The type of GPS tracking that we’re all most likely familiar with is a cell-based GPS vehicle tracker. Theft has never been a new concept, so what better way to protect your assets by using a GPS tracking device? The most commonly seen of this variety is in shopping carts for stores, but it isn’t limited to just that as GPS trackers can be used on nearly anything from a small jewelry box to a large T.V. Pet collars with tracking devices are becoming popular, especially with those who have escape artist four-legged friends, due to accessibility, price tag, and accuracy. Personal trackers are used for pets and people. ![]() With the accessibility and reasonable price of GPS trackers, people are now able to track pets and assets to ensure they aren’t lost. GPS tracking isn’t limited just to cars, ships, or aircraft. Are There Different Types of GPS Tracking? GPS navigation for vehicles began officially in 2001 from private companies due to the growing technology and shrinking receiver size, which in turn brought about personal navigation devices inside civilian vehicles such as Garvin and TomTom. ![]() While Benefon safety phones were mostly within Europe, other mobile phone manufacturers quickly joined in and it spread like wildfire around the globe. It wasn’t until 1999 when GPS finally made its way into mobile phones by the manufacturer Benefon. Later on, in 1998, Vice President Al Gore wanted to include two (2) additional signals for non-military use focusing once again on civilian aircraft. Initially created for the United States military and government use, civilian aircraft were able to use it in the 1980’s due in part to President Reagan, though the system wasn’t fully operational until 1995. While navigation devices have been seen inside vehicles dating as far back as 1930 and the first satellite navigation system being the United States Navy built TRANSIT, it’s specifically the GPS system that excelled and continues into the present time. Satellite navigation had been used before what we now know as GPS, but it’s early predecessors had limitations that spurred the United States Department of Defense into launching the GPS project in 1973. When Was GPS Routing and Tracking Created? Ground stations ensure the location of the satellites are where they’re supposed to be using radar, and receivers get signals from a group of satellites to measure how far they are and pinpoint the location of a receiver. Satellites are used as a source of figuring out the location of a receiver from space as a satellite's exact position is known at any time which is a major reason for GPS tracking to be so accurate. There are three (3) parts to a GPS system: satellites, ground stations, and receivers. It was initially created for government use but expanded to civilian and commercial use worldwide later on. Owned by the United States government, the GPS system is operated by a branch from within the Department of the Air Force known as the United States Space Force (USSF). To start with, GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System and was previously named Navstar GPS. I decided to do a bit of digging and find out how GPS routing came to be and if school buses use the same GPS tracking software as personal vehicles. That trip down memory lane brought me to our current lives and into thinking about when exactly did we let go of paper maps in lieu of GPS routing via phones? When did our technology advance from drawing lines on maps to handheld GPS tracking? Of course, my thoughts begin to snowball and I start to wonder if technology in our personal vehicles with GPS tracking systems trickle into public vehicles such as school buses. Markers in hand, he would color code the route we would take to our destination, mark all of our stops for food or roadside attractions, and any detours if we decided to see something off the beaten path. Every year my dad would go down to the local convenience store and buy one of the state road maps, bring it home, and open it up on the dining room table. ![]() One of my fondest memories growing up was when my family would go on camping trips.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |