These cool gadgets work because of a network of satellites that are constantly revolving around the Earth sending and receiving signals. Your GPS device uses a process referred to as trilateration, that basically involves collaborating with 3 or more of these satellites to see the current coordinates of the device. Basically, it sends an indication out to every of these satellites, and these satellites bounce an indication back. When the receiver gets its return signals, it uses this information to triangulate your exact position.
Whenever we have a tendency to hear the term GPS, what would most likely come back to our minds is a digital device with maps and alternative options that tells us our exact location on Earth. but did you know that such a device is simply one part of GPS? The device is named a GPS receiver, and whereas it's actually a very important GPS device, it's but a region of a awfully large and complicated system that permits us to live our exact location on earth.
The Global Positioning System is a massive and complicated system that will be divided into 3 segments: area, control, and user. The control segment refers to the varied stations on Earth that sustain and management the system. The space segment of the GPS refers to its system of satellites that transmits the signals used for location identification. The user segment refers to the GPS receivers the actual unit that we regularly mistakenly think of as the system.
The control segment of the GPS refers to the varied ground stations run by the US Department of Defense that controls the numerous aspects of the system. Specifically, These stations oversee the flight of the GPS satellites, Synchronize the satellite's onboard atomic clocks and upload the data to be transmitted by the satellites.
The space segment of the GPS is a constellation of twenty seven satellites that orbit Earth 12,600 miles above its surface. 24 of these satellites are in operation whereas the opposite 3 are on standby mode and can be used given that one in all the twenty four fails. Each of the satellites travels around the earth twice in less than twenty four hours, Traveling at a speed of approximately 7,000 miles per hour.
Each of the satellites employed in the GPS configuration weighs between 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. All of these satellites are solar-powered but all have backup batteries onboard to be employed in the absence of solar power (i.e., solar eclipse). The satellites are equipped with tiny rocket boosters to keep them flying on the correct path.
The signals that are transmitted by the GPS satellites are low-powered radio signals. These signals contain 3 completely different sets of data -a pseudorandom code, ephemeris data, and almanac data- that are deciphered by the GPS receiver to get a definite measure of its location. The pseudorandom code tells the receiver that satellite is broadcasting the signal whereas the ephemeris data provides information about the satellite's position. Meanwhile, the almanac data contains information like the standing of the satellite current date and time.
The user segment of the GPS refers to the GPS receivers, used for either military or civilian purposes. The GPS receiver is essentially an electronic device that picks up the signal transmitted by the satellites and uses the knowledge on those signals to work out its precise location. Of course, This operate is way more advanced than a straightforward summary makes it sound.
The GPS receiver in fact desires two things for it to determine its location. First, it desires information to tell it the placement of a minimum of 3 GPS satellites. Then, it would have to be compelled to measure the length between it and each of the 3 GPS satellites. The primary information may be interpreted from the signal transmitted by the satellites whereas the second set of information may be obtained by measuring the speed at that the signal was received.
Combining the management space and user segments, We've got a Global Positioning System that may reveal our precise location here on earth.
As you'll see, the GPS isn't solely the GPS receiver alone. It's an immense system and a awfully advanced one at that but because each alternative part of the system is well maintained by the Department of Defense, We must always never have to worry about those parts. All we have a tendency to must do is secure a GPS receiver and in a moment, We'll receive information about our current location and alternative landmarks and road conditions that the receiver might want us to understand.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
9:53 AM
savcenko
