Vehicle Tracking System Online

GPs data logger for Photos

2012-01-06T06:32:00.001-08:00

Easy-peasy, Plug & Play!
StarsNav Photo Locator/Logger is a very user friendly device. Its revolutionary design of using micro SD cards as storage method is truly the most unique of its kind. You can extend the storage capacity by as much as you like.
Unlike other GPS loggers, it does not have USB driver and configuration software. Simply plug it into your PC, and it will be recognized as a removable storage device. Its stored data can be used with most free geo-tagging software packages and web album services, such as Locr and Picasa.
With StarsNav photo locator/logger’s help, organizing photos is really easy-peasy and hassle free.
Photo Locator/Logger Features

Installation & setting free
Compatible with any micro SD cards
Unlimited storing data capacity
Complete GPS data can all be saved
Supports Picasa, Locr and Google Panoramio
Competitive price

Hardware Description
Operation time up to 24 hours.
4 LED indicators for GPS, memory status, charging and error/low power warning
Build in rechargeable Li-ION battery
High performance GPS chipset.
GPS data saving interval: 8 seconds (in power saving mode)
Small light weight and compact design.
Micro SD card 1G/2G to save GPS locations. (1G could save up to 6 million locations.)
Logged data file format: TEXT. (Location data includes longitude, latitude, altitude, time, speed and direction.)
Visit: http://www.starsnav.com/

Rover 9 Vehicle Tracker by Starsnav taiwan

2012-01-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

Applications

Car/Truck/Lorry/Motorcycle Tracking
Anti theft
Vehicle insurance policy
Vehicle recovery
Emergency report
Temperature monitoring
Commercial vehicle monitoring
Work force monitoring
Road side service

Features

Latest SiRFstarIII GPS module
Programming/updating over air
Sleep mode for GPRS cost/power saving
Wide range power supply (6-37 Volt)
Alarm inputs
Immobilizer
Panic input/automatic emergency dial-out
Speeding report
Analog input for temperature/fuel/air pressure monitoring
Driver ID checking
Hands-free voice communication
Back-up battery (4-8 hrs)
Door release output
Bluetooth for GPS data output (navigation)

Markets

Security companies
Frozen food dispatching
Insurance companies
Commercial vehicle/fire engine/ambulance/taxi/school bus fleets
Construction companies
Recycling operations/environmental services
Car rental companies
Expensive goods dispatching

Visit: http://www.starsnav.com/

GlobalSat GS-3212 Navigation System

2012-01-06T06:09:00.001-08:00

Product Description:

The GlobalSat GS-3212 Automotive Navigator is a compact and portable navigation device, allowing flexibility to carry the unit to any vehicle with ease. In addition to navigation applications, the unit offers a picture viewer, audio and movie player, the navigator unit’s versatility can be used for other personal applications.

GS-3212 is a high performance automotive navigator incorporating a 48-channel acquisition and 12 channels all in view tracking GPS chipset coupled with a built-in high-sensitivity antenna. The GS-3212 ensures excellent signal reception in most geographical positions and atmospheric conditions.

The GS-3212 GPS car navigation system comes complete with street level mapping for all of US, Canada, and Mexico with both home and car chargers, plus a mount for easy viewing. No need for complicated downloads or PC connections, as all maps have been conveniently pre-loaded onto the internal 2GB hard drive. Simply remove the GS-3212 from the box, plug the unit into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter and begin traveling with GPS technology that rivals the high priced built-in systems sold by many car dealers.

With it’s 3.5 inch TFT LCD touch screen, it’s easy to enter destinations or retrieve information from the GS-3212. The rear mounted speaker provides clear, crisp audio for turn-by-turn navigation prompts and the playback (mono) of saved .mp3 files loaded onto your SD card with the built-in expandable SD memory card slot.

Whether you’re traveling across town or across the country, the GS-3212 will plot a route from your exact position to any new, or saved location, you can even locate the nearest medical facility, restaurant, hotel, gas station or bank from it’s database of over 1-million points of interest (POI). The GS-3212 stores up to ### address locations in your "Favorites" folder, and it saves up to ## of your last entered locations in the "Recent" folder for quick reference, or you can convert a recent destination to a "Favorite" destination.

Miss a turn… not a problem for the GS-3212, as it will re-calculate a new route for you automatically! Use the GS-3212 on business trips, in rental cars, on vacations and have the peace of mind of never getting lost again.

Included Accessories:

GS-3212 In-Car Navigation Device

USB Cable

Car Charger

Car Mount

Quick Start Guide

Globalsat BT-368 Bluetooth GPS Receiver

2012-01-06T06:08:00.002-08:00

Product Description:

The GlobalSat BT-368 is a Bluetooth GPS receiver that is as powerful as it is stylish. Embedding reliability and performance into a thin profile housing by utilizing GlobalSat's mature micro-technology based around SiRF's StarIII GPS chipset. It's no accident that the impressive new design of the BT-368 was inspired to accent the recent wave of sleek mobile phones now entering the today's marketplace. With it's clean lines and striking trim combinations, the BT-368 is fast becoming a fashion statement among people on the move who demand a practicle yet elegant peripheral to meet their mobile lifestyle.

Compatible with Windows WM5/6 / Mac / Blackberry / Palm

The BT-368 communicates with a host device (such as a PDA, Laptop, or Smartphone) using Bluetooth 2.0 Serial Port Profile (SPP) technology and with a powerful built-in antenna, it still remains compact enough to provide impressive accuracy even while driving among downtown high-rises, or hiking under dense foliage without the need for an external antenna.

The built-in, rechargeable Li-Ion battery provides up to 10-hours of continuous use from a full charge and with the auto-shut off feature, battery life is extended turning off the GPS when no Bluetooth connectivity with the host is available.

Features include; 12VDC car and 110VAC home chargers, 3-Status LED's to indicate: Power, Bluetooth and GPS signal.

Lightweight and easy to carry, the BT-368 is the ideal GPS receiver for most any application whether it be vehicle, aviation, marine or for topographical navigation and is compatible with most all NMEA compliant software sold on the market today

Optional USB Data Cable (Choose from drop down list)

USB cable set for use with the GlobalSat BT368i Bluetooth GPS receiver. This USB cable set interfaces the BT368i GPS receiver to your portable device (laptop, etc.) via a USB port. The baud rate must be set to 38400 for the BT368i to work with this data cable.

**Note: although this cable may look similar to the USB charging cable that comes packaged with the BT368i they do not serve the same purpose! This USB cables sole purpose is to transfer data only, while the other USB cable that comes packaged with the BT368i only charges the device.**

Package Includes:

BT-368 Bluetooth GPS Receiver

110VAC Wall Charger

12VDC Car Charger

USB charger cable

EU Plug

CD-ROM (User Manual & GPS Info Test Utility)

Visiontac VGPS-700 Bluetooth GPS Receiver

2012-01-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

Product Description:

SiRF Star III high performance and low power consumption chipset.

20 parallel satellite-tracking channels for fast acquisition and reacquisition.

Positioning accuracy between 1 to 5 meters. (SiRF Specification)

Compact, stylish and handy design, weight only 33g.

Excellent Bluetooth compatible function.

Enclosure made of GE Polycarbonate, with black high gloss piano finish

Unique in-vehicle auto power-on mode, with rich enclosed accessories.

Built-in high performance lithium polymer battery for 10-12 hours of battery life.

External battery pack included for total of 17-20 hours of battery life.

Support universal NMEA-0183 data protocol

Unique automatic power-on/off cable: when the vehicle starts the receiver is turned on automatically. When the vehicle stops the receiver is turned off automatically.

GPS Specification:

1. Chipset : SiRF Star III

2. Channel : 20Channel parallel satellite tracking

3. Time to First Fix (TTFF) : < Average 1/38/42 sec. (Hot/Warm/Cold start)

4. Antenna : Built-in active antenna

5. Output Message : NMEA 0183 (GPRMC, GPGGA, GPGSA, GPGSV)

6. Accuracy : Non DGPS (Differential GPS): 2.5m /CEP (50%), 5.0m /CEP(95%); With DGPS corrected (EGNOS/WASS): 1.0m /CEP(35-50%), 3.0m /CEP (95%)

7. Sensitivity: -159dBm tracking

8. Battery Life : 8-12 hours with built-in battery, 18-20 hours with external battery box

9. Dimension : 53.5(L)x32.5(W)x13.9(H)mm

Product Content:

GPS Receiver x 1

AC Charger x 1

Car Charger x 1

USB Charging Cable x 1

Auto Power-on/off Cable x 1

External Battery Box x 1

Battery Box Patch Cord x 1

Protective Leather Case x 1

Tool CD

User's Guide

Warranty Card

Support Information:

Visiontac Instrument Contact Information

Holux M-241 Bluetooth Data Logger GPS

2012-01-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

The M-241 is a high performance wireless GPS logger with the following features:

Dual interface (Bluetooth + GPS-mouse by USB cable).

Compatible with Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP) completely.

LCD display to show position information, speed, capable logging memory size, date & time.

Capable memory size to record up to 130,000 positions, including longitude, latitude, time, and altitude.

Personal settings to select the logging mode by distance or time, unit by Kilometer or mile, and 3 languages (English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese) support.

Features

Built-in MTK Low power consumption GPS chipset.

32 parallel satellite-searching channels for fast acquisition and reacquisition.

Superior sensitivity, up to -159 dBm.

Built-in WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS Demodulator without any additional hardware.

Completely compatible with Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP).

Low power consumption. Use AA alkaline batteries for up to 12 hours of operation.

Provide expanded terminal contact to other systems without the Bluetooth device.

Support NMEA0183 V 3.01 data protocol

Compact and lightweight design for ease of use.

Hardware Specification:

GPS Features

High Sensitivitiy Chipset

Frequency: L1, 1575.42MHz

C/A Code: 1.023MHz chip rate

Channels: Support 32 Channels

Antenna (internal): Built-in low noise

Time to First Fix (TTFF):

Cold Start: 36 sec.

Warm Start: 33 sec.

Hot Start: 1 sec.

Reacquisition: < 1 sec.

Update Rate: 1 Hz.

Accuracy

Position: <3m CEP (50%) without SA

Velocity: 0.1m/sec, without SA

Time: +/- 50ns synchronized to GPS time

DGPS: <2.2 M., Horizontal deviation 95% time

DGPS: <5 M., Vertical deviation 95 % time

Device Size and Weight

Dimension: 32.1mm X 30mm X 74.5mm

Weight: 39g without battery

LDC Display

System and satellite positioning status

Time

Position

Velocity

Distance measurement

Setup

Package Includes:

Holux M-241 Bluetooth Data Logger GPS

AA Battery

Car adapter + USB cable

Nylon strap

Quick Guide

Tool CD

Warranty-Card

Royaltek RBT-2300 Bluetooth Data Logger GPS

2012-01-06T06:06:00.001-08:00

Royaltek RBT-2300 is a dual function Bluetooth GPS and Data logger. It records travel information into the internal memory.

Features

SiRF Star III GPS chipset

20 parallel channels

NMEA0183 compliant protocol

Extreme fast TTFF at low signal level.

High sensitivity acquisition

Power saving features

Industrial Standard

Built-in user removable rechargeable battery

RBT-2300 More than 9 hrs. of operating time

SBAS(WAAS/ ENGOS) is supported

Support PDA and Mobile Phone Navigation

Dual Bluetooth / Data logger function

Supplied user friendly software utility that user can easy to set the record interval,or show record data on Google Map, Google Earth.

Product Specification:

Antenna

Receiver Frequency: 1575.42 MHz (L1 band) C/A code

Antenna Type: Built-in Patch Antenna

GPS Receiver

Technology: SiRF III GSC3f/LP

Satellite Measure Used: 20 channels all in view tracking

Operating Temperature: -20 degree to 50 degree C

Operation Time: 8+ hours with 580mAh Li-Ion Battery

Time to First Fix (TTFF)

Hot Start: 1 seconds typical

Warm Start: 35 seconds typical

Cold Start: 35 seconds typical

Receiver Configuration

Baud Rate: 57600 bps

Output Message: NMEA 0183 v3 (GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC)

DGPS: WAAS, EGNOS

Location Log

Log Data: UTC Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Velocity

Log Interval: 1 sec ~ 60 sec User configurable (Default 15 sec)

Log Configuration:
Type 1: Time, Logitude, Latitude (650,000 points)
Type 2: Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude (500,000 points)
Type 3: Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Velocity (400,000 points)

Log duration: Over 180 days (15 sec interval and 12 hour day)

Support Information:

RBT-2300 User Manual

Download Utility

Package Content:

Royaltek RBT-2300 Bluetooth Data Logger GPS x 1

Car Charger x 1

AC Wall Charger X 1

User Manual and Application CD x 1

Quick Start Guide x 1

Royaltek RDV-1000 GPS Car Driving Video Recorder

2012-01-06T06:05:00.001-08:00

Please note: MicroSD card is not included

Product Description:

RDV-1000 is a digital video recorder installed in car windshield to record video, audio data related to vehicle impact or accidents while driving. Product features a full-color LCD, wide-angle camera, built-in GPS and a 3-axis G sensor.

