which is equal to 19,300 kilometers. The actual trajectories of these satellites are made so that at least four satellites are available in the space at any time. The GPS receiver is responsible of finding these available satellites, working out its distance to these satellites and finding its position. This process makes use of a mathematical model called trilateration.
The GPS signals are hindered by weather conditions. Nowadays, there are many research projects aiming at finding ways around this issue in order to increase the correctness of GPS systems. Having located the satellites, the triliteration is used to work out its distance and reduce these errors.
Briefly speaking, GPS systems are used for several purposes mainly as guiding aid. The user simply needs to input his final destination and the GPS receiver will do the rest of the job. GPS systems can also be used for tracking purposed as it is noticed in the automobile industry.
The GPS technology is also used for many other purposes. For instance, in the automobile industry, GPS systems are used to deter car thieves. Private investigators are also making use of the GPS technology in order to monitor a cheating wife. The GPS technology is also extensively used in the military industry as it was pioneered by the army. Some military usages include navigation, target tracking, missile and weapon guidance, search and rescue lost soldiers and acknowledgement and map creation. The possibility to keep track of a vehicle position every time is an appealing feature of the GPS technology. Other systems can furthermore keep track of a driver. This feature is of great help to anxious parents who are concerned about their children’s ability to safely drive.
Another use of the GPS for civilian purpose is to help prevent civilian GPS guidance from being used in an enemy’s military or improvised weaponry, the US Government controls the export of civilian receivers. A US-based manufacturer cannot generally export a GPS receiver unless the receiver contains limits restricting it from functioning when it is simultaneously at an altitude above 18 kilometers and traveling at over 515 m/s.
By: John B Mayall
