Data Communication and Network Routing: A Report on GPS Technology

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Topic: - Data Communication and Network Routing
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Table of Contents

A. Select one of the listed technologies and explain the fundamental method by which it
operates, exploring the underlying networking principle..........................................................3
B. Discuss, evaluate and investigate the weaknesses and potential applications....................6
C. As part of this assignment, you will use online open-source and subscription-only
sources of information. You should consider the reliability and quality of the information
sources you used in your research, especially with regard to free resources. You should use
the following criteria to evaluate the reliability of data and information used in this
assignment and give examples as appropriate:..........................................................................8
References:.................................................................................................................................9

A. Select one of the listed technologies and explain the fundamental method
by which it operates, exploring the underlying networking principle.
GPS (Global Positioning System)
GPS is the utility developed by a human that helps in determining the location of any device
working as a GPS signal receiver. The Seafarers are provided with an extent to high accuracy
and encouragement of maritime activity which led to 19th-century migration explosion. GPS
created a huge impact on mankind in a very controlled way.
GPS is basically a navigation system based on the satellite that consists of twenty-four
orbiting satellite network that is 11000 nautical miles away from each other in six different
orbits. NAVSTAR is the term used for the GPS satellites. In February 1978 the first GPS
Satellite was set to launch. (Misra and Enge , 2006)
Working of GPS: -
Satellites of GPS rotate around the earth twice a day in a particular precise orbit. A unique
signal is transmitted by each satellite that is further decoded by the GPS devices and also
computes the locations of satellites with precision. GPS receiver uses all this information
with trilateration for calculating the accurate location of the user. The distance of the receiver
from each satellite is measured by the receiver by the time required by the transmitted signal
to reach the receiver. By combining the information from a few more satellites, the location
of the user can be displayed electronically for measuring running route and path to the
destination. For a 2D positioning at least 3 satellites are required and using more satellites the
3D position can be determined. (Agnihotri, 2010)
There is little other information that can be determined once the position is known which are
as follows: -
1. Trip distance
2. Sunset time and Sunrise time
3. Speed
4. Trip distance
5. Track
6. Bearing

(Hahn and Powers , 2007)
Figure 1: GPS Positioning
Advantages of GPS: -
1) GPS navigation is more importantly used by commercial, civil and military users.
2) Turn by turn directive paths can be provided by the vehicle tracking GPS system.
3) Higher processing speed.
4) Cost of using the GPS is low.
5) Can be used to search neighbourhood.
6) Available anywhere and anytime.
7) Provides weather and traffic alert.
8) Low maintenance and easy setup.
9) Used for surveying.
(Goodman, 2018)
Disadvantages of GPS: -
1) The GPS signals are less powerful than the signals of the mobile phone, therefore, cannot
be used effectively at various places like underwater, indoors, under trees etc.

2) The line of sight is required from the receiver for higher accuracy, therefore, GPS fails to
work efficiently in an urban environment.
Network Principle: -
The network principles are the standards that are used by the designer in order to deliver a
better experience to the users while designing the network. There is not any compulsion in
using all the network principles.
The Network principles are as follows: -
 Using services for data protection and not Relying on the network.
i. Encryption of data without compromising the performance.
ii. Designing of the protection of services.
iii. Understanding the treats that can happen.
iv. Layering of security.
v. Network protection.
 Designing of flexibility and interworking.
i. Publishing names of DNS.
ii. Removing of barriers related to technical aspect.
iii. Maximising the use of commodities.
iv. Using open standards.
 Understanding the users’ need: -
i. Considering 3G, 4G platform as alternative data transfer mechanism.
ii. Understanding the basic requirements of network.
iii. Wide accessing of design services
iv. User support system.
v. Designing of network for user base of roaming