Features

Real time and Continuous recording

Audio Recording

GPS automatic Time setting

Backup battery support

Auto storing GPS information

Build in 3 axis G-sensor to store car acceleration information

Storing images manually

LCD Screen Display

Clear View day and night

Download English User Manual

Specifications

Locosys Genie GT-31 Waterproof Sport GPS Data Logger with SD Expansion Slot

2012-01-06T06:04:00.001-08:00

GT-31/BGT-31 unit MUST be used in a waterproof housing or bag when used in watersports. The device itself is waterproof but it will not withstand the use of in extreme sports. IPX7 is tested in the still water for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter.

Product Description:

Genie GT-31 is a professional data logger packed with the latest technology. It features SiRF III chipset for best reception and accuracy. The included high capacity battery can provide up to 30 hours continuous usage (backlit off) or 46 hours in lower power mode. The large backlit LCD screen provides various useful information

Features:

Waterproof to IPX7 standard (immersible in water for 30 minutes at 1 meter depth)

Dual storage (internal flash memory + SD card)

SiRF III lower power chipset

Up to 41 hours (backlit off) continuous / 62 hours (backlit off) low power mode operation time

Built in 10+ languages

1000 waypoints, 20 routes and 1 track

Built in flash memory to store 20,000 GPS data

10-seconds average speed display

Support Doppler speed

Google Earth KML/GPX format support

Support Information:

Tested Memory Cards

SanDisk 2G

Transcend 1G

Kingston 2G

PNY 2G

PQI 2G

Apacer 2G 60X

Recommended Software

SportsTrackLive: The site lets users upload tracks, compete and compare performance with one another. It performs all of the analysis available in RealSpeed, GPS Action Replay and more with support for the Locosys SBN file format.

Product FAQ and Mac Support Document

Product FAQ

Mac Support Document

LBS Location Based Services

2011-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

A Location-Based Service (LBS) is an information or entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] .^[4]
LBS can be used in a variety of contexts, such as health, indoor object search^[5], entertainment^[6], work, personal life, etc. .^[7]
LBS include services to identify a location of a person or object, such as discovering the nearest banking cash machine or the whereabouts of a friend or employee. LBS include parcel tracking and vehicle tracking services. LBS can include mobile commerce when taking the form of coupons or advertising directed at customers based on their current location. They include personalized weather services and even location-based games. They are an example of telecommunication convergence.
This concept of location based systems is not compliant with the standardized concept of real-time locating systems and related local services (RTLS), as noted in ISO/IEC 19762-5 ^[8] and ISO/IEC 24730-1.^[9]

History

Research forerunners of today's location-based services are the infrared Active Badge system (1989–1993), The Ericsson-Europolitan GSM LBS trial ran during 1995 by Jörgen Johansson and the master thesis written by Nokia employee Timo Rantalainen, in 1994.
In 1996 the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) issued rules requiring all US mobile operators to locate emergency callers. This rule was a compromise resulting from US mobile operators seeking the support of the emergency community in order to obtain the same protection from law suits relating to emergency calls as fixed-line operators already had.
In 1997 Christopher Kingdon, of Ericsson, handed in the Location Services (LCS) stage 1 description to the joint GSM group of the European Telecommunications Standard Institute(ETSI) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). As a result the LCS sub-working group was created under ANSI T1P1.5. This group went on to select positioning methods and standardize Location Services (LCS), later known as Location Based Services (LBS). Nodes defined include the Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC), the Serving Mobile Location Centre (SMLC) and concepts such as Mobile Originating Location Request (MO-LR), Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR) and Mobile Terminating Location Request (MT-LR).
In 2000, after approval from the worlds 12 largest telecom operators, Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia jointly formed and launched the Location Interoperability Forum Ltd (LIF). This forum first specified the Mobile Location Protocol (MLP), an interface between the telecom network and an LBS application running on a server in the Internet Domain. Then, much driven by the Vodafone group, LIF went on to specify the Location Enabling Server (LES), a "middleware", which simplifies the integration of multiple LBS with an operators infrastructure. In 2004 LIF was merged with the Open Mobile Association (OMA). A LBS work group was formed within the OMA.
The first consumer LBS-capable mobile web device was the Palm VII, released in 1999.^[10] Two of the in-the-box applications made use of the ZIP code-level positioning information and share the title for first consumer LBS application: the Weather.com app from The Weather Channel, and the^[11] TrafficTouch app from Sony-Etak / Metro Traffic.
The first LBS services were launched during 2000 by TeliaSonera in Sweden (friendfinder, yellow pages, houseposition, emergency call location etc.) and by EMT in Estonia (emergency call location, friend finder, TV game). TeliaSonera and EMT based their services on the Ericsson Mobile Positioning System (MPS).
Other early LBS include friendzone, launched by swisscom in Switzerland in May 2001, using the technology of valis ltd. The service included friend finder, LBS dating and LBS games.^[12] The same service was launched later by Vodafone Germany, Orange Portugal and Pelephone in Israel^[11]. Microsoft's Wi-Fi-based indoor location system RADAR (2000), MIT's Cricket project using ultrasound location (2000) and Intel's Place Lab with wide-area location (2003).^[13]
The first commercial LBS service in Japan was launched by DoCoMo, based on triangulation for pre-GPS handsets in July 2001, and by KDDI for the first mobile phones equipped with GPS in December 2001.^[14] Mobile handset makers have tended to take 'upstream initiative' to embed LBS in their mobile equipment. Originally, LBS was developed by mobile carriers in partnership with mobile content providers.
In May 2002, go2 and AT&T launched the first (US) mobile LBS local search application that used Automatic Location Identification (ALI) technologies mandated by the FCC. go2 users were able to use AT&T’s ALI to determine their location and search near that location to obtain a list of requested locations (stores, restaurants, etc.) ranked by proximity to the ALI provide by the AT&T wireless network. The ALI determined location was also used as a starting point for turn-by-turn directions.
The main advantage is that mobile users don't have to manually specify ZIP codes or other location identifiers to use LBS, when they roam into a different location. GPS tracking is a major enabling ingredient, utilizing access to mobile web.
In 2010, location-based services power Mobile Local Search to enable the search and discovery of persons, places, and things within an identifiable space defined by distinct parameters. These parameters are evolving. Today^[when?] they include social networks, individuals, cities, neighborhoods, landmarks, and actions that are relevant to the searcher's past, current, and future location. These parameters provide structure to vertically deep and horizontally broad data categories that can stand alone or are combined to form searchable directories.^[15]

Locating methods

Control Plane Locating

Sometimes referred to as positioning, with control plane locating the service provider gets the location based on the radio signal delay of the closest cell-phone towers (for phones without GPS features) which can be quite slow as it uses the 'voice control' channel.^[4] In the UK, networks do not use trilateration; LBS services use a single base station, with a 'radius' of inaccuracy, to determine a phone's location. This technique was the basis of the E-911 mandate and is still used to locate cellphones as a safety measure. Newer phones and PDAs typically have an integrated A-GPS chip.
In order to provide a successful LBS technology the following factors must be met:

Coordinates accuracy requirements that are determined by the relevant service;
Lowest possible cost;
Minimal impact on network and equipment.

Several categories of methods can be used to find the location of the subscriber.^[2]^[16] The simple and standard solution is GPS-based LBS. Sony Ericsson's "NearMe" is one such example. It is used to maintain knowledge of the exact location, however can be expensive for the end-user, as they would have to invest in a GPS-equipped handset. GPS is based on the concept of trilateration, a basic geometric principle that allows finding one location if one knows its distance from other, already known locations.

GSM Localization

GSM localization is the second option. Finding the location of a mobile device in relation to its cell site is another way to find out the location of an object or a person. It relies on various means of multilateration of the signal from cell sites serving a mobile phone. The geographical position of the device is found out through various techniques like time difference of arrival (TDOA) or Enhanced Observed Time Difference (E-OTD).

Others

Another example is Near LBS (NLBS), in which local-range technologies such as Bluetooth, WLAN, infrared and/or RFID/Near Field Communication technologies are used to match devices to nearby services. This application allows a person to access information based on their surroundings; especially suitable for using inside closed premises, restricted/ regional areas.
Another alternative is an operator- and GPS-independent location service based on access into the deep level telecoms network (SS7). This solution enables accurate and quick determination of geographical coordinates of mobile phone numbers by providing operator-independent location data and works also for handsets that are not GPS-enabled.
Many other Local Positioning Systems are available, especially for indoor use. GPS and GSM don't work very well indoors, so other techniques are used, including Bluetooth, UWB, RFID and Wi-Fi^[17]. But which technique provides the best solution for a specific LBS problem? A general model for this problem has been constructed at the Radboud University of Nijmegen.^[18]

Further information: Mobile phone tracking

LBS applications

Some examples of location-based services are ^[2]:

Recommending social events in a city^[1]
Requesting the nearest business or service, such as an ATM or restaurant
Turn by turn navigation to any address
Locating people on a map displayed on the mobile phone
Receiving alerts, such as notification of a sale on gas or warning of a traffic jam
Location-based mobile advertising
Asset recovery combined with active RF to find, for example, stolen assets in containers where GPS wouldn't work
Games where your location is part of the game play, for example your movements during your day make your avatar move in the game or your position unlocks content.
Real-time Q&A revolving around restaurants, services, and other venues

More examples are listed in.^[2]
For the carrier, location-based services provide added value by enabling services such as:

Resource tracking with dynamic distribution. Taxis, service people, rental equipment, doctors, fleet scheduling.
Resource tracking. Objects without privacy controls, using passive sensors or RF tags, such as packages and train boxcars.
Finding someone or something. Person by skill (doctor), business directory, navigation, weather, traffic, room schedules, stolen phone, emergency calls.
Proximity-based notification (push or pull). Targeted advertising, buddy list, common profile matching (dating), automatic airport check-in.
Proximity-based actuation (push or pull). Payment based upon proximity (EZ pass, toll watch).

In the U.S. the FCC requires that all carriers meet certain criteria for supporting location-based services (FCC 94-102). The mandate requires 95% of handsets to resolve within 300 meters for network-based tracking (e.g. triangulation) and 150 meters for handset-based tracking (e.g. GPS). This can be especially useful when dialing an emergency telephone number - such as enhanced 9-1-1 in North America, or 112 in Europe - so that the operator can dispatch emergency services such as Emergency Medical Services, police or firefighters to the correct location. CDMA and iDEN operators have chosen to use GPS location technology for locating emergency callers. This led to rapidly increasing penetration of GPS in iDEN and CDMA handsets in North America and other parts of the world where CDMA is widely deployed. Even though no such rules are yet in place in Japan or in Europe the number of GPS-enabled GSM/WCDMA handset models is growing fast. According to the independent wireless analyst firm Berg Insight the attach rate for GPS is growing rapidly in GSM/WCDMA handsets, from less than 8 percent in 2008 to 15 percent in 2009.^[19]
European operators are mainly using Cell-ID for locating subscribers. This is also a method used in Europe by companies such as Podsystem that are using cell based LBS as part of systems to recover stolen assets. In the US companies such as Rave Wireless in New York are using GPS and triangulation to enable college students to notify campus police when they are in trouble. Rave Wireless and other companies with location based offerings are powered by a variety of companies, including Skyhook Wireless and Xtify.

Mobile messaging

Mobile messaging plays an essential role in LBS. Messaging, especially SMS, has been used in combination with various LBS applications, such as location-based mobile advertising. SMS is still the main technology carrying mobile advertising / marketing campaigns to mobile phones. A classic example of LBS applications using SMS is the delivery of mobile coupons or discounts to mobile subscribers who are near to advertising restaurants, cafes, movie theatres. The Singaporean mobile operator MobileOne carried out such an initiative in 2007 that involved many local marketers, what was reported to be a huge success in terms of subscriber acceptance.
Companies offering location-based messaging (sometimes referred to as 'geo-messaging') include The Coupons App [1](US), Centrl [2](International), Zhiing (international), BluePont (US),^[20] Loopt (US), Dodgeball (US) and GeoMe [3](Spain).

