GPS World articles from August 2006

GPS World archives from August 2006

The very idea.(OUT IN FRONT)(GPA and digital compass in cellphone)(Editorial)
August 1, 2006... We live in a world of ideas. Some philosophers and playwrights might hold that we ourselves are ideas, walking shadows that strut and fret their hour upon the stage, alleged in our own minds. But let that pass, let it pass. Global...

What's new: ION GNSS 2006.(EXPERT ADVICE)(Institute of Navigation)(Global Navigation Satellite System)
August 1, 2006... This year's ION GNSS will be one of the most exciting conferences yet. Each conference seems to provide even more valuable data than the preceding one, and this year I expect the same. After a star-studded plenary, the technical program...

Low energy-per-fix.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... The June article on power management and fix acquisition for cell phones presented an interesting approach that might find merit when comparing pure GPS solutions. But for personnel and vehicle monitoring, the interval of 20-30 minutes does not...

Next-generation air traffic controlled by GPS.(THE SYSTEM)(Next Generation Air Transportation System)(Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast )
August 1, 2006... Satellite navigation and positioning took a step closer to ruling the skies on June 28, when a spokesperson for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Congress of the agency's plans to solicit bids in March 2007 for the first phase...

Three more IIFs.(THE SYSTEM)(GPS Block IIF contract)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Boeing Company received a $138 million option by the U.S. Air Force to build three additional GPS satellites under the GPS Block IIF contract. The exercised option brings to 12 the number of Block IIF satellites Boeing will manufacture. The...

MUE to IEC, Raytheon, Rockwell.(THE SYSTEM)(Modernized USER Equipment)(Interstate Electronics Corporation)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... L-3 Communications announced that its Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC) subsidiary was awarded $37 million for the first phase of the U.S. Air Force Modernized USER Equipment (MUE) Program by the U.S. Air Force NAVSTAR Global Positioning...

India aloft.(THE SYSTEM)(Indian Space Research Organization)(building independent satellite navigation system)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced plans to build an independent satellite navigation system. The Indian Regional Navigation System, implemented over the next five to six years, will consist of a constellation of seven or...

GLONASS numbers matter.(THE SYSTEM)(Global Navigation Satellite System)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Russian President Vladimir Putin renewed his call for the country to launch more satellites--presumably including GLONASS--as part of a space development strategy between now and 2015. His comments came at a government strategy meeting in...

Rosum awarded two new patents.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Rosum Corporation of Mountain View, California, received in June two new patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Rosum combines commercial broadcast TV signals with GPS technology for tracking and positioning people...

Raytheon demonstrates enhanced smart bomb kit.(MILITARY)(Enhanced Paveway II dual-mode GPS/laser-guided bomb)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... On July 18, Raytheon Company demonstrated that its Enhanced Paveway II dual-mode GPS/laser-guided bomb can be retargeted in flight using a data link. This capability provides the warfighter with the ability to engage moving targets in bad...

NovAtel in NASDAQ Global Select Market.(FINANCE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... GPS manufacturer NovAtel Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, is now included in the new NASDAQ Global Select Market, which has the highest initial listing standards of any exchange in the world based on financial and liquidity requirements, according to...

Thales Navigation sold to Shah Capital.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(Shah Capital Partners)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... At press time, GPS World learned that an investment group led by Shah Capital Partners (SCP) of Paris, France, is acquiring Thales Navigation, a division of Thales. Thales Navigation is known for its Magellan brand and had a reported 200...

@Road buys bankrupt MobileAria.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... @Road, Inc. of Fremont, California, submitted the highest bid for MobileAria at a bankruptcy sale in July. As a result the company will acquire the assets of MobileAria for $11.4 million. MobileAria is a telematics startup owned 71% by...

Swedish Space Corporation to provide Galileo with antenna site.(SYSTEM DESIGN & TEST)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) will provide a site for the northern telemetry, tracking, and command antenna at Esrange Space Center in Sweden. SSC's satellite facility at Esrange Space Center is part of a global network of satellite ground...