B. Discuss, evaluate and investigate the weaknesses and potential
applications.
Potential application of GPS: -
There are certain fields that use the application od global positioning system for better
performance. Following are some of the application of GPS.
1) Locating people: - Navigation system of GPS is often used by the people searching for a
location or for those who lost their way for designating their location.
2) Military: - GPS app was first introduced by the defence of U.S. which further adopted by
many military forces all over the world. The military uses GPS as a defence mechanism
during wars.
3) Science: -In this field the GPS is intensively used in various sub fields like physics, earth
science and biology. Before the invention pf GPS scientist uses the plastic band and the
metal sheets to track the animals. In helped scientist record movements of the animals by
fitting a collar receiver for the research work. Earth scientist uses GPS to study the nature
of landscape changing over the different climatic condition.
4) Farming: -GPS plays an important role in farming as due to repetition in the season in
irregular interval the farmer installs GPS receivers on the tractors to keep check on where
their farming tools and equipment has reached and helps them to ensure the availability of
materials when needed in next season.
5) Marine: - A highly accurate GPS navigation system helps the captain of the boat to
navigate the ship to the destination through waterways and to ensure that there are no
obstacles in the path and the channels are all clear. This decreased the use of maps which
were not so accurate.
6) Aviation: -Today, almost all modern aircrafts are provided with the GPS receivers for the
real time positioning of the aircraft. Many times, the GPS application is also used to
discover the shortest possible path that consumes less fuel. The GPS helps pilot the most
in case of change in whether condition or other issue so that they can find the landing
path.

7) Robotics: -As the GPS navigation guides the human to their destination it can also be
used in for the navigating robots and this will open the diverse field for the robot to
operate like agriculture, mapping and industrial work.
8) Public Safety: -It can be used in any whether condition for the safety of people and can
be used at the time of disaster management for supplying of emergency vehicle.
(Rahmani , Koutsopoulos and Ranganathan , 2010)
Limitations of GPS: -
1) When the device of user is off for more than 4 hours there is need to download new data
for the updated positioning. The device built a fresh start as the ephemeris data still valid
to lock on the network with satellite.
2) While the phone uses the cell tower triangle it ignores the GPS functionality totally.
3) Accuracy and the speed of GPS getting lock on the satellite is variable.
4) Due to unavailability of GPS hardware, GPS requires the cell phone’s data for proper
functioning and the antenna size affect the locking time.
5) Signal boosting is not possible while the device is surrounded by the concrete walls and
more time will be required to lock on the satellite outside the coverage of network data.

C. As part of this assignment, you will use online open-source and
subscription-only sources of information. You should consider the
reliability and quality of the information sources you used in your
research, especially with regard to free resources. You should use the
following criteria to evaluate the reliability of data and information used
in this assignment and give examples as appropriate:
Evaluation of the reliability of data and information of GPS: -
Accuracy:- It tells about the extent to which the information provided is accurate. In the
above information GPS system has been discussed and provided the applications that are
used at different platform.
Authority:- The information written above is received from the open web source which
includes various student guide websites and journals. The language in the above module
defines the originality and uniqueness in the thoughts.
Objectivity:- The objective of to collect the information regarding the Global positioning
system. So that it can be studied and more ways can be found to make use of GPS for
increasing the productivity and efficiency in work as the wide use of GPS is mentioned above
and many are to be discovered.
Currency:- Currency comes to action when the development of new ideas and methods
occurs very frequently. The studies made years ago can also be useful for the understanding
of concepts. The GPS positioning system is very effective in various field and there are lot
more filed undiscovered that can use the GPS system for the future development.
Coverage:- The information given above is the brief study of Global positioning system but
almost covers all the aspects to explain the GPS positioning system. The module covered the
main aspects like the brief explanation of GPS with its working, networking principles that
must be followed while designing a network, advantage and disadvantage of the GPS and
potential applications of GPS.

References:
Agnihotri, N., 2010. What is GPS | Global Positioning System, Engineersgarage.com.
Available at: https://www.engineersgarage.com/articles/global-positioning-system-gps
(Accessed: March 6, 2019).
Goodman, P., 2018 .15 Advantages of GPS, TurboFuture. TurboFuture. Available at:
https://turbofuture.com/misc/Advantages-of-GPS (Accessed: March 6, 2019).
Hahn, J.H. and Powers, E.D., 2007, May. A report on GPS and Galileo time offset
coordination efforts. In 2007 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium Joint with
the 21st European Frequency and Time Forum (pp. 440-445). IEEE.
Misra, P. and Enge, P., 2006. Global Positioning System: signals, measurements and
performance second edition. Massachusetts: Ganga-Jamuna Press.
Rahmani, M., Koutsopoulos, H.N. and Ranganathan, A., 2010, September. Requirements and
potential of GPS-based floating car data for traffic management: Stockholm case study.
In 13th international IEEE conference on intelligent transportation systems (pp. 730-735).
IEEE.