Privacy issues

With the passing of the Can Spam Act in 2005, it became illegal in the United States to send any message to the end user without the end user specifically opting-in. This put an additional challenge on LBS applications as far as 'carrier-centric' services were concerned. As a result, there has been a focus on user-centric location-based services and applications which give the user control of the experience, typically by opting in first via a website or mobile interface (such as SMS, mobile Web, and Java/BREW applications).
The European Union also provides a legal framework for data protection that may be applied for location-based services, and more particularly several European directives such as: (1) Personal data: Directive 95/46/EC); (2) Personal data in electronic communications: Directive 2002/58/EC; (3) Data Retention: Directive 2006/24/EC. However the applicability of legal provisions to varying forms of LBS and of processing location data is unclear.^[21]
One implication of this technology is that data about a subscriber's location and historical movements is owned and controlled by the network operators, including mobile carriers and mobile content providers.^[22]
A critical article by Dobson and Fisher^[23] discusses the possibilities for misuse of location information.
Beside the legal framework there exist several technical approaches to protect privacy using privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs). Such PETs range from simplistic on/off switches ^[24] to sophisticated PETs using anonymization techniques,^[25] e.g., related to k-anonymity. Today, only few LBS offer such PETs, e.g., Google Latitude offers an on/off switch and allows to stick one's position to a free definable location. Additionally, it is an open question how users perceive and trust in different PETs. The only study that addresses user perception of state of the art PETs is.^[26]. Another set of techniques included in the PETs are the Location obfuscation techniques, which slightly alter the location of the users in order to hide their real location while still bein able to represent their position and receive services from their LBS provider.

RTLS Real Time Locating Systems

2011-08-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Real-time locating systems (RTLS) are a type of local positioning system that allow to track and identify the location of objects in real time. Using simple, inexpensive badges or tags attached to the objects, readers receive wireless signals from these tags to determine their locations.^[1] RTLS typically refers to systems that provide passive or active (automatic) collection of location information.
Location information usually does not include speed, direction, or spatial orientation. These additional measurements would be part of a navigation, maneuvering or positioning system.

Origin

The term RTLS was created (circa 1998) to describe an emerging technology that not only provided the Automatic Identification capabilities of active RFID tags, but added the ability to see the physical location of the tagged asset on a computer screen. Although this capability had been utilized previously by military and government agencies, the technology had been too expensive for commercial purposes.
By the early 1990's, commercialization began at two healthcare facilities in the United States (Foote Hospital in Jackson, MI and Broward Children's Hospital in Pompano Beach, FL). These early adoptors are atrributed to real-time locating industry innovator Precision Tracking (Versus Technology, Inc.) and were based on the transmission and decoding of infrared light signals from actively transmitting tags.

System designs

RTLS excludes passive RFID indexing (radio frequency transponder indexers) and Cellnet base station segment locators (location-based services) from the scope of the ISO/IEC approach to RTLS standardization as well as all beacon systems, that ping without request. RTLS systems apply typically in confined areas, where the required reference points would be equipped with wireless anchor nodes.

Operation

For RTLS to function, the location of tagged items must be determined either by a central processor or by an embedded mobile computing facility. Locating is generally accomplished in one of the following ways

1. ID signals from nodes are identifiable to a single reader in a sensory network thus indicating the coincidence of reader and nodes.
2. ID signals from nodes are picked up by a multiplicity of readers in a sensory network and a position is estimated using one or more locating algorithms
3. Location signals from signposts with identifiers are transmitted to the moving nodes and are then relayed, usually via a second wireless channel, to a location processor.
4. Mobile nodes communicate with each other and perform metering distances.

Examples one (1) and three (3) have much of the same characteristics. They typically require that a node be assigned at a time to a single reader/signpost. Separation from overlapping readers/signposts is roughly provided by RSSI or Physical Space Division (walls/floors/ceilings). Readers/signposts are often associated with highly stable location boundaries (i.e. a room or room division). In these examples, locations are listed as "Current Location" or "Last Known Location."
Example two (2) requires that distances between nodes in the sensory network be determined in order to precisely locate a node. In this instance, the determination of the location is called Localization. The location is calculated through Trilateration or Multilateration from the determined distance between the nodes or through Triangulation from the determined angles between nodes. The determination of distances is called Ranging.

Application

RTLS serves in operational areas for logistics and other services,as for example stock grounds or storehouses, and for servicing areas in clinics and industrial plants. Tasks done by a RTLS include:

to combine identity and location of any type of items or objects
to combine identity of items with location of lifter placing the items
to ensure permanent availability of proper information about temporary placement
to support notification of placing of items
to prove proper manning of operational areas
to prove consequent evacuation of endangered areas
to make marshalling staff dispensable

Standards

ISO/IEC

The basic issues of RTLS are standardized by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission, under the ISO/IEC 24730 series. In this series of standards, the basic standard ISO/IEC 24730-1 identifies the terms describing a form of RTLS used by a set of vendors, but does not encompass the full scope of RTLS technology.
Currently several standards are published or under discussion:

ISO/IEC FDIS 19762-5 Information technology AIDC techniques — Harmonized vocabulary, Part 5 — Locating systems
ISO/IEC 24730-1:2006 Information technology real-time locating systems (RTLS) Part 1: Application program interface (published).
ISO/IEC 24730-2:2006 Information technology real-time locating systems (RTLS) Part 2: 2,4 GHz Air interface protocol (published, WhereNet/Zebra approach).
ISO/IEC WD 24730-5 Information technology real-time locating systems (RTLS) Part 5: (drafted ISO/IEC standard out for balloting in 2008, Nanotron approach).

The other proposals ISO/IEC 24730-3 and ISO/IEC 24730-4 had never left the stage of intention. For copies of these documents see references.
These standards do not stipulate any special method of computing locations, nor the method of measuring locations. This may be defined in specifications for triangulation or any hybrid approaches to trigonometric computing for planar or spherical models of a terrestrial area.

ANSI standards

ANS/INCITS 371: Information Technology – Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS).

Ranging

Ranging, as a special term for measuring distance, is the prerequisite for locating. Measuring a bearing angle, i.e. angulating is the other alternative.
Determining the distance may be either a non cooperative scanning process, as with RADAR or LIDAR, or a cooperative direct distance measuring process, as with RTLS. A scanned beam may form an overall image as a model of the whole scene. In all other cases the image of the scene is rather selective.
The following step is extracting the distance information from the scanned image. Direct distance measurement with a single beam targets only the object to be measured, for example, with a laser. This method requires additional information about the direction of the beam. The remaining method is omni-directional transmission with a signal containing an address code. Only the addressed object responds to the request. The time required for the signal to reach the object can be used to calculate the distance. After completing the distance measurement, the location may be computed.
There are two different principles when measuring travel time of radio waves:

Trilateration derives the travel time of a radio signal from a metering unit, and measures and computes the distance with the relation of light speed in vacuum, the (Time of arrival concept).

Triangulation derives the travel time of a pair of synchronous radio signals from a metering unit with two transmitters, and measures and computes the difference of distance with the relation of light speed in vacuum as an angle versus the baseline of the two transmitters (TDOA time difference of arrival concept).

All the terms named here just apply to measurement concepts. All information about location is for services applied to mobile or portable or otherwise transportable objects. Location information may be relevant for managing interaction of persons with services as well.

Angle of arrival (AoA)
Line-of-sight (LoS)
Time of arrival (ToA)
Multilateration (Time difference of arrival) (TDoA)
Time-of-flight (ToF)
Two-way ranging (TWR) according to Nanotron’s patents
Symmetrical Double Sided – Two Way Ranging (SDS-TWR)
Near-field electromagnetic ranging (NFER)

Privacy concerns

RTLS may be seen a threat to privacy, if applied to persons, either directly or parasitically. The requirement therefore is to describe the purpose and the conditions of operation to those affected and to advertise for expressed agreement. Recent adjustment of jurisdiction leads to more careful assessment of needs and options. The newly declared human right of informational self-determination de:Informationelle Selbstbestimmung, i.e. to prevent one's identity and personal data from disclosure to others, covers disclosure of locality as well. Base of discussion is very similar to disclosure of personal data for passing immigration at US airports: Balancing threat and burden [4].

Types of technologies used

There is a wide variety of systems concepts and designs to provide real-time locating. A good choice is listed in RTLS for Dummies by Ajay Malik (Wiley 2009).^[2] Methods include:

Active radio frequency identification (Active RFID)
Active radio frequency identification - infrared hybrid (Active RFID-IR)
Infrared (IR)
Optical locating,^[3]^[4]
Low-frequency signpost identification
Semi-active radio frequency identification (semi-active RFID)
Radio beacon,^[5]^[6]
Ultrasound Identification (US-ID) ^[7]
Ultrasonic ranging (US-RTLS) ^[8]
Ultra-wideband (UWB) ^[9]
Wide-over-narrow band ^[10]
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN, Wi-Fi)^[11]
Bluetooth,^[12]^[13]
Clustering in noisy ambience,^[14]^[15]
Bivalent systems ^[16]

A general model for selection of the best solution for a locating problem has been constructed at the Radboud University of Nijmegen.^[17] Many of these references do not comply with the definitions given in international standardization with ISO/IEC 19762-5 ^[18] and ISO/IEC 24730-1.^[19] However, some aspects of real-time performance are served and aspects of locating are addressed in context of absolute coordinates.

Locations for sensors

Locating at choke points

There is class of most simple locating which applies no physical measurement at all, but just communicates at coincidence of transceiver and transponder. Then locating collapses to simple application of RFID technologies according to the equivalent standard.^[20] This is the only option to apply passive RFID tags for locating. Then the reach of the RFID reader determines the choke point. Hence accuracy is defined by the sphere spanned with the reach of the reader.

Locating in relative coordinates

Many references describe locating a relative coordinates. This is a valuable support for many operational needs, whereas the precision of the term RTLS is widely diluted to arbitrary interpretation. Such solutions may be referred as fuzzy locating.

Locating in absolute coordinates

The high precision of satellite navigation systems led to some snugness in setting the requirements for locating of objects. generally the determining of absolute coordinates is the most challenging approach. Such solutions may be referred as crisp locating.The difference to the qualities of relative coordinates may be easily sensed with indoor operations, where satellites are not commonly available for referring to global coordinates.

Locating in contiguity

A newer approach for locating defines a location just as the contiguous ambience of the person looking for something to be located. That is very similar to choke point locating, However, the accuracy may be much better tuned, as the reach is not influenced by the illumination of the tag with the reader, but just by the transmission power level of the active RFID tag as a beacon.
This is the easy option to apply active RFID tags for economised locating. Then the reach of the RFID receiver determines the base point. Hence accuracy is defined by the algorithm for varying the minimum reach of transmission of the beacon. Solutions ara available as very simple electronic leashes or in more complex designs.

Erratic effects in locating systems

Real-time locating is affected by a variety of errors. The major reasons are physical and may not be reduced by improving the technical equipment. The only escape is mathematical intelligence to improve.

None or no direct response

Many RTLS systems have a very mundane requirement: they require direct and clear wireless visibility. For those systems, where there is no visibility on the path from mobile tags to resident nodes there will be no result or a non valid result from locating engine. This applies to satellite locating as well as other RTLS systems such as angle of arrival and time of arrival. Fingerprinting is a way to overcome the visibility issue: If the locations in the tracking area contain distinct measurement fingerprints, line of sight is not necessarily needed. For example, if each location contains a unique combination of signal strength readings from transmitters, the location system will function properly. This is true, for example, with some Wi-Fi based RTLS solutions. However, having distinct signal strength fingerprints in each location typically requires a fairly high saturation of transmitters.

False location

The measured location may appear entirely faulty. This is a generally result of simple operational models to compensate for the plurality of error sources. It proves impossible to serve proper location after ignoring the errors.

Locating backlog

Real time is no registered branding and has no inherent quality. A variety of offers sails under this term. As motion causes location changes, inevitably the latency time to compute a new location may be dominant with regard to motion. Either an RTLS system that requires waiting for new results is not worth the money or the operational concept that asks for faster location updates does not comply with the chosen systems approach.

