GPS technology was a massive breakthrough in
the technology world. It created a huge buzz globally when the masses came to
know of this innovative technology. Nowadays, it is the center of many modern
solutions like fleet management systems. Telematics is a multi-billion
industry, and its integral component is GPS tracking. Fleet companies around
the world rely on tracking software to monitor their vehicles.
How does a GPS tracking software work? If you want to know the answer to this question, this
blog will help you out.
What is GPS Tracking?
GPS is the abbreviation for Global Positioning
System. Basically, it is a satellite network containing 24 satellites orbiting
the earth. The history of GPS stretches back to the 1960s, when it was created
for military applications. In 1983, it was made available for the public,
followed by many more advancements in the technology.
GPS tracking is tracking the location of an
object with the help of GPS. It identifies the longitude, latitude, speed, and
direction of an object. The GPS tracking works on the basis of three data sets:
- Timing
- Positioning
- Navigation
How does it work?
The GPS satellites in space broadcast their
locations, which are received by a receiver on earth.
GPS tracking devices on earth receive these
signals and perform an operation called trilateration. The master control
station monitors the process to estimate the accurate location. For
trilateration to occur, a minimum of four satellites should send signals. A
greater number of satellites increases the accuracy of the location.
Main Components of GPS Tracking System:
Typically, there are three main components of a
GPS Vehicle tracking software.
- GNSS:
GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a
network of satellites revolving around the earth. These satellites transmit
microwave signals to GPS devices that provide information about speed, time,
and location. GNSS includes GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, and other types of satellite
systems.
- GPS
Tracking Device:
The tracking device is installed in an object
for tracking its location. It sends information like location and speed to the
monitoring software through a server. The latest tracking devices track a lot
more than just location. From temperature and pressure to RPM, modern trackers
detect everything.
- Tracking
Software:
Tracking software holds great importance as it
shows the information to the user. The location, speed, time, and many other
details are displayed on the monitoring interface. In the fleet business, the
managers monitor the activity of different vehicles through the tracking
software.
Types of Tracking Devices:
Tracking devices are a critical component of the
whole location tracking process. They use satellite signals to provide the
accurate location of the objects on earth. There are mainly three types of GPS
tracking devices:
- Data
Pushers:
Data pushers are used for personal tracking or
asset tracking. The object's location is sent to a server after a regular time
interval to store and examine data. While tracking the vehicles, the data
pushers send the location and speed to the server. The server analyzes the
coordinates and stores an accurate value in the device.
- Data
Pullers:
Data pullers are also used for the location
tracking purposes like data pushers. However, they do not send data to the
server after a regular time interval. They are always active and can be asked
to send the location. A user has to send a query to data pullers whenever they
need to know the object's location.
- Data
Loggers:
The data loggers are the
devices used to store data about the objects' location in their internal
memory. They contain a USB port or a memory card slot, and the user can
manually fetch the required data from the data logger.
White label GPS Tracking Software are widely used in the telematics industry. They are
continually evolving with the changing needs of the market. However, its basic
functionality remains the same, which we have discussed in the above blog.