Definition of GPS
GPS is
the acronym for the Global Positioning System , an expression that
can be translated as a Global Positioning System . This systemwas
created by the Department of Defense of the United States and
allows, through a network of 24 satellites, to indicate the position of a
body on the Earth's surface with great precision.
The
trajectories of these 24 satellites , which orbit 20,200 kilometers
above the Earth , are synchronized. In this way the coverage of
the entire surface is achieved.
The GPS uses the mathematical
method known as trilaterationto work with the information provided by the
satellites and thus determine the location of the object.
To know
a position , the receiving team (also known as GPS )
locates at least three satellites in the network, receiving signals from them
indicating the identification and the schedule. When calculating the time it
takes for the signals to arrive from the satellites to the equipment, the
distance between the devices is measured.
Then, with these distances
already established, it is possible to determine the relative position of the
object (that is, its coordinates). The most
common use of GPS is
in navigation , whether maritime, air
or land. Many automobiles now incorporate a GPS so that drivers
can easily locate themselves on a map. Also the most modern cell
phones (mobiles)usually include a GPS .
By allowing
to know the location of vehicles or people , GPS is used
for rescue tasks and for the search and recovery of automobiles, to name two
examples. A GPS in the phone next to certain applications, on
the other hand, can be used to know where the user's contacts are, showing the
location in a base map.