Temporary location error

Location will never be reported exactly, as the term real-time and the term precision directly contradict in aspects of measurement theory as well as the term precision and the term cost contradict in aspects of economy. That is no exclusion of precision, but the limitations with higher speed are inevitable.

Steady location error

Recognizing a reported location steadily apart from physical presence generally indicates the problem of insufficient over-determination and missing of visibility along at least one link from resident anchors to mobile transponders. Such effect is caused also by insufficient concepts to compensate for calibration needs.

Location jitter

Noise from various sources has an erratic influence on stability of results. The aim to provide a steady appearance increases the latency contradicting to real time requirements.

Location jump

As objects containing mass have limitations to jump, such effects are mostly beyond physical reality. Jumps of reported location not visible with the object itself generally indicate improper modeling with the location engine. Such effect is caused by changing dominance of various secondary responses.

Location creep

Location of residing objects gets reported moving, as soon as the measures taken are biased by secondary path reflections with increasing weight over time. Such effect is caused by simple averaging and the effect indicates insufficient discrimination of first echoes.

Fuzzy Tracking and Locating System

2011-08-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Fuzzy locating is a rough but reliable method based on appropriate measuring technology for estimating a location of an object. The concept of precise or ‘’crisp locating’’ is replaced with respect to the operational requirements and the economic viability. In most cases the knowledge of exact coordinates does not contribute to operations, but the spatial or planar relation between entities is relevant. Hence fuzzy locating determines the radial distances between entities involved in an operational process and reduces the required accuracy of measurement to basic qualities of close, near or far and to relations simple as in or out. However such segregation shall be achieved with high reliability and sound repetition.

Basics

The term fuzzy relates to rough spatial coincidence or contiguity assessment compared to the alternative crisp locating, which derives precise coordinates of a location of an object. The fuzzy part of the locating process balances the physical and the mathematical portions of processing measurement data of the objects involved and a priori knowledge with the operational ambience.
The result of fuzzy locating shall suffice for operational support and not for metric confirmation of measures taken at earlier occasions. However, available information is exploited as a priori knowledge. Fuzzy locating compares with the distinction respectively segregation of mathematical logic with the terms crisp sets and crisp relations or fuzzy sets and fuzzy relations.
Systematic and stochastic errors occurring under operational requirements and conditions turn virtually precise measures in a friendly ambience to fuzzy metrics. In even worse ambient conditions, which mostly applies to wireless propagation in ISM bands this leads to erratic results and various misinterpretation. In consequence the trade off between technical effort and achieved operational support adjusts inevitably to physical limitations as well as to weaknesses in mathematical modeling. Better resolved balancing deliberately neglects classical terms of precision in favour of a strong commitment for operational unambiguity.

The techno-economic challenge

Generally precision is obtained at expense. The balancing of capital expenditure and of operational cost shall take into account not what is possible, but what is necessary. A better designed balancing leads to the less precise fuzzy locating at much lesser expense: As a more general approach, fuzzy locating is a method for best estimating a roughly determined location of an object as a distinction of operational contiguity. Contiguity means more or less a handy distance between an individual and an object. Three basic situations generally apply:

Basic task is for example current presence in a room, well discriminated from other adjacent rooms.
The more challenging requirement is to segregate the presence of an object or an individual at just one of several work positions in the very same room or with any other known and well referred place on this room.
The more generalized approach hence is the spatial relationship between an object and an individual in any ambience, defining the actual location of either the object or alternatively the individual as the point of reference.

In all three cases the absolute coordinates are not of interest, as long as the discrimination of rooms or work positions is reliably achieved.

Wireless, optical and acoustical approaches

For the locating task an object to be located must be at least equipped with a wireless tag in a wireless communication environment. Each operating wireless target in a wireless communication environment may contribute. Prerequisite for radio frequency based wireless cooperation is some cohesion of the wireless nodes in a networking concept. Each wireless target has at least one physical propagation parameter that varies with location. Better qualified approaches make use of more than one physical parameter.
Alternatively optical and acoustical solutions are known. Variation of parameters is partly deterministic with varying distances between wireless nodes. A location estimate approximating the real location of the transmitter preferably under real time constraints is determined on the basis of a stochastical model of propagation and a model for the process of observation in a noisy ambience and on a chosen set of observed deterministic parameters of transmission and propagation.

Implemented examples

Several suppliers offer the so-called electronic leash solution. This serves for wirelessly tethering mobile appliances with each other. The RSSI estimate serves for a radial metrics, but without any certified calibration. Setting an alam on unintentional loss is the key servcice offered with this concept. An advanced aspect has been launched with Bluetooth low energy for better economised battery life cycle. Special trimming serves for two years operation from a button cell^[1].

Comparison to metric locating

Metric or crisp locating determines a spatial or planar relationship between independently moving or residing entities (usually addressed as targets) by means of qualified methods for measuring distances. This is the topic for example of

satellite positioning systems, as GPS or Galileo or
real time locating systems (RTLS) as defined with ISO/IEC 19762-5 or
inertial navigation systems (INS)

These technologies generally make use of a travel time measurement as the approach with best resolution and precision. Further enhancement is achieved with time differences discriminated for severalpaths. Such basic or enhanced travel time measurement requires a multiplicity of measures for unambiguous locating.
All of these sophisticated physical methods of measuring are hampered with a challenge caused by motion and caused by transmitter population. This makes restrictions effective in time both for observation and capture and for communication of measurement data. In consequence, the pecuniary and the technical effort adjusts to physical limitations and the limited metric precision with a special aspect to operational clarity. Such balancing neglects classical terms of metric precision, prevents from over-interpreting erratic measures and provides sufficient escape.
Additionally the model of propagation contributes to the achieved results. In satellite based systems generally direct line of sight is generally required, without escape. That determines the restriction with applying such approach between buildings or, even worse, inside buildings: The highest precision does not compensate for bad visibility. Whenever the path of propagation gets cranked, the result of time measurement gets biased.
In comparison to locating on the move, exactly determining a location with highest possible precision is the topic of geodesy and surveying. These disciplines traditionally do not deal with motion and may integrate over long time. The terms of 'locating', 'positioning' and 'navigating' or 'surveying' are commonly used in almost equivalence, hence neglecting that the sense of these terms is different concerning sensor and actor functions and motion conditions.

Radio signal strength indication (RSSI) as a coarse metrics

For many purposes, a distinct and reliable determination of a location relative to somewhat rastered position on a floor or just a room in a building will be sufficient for sound fuzzy locating by single measurements.
Typically fuzzy locating coincides with simple power level measurement, usually configured as unilateration. A combination of multiple distance measurement, as a multilateration, based on power level measurement, appears unbalanced. The effort for multiple measures aiming at an unambiguous multilateration process will not be justified with the achievable precision of the results of power level measures.
Though leaving some ambiguity with sparse measurements, the contiguity may be assessed applying a priori knowledge. Such includes primarily tracking motion over time. As a generalized approach the fuzzy locating based on power levels measured with wireless nodes will roughly suffice for coarse guessing a location, where an object or a person with a wireless node resides in contiguity to other wireless nodes in a wireless environment.
Therefore each wireless node recognises the received power level with the distance to the transmitting wireless node and this parameter can be measured. Some additional calibration parameters serve as a basis for the statistical model of the parameters of propagation in a known neighborhood of distributed wireless nodes and of other passive objects, which influence propagation. A location estimate, which approximates the approach of the transmitting node, will be described with the stochastic model of propagation and the statistics of the monitored parameters.

Offered discrimination of positions

For applications where no need for absolute coordinates determination is assessed, the implementing of a more simple solution is advantageous. Compared to multilateration as the concept of crisp locating, the other option is fuzzy locating, where just one distance delivers the relation between detector and detected object. This most simple approach is unilateration. However, such unilateration approach never delivers the angular position with reference to the detector. Many solutions are available today ^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6].
Some of these vendors offer a position estimate based on combining several laterations (Ekahau, ZOMOFI). This approach may often appear instable, when the wireless ambience is regularly affected by moving or re-positioning of metal objects or water masses. Other vendors offer room discrimination with a room-wise excitation, one vendor offers a position discrimination with a contiguity excitation.

Offered qualities with auxiliary mapping

Increasing accuracy means increasing cost. The most indirect approach is the increase of distributed anchor nodes (Ekahau). The first direct approach simply is a fixed excitation through wall-mounted wireless nodes or optical excitors. That will provide a sound room discrimination in any case (Sonitor, RF Code, TokLoc). The second direct approach is the position discrimination using apparently available infrastructure objects, as with networked work stations yet equipped with Bluetooth transponders (TokLoc).
The easy escape beyond increase of accuracy in measuring is the accuracy gain with mapping. Such mapping seldom suffices when performed statically. The more advantageous approach is a combination of initial mapping based on floor plans or area maps with an intelligent update based on updates obtained from actual measuring. That is offered with the concept of simultaneous Locating and Mapping ^[7].

Physical restrictions

Measurement of propagation parameters is generally heavily loaded with various noise components. Such noise may be stochastic ([white noise]) or deterministic or a mixture of noises with limited bandwidth ([pink noise]).
As with all wireless systems, qualities of measurement in any one aspect contradict to qualities in some other aspects:

Especially extension of reach collides with reducing the separation limits.
Also increase of probing duration collides with motion speed.
Generally the requirement for unambiguous locating requires a set of measured distances.

Such contracdictions result in challenges for systems performance and in hard restrictions concerning timely parallel availability of certain quality levels. Facing limitations as inevitable, the implementer of a locating systems has to determine the operational requirements first and then has to make a choice under a set of alternatives and must scale the adjoint limitations. The outcome is always a compromise with trade offs usually in budgetary effort and in technical precision. Any chosen alternative generally will exclude certain other technical options from operational availability.

Noisy ambience as a general condition

In technical terms, operational environments are generally noisy. For measuring that is not a friendly ambience. Systematic and stochastic errors under operational requirements and conditions turn virtually precise measures to fuzzy metrics. The measuring results get in worse in a densely populated ambience especially in the vicinity of other electrically active objects. Even physically passive surfaces contribute to the measurement problem. All physical effects tend to contribute unsteady and non linear behavior. Hence the physical measurement errors lead to biased or erratic results under such noisy conditions.

Frequency spread as an option

One escape from collision problems with wireless networks is the separation of the measuring and the communications processes with allocation to different frequencies, however requiring respective dual transponder capabilities. Another escape from collision problems with wireless networks is the spread of signals with stochastic coding.

Time as a restriction for measuring

Even if targets do not move, time is a restriction with the performing of a locating function. The first impact is that of allowed minimal distinct time differences that define the theoretically best resolution. This varies conceptually between phase discrimination in fractions of a cycle to be measured and full cycles to be counted. In competition for non-colliding transmission, time may appear as the main aspect with systems that use the very same frequency band. Other stochastic frequency allocation may ease the thrive for results, but normally coincide with lower allowance for power according to the set conditions of unlicensed usage.
Allowable time differences mostly vary with motion of the observed target. As for locating with absolute coordinates in a noisy environment several measurements are required and for disambiguation in space generally four measurements from independent reference points determine a target location, time appears as the sparse parameter.

Sequencing as a restriction

In general, the strict sequencing of tasks appears with single tasking in one processor. Similarly the factual sequencing on only one frequency results from anti collision procedures. Both types of sequencing produce some dilation of time (with anti collision) or some dilution of location (with moving targets), while the respective wireless processes are performed by each target.

Bandwidth as a restriction

The measuring of signals with steady modulation is bound to bandwidth of the modulated carrier. The measuring of chirped signals is equivalently bound to bandwidth of the transmitted pulses. In both methods the available bandwidth limits the precision of measurement.

Resolution as a restriction

Technical means for measuring offer limited resolution and respective digitizing errors. This limits again the quality of results. Any way to overcome such limits raises system cost. Hence the escape again is not in improving the technical effort, but directs to the mathematical yield.

Battery life cycle as a limiting factor

The use of primary or secondary cells in wireless nodes limits both the time of operation as well as the life cycle without change for fresh batteries or just recharging. The mode of operation will be designed accordingly to widen the span of battery supply. That may be achieved by sleep up mode with respective wake up circuitry, operating without receiver in connectionless beacon mode, low repetition cycles and optimally low transmission power. An integrated loading circuit raises cost but saves the cost for external contacts. An unchangeable primary battery improves by lower self discharge compared to secondary cells, but causes the need for complete replacement or at least of the casing facultatively.

