How does the GPS technology work?
Global Positioning System satellites transmit signals to equipment on the
ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not
transmit. GPS receivers require an unobstructed view of the sky, so they are
used only outdoors and they often do not perform well within forested areas or
near tall buildings. GPS operations depend on a very accurate time reference,
which is provided by atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each GPS
satellite has atomic clocks on board.
Each GPS satellite transmits data that indicates its location and the current
time. All GPS satellites synchronize operations so that these repeating signals
are transmitted at the same instant. The signals, moving at the speed of light,
arrive at a GPS receiver at slightly different times because some satellites
are farther away than others. The distance to the GPS satellites can be
determined by estimating the amount of time it takes for their signals to reach
the receiver. When the receiver estimates the distance to at least four GPS
satellites, it can calculate its position in three dimensions.
There are at least 24 operational GPS satellites at all times. The satellites,
operated by the U.S. Air Force, orbit with a period of 12 hours. Ground
stations are used to precisely track each satellite's orbit.
What is the best GPS device for me?
We offer several types of
GPS devices, each one
with its own features. Depending on the specific usage and objectives you are
planning, some devices will perform better than others. We have a highly
qualified group of senior GPS Tracking consultants who will be more than happy
to help you in selecting the most appropriate GPS device.
Please
contact us to help you!
How is a GPS device installed?
Installing a GPS device is very easy. There are 3 cables that have to be
connected:
Red cable: Has to be connected to a line that will always have power
Black cable: Has to be connected to the ground of the vehicle
Yellow cable: Has to be connected to a line that will have power only when the
Ignition is ON
The GPS device can be located in a discret place, for example underneath the
dashboard, to have the unit concealed.
There are many companies that offer proffesional installation of GPS devices.
We can provide you with a list of contacts that will be more than happy to
provide you with this service.
How does GPS Vehicle Tracking work?
Our GPS devices contain two modules:
GPS module: This module will allow the locator device to get its location from
the GPS satellites.
Cellular module: This module acts almost as a cell phone. It transmits the
information received from the GPS module to the cellular networks and from
there to our servers.
Once the information is received in our servers, a special software process it
and presents it to you in our GPS Tracking web system.
What types of tracking systems are there?
There are several types of GPS Tracking Systems:
Real Time tracking systems: This type of system will collect the information of
the vehicle and send it immediatelly or every 5 minutes to the servers that
will process the information. This type of system is ideal when it is a
priority to have an on-line, instant control of the vehicles activities.
Passive tracking systems: This type of system will collect the information of
the vehicle and store in the memory of the GPS device. Periodically (usually
every night) the information is downloaded into the servers for processing.
This tpye of system is ideal for those cases when requirements are less strict.
What is the advantage of doing business with Geosoft USA Corp.?
"We are commited to listen and understand our customers needs on a continuous
basis. Then, provide our customers the best service possible".
When shopping for a real-time GPS tracking system, there are five (5)
components that need to be carefully examined:
1. The vendor - purchase from a reputable vendor. Examine
the company you elect to purchase from.
2. Software used - view a demonstration before
purchasing. Examine the Web-based (or hosted) software that the end-user will
be running to track and report on vehicle/asset activity
3. Wireless Network - Go digital! Examine the
wireless network the system utilizes to transmit the data out of the vehicle
(Real-time systems).
4. Hardware Component - Examine the hardware component
you are purchasing (does it run on digital wireless networks?).
5. Unlimited Use - for a flat monthly fee. Examine the
Polling rate and Monthly Billing Fees (Real-time systems)
Examine the Company you are considering as your vendor.
The Internet has allowed several "fly-by-night" GPS vendors to enter the
market, and many companies that are seeking to install a quality system do not
take the time to examine the company from whom they are considering purchasing.
Many GPS vendors selling product over the Internet are barely educated on the
product they are selling, and many are selling out-dated systems that operate
on out-dated wireless networks. Take the time learn about your vendor.
The reputable companies generally will react quickly to your inquiry, make it
easy to view a demonstration of their system(s), give references, offer
multiple products to review and display their customers on their web site. At
GTC, we allow you to view our product demonstrations online. We are proud of
our list of customers, and we promote many of them on our web site:
www.geosoftusa.com
Always check references and examine the companies who are currently using the
products and services that you are considering.
Wireless Networks - GO GSM/GPRS
For Real-time GPS tracking, the wireless network is used to communicate the GPS
data from the vehicle/asset, so location, speed and stop times can be viewed in
Real-time. Think in terms of how mobile phones work. There are two types used;
(1) Digital Cellular and (2) Satellite. Obviously, digital cellular is more
popular due to cost. This is the same with communicating real-time GPS data for
vehicle tracking.
