History of GPS

Originally designed for military and intelligence applications at the height of the Cold War in the
1960s, with inspiration coming from the launch of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik in 1957, the
global positioning system (GPS) - is a network of satellites that orbit the earth at fixed points
above the planet and beam down signals to anyone on earth with a GPS receiver. These signals
carry a time code and geographical data point that allows the user to pinpoint their exact
position, speed and time anywhere on the planet.
Transit was the first satellite system launched by the USA and tested by the US Navy in 1960.
Just five satellites orbiting the earth allowed ships to fix their position on the seas once every
hour. In 1967 Transit was succeeded by the Timation satellite, which demonstrated that highly
accurate atomic clocks could be operated in space. GPS developed quickly for military purposes
thereafter with a total of 11 "Block" satellites being launched
between 1978 and 1985.
However, it wasnt until the USSR shot down a Korean
passenger jet - flight 007 - in 1983 that the Reagan
Administration in the US had the incentive to open up GPS
for civilian applications so that aircraft, shipping, and
transport the world over could fix their positions and avoid
straying into restricted foreign territory.
Upgrading the GPS was delayed by NASA space shuttle SS Challenger disaster in 1986 and it
was not until 1989 that the first Block II satellites were launched. By the summer of 1993, the
US launched their 24th Navstar satellite into orbit, which completed the modern GPS
constellation of satellites - a network of 24 - familiar now as the Global Positioning System, or
GPS. 21 of the constellation of satellites were active at any one time; the other 3 satellites were
spares; in 1995 it was declared fully operational. Today's GPS network has around 30 active
satellites in the GPS constellation.
Today, GPS is used for dozens of navigation applications,
route finding for drivers, map-making, earthquake research,
climate studies, and an outdoor treasure-hunting game
known as geocaching.

Applications of GPS
Although originally designed for military and intelligence
applications at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, in the 1980s GPS was released for use in
civilian applications. Today, millions of users rely on satellite navigation for finding their way
from A to B and a whole lot more besides.

The most obvious application for GPS is satellite navigation in vehicles, aircraft and ships. It
allows anyone with a GPS receiver to pinpoint their speed and position on land, air or sea, with
incredible accuracy. Drivers can use in-vehicle portable navigation devices to follow a route, find
detours around traffic problems and with additional software receive traffic alerts and warnings
on safety camera locations.
GPS is also available for other uses: hikers and ramblers can
use GPS receivers to ensure they are following their chosen
route and to mark rendezvous points along the way. While
gamers can take part in geocaching, a kind of treasure hunt
for the digital age, which uses precise GPS signals to help
the players track down a hidden stash.
The emergency services, for instance, can use GPS not only
to find their way to an incident quicker than ever before but also to pinpoint the location of
accidents and allow follow-up staff to find the scene quickly. This is particularly useful for
search and rescue teams at sea and in extreme weather conditions on land where time can be a
matter of life or death.
Scientists and engineers also have applications for GPS
receivers, in scientific experiments, and in monitoring
geological activity such as earth tremors, earthquakes and
volcanic rumblings. They can use strategically positioned
GPS devices to assist them in tracking climate change and
other phenomena. Fundamentally, GPS can now be used to
produce very accurate maps.

What is GPS?
GPS or Global Positioning System is a network of orbiting satellites that send precise details of
their position in space back to earth. The signals are obtained by GPS receivers, such as
navigation devices and are used to calculate the exact position, speed and time at the vehicles
location.
GPS is well-known for its military uses and was first developed
by the US to aid in its global intelligence efforts at the height of
the Cold War.
Ever since the early 1980s, however, the GPS has been freely
available to anyone with a GPS receiver. Airlines, shipping
companies, trucking firms, and drivers everywhere use the GPS
system to track vehicles, follow the best route to get them from
A to B in the shortest possible time.
The very first GPS system was developed in the 1960s to allow ships in the US Navy to navigate
the oceans more accurately. The first system had five satellites and allowed ships to check their

location once every hour. Today, portable Navigation device devices can give drivers their
precise location to within a few meters, which is accurate enough to navigate roadways. Military
applications have much higher precision so that a location can be pinpointed within a few
centimeters.
The US NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) is the only fully operational Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) currently providing positioning data with global coverage.
The European Union is currently developing its own GPS known as the Galileo positioning
system, which will be operational by 2013. China has a local system it may expand globally,
while Russia is currently restoring its GLONASS system.

