GPS overview

Help! I'm confused.

How can I use GPS ...?
What is a PDA...?
What is tracking...?
What are data loggers...?
How can we monitor locations...?
What is lone worker protection...?

GPS

The Global Positioning System, GPS, is the name given to a system of satellites in the sky that enable a GPS receiver, a typically small device in a vehicle or PDA, to determine its physical location as a latitude/longitude set of co-ordinates. The GPS receiver communicates this information, and speed, direction and time, via a string of characters that may be decoded by a computer program on a PDA or similar device.
One of the commonest uses for GPS is satellite navigation, SatNav, either software programs running on PDA's, or running on dedicated hardware. SatNav is mapping & routing software that provides a visual display of how to get to a destination based on knowing the destination and the current, changing position.
For more info go to: Wikipedia - GPS (all links open in new window)
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PDA

A Personal Digital Assistant, PDA, is the name commonly given to a small handheld computer with a touchscreen (without the touchscreen, the term smartphone is usually used instead). PDA's usually have some computer networking capability, using one or more of the following communication methods: Bluetooth, WiFi or GPRS/3G. The last one is usual in PDA Phones (also called Pocket PC Phones), where the PDA is also a phone.
For more info go to: Wikipedia - PDA
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Tracking

Tracking is usually short for vehicle tracking, which - at least until recently - was normally a 'black box', fixed installation in a vehicle of a device containing a phone and GPS receiver that was able to communicate movement and other information back to a central location. The hardware can usually also detect ignition on/off, door opening and other vehicle behaviour. A SIM card and mobile contract is required.
For more info go to: Wikipedia - Tracking
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Data loggers

A Data Logger is a device that stores GPS movement information, but does not communicate it. It is equivalent to the 'black box' in Tracking above, without the SIM card. In typical operation, it will be programmed to take a reading at either regular intervals or distances or both (for example, it may be programmed to take a reading every 5 minutes and/or every 100 metres of movement). It usually has Bluetooth connectivity, and acts as a standard GPS receiver when not in logging mode. Stored information is downloaded. Typical use is to install a data logger in a vehicle, using it as a standard GPS receiver in working hours when communicating real-time with a paired PDA. At evenings and weekends, the data logger records movement, the PDA reads any records the following morning(s).
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The story so far:

Knowing where a moving object is from a location remote from it, requires a combination of GPS receiver and communications device, the first to determine the position, the second to communicate it back to HQ.

Location Monitoring

Location Monitoring, LM, is the name given to the ability of a remote device to monitor its current position against one or more positions it has been requested to monitor for proximity. This could be a list of positions that make up the congestion charge, for example, or a list of competitor's offices. The ability to program the device with a list of locations to monitor is of course required, something not usually available with vehicle tracking devices.
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Lone Worker Protection

Lone Worker Protection, LWP, is the ability of a device to report back to HQ the fact that an emergency situation has arisen, with the identification of the user and their current location. This is normally a dedicated button on a PDA.

Connect

In 2008, most PDA's have built-in GPS receivers. This means that it is the PDA being tracked, not the vehicle (unless the PDA is in the vehicle, of course).
There is no requirement for an external GPS receiver or data logger to be installed in the vehicle if there is GPS in the PDA, unless the data logger functionality is required or if the PDA GPS receiver - because of its smaller size - is not strong enough to get a decent signal.
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