PCI Geomatics image processing software certified.(SURVEY & MAPPING)(ANTRIX Corporation)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... PCI Geomatics of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, has achieved complete certification for its flagship software, Geomatica, to be used for processing data from the CARTOSAT-1 satellite, from the Indian government-contracted ANTRIX Corporation....

Radio IP begins beta testing.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(Radio IP Software)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Radio IP Software of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is beginning a beta product test program to give customers early access to next-generation products. Initial beta installations will include the company's GPS product line, available to the public...

Northstar goes yachting.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(North-star 8000i Networked Navigation and Entertainment System)(Brunswick New Technologies Marine Electronics)(Viking Yacht Co.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Brunswick New Technologies Marine Electronics has sealed a deal for its North-star 8000i Networked Navigation and Entertainment System to be the installed electronics package on three new Viking yacht models. Brunswick makes marine electronics...

Earthcomber releases free movie guide for GPS handhelds.(global positioning system)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... "Movies on the Move," a free download for Palm OS and Windows Mobile-powered handheld devices, is available on Earthcomber, a mapping website. The software allows users to find nearby theaters and showtimes. The movie data is part of local...

Even small animal H.A.B.I.T.s now can be tracked.(H.A.B.I.T. Research Ltd., U-blox Ltd.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A technology partnership between H.A.B.I.T. Research Ltd. and u-blox will soon make it possible for scientists to study the behavior of endangered species once thought too tiny to be tracked by GPS, raising the hope that many smaller species...

Navman launches fleet management system.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(Navman Wireless Business Solutions)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Navman Wireless Business Solutions of Lake Forest, Illinois, has launched the Navman Wireless Fleet Manager asset tracking system for businesses operating in the U.S. The system, which integrates fleet management software and Navman's GPS...

Strong consumer interest in GPS for traffic, Nav, LBS.(global positioning system, location-based services)
August 1, 2006... My research firm has just released a comprehensive new study covering U.S. consumer interest in a wide range of GPS products and services, including vehicle navigation systems, telematic services (for example OnStar), and location-based...

Standardized quality: 24/7 SQ.(Leadership Talks)(Eduardo Falcon)(Interview)
August 1, 2006... Eduardo Falcon (EF) is senior vice president of product development, Topcon Positioning Systems. Alan Cameron (AC) interviewed him. A longer version of this talk will be posted under Leadership Talks at www.gpsworld.com. AC: Can you...

Dedicated surveying package.
August 1, 2006... OmniSTAR offers a package dedicated to surveying that includes a Recon hand-held data logger, the Pocket GIS Software, and OmniSTAR Backpack. An OmniSTAR pole can also be supplied on request. The OmniSTAR Surveying Pole with pole clamp and...

Radio modem data link.(SURVEY & MAPPING)
August 1, 2006... The PDL radio modem data link by Pacific Crest is compact, lightweight, and power efficient. Easy to use, it provides high-performance and rugged dependability for tough survey environments. It can be easily mounted on standard tripods and...

Receiver and data Collector combo.(SURVEY & MAPPING)(Epoch 10 L1 GPS system)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Epoch 10 L1 GPS system integrates a survey-grade receiver with the Spectra Precision Recon Data Collector, a handheld unit that has Windows Mobile-based field and office software. The system operates without line-of-sight between points,...

GNSS System.(SURVEY & MAPPING)(Trimble R8 GNSS System)(Global Navigation Satellite System )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Trimble R8 GNSS System is a multi-channel, multi-frequency GNSS receiver, antenna, and data-link radio. Powered by an enhanced real-time kinematics engine, Trimble R-Track technology supports both the modernized GPS L2C and L5 signals and...

GLONASS sensors.
August 1, 2006... The GLONASS sensor GX1230 GG and the Smartantenna ATX1230 GG are the latest additions to Leica Geosystem's System 1200 GPS product line, enabling measurements from all GLONASS satellites to increase productivity, particularly whenever satellite...