How does GPS work?

There are three parts to a GPS system: a constellation of between 24 and 32 solar-powered
satellites orbiting the earth in orbits at an altitude of approximately 20000 kilometers, a master
control station and four control and monitoring stations (on Hawaii, Ascension Islands, Diego
Garcia and Kawajale) and GPS receivers such as the one in a car.
Each of the satellites is in an orbit that allows a receiver to detect at least four of the operational
satellites. The satellites send out microwave signals to a receiver where the built-in computer
uses these signals to work out your precise distance from each of the four satellites and then
triangulates your exact position on the planet to the nearest few meters based on these distances.
In fact, signals from just three satellites are needed to carry out this trilateration process; the
calculation of your position on earth based on your distance from three satellites. The signal from
the fourth satellite is redundant and is used to confirm the results of the initial calculation. If the
position calculated from distances to satellites A-B-C do not match the calculation based on
A-B-D then other combinations are tested until a consistent result is obtained.
The process of measuring the distance from satellite to GPS receiver is based on timed signals.
For example, at 16h45m precisely, the satellite may begin broadcasting its signal. The GPS
receiver will also begin running the same random sequence at 16h45m local time, but does not
broadcast the sequence. When the receiver picks up the signal from the different satellites, there
will be a time lag, because the microwaves take a fraction of a second to travel from the satellite
to the receiver. The time lag is easily converted into distance to each satellite. The slight
difference between signals from each satellite is then used to calculate the receiver's posit

How a Mio navigation device works

A satellite navigation device, such as the Mio Moov uses the global positioning system (GPS) to
pinpoint exactly where you are on the planet. It detects signals from at least three satellites in a
constellation of around 30 constantly orbiting the earth.
Using the data transmitted at the speed of light by these satellites the Moovs internal electronics
convert the signals into distances between the device and each of these satellites. It then reckons

its precise position using trilateration, which is essentially a mathematical formula programmed
into the navigation device.
The same calculations not only provide the position, but also
lock that on to a position on the device's built-in maps; it then
calculates the speed and direction you are travelling.
The Navigation device uses the information obtained from the
GPS to overlay your exact position on to the map for the area
in which you are travelling.The maps used in Mio devices are
regularly updated and can be
added at any time.
Software built into the
set a destination and will
The device can also read data
Channel) and alert you to
and optionally give you a

Navigation device allows you to

guide you along the best route.
from TMC (Traffic Message
traffic problems on major roads
revised route.

Mio Navigation devices also

have built in information on
safety cameras. The location of safety cameras is constantly changing so updates can be
downloaded regularly. Some models will warn drivers when they are approaching a safety
cameras based on your direction and speed.

How does GPS mapping software work?

The global positioning system (GPS) is a network of satellites that orbit the earth and send a
signal to GPS receivers and Navigation devices, giving them the precise location, speed, and if
you are in an aircraft or up a mountain, altitude.
To be really useful for navigation, GPS mapping software has to be kept up to date. Every year,
some 5 percent of our roads are changed in some way. New bypasses are built, lanes are added to
existing roads, speed limits are changed, one-way systems are introduced, and traffic signals are
changed. Your Navigation device needs mapping software that is regularly updated.
This is the most obvious advantage of a digital mapping device, such as a Navigation device.
Long gone are the days of relying on a traditional road atlas that is almost obsolete in some areas
before you get into your vehicle.
Digital mapping companies are working constantly to update the GPS mapping software and to
make it available to navigation device users as quickly and efficiently as possible. Digital maps
come with street level detail to help you to find your way from A to B as conveniently as
possible.
GPS satellites do not provide the maps they simply provide the position lock that is then overlaid
on the maps by your GPS receiver. All navigation devices come with preloaded maps, but to

make sure you have the latest maps for your navigation device, you have to install updated GPS
mapping software regularly.
Map updates are available in two forms: either purchase an expansion card from a retailer or go
online and download the updates to your computer ready for installing next time you connect
your navigation device.

