Smartphone GPS Primer
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Soon GPS will become almost as common as the telephone, or more likely included with every cell phone. GPS can determine locations accurate to a matter of. In fact, incredibly with advanced forms of GPS it is possible to make measurements to better than a centimeter!
In a sense it’s like giving every square meter on the globe its very own address. GPS receivers have become very economical as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits. These days GPS is incorporated into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially phone handsets.
Tracking mobile phones is a popular topic with a lot of interest. Much of the discussion dealing with cell tracking, mobile GPS and cell phone tracker software applications would be more meaningful with a GPS Satellite primer and glossary.
GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. GPS satellites broadcast signals from space that GPS receivers use to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time. The GPS system is composed of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment.
The GPS Space Segment is composed of 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 twice a day. They are not geosynchronous, but rather move 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 positioned so that 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 have a lifetime of about 10 years until all their fuel runs out.
GPS Satellites are not communications satellites. Geostationary or communications satellites are parked in space 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 offset and are in equilibrium. This is the best location to park 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 move at about 7,000 mph to keep position. This is just about the same speed as GPS satellites, but since earth-synchronous satellites are 10,000 miles further away they stay in place relative to the earth.
The GPS Control Segment includes Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and numerous dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to make sure the satellites are functioning correctly and the data they beam down to earth is accurate.
The GPS User Segment incorporates of GPS receivers taking the shape of smartphones 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 compute position by precisely timing the signals transmitted 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 basic difference between mobile phone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation. GPS cell tracking is usually associated with someone maintaining records of either real-time or historical mobile phone position, while Navigation deals with the smartphone user determining how to get from point A to point B. Neither use works without some kind of third-party software program.
An impressive software package that features remote control of handset settings, and combines Phone GPS 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 orbiting such that from any point on earth there are a minimum four satellites visibile at any given time. Although the satellites send signals by radio wave, the signal needs a clear of site to the receiver. If the GPS satellite slips below, or a building, or even heavy cloud cover, the radio signal may be lost.
What do the satellites do?
Each satellite is broadcasting the time. Both the satellite and the GPS receiver use atomic clocks for extreme accuracy. By measuring the difference between the time given by the satellite and the time in the GPS receiver, it can calculate the distance between it and the satellite.
How does the GPS satellite know where it is?
The satellites keep location stored internally in calculated tables. But they can deviate off course over time. To correct this, the satellite communicates with ground stations positioned around the world. Whenever it connects 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 not to the satellite.
Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for GPS Tracking
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