A Summary Of Smartphone GPS Tracking

Throughout this discussion consider that there is a basic difference between handset GPS Tracking and Navigation. GPS cell phone tracking is typically associated with a third-party maintaining records of either real-time or historical mobile phone position, while Navigation deals with the cell phone user figuring out how to get from point A to point B. Just because a mobile phone has GPS doesn?t mean that it can necessarily be used as a navigation device. Just like cell phone tracking, navigation requires third-party software.

Much of the discussion surrounding GPS tracking, cell phone GPS and cell phone tracker software could be helped by a GPS Satellite primer.

GPS satellites broadcast signals from space that GPS receivers utilize to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time. GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is a network that is made up of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment.

The GPS Space Segment includes 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 once every 12 hours. They are not geostationary, 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 placed so that at any given time there are at least 4 satellites ?visible? from any point on earth. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them properly positioned. 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 ideal location to park a communications satellite. The earth rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour, and because of their high earth orbit the earth-synchronous satellites need to travel at about 7,000 mph to maintain position. This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since earth-synchronous satellites are 10,000 miles further away they don?t move relative to the earth.

The GPS Control Segment incorporates 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 working to specification and the information they send to earth is accurate.

The GPS User Segment incorporates of GPS receivers taking the shape of handsets and , laptops, in-car navigation devices and hand-held tracking units along with the people that use them, and the software programs that make them function.

GPS receivers compute location by precisely timing the signals transmitted by GPS satellites. This information 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).

Another way of determining mobile phone position is Triangulation or Mobile Location Services (MLS). Cell Tower Triangulation uses signal analysis data to determine the time it takes signals to travel from the smartphone to at least three cell towers to determine position.

With Mobile Location Services (MLS), the GSM cellular network provider utilizes triangulation techniques to try to pinpoint the location of the handset, its accuracy is proven to be less than than that of GPS. MLS is further affected by the same issues as GPS in the sense of the interference impeding signal quality and the density of GSM towers to assist in the triangulation calculation. In remote areas location accuracy may be off as much as a mile.

A Summary Of Smartphone GPS Tracking