GPS Overview Part 6 - Conclusion
The original theory behind Location-Based Services -
or LBS - is to help you find out where you are or where something
else is.
One part of LBS is the GPS satellite
constellation. The following overview describes the history and workings
of GPS, as well as its uses and the future for it.
Though originally designed to help US forces around
the world to locate targets and move quickly, GPS has evolved to fulfil
tasks never envisaged in its original designer’s requirements. It now
being used across the world, from mountaineers climbing up Mount Everest,
to sail boats journeying into the Caribbean. And, as covered above its
functions have been extended to cover mapping, tracking, timing etc. The
list of uses is only set by the requirements we can think of applying GPS
to.
GPS’s future seems secure. It's biggest push now
is the FCC Enhanced 911 (E911) mandate. This
is a directorate by the US Federal Communications Commission to put
location based capabilities inside all new cell
phone handsets. Although the original deadline of Oct. 1, 2001
was missed, the advantages presented by GPS enabled
cellphones in rescue situations will not be ignored by consumers,
corporations & governments in these uncertain times. This and the fact
that newer and enhanced forms of GPS, such as Differential GPS and
Carrier-Phase GPS, can enable receivers to give theoretically up to 3 or 4
millimetre accuracy.There is still room for improvement for GPS , and as
it does so , we will find it being used more and more in our daily lives,
to the point were it would be hard to perform many travel and industry
tasks without it.
References:
[1] Muller N. J.; Desktop Encyclopedia of
Telecommunications ; 1998
[2] Kaplan E.D. ; Understanding GPS , Principles & Applications
; 1996
[3] Lichtenegger B.H., Collins J. ; GPS: Theory and Practice ;
1994
[4] United States Coast Guard Navigation Center
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/
[5] InfoTooth Knowledge Base
http://www.palowireless.com/infotooth/knowbase.asp
[6] Trimble GPS Tutorial
http://www.trimble.com/gps/
Back to Contents >
|
|
