Mobile Spy Phone Glossary

Smartphone GPS Basics Cell Phone GPS Basics Soon GPS will become almost as basic as the telephone, or more likely included with every mobile phone. GPS can calculate positions accurate to a matter of. In fact, amazingly with advanced forms of GPS it is possible to make measurements to better than a centimeter! It’s just like assigning every square meter on the globe a unique address. GPS receivers have become extremely affordable as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits. Nowadays days GPS is finding its way into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially mobile phones. Tracking mobile phones is a active topic with a lot of interest. A lot of the discussion dealing with GPS tracking, cell phone GPS and mobile phone tracking software applications could be helped by a GPS Satellite introduction and glossary. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. GPS satellites broadcast signals from medium earth orbit that GPS receivers use to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time. The GPS system is made up of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment. The GPS Space Segment incorporates 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 make an orbit twice a day. They are not parked over one spot, they travel at over 7,000 mph. GPS satellites are solar powered but have battery backup for when they are on the dark side of the earth. They are placed so that 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 is exhausted. GPS Satellites are not communications satellites. Geostationary or communications satellites are at a much higher orbit of about 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 gravitational force and centrifugal forces are offset and are in equilibrium. This is the ideal location to place a stationary 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 keep position. This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since they 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 a host of dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to make sure the satellites are working correctly and the information they beam down to earth is accurate. The GPS User Segment made up of of GPS receivers taking the shape of devices 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 calculate location by precisely timing the signals sent 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). Consider that there is a fundamental difference between handset GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation. GPS mobile phone tracking is usually associated with someone keeping records of either real-time or historical mobile phone location, while Navigation deals with the mobile phone user determining how to get from point A to point B. Neither use works without some kind of third-party software application. Global Satellite System Glossary of basic terminology. GPSThe Global Positioning System consists of 24 GPS satellites, portable GPS receivers, and various ground-based support facilities. GPS receiverThe either a standalone handheld device or electronic unit mounted on a automobile dashboard or other movable item such as a shipping container, and now particularly common to be found inside smartphones . Abbreviated “GPS” in common use. Global Satellite System Frequently Asked Questions Why does GPS receiver only work outside? GPS satellites are positioned in their orbits such that from any location on earth there are at least four satellites in site at any given time. Although the satellites use radio signals, the signal needs a clear of site to the receiver. Once the GPS satellite slips below, or a building, or even heavy cloud cover, the radio signal may not reach the receiver. 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, the GPS can calculate the distance between it and the satellite. How do GPS satellites know their location? The satellites keep location stored inside in calculated tables. But satellites 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 position tables. Does a GPS receiver send information back to the satellite? No, they don’t do that. GPS equipped cell phones will send information but not to the satellite.