How GPS receivers can help you

Consumer GPS receivers are used mainly for navigation and route planning. By locking on to a
constellation of satellites orbiting the earth, the receiver can pinpoint your exact position on the
planet, calculate the speed and direction in which you are travelling, whether you are in a
vehicle, a boat, or walking, and if you are in an aircraft it will tell you your altitude too.
Drivers - Most drivers, whether driving for business or pleasure can benefit from the satellite
navigation made possible by a GPS receiver. They can find their exact location and follow a
route from A to B provided by the navigation device.
Safety Cameras - GPS based navigation devices have made spotting permanent safety cameras
on the roads that much easier so that drivers can make sure they stay within the roads speed
limit.
Traffic Jams - Some GPS receivers and navigation devices are
able to access traffic news announcements and alert drivers to
problems on the road ahead and help them by re-route their
journey to avoid traffic jams and accidents.
Entertainment - Your Navigation device can even help you
plan your day if it has POIs (points of interest) such as
restaurants, gas stations, emergency assistance, hotels and
more, embedded in the mapping software.
Outdoors - Hikers, cross-country runners, tourists, and others can use a GPS receiver to pinpoint
their location and find their way from landmark to checkpoint and safely back home. A GPS can
be used to mark a particular spot on the map so that you can
return to that exact location later.
Gaming - Outdoor gamers can even use a GPS receiver to take
part in treasure hunts for the digital age known as geocaching.
The organizers hide a cache of "treasure" at a secret location
and then provide clues to its whereabouts that rely on your use
of a GPS receiver to find the bounty.

Whats inside a navigation device?

From the outside a navigation device looks like nothing more than a sleek digital device, with a
touch screen, however, within the shell is a host of modern electronics that allows it to pick up
signals from satellites orbiting thousands of miles above the earth and to calculate your precise
position and speed on the planet.
Each component inside a navigation device has a specific purpose and each is essential to the
functioning of the device. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides the power for the screen
and the internal electronics. There are also circuits to control the display and to respond to user
interaction via the touch-sensitive display and buttons. There are circuits too that control the
information, map and route displayed as well as to produce spoken directions and camera alerts
in some models. Some Navigation devices, such as the Mio Moov 580 even have Bluetooth
capability.
In order to carry out its main job of locking on to the global
positioning system (GPS), a Navigation device has an aerial
inside. This receives the microwave signals from the satellites in
the GPS constellation. These signals are then amplified and fed
to the integrated circuits that analyze the signals and calculate
your position. The circuitry uses a system known as
trilateration, which is the 3D equivalent of trilateration on a
map. The trilateration process depends on the GPS device being
able to determine the distance to the satellites by timing the signals using its inbuilt clock. The
clock itself is an electronic circuit known as an oscillator.

What signal does GPS use

There are currently between 27 and 32 global positions system (GPS) satellites in orbit around
the earth. Of these, three act as backups. Each satellite transmits a regular GPS signal that is
carried by radio waves in the microwave part of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
Each GPS satellite continuously broadcasts a navigation
message at 50 bits per second on the microwave carrier
frequency of approx 1600 MHz .FM radio, for comparison, is
broadcast at between 87.5 and 108.0 MHz and Wi-Fi networks
operate at around 5000 MHz and 2400 MHz More precisely, all
satellites broadcast at 1575.42 MHz (this is the L1 signal) and
1227.6 MHz (the L2 signal).
The GPS signal gives the precise "time-of-week" according to the satellite's onboard atomic
clock, the GPS week number and a health report for the satellite so that it can be discounted if
faulty.Each transmission lasts 30 seconds and carries 1500 bits of encrypted data. This small
amount of data is encoded with a high-rate pseudo-random (PRN) sequence that is different for
each satellite. GPS receivers know the PRN codes for each satellite and so can not only decode
the signal but distinguish between different satellites.