GPS pole transporter.
August 1, 2006... RuxWorks offers a GPS pole transporter designed to help surveyors transport GPS poles while protecting sensitive and expensive survey equipment. The pole is secured to the vehicle during movement in the field, eliminating shut-down and start-up...

Real-time satellite receiver.(SURVEY & MAPPING)
August 1, 2006... The GR-3 system is the first real-time satellite receiver with Topcon Positioning Systems' G3 technology. The Paradigm G3 chip captures signals from all three satellite positioning systems--GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo--to eliminate downtime and...

Network communications systems.
August 1, 2006... The Thales Z-Max.Net GPS receiver system for boundary, topographic, and construction surveys offers network communications capabilities with NTRIP, GPRS, and RTCM v3.0. Z-Max.Net has multiple operating modes, configurations, and communication...

L1/L5/E5a receiver.(RECEIVER TECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2006... NovAtel's EuroPak L1L5E5a receiver offers 16-channel tracking and decoding of GPS L1/L5, Galileo L1/E5a, and SBAS L1/L5 signals, packaged in the popular EuroPak enclosure. Additional features include: digital pulse blanking on GPS L1/L5, and...

GNSS receiver board.(RECEIVER TECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2006... Septentrio introduces the AsteRx1, a compact GNSS receiver board for high-performance single-frequency applications. The AsteRx1 is a single-frequency GPS receiver with Galileo upgradeability. It is a credit card-sized OEM board with low power...

RF front-end module.(RECEIVER TECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2006... The Rakon GRM6800 is a dual-conversion GPS miniature RF front-end receiver module designed to receive the L1 C/A code signal at 1575.42 MHz. It downconverts GPS signals to an IF signal suitable for a range of baseband configurations. A 6.8 x...

Pin-compatible module update.(RECEIVER TECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2006... The A1029-C is an improved, pin-compatible update of the Tyco's established A1029-A GPS receiver module. By implementing TCXO technology and using an enhanced software package, the A1029-C tracks down to -155dBm. WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS is supported to...

Go deep: marine mammal marker for at-sea monitoring; A tracking tag mounted atop a seal's head rapidly sheds water when the animal surfaces so the GPS antenna has maximum exposure to the sky. The tag's sensors and electronics are potted to protect them from salt water and to withstand up to 3,000 psi pressure.(global positioning system)(Cover story)
August 1, 2006... The observation technology used by wildlife researchers can limit their understanding of the behavior of marine mammals. Surface tracking using geolocation and Service Argos tags have shown that these mammals range much farther than previously...

Make every shot count: JDAM tail kit takes out terrorist.(GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition equipped with global positioning system)
August 1, 2006... GPS technology helped the U.S. Air Force take out al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi in a June 14 airstrike. A GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) equipped with GPS guidance was one of the two munitions used in the bombing of...

Atomic clock synchronization.(Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center enhanced its global positioning system receiver with atomic clock )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego is incorporating a chip-scale atomic clock into a new GPS receiver design, the Navigation Nugget. The Nugget fuses a GPS software-defined receiver with an inertial measurement unit...

Support for military intelligence.(MILITARY)
August 1, 2006... Version 2.2 of BAE Systems' SOCET GXP software has tools for image analysis, geospatial analysis, 3D simulation, and targeting, useful for homeland defense or military intelligence missions. Military analysts can use SOCET GXP v2.2--available...

Signal generator and PCI card.(TIMING & SYNCHRONIZATION)
August 1, 2006... Mansfield Research and Development produces a beacon signal generator and medium frequency data modulator PCI card being used by the U.S. Coast Guard in its differential GPS Service. The signal generation module (1200-SMSK-PMAFE) of the MR-101...

Timing GPS module.(TIMING & SYNCHRONIZATION)
August 1, 2006... The GT-8031 timing GPS module by Furuno features a fast 16-channel GPS receiver with a standard deviation of 15 nanoseconds. It has a low power consumption, a RF pig tail cable with connector already soldered, and SBAS (WAAS) capability in...

