FAQ


		Technology: Our Technology \| FAQ More questions? Please contact us. What is GPS? How does it work? How accurate is GPS? What is AVL? What is the difference between GPS and AVL? How do your AVL systems work? What can I use AVL for? Who would benefit from using AVL? What is the difference between active and passive? What do you mean by real-time? What is GPS? GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It's an extremely accurate navigational tool created by the United States Department of Defense to track moving objects. GPS was once available only to the US Military but is now available to any civilian who has the proper receiving equipment. [top] How does it work? GPS is actually made up of 24 satellites that orbit the Earth. These satellites constantly transmit radio signals that contain location data. Any GPS receiver on the ground can pick up these signals and use them to calculate its own location, altitude, and speed at a given moment. [top] How accurate is GPS? The Department of Defense slightly degrades GPS accuracy for security reasons, so GPS for the average civilian user is accurate to within 50-300 ft. (16-100 m.) [top] What is AVL? AVL stands for Automatic Vehicle Location. Any system that uses technology to locate the position of vehicles (rather than data collected by human interaction) could be classified as AVL. [top] What is the difference between GPS and AVL? AVL describes any system that locates vehicles. GPS is one specific way to locate vehicles. At GPS Management, we call our location systems AVL systems, but they use GPS technology. [top] How do your AVL systems work? 1. GPS satellites orbiting the earth broadcast radio signals. 2. Your GPS receiver inside your vehicle picks up these signals and calculates vehicle location, heading, and speed. 3. Your base station software, Eye In The Sky^® downloads information from your GPS receiver in one of two ways. In an active system, the base station places a digital or cellular telephone call to the GPS receiver to download information. In a passive system, the GPS receiver automatically downloads to the base station when it comes within a certain distance. 4. You use the information in your Eye In The Sky^® software to produce custom reports with detailed information about your vehicles. [top] What can I use AVL for? ·routing ·tracking location, speed, stops ·monitoring vehicle functions like engine temperature, use of cargo doors, oil pressure ·communicating with drivers by text, voice, and data transfer ·verifying employee time cards ·creating employee accountability ·discouraging unauthorized use of vehicles ·decreasing overtime ·discouraging excessive speeding ·cutting fuel costs ·recovering lost or stolen vehicles ·monitoring hours of operation [top] Who would benefit from AVL? Anyone who manages a fleet of vehicles or who wants to keep track of valuable assets would benefit from an AVL system. This includes service vehicles, delivery vehicles, semi-trucks, rental vehicles, heavy equipment, and trailers. [top] What is the difference between active and passive? Active, or real-time GPS, means you can request and receive location data from your GPS receiver while your vehicle is on the road. Passive, or non real-time GPS, means your GPS receiver stores all location information for you to access at a later time. Normally, a passive receiver transmits this data at the end of the day, when your vehicle returns to your yard. With a passive system, you get all of the same information as the active system, but in a different time frame. [top] What do you mean by real-time? Real-time means you receive information from your vehicle at frequent, specified intervals. If you want to know the exact, current location of your vehicle, you can override the system and find the location immediately. It only takes seconds for your base station to receive information from your vehicles. [top]