Wireless Networks: Cellular vs. Satellite
Due to the facts that (1) hardware is less expensive (2) monthly service fees
are less expensive (3) superior network reliability; a digital cellular-based
system is the best way to go for the vast majority of companies that want to
use a real-time system for nearly any type of tracking.
Digital Wireless Networks
If you are looking to purchase a 1st tier GPS tracking system, then you should
be looking for a system that operates on a 1st tier digital wireless network.
All of the 1st tier wireless communications companies is the U.S. market have
moved to digital wireless networks. There are two types of types of digital
wireless protocols that the major communication companies have utilized for the
build-out of their wireless networks:
1. GSM/GPRS - Cingular/AT&T, T-Mobile
2. CDMA (1xrt) - Verizon, Sprint, Alltell
There is an on-going debate as to which of these protocols is superior for cell
phones, but for live data feeds for devices used for GPS tracking, mobile
email, and wireless forms, the "always on" technology of GPRS is clearly
superior. To learn more about GSM/GPRS wireless, check out
www.gsmworld.com
Satellite Wireless Communications
(not to be confused with GPS satellite networks)
Due to the fact that (1) hardware is typically more expensive, (2) monthly
service fees are high (and polling rate is low, cost is high; see polling
rate), (3) satellite communications networks are unreliable; a satellite
network for vehicle tracking is rarely recommended by us. Only when 100%
coverage is an essential customer requirement will we recommend a system that
uses satellite for communications.
Web-based Hosted Software
A demonstration of any GPS system should show the software and reporting
capabilities. The web hosted software interface determines the mapping and
reporting features that the system offers as well as the overall end user
experience. The features available on the software are largely dependent on the
capability of the actual hardware (see Examining Hardware). There are two main
areas of functionality that should be carefully examined when reviewing the
software: (1) Mapping functionality and (2) Reporting functionality.
Mapping Functionality
For most users of GPS tracking systems, the mapping functionality plays a
significant roll in the overall satisfaction with the system. Most GPS systems
use web-based mapping applications similar to Map Quest or Yahoo Maps. Our
Tracker models use web-based internet mapping. The downside to Internet-based
digital maps is that they require a refresh for every action such as panning or
zooming. The upside is that they can be accessed from any machine with Internet
connectivity. For company's with intensive mapping usage, we recommend our
GPS Devices
Our software provides routing functions, superior zoom and panning
capabilities, a "snappier" application, and several more features not found in
other mapping applications. If you are going to be a heavy mapping user (using
the system for dispatch/routing), or you simply want a system with the best
mapping available, you should consider one of Geosoft USA's
GPS Devices.
Other mapping features to look for:
1. Geo-fencing capability - should allow unlimited number of geo-fences.
2. Customer/Landmark import capability - should allow mass import of
customer/job site records for viewing on the map
3. Breadcrumb history view - should show historical travel path of vehicle
4. Find nearest vehicle function
5. User-defined zoom levels
Reporting Functionality
The web hosted software should have easy to use, detailed reporting
capabilities. The reporting capability of the system is largely dependent on
the hardware device used (see examining hardware), and the polling rate (see
polling rate and billing).
At a minimum, the reports offered should be:
1. Vehicle Activity Report
2. Vehicle Stop Report
3. Vehicle Speed Report
4. Landmark in/out Report
Hardware
The hardware is the actual GPS unit and antennas that are mounted in the
vehicle. Most GPS units contain a "mini-mother board" with a GPS chip set and a
wireless modem (real-time systems). They also may include memory and software
which determines the potential features of the hardware. One of the most
critical pieces to the unit is the wireless modem. You should always purchase a
unit that contains a wireless modem from a 1st tier manufacturer such as
Motorola or Sierra Wireless. Our GPS Devices use
the best wireless modems - known as the best in the market. Additionally, the
modem and hardware components will determine if the hardware has "telemetry"
capability, and wireless connectivity potential.
Polling Rate & Monthly Fees
All real-time systems have a monthly fee. In most cases the monthly fee covers
the hosted web tracking and reporting fees and the wireless network fees.
Monthly Fees
When it comes to tracking your vehicles for fleet management purposes,
Unlimited Use is the key term when it comes to monthly fees. You want to pay a
flat monthly fee for unlimited use and unlimited polling - period.
Polling Rate
The polling rate is the frequency in which the GPS unit is configured to send
location reports. It determines how close to "real-time" you can view your
vehicle's location, as well as the detail you receive in the reports that are
generated. The lower the polling rate, the closer to real-time information is
available. From our experiences, a five (5) minute polling rate generates the
right amount of detail information for 95% of the businesses who are looking to
implement a real-time system. We have experimented with two (2) minute polling
rate, but it simply generates too much data for the customer to go through, and
really no added value.