Next generation NTP time servers.(TIMING & SYNCHRONIZATION)(Network Time Protocol)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Spectracom's new NetClock 9200 series GPS-based Network Time Protocol (NTP) time servers support network protocols to improve security, management, and reliability of Ethernet and IP-based network time-synchronization deployments. The 9200...

16-channel Bluetooth GPS.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(Teletype GPS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Teletype 16-Channel Bluetooth GPS receiver is designed for a Bluetooth enabled Pocket PC or laptop computer, and can operate with up to 30 feet between the receiver and the personal digital assistant. The 16-channel receiver uses a NemeriX...

Vehicle protection system.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(Rojone's EziTrak Micro Vehicle Security and Tracking System)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Rojone's EziTrak Micro Vehicle Security and Tracking System is a monitoring, protection and GPS tracking system designed to give car and vehicle owners personalized self-monitoring of their vehicle. This early warning anti-theft device is...

Software-based GPS circuit.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(RF Micro Devices, Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... RF Micro Devices has devised the GPS RF8110, a software-based GPS circuit to meet goals of lower cost and size in mobile devices. Designed for integration of GPS applications in smartphones, wireless PDAs, digital cameras, gaming devices, and...

Smartphone.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)(ALK Technologies, Inc.)(Motorola Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Motorola Q uses CoPilot Live 6 software and Bluetooth GPS receiver from ALK Technologies for its GPS location and navigation system to acquire positions worldwide. It provides 3D map display with mileage markers, moving maps, and turn...

Implant issues more than skin deep.(TRACKING & WIRELESS)
August 1, 2006... Applied Digital Solutions created a buzz when it tested a prototype of a GPS implant in the spring of 2003. The disc-shaped personal location device measured more than 6 centimeters in diameter and more than a centimeter deep--about the size of...

Driving the future: vehicles draw data from roadside, stoplights.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)
August 1, 2006... Emerging applications in the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) ambitious Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) initiative include integrations of GPS with Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) and other sensor technologies to...

Pseudolite system.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(Center for Remote Sensing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Center for Remote Sensing (CRS) offers software-based pseudolite transmitters and receivers that can be positioned in almost any platform--stationary ground-based, shipborne, unmanned aerial vehicle-based, aircraft-based, or...

Receiver with corrections options.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Trimble's AgGPS 332 Ultimate Choice Receiver with choice of two antennas gives operators correction options, with a choice of beacon, WAAS/EGNOS, OmniSTAR VBS, XP, HP, or sub-inch RTK. Optional antennas include high-accuracy L1/L2 band or DGPS...

Synchronized Position Attitude Navigation.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... NovAtel's Synchronized Position Attitude Navigation (SPAN) product line supports two new inertial measurement units (IMU): Northrup Grumman's LN200 and iMAR GmbH's FSAS-EI. Customers now have three IMU choices from NovAtel to address specific...

Receiver/antenna combo.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)
August 1, 2006... CSI's Hemisphere GPS division has introduced the Crescent A100 smart antenna that combines a GPS antenna with a GPS receiver featuring Hemisphere's new Crescent OEM module. Designed for agricultural, marine, GIS mapping, and other precision...

Next-generation navigator.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)
August 1, 2006... The Navman iCN 530 replaces the iCN 520 and iCN 510. It incorporates the second-generation SiRFstarlll chipset; features a high-resolution (320x240) 3.5-inch QVGA touch-screen display; employs a reliable, integrated, high-performance GPS...

Portable GPS with DVD player.(NAVIGATION & GUIDANCE)
August 1, 2006... Polaroid's MGX-0550 combines a GPS navigator with a DVD player. The MGX-0550 comes loaded with maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico and 1.6 million points of interest. The unit has a 5.6-inch LCD touch screen and a rotary knob that allows...