What is trilateration?
A GPS receiver uses trilateration (a more complex version of
triangulation) to determine its position on the surface of the
earth by timing signals from three satellites in the Global
Positioning System. The GPS is a network of satellites that orbit
the earth and send a signal to GPS receivers providing precise
details of the receiver's location, the time of day, and the speed
the device is moving in relation to the three satellites.
Each satellite in the GPS constellation sends out periodic signals along with a time signal. These
are received by GPS devices, which then calculate the distance between the device and each
satellite based on the delay between the time the signal was sent and the time when it was
received. The signals travel at the speed of light, but there is a delay because the satellites are at
an altitude of tens of thousands of kilometers above the earth.
Once a GPS device has distances for at least three satellites, it can perform the trilateration
calculations. Trilateration works in a similar way to pinpointing your position on a map knowing
the precise distance from three different landmarks using a pair of compasses. Where the three
circles centered on each of the landmarks overlap is your location given the radius of each circle
is your distance from each landmark.
In the GPS version, the calculations are carried out in threedimensions with an imaginary set of 3D compasses so that your
location is where three spheres of radius given by the distance to
each of three satellites overlap. If the GPS device can see a
fourth satellite, then the measurements can be double-checked.
The calculation process happens very quickly, allowing the GPS
device to pinpoint its location, altitude (if it is in an aircraft),
speed and direction.
The transmissions are timed to begin precisely on the minute and the half minute as indicated by
the satellite's atomic clock. The first part of the GPS signal tells the receiver the relationship
between the satellite's clock and GPS time. The next chunk of data gives the receiver the
satellite's precise orbit information.

GPS accuracy and error sources

The Global Positioning System (GPS) can provide your location, altitude, and speed with nearpinpoint accuracy, but the system has intrinsic error sources that have to be taken into account
when a receiver reads the GPS signals from the constellation of satellites in orbit.

The main GPS error source is due to inaccurate time-keeping by the receiver's clock. Microwave
radio signals travelling at the speed of light from at least three satellites are used by the receiver's
built-in computer to calculate its position, altitude and velocity.
Tiny discrepancies between the GPS receiver's onboard clock and GPS time, which synchronizes
the whole global positioning system, mean distances calculated can drift. There are two solutions
to this problem. The first would be to use an atomic clock in each receiver costing $100,000. The
second is to use some clever mathematical trickery to account for the time-keeping error based
on how the signals from three or more satellite signals are detected by the receiver, which
essentially allows the receiver to reset its clock. The latter is the less expensive solution used by
Navigation device manufacturers.
There is also an intrinsic error source in GPS associated with the
way the system works. GPS receivers analyze three signals from
satellites in the system and work out how long it has taken each
signal to reach them. This allows them to carry out a
trilateration calculation to pinpoint the exact location of the
receiver. The signals are transmitted by the satellites at a
specific rate.
Unfortunately, the electronic detector in standard GPS devices is accurate to just 1 percent of a
bit time. This is approximately 10 billionths of a second (10 nanoseconds). Given that the GPS
microwave signals travel at the speed of light, this equates to an error of about 3 meters. So
standard GPS cannot determine position to greater than 3-metre accuracy. More sophisticated
GPS receivers used by the military are ten times more accurate to 300 millimeters.
Other errors arise because of atmospheric disturbances that distort the signals before they reach a
receiver. Reflections from buildings and other large, solid objects can lead to GPS accuracy
problems too. There may also be problems with the time-keeping accuracy and the data onboard
a particular satellite. These accuracy problems are circumvented by GPS receivers which
endeavor to lock on to more than three satellites to get consistent data.

GPS Glossary
GPS - Global Positioning System, a satellite based navigational aid available to the public
GPS receiver - a device that can lock on to signals from navigational satellites and use them to
provide location, altitude and velocity to the user
Navigation device - Satellite Navigation device, a type of GPS receiver used for routing and
mapping
Touch screen - the LCD display on Navigation device devices that responds to fingertip pressure
to change settings

GPS time - the standardized time to which GPS satellites are synchronized, it is not tied to the
rotation of the earth so there are no "leap seconds" in GPS time
GPS constellation - the group of approximately 30 GPS satellites orbiting the earth that
broadcast microwave signal to be received by GPS receivers
Oscillator - an electronic circuit built into a GPS receiver that provides timing for the
microwave signals from the satellites
Microwave signal - a high-energy radio signal that carries a burst of data from the GPS satellites
at the speed of light to receivers on earth
Nanosecond - one billionth of a second
Geocaching( aka GPS treasure hunt) - an outdoor game for the digital age in which someone
"hides" the treasure or "geocache" and the gamers, "geocachers" use their GPS receiver to try to
find it
POIs - Points of interest, restaurants, gas stations, emergency assistance, hotels and more, often
embedded in the Navigation device mapping software
Traffic Pack - optional add-on for Navigation devices that taps into traffic news and provides
incident alerts and optionally gives you a new route
MP3 player - audio compression format offered in some navigation devices that allows users to
listen to music, audio books and podcasts on the go