GPS(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

What is GPS?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.

How does GPS work?

GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position on Earth.

GSM (GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION)

What is GSM?

GSM, Global system of Mobile, is a popular Mobile communication system provided by Cellular service providers or GSM Operators in most countries internationally. It is used for in most mobile handsets used by us. GSM Mobile communication system can be intelligently used by electronic devices which can collect some data and send it to the central place using SMS or GSM data call.

GSM is required in Vehicle tracking systems because GPS system can normally only receive location information from satellites but cannot communicate back with them. Hence we need some other communication system like GSM to send this location information to central control room.

Other technologies can also be used but they are more costly.

GPRS (GENERAL PACKET RADIO SYSTEMS)

What is GPRS?

General Packet Radio Service is new communication services introduced by GSM operators. These services are part of same GSM network. These services allow secure and confirmed transfer of content like digital photos or other data to other GPRS capable system. Example of services based on GPRS is MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service).

GPRS is required in case we want to take snaps and transfer them to the central control room. They are not required for GPS tracking etc. GPRS does not involve additional hardware but we need to use more advanced GSM modules which support GPRS. GPRS services are not provided by all GSM operators.

GIS (GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM)

What is GIS?

Geographical Information System, GIS is software which consists of specially developed comprehensive and detailed maps of the city with longitude and latitude information of each place, street, junctions and address.

These maps are useful to locate the address of a vehicle fitted with GPS System. GPS-GSM system only provides the longitude and latitude of the vehicle but GIS software if properly developed can provide details of exact or nearby address where the vehicle is. In case one does not have detailed GIS maps of the city it would be very difficult to track and reach the vehicle in very short time.

Vehicle Tracking Technology

1. The GPS receiver uses a triangulation mechanism to calculate its position. In a nutshell, GPS satellites broadcast the information about their positions along with the exact time. Knowing the coordinates of the satellite and using the travel time of a radio signal, the GPS receiver measures the distance to a satellite and, as result, calculates its position.
2. The GPS receiver then forwards location, speed and time stamp data to the device’s processing unit and cellular modem. The vehicle’s coordinates are then transmitted to the Main Computer with Fix IP via a wireless data network.
 
3. The data is then inserted into a database file.  Users can also do real time vehicle tracking from any where by our DATA SWITCH feature.Users can just run a software from any internet connected computer and access the main computer having the FIX IP, this enable users to track their vehicle(s) or loved one's in real time from any where on a highly digitized Google Earth and numbers of reports.