Motion as a dynamic challenge

When a target moves at a certain speed, the sequential measuring of distances from such transmitter target to a set of responder targets may deliver distance data for the subsequent locations at each measuring directly back to the transmitter target. This effect is independent from architecture of the network.
However, a measuring triggered from the transmitter target but performed almost in parallel by a set of receiver targets delivers a much better result under motion conditions, but requires either a server function for collecting the resulting data or requires additional response back to the triggering transceiver target.
The other escape is to apply a procedure to bundle the required measurements for each target in direct sequence thus reducing one effect of motion challenge by saving the preparation times for a reporting communications link. If not, then the competition for non-colliding transmission will lengthen the time span for each set of transmissions.

Population as restriction

When several targets move independently in the same area or space and same wireless reach and also request locating independently and potentially in timely conflict using on the very same frequency for communications and for measurement, then the required measurements in one single ambience may collide. One escape again is the separation of the measuring and the communications processes with allocation to different frequencies, however requiring respective dual transponder capabilities.

Line of sight as a problem

In any case, line of sight is required for correct distance measurements. This may be eased by using auxiliary targets, but then increases the count of measurements. And the usage of auxiliary targets burdens the results with an increase of numeric inaccuracy.

Multipath propagation as a problem

Multipath propagation is inevitable with wireless systems. The reception from any transmitter and the response to any transmission are both challenged by the option of multiple propagation paths. If there is none but a single cranked path, there is no desired result at all, and the option to discriminate false measures from proper measures fails completely.
Typical issues with multipath propagation are fading, dither, diffraction, combining as non-linearity effects for the distance model. Additionally with power level measure the transmission through walls delivers rough errors, even with travel time measurement such error occurs.

Mathematical requirements and options

Mathematics serves for everything that cannot be covered by physics approaches. The assumption that a most qualified electro technical approach solves all problems arising from measurement is naïve and does not lead to sufficient results. At least thriving for best performance only at the expense of electronics is not an economized approach.
An operationally sufficient locating system will balance benefit and effort. Measurement and estimate shall take motion into account. This must not include the measuring of motion itself, but proper assessment of current and past motion to estimates. All estimate approximating the real location of the target is determined on the basis of a statistical model for the observed stochastic processes. Such model and estimation will use the set of observed propagation parameters. Some calibration data may serve as a basis for a statistical model of the propagation parameters. Such calibration is performed versus a spatial distribution of radio energy and with aspect to a known spatial distribution of corresponding targets. Other passive objects affecting propagation interfere with wireless operation and measurement.

Filtering as a basic requirement

Any measurement is always biased with disturbances from ambient radiation out of electrical units with switches, from other wireless units and from stationary equipment as computers. To eliminate erratic results, some estimation based on past behavior, current dynamic properties and with reference to coupling mechanisms is recommended. State of the art for such tracking is e.g. extended Kalman filtering. Approaches that do not apply filtering produce no reasonable results. However, scalar filtering uses the model of residence in a fixed location or stationary motion. If abrupt turning the direction of motion, the filter algorithm may totally fail until filtering has recovered from tracking a sufficient walk in the new direction has been performed.

Statistics as a means for estimation

In case of biased signals the prerequisite for filtering is some statistic estimation, which serves for eliminating the large errors and smoothes a sequence of measurement results. This may be integrated with filtering, as far as the eliminating of large errors does not bias the filtering process under any conditions.

Quadratic equations as a problem

The determining equations are quadratic ones, thus requiring at least one more equation (n+1) than defined by dimension (n). This leads to a minimum requirement of three equations for planar problems and four equations for spatial problems.

Over determination as a support

The common approach to locating calculations may be the inversion of the Euclidic distance equations. However, such deterministic approach does not serve for the balancing in over determined equation systems. The easy approach is the exploitation of Gauss’ least squares principle with the multi dimensional scaling according to Torgerson.

Wireless coexistence

Many offered systems architectures and product offerings use license free ISM frequency bands and reside in similar channel patterns. The operating of fuzzy locating shall not compromise the communications options. Some restrictions apply not to infringe this requirement.

Technology approaches and options

The second step after scalar calculation is the involvement of model data according to the dimensionality of the motion. If reference is made to targets in other planes but the plane on which the moving targets may operate, such model must be a three dimensional model. For model based operations, there are several options.

Coincident locating as the initial option

Imagine a worker operating with a handheld reader of any type. The person is skilled to capture the identity of an object and used reader will report the capturing with time stamp. Such report discloses the location of capture as far as this information is reported in contents. The mandatory condition could be some automatic means to capture the location at the moment of identifying. In all other cases the quality and reliability of the location report limits the validity of the e.g. vocally reported data.
In all implementations of automatic data acquisition and locating systems the option of locating a handheld reader in the moment of manual triggering shall be foreseen as the fall back option. Otherwise the robustness of automatic data acquisition systems operation is bound to availability of automatic operation only.

Choke point locating as the poorest option

A choke point is a static bottleneck in process flow designs. There the passage of individuals and/or objects may indicate the identity of such entity to a steadily installed identifier unit. This approach under all conditions is restricted to just one location.
Politics and Sales force may describe that as locating, but it is definitively still just identifying.

Power mapping as a first poor option

Propagation of radio signals happens according to Maxwell’s equations and includes attenuation in atmosphere proportional to distance, Such concept is the basis for power mapping. The irregularities from local ambient conditions may be taken into account by power measurement in the operational area to correct the theoretically linear attenuation with distance. However, this approach does not work with an accuracy of better than 10% of the calculated distances in the range of propagation, thus leading to accuracies in the range of some meters.

Time distance equivalence for radiation

Propagation of radio signals happens according to Maxwell’s equations and includes travel time in atmosphere proportional to distance, Such concept is the basis for precise distance measurement. The irregularities from local ambient conditions are not dominant, thus the approach is more precise than power measurement. So this approach works with an accuracy of better than 1% of the calculated distances in the range of propagation, thus leading to accuracies in the range of some centimeters. However, this approach serves as well for line of sight propagation as for indirect reflected propagation.

Space model as a strong option

To escape the biasing with secondary paths, there must be some reasoning that excludes the physically impossible locations from sets of results from locating. Simply, all calculated locations in material will be assessed as erratic, all calculated locations at distances not possible with inherent speed limits will be assessed as erratic and all locations above ground will be assessed impossible for floor operation. The requirement for space modeling leads to depicting the operational planes different from the limits to such planes, as walls, racks, and other installations.

Statistical model to exploit the measurements

There is no chance to base stable results for location on single measurements. Statistics allow for

combining subsequent measurement results to form a track
smoothing a single location from subsequent measurement results
iterating stable results from coarse first estimates

The methods for computing a set of results are described in context of various applications not just with locating technologies.

Fuzzy reasoning with discrete spatial compartments

As far as locating just has to support discrimination of rooms where a target may reside, the continuous model approaches may be combined with reasoning procedures to eliminate improbable results and to exclude operationally invalid locations from potential depicting a scenery. The known methods of inference apply to such processing.

Geometric mapping contributions to reasoning

As far as the ambient operational conditions are stable, a geometric mapping of the neighborhood may support the reasoning. Then all massive obstacles describe the residual space of operation. As well such mapping will support the systematic and well determined consideration of multipath propagation effects. Hence geometric mapping derives the major gain compared to Bayes' estimators.

Adaptive approaches

A common approach as preparatory mapping requires steady conditions and a constant ambience. This crucial condition is not fulfilled in dynamic operational theatres. However, a robust solution will always detect and investigate the actual conditions and reconnoiter the present ambience. For robot navigation, the methods of adaptive systems design, hence application of learning functions, is state of the art. However, adaptation requires time. A fully adaptive solution not applying a priori knowledge will be rather slow and will show limited dynamics. A balanced combination of adaptive functions will allow for best performance in a generally known ambience and cope for all changes that occurred after last encounter.

Operational requirements

Locating arises from operational challenges. Traditional understanding of well kept enterprises with well educated staff is undermined with a thriving for reduced skills to achieve lesser cost. In result and in addition with continuing socio-economical disparities the processes and objects under control are threatened by negligence, fraud and theft.

Evidence

A simple indication of presence is given with the signal used for locating an object or a person. However, as presence may be temporary, a time stamp is required to adduce evidence in retrospective.

Cooperation requirement

Persons carrying transponders or tagged objects with transponders might not be willing to be observed though having agreed earlier to this process. Then cooperation may be technically required, but individually denied. The robustness of the detection hence shall not be dependent to such cooperation. Especially covering the transponder or tearing off the transponder or otherwise tampering must be sensed automatically.

Proof of presence

The presence of an object or a person in an operational vicinity is a strong demand. Absence of required resources generally affects planned processes. Therefore the proof of presence may be performed as far as possible before binding of additional resources happens.

Co-locating of staff

Specially team work is bound to availability of required staff. The persons involved in a scheduled operation are well skilled to determine who is missing, but locating the missing parties is not that easy and may be strongly improved by system support.

Discrimination of rooms

To allow for operation the respective room shall coincide with the scheduled action. Any request to operate under restrictions outside the planned confined area is suspect and may challenge security of processes and of secured knowledge. Locating the acting entities in the named confinement contributes to fulfilling security requirements.

Coincidence of presence and challenge

A person may try to access secured data, material or other resources outside the well secured rooms or areas. However, control may not always secure the subordination of the user to given orders. Locating simply in close distance or just in contiguity to allowed work positions may confirm the request for access as a basic feature.
Other application is coincidence of service provider, e.g.physician, with service requestor, e.g. patient, in a hospital. After identifying both persons as estimating their radial distance then access to the patient's file may be granted without any error. Such function would not be viable with precise or crisp systems as precision and allowable cost are in contradiction with absolute coordinate estimates.

Quality requirements

The above listed terms will show that the definition of desired precision and accuracy, of repeatability and delays alone does not comply with a proper definition of requirements under aspects of cost. However, other terms of quality apply without restrictions.

Tamper proof identity

Basic requirement for any means to support locating is a tamper proof inherent identity of the carrying target with secured access. The secrecy of the identity prevents from plump copying threat and the tamper protection prevents from manipulating the target.

Self identifying authenticity

Persons who pursue to access data and applications normally authenticate themselves. Such authentication is generally bound to known locations, where the persons are authorized to perform work. Locating persons when they challenge authorization procedures is and advantage to prevent from fraud and theft.

Object identifying security

Numerous means are known to identify objects. Normally the location where hand held units are operated are just roughly determined by the access point where connection to network is made. However such locating is still an improvement in many operations to secure knowledge about whereabouts of objects upon identifying.

Tracking capability

In larger context of spatially distributed services and especially in logistics, numerous objects are in use in parallel, in different locations or on the move. Especially with transportation whereabouts of objects are understood as an essential to achieve high quality of service. As far as trust is with the forwarder, no problem exists on the journey and locating may happen just on leave and upon arrival. But third party infringements may collide with this assumption and generate a demand for permanent tracking on the journey as well. Then fuzzy locating is an economized and sufficient approach, which shall not provide location data with high metric accuracies, but status information with checkable and justifiable evidence.

Tracing capability

In case single objects are lost, the capability to trace the whereabouts is another option to get access to the missing target again. However, this tracing is performed on yet available data and no means will deliver the data from the past without respective precautions. Especially in transportation whereabouts of lost objects are understood as an essential to retrieve the missing belongings.

Alert on deviation

Easily any deviation from planned course, set route and scheduled arrival may lead to an alert. This requires timely locating and comparison of captured data with planning.