Advanced collision avoidance.
August 1, 2006... SeaCAS has three Automatic Identification System (AIS) products, the SeaCAS SafePassage AIS 300, 150, and 100.The SafePassage AIS line alerts boaters to potentially dangerous situations with approaching commercial vessels. The SafePassage AIS...

AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit.
August 1, 2006... The coremicro AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit by American GNC Corporation provides Integrated Navigation System (INS), Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), and GPS/INS integration. The navigation product is aimed at many consumer...

Fiber-optic link system.
August 1, 2006... Pulse Power & Measurement's fiber-optic link system enables users to transport GPS RF signals from the GPS antenna to the receiver in situations where these points are far apart or inaccessible. The ViaLite Metro GPS is designed for...

Spatial Digital Video Recorder.
August 1, 2006... Red Hen's spatial Digital Video Recorder (sDVR) is a real-time geospatial MPEG2 video-encoding system that collects time and location data along with the video on a removable hard drive that stores up to 20 hours of high-quality video. It uses...

Miniature barometer module.(GPS-RELATED HARDWARE)
August 1, 2006... The Intersema MS5540B by Servoflo for use with GPS receivers includes a precision piezoresistive pressure sensor and an ADCInterface integrated circuit. A miniature version of the MS5534B barometer/altimeter module, the MS5540B is a low-power,...

Non-contact speed sensor.
August 1, 2006... The Racelogic VBox VBS20SL is a multipurpose GPS-based non-contact speed sensor with a dual-antenna GPS engine that calculates a vehicle's speed, direction of travel, slip angle, yaw, pitch, and roll. A built-in graphic display allows users to...

Navigation software platform.
August 1, 2006... 3SOFT's "street director" navigation platform offers a navigation core that fulfills automotive software quality requirements with a small footprint and map files designed for smartphones, personal navigation devices, and in-dash infotainment...

Transportation infrastructure analysis.
August 1, 2006... Trident-3D Analyst v4.0 by Geo3D is a soft-copy photogrammetric tool for analyzing digital images captured with horizontally oriented camera systems that can work in static or temporal stereo-base modes to inventory roadside infrastructure...

Navigation companion for Windows ME.(GPS-RELATED SOFTWARE)
August 1, 2006... The Maporama Drive Me Windows Mobile Edition features voice-prompted turn-by-turn guidance; crisp, detailed maps based on the Maporama unified cartographic database; thousands of points of interest; door-to-door navigation; and out-of-route...

Mobile Search and Content Delivery Platform.(GPS-RELATED SOFTWARE)
August 1, 2006... The iPointer Mobile Search and Content Delivery Platform allows users to point, click, and select points of interest such as historical buildings, restaurants, and landmarks with their cell phone or PDA and then receive location-specific...

Monitoring critical boat systems.(GPS-RELATED SOFTWARE)
August 1, 2006... The Krill Soft Display for digital instruments shows critical vessel readings from installed Krill electrical, tank, and switching sensor pods. The cockpit-style navigation screen combines more than 20 values and complements chart-plotters with...

Orbit data and resources on active GNSS satellites.(Global Navigation Satellite System)(Directory)
August 1, 2006... GPS SATELLITE INFORMATION United States and Canada Navigation Information Service (NIS) www.navcen.uscg.gov/gps www.navcenter.org Sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center, this site offers GPS constellation...

Get me to the office on time: Microsoft equips corporate campus buses for efficient service.(global positioning system)(MV Transportation)
August 1, 2006... Transporting thousands of employees around a huge company campus is a challenge for any shuttle-bus system. The 30,000 employees who work at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, often need to attend meetings in buildings on the...

GPS hits the airwaves with Magellan, SueSue, and Yao Ming.(global navigation satellite system technologies in the popular media)(global positioning system)
August 1, 2006... The Spike cable channel recently aired a syndicated episode of CSI. While that's hardly news, during the one-hour broadcast three commercials aired for three different GPS manufacturers. Without question, GPS devices are evolving into a...