GPS (Global Positioning System)

GPS (Global Positioning System)

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. They are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.

 GPS satellites are used for navigational, surveying, mapping, and routing, charting and time distribution purposes. GPS technology is a sophisticated as well as is mainly integrated with complicated form of satellite technology that uses a complex network of processors and servers to receive and transmit data to and from the earth. GPS technology is mainly integrated with GSM (Global system of mobile communications) data network protocol to located and update data.

 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 and display it on the unit’s electronic map.

 Transmission signals from GPS satellites are received at base stations on earth. Base stations use different forms of server technology and associated hardware devices to store, interpret and analyze the data. The processed data can be saved in different formats and can be used in accordance with the needs of the data evaluator. The data stored can also be sorted, edited and filtered with the help of advanced automated sorters, editors and filters.