GPS Global Positiong System Modernization

2011-08-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

GPS modernization

The United States' Global Positioning System (GPS), having reached Fully Operational Capability on July 17, 1995^[1] has completed its original design goals. However, additional advances in technology and new demands on the existing system led to the effort to modernize the GPS system. Announcements from the Vice President and the White House in 1998 initiated these changes. In 2000, U.S. Congress authorized the effort, referred to as GPS III.
The project involves new ground stations and new satellites, with additional navigation signals for both civilian and military users, and aims to improve the accuracy and availability for all users.
Lockheed Martin was awarded the GPS III Space Segment contract on May 15, 2008. The first launch is projected for 2014.^[2] Raytheon was awarded the Next Generation GPS Control Segment (OCX) contract on Feb 25, 2010.^[3]

New Navigation Signals

Civilian L2 (L2C)

One of the first announcements was the addition of a new civilian-use signal to be transmitted on a frequency other than the L1 frequency used for the existing GPS Coarse Acquisition (C/A) signal. Ultimately, this became known as the L2C signal because it is broadcast on the L2 frequency (1227.6 MHz). It is transmitted by all block IIR-M and later design satellites.
The L2C signal is tasked with providing improved accuracy of navigation, providing an easy-to-track signal, and acting as a redundant signal in case of localized interference.
The immediate effect of having two civilian frequencies being transmitted from one satellite is the ability to directly measure, and therefore remove, the ionospheric delay error for that satellite. Without such a measurement, a GPS receiver must use a generic model or receive ionospheric corrections from another source (such as a Satellite Based Augmentation System). Advances in technology for both the GPS satellites and the GPS receivers have made ionospheric delay the largest source of error in the C/A signal. A receiver capable of performing this measurement is referred to as a dual frequency receiver. The technical characteristics of it are:

L2C contains two distinct PRN sequences:
- CM (for Civilian Moderate length code) is 10,230 bits in length, repeating every 20 milliseconds.
- CL (for Civilian Long length code) is 767,250 bits, repeating every 1500 milliseconds (i.e., every 1.5 s).
- Each signal is transmitted at 511,500 bits per second (bit/s), however they are multiplexed to form a 1,023,000 bit/s signal.
CM is modulated with a 25 bit/s navigation message with forward error correction, whereas CL is a non-data sequence (it does not contain additional modulated data).
The long, non-data CL sequence provides for approximately 24 dB greater correlation protection (~250 times stronger) than L1 C/A.
L2C signal characteristics provide 2.7 dB greater data recovery and 0.7 dB greater carrier tracking than L1 C/A
The L2C signals' transmission power is 2.3 dB weaker than the L1 C/A signal.
In a single frequency application, L2C has 65% more ionospheric error than L1.

It is defined in IS-GPS-200.^[4]

Military (M-code)

A major component of the modernization process, a new military signal called M-code was designed to further improve the anti-jamming and secure access of the military GPS signals. The M-code is transmitted in the same L1 and L2 frequencies already in use by the previous military code, the P(Y) code. The new signal is shaped to place most of its energy at the edges (away from the existing P(Y) and C/A carriers).
Unlike the P(Y) code, the M-code is designed to be autonomous, meaning that users can calculate their positions using only the M-code signal. P(Y) code receivers must typically first lock onto the C/A code and then transfer to lock onto the P(y)-code.
In a major departure from previous GPS designs, the M-code is intended to be broadcast from a high-gain directional antenna, in addition to a wide angle (full Earth) antenna. The directional antenna's signal, termed a spot beam, is intended to be aimed at a specific region (i.e. several hundred kilometers in diameter) and increase the local signal strength by 20 dB (10X voltage field strength, 100X power). A side effect of having two antennas is that the GPS satellite will appear to be two GPS satellites occupying the same position to those inside the spot beam.
While the full-Earth M-code signal is available on the Block IIR-M satellites, the spot beam antennas will not be available until the Block III satellites are deployed, tentatively in 2013.
Other M-code characteristics are:

Satellites will transmit two distinct signals from two antennas: one for whole Earth coverage, one in a spot beam.
Modulation is binary offset carrier
Occupies 24 MHz of bandwidth
It uses a new MNAV navigational message, which is packetized instead of framed, allowing for flexible data payloads
There are four effective data channels; different data can be sent on each frequency and on each antenna.
It can include FEC and error detection
The spot beam is ~20 dB more powerful than the whole Earth coverage beam
M-code signal at Earth's surface: –158 dBW for whole Earth antenna, –138 dBW for spot beam antennas.

Safety of Life (L5)

Safety of Life is a civilian-use signal, broadcast on the L5 frequency (1176.45 MHz). In 2009, a WAAS satellite sent the initial L5 signal test transmissions. SVN-62, the first GPS block IIF satellite, continuously broadcast the L5 signal starting on June 28, 2010.

Improves signal structure for enhanced performance
Higher transmission power than L1 or L2C signal (~3dB, or twice as powerful)
Wider bandwidth, yielding a 10-times processing gain
Longer spreading codes (10 times longer than used on the C/A code)
Located in the Aeronautical Radionavigation Services band, a frequency band that is available world wide.

WRC-2000 added space signal component to this aeronautical band so aviation community can manage interference to L5 more effectively than L2
It is defined in IS-GPS-705.^[5]

New Civilian L1 (L1C)

L1C is a civilian-use signal, to be broadcast on the same L1 frequency (1575.42 MHz) that currently contains the C/A signal used by all current GPS users. The L1C will be available with first Block III launch, currently scheduled for 2013.

Implementation will provide C/A code to ensure backward compatibility
Assured of 1.5 dB increase in minimum C/A code power to mitigate any noise floor increase
Non-data signal component contains a pilot carrier to improve tracking
Enables greater civil interoperability with Galileo L1

It is defined in IS-GPS-800.^[6]

Block III satellite improvements

Increased signal power at the Earth's surface

M-code: –158 dBW / –138 dBW.
L1 and L2: –157 dBW for the C/A code signal and –160 dBW for the P(Y) code signal.
L5 will be –154 dBW.

Researchers from The Aerospace Corporation confirmed that the most efficient means to generate the high-power M-code signal would entail a departure from full-Earth coverage, characteristic of all the user downlink signals up until that point. Instead, a high-gain antenna would be used to produce a directional spot beam several hundred kilometers in diameter. Originally, this proposal was considered as a retrofit to the planned Block IIF satellites. Upon closer inspection, program managers realized that the addition of a large deployable antenna, combined with the changes that would be needed in the operational control segment, presented too great a challenge for the existing system design^[7]

NASA has requested that Block III satellites carry laser retro-reflectors.^[8] This allows tracking the orbits of the satellites independent of the radio signals, which allows satellite clock errors to be disentangled from ephemeris errors. This is a standard feature of GLONASS, will be included in the Galileo positioning system, and was included as an experiment on two older GPS satellites (satellites 35 and 36).^[9]

The USAF is working with NASA to add a DASS payload to the second increment of GPS III satellites as part of the MEOSAR system.^[10]

GPS Global Positioning System Satellite

2011-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

A GPS satellite is a satellite used by the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS). The first satellite in the system, Navstar 1, was launched February 22, 1978. The GPS satellite constellation is operated by the 50th Space Wing of the United States Air Force.

Block I satellites

Beginning with Navstar 1 in 1978, ten "Block I" GPS satellites were successfully launched. One satellite, "Navstar 7", was lost due to an unsuccessful launch on December 18, 1981.^[1] The Block I satellites were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base using Atlas rockets that were converted intercontinental ballistic missiles. The satellites were built by Rockwell International at the same plant in Seal Beach, CA where the S-II second stages of the Saturn V rockets had been built.^[2] The final Block I launch was conducted on October 9, 1985.
The last Block I satellite was taken out of service on November 18, 1995.

Block II satellites

Initial Block II series

The first of the nine satellites in the initial Block II series was launched February 14, 1989; the last was launched October 1, 1990.^[3] The final satellite of the series to be taken out of service was decommissioned March 15, 2007.

Block IIA series

Nineteen satellites in the Block IIA series were launched, the first on November 26, 1990 and the last on November 6, 1997. As of January 17, 2009, six satellites of this series have been removed from service.
Two of the satellites in this series, numbers 35 and 36, are equipped with laser retro-reflectors,^[4] allowing them to be tracked independently of their radio signals, providing unambiguous separation of clock and ephemeris errors.

Block IIR series

The Block IIR series are "replenishment" satellites developed by Lockheed Martin. Each satellite weighs 4,480 pounds (2,030 kg) at launch and 2,370 pounds (1,080 kg) once on orbit.^[5] The first attempted launch of a Block IIR satellite failed on January 17, 1997 when the Delta II rocket exploded 12 seconds into flight. The first successful launch was on July 23, 1997. Twelve satellites in the series were successfully launched.

[edit] Block IIR-M series

The Block IIR-M satellites include a new military signal and a more robust civil signal, known as L2C.^[6] There are eight satellites in the Block IIR-M series, which were built by Lockheed Martin.^[7] The first Block IIR-M satellite was launched on September 26, 2005. The final launch of a IIR-M was on August 17, 2009.[1]

Block IIF series

Main article: GPS Block IIF

The Block IIF series are "follow-on" satellites developed by Boeing. On September 9, 2007 Boeing announced that it had completed assembly of the first satellite in the Block IIF series.^[8] Boeing is under contract to build a total of twelve Block IIF satellites. The first was launched in May 2010 on a Delta IV rocket.^[9] The second satellite was launched on July 16th 2011.

References

^ "BLOCK I SATELLITE INFORMATION". USNO.
^ "Site: Boeing North American, Inc.". WTEC.
^ "BLOCK II SATELLITE INFORMATION". USNO.
^ "CDDIS Bulletin - June 1994, Volume 9 No. 5". NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
^ "Global Positioning System IIR". Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.
^ "GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM". USAF.
^ "Latest GPS IIR-M Sat Goes “Gold” For Lockheed Martin". SatNews.
^ "Boeing Builds First GPS IIF Satellite". Boeing. September 12, 2007.
^ "Boeing Satellite Launch Schedule". Boeing. January 15, 2008.

Tracking System - What it is ?

2011-08-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Generally tracking is the observing of persons or objects on the move and supplying a timely ordered sequence of respective location data to a model e.g. capable to serve for depicting the motion on a display capability.

Tracking in virtual space

In virtual space technology, a tracking system is generally a system capable of rendering virtual space to a human observer while tracking the observer's body coordinates. For instance, in dynamic virtual auditory space simulations, a real-time head tracker provides feedback to the central processor, allowing for selection of appropriate head-related transfer functions at the estimated current position of the observer relative to the environment.

Tracking in real world

Within the real world, there are a variety of technologies employed within asset tracking systems. Some are 'lag time' indicators, that is, the data is collected after an item has passed a point for example a bar code or choke point or gate. Others are 'real-time' or 'near real-time' like Global Positioning Systems depending on how often the data is refreshed. There are bar-code systems which require a person to scan items and automatic identification (RFID auto-id). For the most part, the tracking worlds are composed of discrete hardware and software systems for different applications. That is, bar-code systems are separate from Electronic Product Code (EPC) systems, GPS systems are separate from active real time locating systems or RTLS for example, a passive RFID system would be used in a warehouse to scan the boxes as they are loaded on a truck - then the truck itself is tracked on a different system using GPS with its own features and software. The major technology “silos” in the supply chain are:

Distribution/Warehousing/Manufacturing

Indoors assets are tracked repetitively reading e.g. a barcode, any passive and active RFID and feeding read data into Work in Progress models (WIP) or Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or ERP software. The readers required per choke point are meshed auto-ID or hand-held ID applications.
However tracking could also be capable to provide monitoring data without binding to fixed location by using a cooperative tracking capability, e.g. an RTLS.

Yard management

Outdoors mobile assets of high value are tracked by choke point, 802.11, Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), Time Delay on Arrival (TDOA), active RFID or GPS Yard Management; feeding into either third party yard management software from the provider or to an existing system.

Fleet management

Fleet management is applied as a tracking application using GPS and composing tracks from subsequent vehicle's positions. Each vehicle to be tracked is equipped with a GPS receiver and relays the obtained coordinates via cellular or satellite networks to a home station. Fleet management is required by:

Large fleet operators, (vehicle/railcars/trucking/shipping)
Forwarding operators (containers, machines, heavy cargo, valuable shippings)
Operators who have high equipment and/or cargo/product costs
Operators who have a dynamic workload

Mobile phone services

Location-based services or LBS is a term that is derived from the telematics and telecom world. The combination of A-GPS, newer GPS and cellular locating technology is what has enabled the latest “LBS” for handsets and PDAs. Line of sight is not necessarily required for a location fix. This is a significant advantage in certain applications since a GPS signal can still be lost indoors. As such, A-GPS enabled cell phones and PDAs can be located indoors and the handset may be tracked more precisely. This enables non-vehicle centric applications and can bridge the indoor location gap, typically the domain of RFID and RTLS systems, with an off the shelf cellular device.
Currently, A-GPS enabled handsets are still highly dependent on the Location-Based Service (LBS) carrier system, so handset device choice and application requirements are still not apparent. Enterprise system integrators need the skills and knowledge to correctly choose the pieces that will fit the application and geography.

Operational Requirements

Regardless of the tracking technology, for the most part the end-users just want to locate themselves or wish to find points of interest. The reality is that there is no "one size fits all" solution with locating technology for all conditions and applications.
Application of tracking is a substantial basis for vehicle tracking in fleet management, asset management, individual navigation, social networking, asset management, or mobile resource management and more. Company, group or individual interests can benefit from more than one of the offered technologies depending on the context.

GPS applications

GPS has global coverage but can be hindered by line-of-sight issues caused by buildings and urban canyons. RFID is excellent and reliable indoors or in situations where close proximity to tag readers is feasible, but has limited range and still requires costly readers.

Real-time Locating Systems (RTLS)

RTLS are enabled by Wireless LAN systems (according to IEEE 802.11) or other wireless systems (according to IEEE 802.15) with multilateration. Such equipment is suitable for certain confined areas, such as campuses and office buildings. RTLS require system-level deployments and server functions to be effective. RTLS systems are affordable and accurate for industrial and yard applications. RTLS systems are not appropriate for all indoor applications, there fuzzy locating systems with unilateration may apply more economically.

Global Track System Cyber Graphy

2011-08-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

GlobalTrack Vehicle Tracking System

GlobalTrack G200X GPS Tracking System Full function gps tracking equipment with real time video and fuel level monitoring,wireless panic button, RFID, internal battery, temperature sensors, motion sensor, internal ignition relay,analog input/output , geofence,alarm ,G sensor , printer support ,auto data resend,more than 19 input/output pins, two external serial port ,16MB internal data storage
GlobalTrack G200R IRIDIUM GPS Tracking System GPS tracking terminal by IRIDIUM and GSM/GPRS, very low latency time, in few seconds can send data from worldwide to server, and it can send data two way, from server to device or from device to server over IRIDIUM, G200R gps message air time lower than GSM SMS, IRIDIUM include 66 satellite system,can receive signal from all directions, operate well at density city, jungles and marines
GlobalTrack G200P Personal GPS Tracking System GPS/GPRS personal/portable gps tracker with internal battery,intelligent power management for one month standby time,handfree two way voice,geofence,motion sensor,mileage counting, gps data logger,16MB storage, sms and gprs,embedded gsm/gps antenna and pocket size,magnet carriage bag and water proof solutions
GlobalTrack G200L GPS Tracking System GPS Tracking system with LCD/KeyPad , two way dispatching Terminal , with small printer and mileage counting support , best for logistic and taxi dispatching ,16MB internal data storage
GlobalTrack G200S GPS Tracking System low cost, simple purpose gps tracker , pocket size .
GlobalTrack for Vehicle Security Comparison Matrix between GlobalTrack with other vendor GT-CAM Live Video Image Support Portable Mini Printer Support	Fuel level Reading RFID Barcode Scanner support for Logistics Acceleration G-sensor Support

GlobalTrack GPS Vehicle Tracking Software Solutions
GlobalTrack WebMap Server: GlobalTrack System Web Map Service with Google Earth supported
GlobalTrack Desktop : Desktop version of vehicle tracking software

was established in year 2000, specialized in manufacturing mobile communication device and Geographic Information System software and server based technology , our product has been sell to worldwide over 90 countries ,product and service include the following areas:

->GPS Vehicle Tracking System /Car Security System
->GPS Engine Board
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->Wireless technology solution : WI-FI , WI-MAX , GPRS/CDMA, 3G, Bluetooth,ZigBee, UHF/VHF Radio , RFID

High quality production proof , cybergraphy already pass Europe CE cerification and US FCC Certication

Company Location

Sales Conatct Email : cybergraphy@gmail.com or info@cybergraphy.com
Technical Support Email:support@cybergraphy.com
Sales/Support Messenger Account
->Skype account : cybergraphy.com
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WebSite:http://www.cybergraphy.com
TEL:+886-3-3161370 ext 206
Fax:+886-3-3161301
Address : 6F,No.1069,Chung Cheng Road, Taoyuan City 330 , Taiwan
Office Hour: Local Time Zone GMT+8 , 9:00AM-5:00PM , Mon to Friday.

Spy Tracking Equipment

2011-08-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

This section lists all products for use in tracking vehicles, assets and people utilising the very latest in GPS, GPRS and GSM technology
Spy Equipment UK offer the very latest vehicle trackers with built-in movement sensors to enable accurate real-time and historic tracking of vehicle. Our Covert vehicle trackers are extremely compact by design. The technology is encased in a purpose built enclosure with an external single switch and charging port, making the devices very simple to use. These covert GPS Vehicle Trackers have two very strong sleek magnets attached to the outside of the case to enable their attachment to the underside of vehicles. Covert vehicle trackers are used by private investigators, fraud investigators, Bailiffs, company audit departments and private individuals to track single or multiple vehicles in a simple and efficient manner
Our Asset Trackers are perfect for keeping track of high-value goods or packages. The latest sleek asset tracking devices are small and discreet enough to put in high value electrical items. Many are used to track high value packages by logistics companies. Our asset tracker spy gadgets have been used by TV companies on investigative reporting TV shows to track such things as waste and charity clothing. As a result of asset tracker use, large-scale fraud on a UK and European level has been uncovered. Asset tracking devices have been used in briefcases and bags for discreet tracking of a person
We have personal or VIP GPS trackers. These are used for personal safety of lone-workers, teenagers and VIP’s. Personal trackers allow not only tracking through GPS, but also emergency notification and communication to ensure the safety of the tracker user

http://www.spyequipmentuk.co.uk/tracking-devices.html

Live View Fleet Tracking

2011-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Fleet Tracking

Home » GPS ASSET TRACKING » FLEET TRACKING

"You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure"

Keeping track of employees driving your company vehicle(s) can be a daunting task. But GPS fleet tracking allows you a deep look into how employees are utilizing company assets. Inefficiencies, less than optimal operations and waste comes in many forms, and GPS fleet tracking software can give you clear facts to use when addressing them, including:
- Excessive Idle Times
- Moonlighting
- Poor Driver Routing
- Speeding and Unsafe Driving Practices
- Personal or Unauthorized Vehicle Use
- False or Exaggerated Time Sheets
- Late Workday Starts / Excessive Lunch Breaks
- Theft of Company Assets
- Gasoline Theft
- Liability Risks

How Fleet Vehicle Tracking Can Help Your Company:

Using fleet vehicle tracking will allow you to see where all of your vehicles are from your computer screen, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Instantly locate your vehicles, see where they have been, where they are, and how fast they are going. Get instant alerts on your email or cellular phone when your vehicles have exceeded speed thresholds you set or when they enter or exit specific geographic areas on a map. Fleet Tracking will also help you lower your fuel costs and increase your productivity. Fleet managers and business owners can now accomplish fleet tracking with the click of a mouse. Your company will realize a FAST return on investment within weeks of using a fleet tracking system.

Reduce "Hidden" Costs, Adding Huge Savings To Your Bottom-Line

A GPS fleet tracking system will monitor your vehicles and their drivers, allowing you to view information that was once a constant unknown. Implementing GPS tracking systems is the equivalent of having a virtual manager in every vehicle. A manager who works for you, everyday of the month. After hours, this manager becomes a security guard, watching and guarding your vehicles for you.

Employee Integrity: Are Your Employees Doing What They Say?

The human factor. In a perfect world, your employees give you an honest day of work, for an honest day of pay. For most employees, this statement will probably hold true. However, what percentage of your employees are engaged in personal business during company time? 1%, 5%, 10%...You would be amazed at the stories we have heard about employees who claimed to be in one place but were not...Our GPS tracking solutions allow managers and company owners to monitor the routes employees have driven, start and stop times, daily miles driven and more...

Save Gas - Save Money: What Are Idle Times & How Can Monitoring Idle Times Save You Money?

Our GPS fleet tracking system closely monitors idle times for all your vehicles. For every hour a vehicle idles it will use on average one gallon of fuel, as well as wreak havoc on your vehicle's engine, increasing maintenance cost. This may be seen as trivial, but even if you only have five vehicles on the road and each of them spends an average of 30 minutes a day idling the numbers add up. 2.5 hrs per day of idle time five days per week at $3.00 per gallon is the equivalent to throwing $150 away every month. And this is only one of the ways that fleet tracking systems will save you money.

Improve Customer Service with Fleet Tracking:

If you operate a service company or even delivery company, managing your trucks and drivers can be a hassle. With GPS fleet tracking software you can see the entire status of your fleet from one screen. You can dispatch nearby trucks to service calls, instead of routing trucks that are further away. Answer your customer's question in a flash, when they call and ask when will your driver be here.

Company Liability: Excessive Speeding

The ability to set speed thresholds for your vehicles ensures drivers are complying with safe driving practices. Speeding drivers not only are a danger to others, but also have the potential for disastrous consequences from a liability standpoint for businesses. Studies show that drivers are nearly 100x less likely to break the rules when they know fleet tracking software is keeping track and holding them accountable.

Fleet Tracking is the Ultimate Vehicle Management System:

GPS Fleet tracking allows to you easily take control of your fleet and its drivers.

Let Us Show You A Demo Today:

Call Us Toll Free At 1-877-423-3071 - Monday through Friday from 9 am - 5 pm PST. If you are at a web enabled computer, we can show you in 5 minutes what our system does, get a feeling for what you are after and provide you with the best solution for your needs, at extremely affordable pricing with absolutely no long term contracts.

NavTrac RTV-10 Live Tracking Full Navigation Route & Re-Route Driver 10 Second Tracking Full Fleet Reporting 90 Day Historical Playback Hardware Cost: $599 Monthly Cost: $39.99 Unlimited Use	RTV-5 Hardwired Live Fleet Tracking Hardwired Covert Installation - Unseen By Driver 10 Second Tracking Starter Disable/Monitor PTO 90 Day Historical Playback Comprehensive Reporting Hardware Cost: $399 Monthly Service: $29.95 Unlimited Use
VLS500 1-5 Minute Bread Crumbing Installation Takes Seconds Via OBDII Fits Vehicles Built After 1997 Locate On Demand Hardware: $329 Monthly Service: $19.95 - $29.95

Live View Asset Tracking Devices

2011-08-07T13:59:00.003-07:00

Asset Tracking

Home » GPS ASSET TRACKING » ASSET TRACKING

GPS Tracking = Asset Protection and More!

Asset protection has long been the driving force behind the insurance industry. However, no insurance policy can offer loss prevention. GPS asset tracking devices are an invaluable tool in understanding every aspect of your current situation, giving you the ability to do something about it. GPS tracking offers a proactive approach to asset protection with instant access to location and vital statistics for valuable personal and business assets 24 hours a day.

Useful Information Provided by GPS Asset Tracking Systems:

GPS asset tracking systems give you the information you need, when you need it. Track Location Information for Valuable Assets, Vehicle Fleet Tracking, Dispatching, Employee / Driver Monitoring, Mapping and Directions, Start / Stop Reporting, Idle Times, Speed, Zone Alerts, Theft Recovery, Teen Driver Monitoring and more.

Is a Satellite GPS Asset Tracking System Worth the Investment?

Determining the Return on Investment (ROI) that you can expect from the addition of a GPS tracking system is entirely dependent on your business and your commitment to utilizing the information it provides to increase efficiency. Statistically, 40% of customers report they achieve ROI within 6 months, 35% of customers report ROI in 7-12 months, and 19% of customers report tracking ROI in 13-24 months.
Typically, the two largest sources of ROI will come from savings in:

- Fuel: Information on driving patterns, idle time, and fuel consumption will allow you to help your drivers become more efficient.

- Payroll costs: Drivers who know that their movements are being tracked tend to move faster, stay in a single location for shorter periods, and get through their routes faster.

What GPS Device is Right For You?

Due to the wide variety of products and increasing technical sophistication of information systems supporting GPS asset tracking devices, making the decision about which vehicle tracking device will best suit your needs may require the assistance of an industry professional. Our experts help you find the answers you are looking for.

Live View GPS Car Tracker

2011-08-07T13:59:00.001-07:00

GPS Car Tracker

Home » GPS ASSET TRACKING » GPS CAR TRACKER

How can a GPS car tracker benefit my business?

With an incredible amount of information available at your fingertips in real time, you will simply be better equipped to understand how efficiently your fleet of vehicles is being operated. Armed with this information you will be able to raise the bar on efficiency and productivity across the board. Typically employees are 10x more efficient and 100x less likely to break the rules when they know that their actions are being monitored.

Why would I want a GPS car tracker on my personal vehicle?

The three most compelling reasons to add a GPS car tracker to your personally vehicle are: theft recovery, tracking family members and discouraging reckless driving habits of teenage drivers. Did you know that speed has been a factor in 37% of crashes involving 16 year olds. Getting a speeding ticket could result in $3,000 per year in increased premiums. Do you know how far from home your teen is going? With GPS trackers for cars your teen driver will be much more likely to behave like you are in the seat next to them. It’s amazing what effect a bug GPS car tracker can have.

Is there really a difference between the information various GPS car tracker devices provide?
If there weren’t differences in the level of service and information, there simply wouldn’t be so many different products available. Differences between GPS car tracker devices include how often location is tracked, what triggers location tracking (time, movement or manual triggering), how the information is reported (stored or relayed wirelessly in real time), amount of additional information incorporated into the system (ignition start / stop, door locks, engine status, speed, distance traveled, etc), battery life, and perhaps the biggest area of differentiation being the user interface (how the information is actually reported).

Can I really expect return on investment for installing a GPS car tracker system?
Absolutely. 40% of customers report ROI in 0-6 months. 35% report ROI in 7-12 months. 19 % report ROI in 13-24 months. With a GPS car tracker system ROI is truly determined in your ability to take action on the information. Information is what a GPS car tracker system will give you. Implementation is up to you. For a detailed insight into how much you ROI you can expect for your business, check out our ROI calculator. Or call a Live View GPS expert at: 1-877-423-3071

Live View Equipment Tracking

2011-08-07T13:58:00.005-07:00

Equipment Tracking

Home » GPS ASSET TRACKING » EQUIPMENT TRACKING

How does GPS tracking equipment work?

Equipment tracking is accomplished through the installation of a GPS tracking device on the equipment that you wish to be tracked. Whether the equipment is a vehicle, a computer, phone, or top secret briefcase… it’s now easier than ever to keep track of your valuables thanks to advances in technology. Smaller devices with longer battery lives and more intelligent equipment tracking systems are being developed every day.

How is the GPS tracking system activated?

GPS tracking equipment can be set to record and report location information either constantly, when the device moves, at specific time intervals, or when you trigger the device either manually or via computer from a remote location. With modern equipment tracking systems, you are in total control.

How will equipment tracking help my business?

By installing GPS vehicle tracking equipment you will be able to have a level of insight into your business that you have never experienced before. As the saying goes “knowledge is power” and GPS tracking equipment will put incredible power at your fingertips. To put it simply, vehicle and fleet tracking equipment will deliver considerable return on investment, allowing your business to operate much more efficiently and at lower cost. 40% of customers report ROI within 6 months, 35% report ROI in 7-12 months, and 19% report ROI in 13-24 months. ROI is the benefit to your bottom line.

What components are involved in equipment tracking systems?

GPS vehicle tracking equipment relies upon Satellites, a GPS receiver, a transmitter to relay information, cellular networks to convey the information, computer systems to interpret and display the information, and you to understand and respond to the information.

Live View Monitoring

2011-08-07T13:58:00.003-07:00

Monitoring Engine Idle Times

Home » GPS TRACKING FEATURES & BENEFITS » REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION

Reduce Fuel Consumption
As gas and fuel prices spiral upwards, reducing your fuel consumption and cost will have a positive impact on your bottom line.
A GPS Fleet Management System Will Allow You To:

Monitor & Reduce Engine Idle Times - On Average 1 Gallon Of Fuel Is Consumed For Every 1 Hour Of Idle Time
Monitor Vehicle Speeds - Speeding Burns Excessive Fuel
Ensure Drivers Are Staying On Route - Where Are Your Drivers Going On Your Fuel?

The Hidden Expense Of Idling
When a vehicle is left idling, it can consume one gallon of gas each hour. The American Trucking Association states that one hour of idling per day for one year results in the equivalent of 64,000 miles in engine wear when adding up all the contributing factors.

Chart Below Shows Daily, Monthly & Annual Cost For Vehicle's Idling 1 Hour Per Day @ a fuel cost of $4.00 per gallon

Vehicles	Daily Idling Cost	Monthly Idling Cost	Yearly Idling Cost
5	$20.00	$600.00	$7200.00
10	$40.00	$1200.00	$14,400.00
15	$60.00	$1800.00	$21,600.00
20	$80.00	$2400.00	$28,800.00
25	$100.00	$3000.00	$36,000.00

Do You Know How Many Hours Per Day Your Vehicles Are Idling?
These numbers are for fuel consumption costs only, it does not account for the extra repairs and maintenance cost that arise from excessive idling.
Speeding Burns More Fuel
It's a proven fact, driving at lower speeds saves gas. Studies have shown up to a 14% savings in fuel consumption, when drivers reduce their speeds.
According To A CNN Money Report, "the biggest fuel saver is driving the speed limit and driving sensibly. Rapid starts and stops and exceeding the speed limit will dent your pocketbook. Just by adhering to one of those, the Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 15 and 98 cents a gallon, again assuming pump prices are at $2.97 a gallon."
Route Optimization
By optimizing driver's daily routes, and decreasing miles driven, your company can reduce fuel expenses and increase bottom line profits.
LiveViewGPS' Advanced Fleet Management Solutions reporting tools will allow you to instantly monitor excessive idling, speeding and drivers routes. You will be able to view current and historical data values for these pieces of information that will help to reduce, or eliminate these hidden costs.

Live View GPS Satellite Tracking System

2011-08-07T13:58:00.001-07:00

GPS Satellite Tracking System

Home » GPS TRACKING FEATURES & BENEFITS » GPS PERSONAL SAFETY

Missing Person Statistics In The United States:
In 2006 the National Crime Information's Center (NCIC) Missing Person's File received over 137,000 missing person's reports from law enforcement agencies across the United States. These reports were filed by family members and loved ones whom believed, "there was physical concern" for the missing person, as well as "person who are missing whose physical safety may be in danger". Additionally, more than 22,915 reports were filed for person's whose "disappearance may not have been voluntary i.e. abduction or kidnapping". On average, a staggering 438 people were reported missing each day across the United States.
Personal GPS Tracking & Locating Devices:
Personal GPS satellite tracking devices add an additional layer of security to any person in possession of one of these devices. These covert tracking devices are easy to use as well as have a longer than average battery life. You can locate the person carrying these devices from any web enabled computer, its as simple as logging in and locating.
GPS Satellite To Satellite Locater
Stuck in a snowstorm? On a trip and have no cellphone? or even worse, no cellphone coverage? What do you do when you need help fast? Using a GPS satellite to satellite locater can be the cheapest investment for the most precious commodity on the planet, you and your family. Even people who have had to pull over in severe storms have been able to be quickly located by emergency rescue crews, thanks to their GPS personal satellite tracking device. You really can't be without a device that will send out signals to help people find you quickly. If you plan to travel off-road or in the mountains, a GPS personal safety system is a necessity.
Many of these devices will come with a small button that can be pressed in the event of an emergency. If you become lost or fear for your life in a bad situation, pressing this button will activate the transmitter on your GPS satellite tracking device. It will immediately begin transmitting a signal that includes your latitude and longitude. Help will be able to easily track you down within a short period of time.
GPS satellite tracking devices have been responsible for saving many lives. Whether it is a dire situation where medical help is required, lost in the wilderness or stranded on a deserted road, a GPS personal safety system can mean the difference between life and death. In today's world, it really pays to be prepared and to take advantage of the new technology features that are available to us. A GPS satellite tracking device may just save your life, or the life of someone that you love.
Amazing Story:When he purchased his SPOT Personal Satellite Locater, he probably imagined it would never be used. Unfortunately, he was wrong. In the Alaska wilderness, if you get into trouble there is not much one can do...Within eight minutes of pressing the 911 button on his SPOT device, a search and rescue helicopter was in the air, in route to his location. The event that could have been tragic, turned into conversation...Now, most of us will never be exposed to such an extreme situation, but if you are stranded, have a breakdown or are in any situation where you need help, it is comforting to know that with only a push of a button help is not to far away.

Live View GPS Locator

2011-08-07T13:57:00.003-07:00

GPS Locators

Home » GPS TRACKING FEATURES & BENEFITS » GPS LOCATORS

GPS locators are most commonly used for:
- Recovering stolen property
- Tracking people
- Tracking property while in transit
- Tracking and monitoring vehicles GPS locators for theft recovery. Everyday over 4 million dollars worth of property and equipment is stolen in the United States, and less than 10% of it is ever recovered. However, when outfitted with GPS locators the chances of theft recovery become nearly guaranteed. Typically, the reasons for low recovery rates include: the delay in reporting stolen property, inaccurate owner records, limited law enforcement resources dedicated to stolen property as well as lack of information available to law enforcement. However, GPS locators increase your chances for recovery by each of the following: - GPS locators can be set to activate immediately when property is moved or tampered with.
- GPS locators will give you real time location information to track your property.
- GPS locators may be able to utilize other systems such as vehicle ignition controls, allowing you to remotely disable the unit to aid in the recovery process.
- GPS locators provide you with the information needed for law enforcement to make a successful recovery.
GPS phone locator tracking for family, friends and employees. If you have found yourself wondering where your teenager might really be going at night GPS phone locators can put you at ease. If you have an aging family member that you fear may wonder off and become lost, a GPS personal locator can simply be a watchful eye. If you would like to know where an employee is, whether you suspect them of personal activities on company time or just want to know where they are at a trade show, GPS personal locators put the power of information at your fingertips.
Track company or personal vehicles with a GPS car locator. If you are the parent of a teen driver, a GPS car locator can be an invaluable source of peace-of-mind. Where are they? How fast are they going? With a GPS car locator you will never have to wonder again. Did you know that teen drivers are nearly 100x less likely to break the rules when they know that their actions are being tracked? The same goes for employees. With a GPS vehicle locator you will have a much greater understanding just how company vehicles are being used.
GPS locators give you information, peace of mind and an invaluable tool for theft recovery. Call Live View GPS today to learn more about what GPS locators can do for you! 1-877-423-3071

Live View GPS Tracker

2011-08-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

GPS Tracker

Home » GPS TRACKING FEATURES & BENEFITS » GPS TRACKING

What is GPS tracking?

GPS tracking is a system of devices that allow satellites to precisely locate a GPS enabled device anywhere on earth. Recent advances in the systems that support GPS tracking devices allow them to report a vast array of information including where the GPS tracking device was, how long it was there, where it is currently, and where it is going based upon it’s speed and direction of travel. Some GPS tracking devices also allow for the transmission of additional information such as data from a vehicles on-board-computer offering: engine status, mileage, fuel efficiency, etc…

What components are involved in a GPS tracking system?

Satellites: There are many GPS satellites in orbit, continuously sending information to devices on the ground… the good news is, you don’t have to pay for the satellites!
GPS receiver: This is a device that picks up the signals that are being sent from the satellites. A GPS receiver must collect data from at least 4 satellites to determine its position. The three main categories of GPS tracking devices include:
Handheld Solutions: Such as cell phone gps tracking
Passive Download Vehicle-Based Solutions: Installed in a vehicle and store GPS data.
Real-Time Vehicle Based Solutions: Installed in a vehicle and actively send data in real time that can be accessed by vehicle owners, managers, or concerned parents.

Businesses uses for GPS tracking systems:

More and more businesses are turning to GPS vehicle tracking systems because of the tremendous savings that these systems can offer in terms of cost of operations, increased efficiency, and additional actionable information. GPS vehicle tracking is an incredible solution that allows a much deeper insight into business operations and significant ROI.

Personal uses for GPS tracking

As one of the most popular additions to personal vehicles, GPS trackers allow you on-board mapping and navigation, the tracking of teenage or elderly drivers, and are an invaluable tool for locating a stolen vehicle. Now it is easier and more beneficial than ever to install a gps tracker in your personal vehicle.

What should you consider when shopping for GPS trackers?

When considering which GPS tracking system is right for you, you must consider what will be the intended use of the system. What information would you like the system to provide? Will you require real-time information or will a passive system suit your needs? How will the information be presented to you? Who will need access to the information? What will be involved in the installation and set up process? Who will perform the installation and set up? How much access will you have to support? For a complete investigation into each of these questions we recommend you take a look at our comprehensive Buyers Guide.