Difference between GPS and GPRS. What is better - GPS or Glonass? What is gps and gprs

One of the most popular and useful functions that modern devices have is the ability to accurately determine your own location using . This allows the use of many functions based on precise determination of coordinates. The operation of these functions is based on the use of a satellite navigation system, which allows you to determine the coordinates of a particular device with sufficient accuracy.

At the moment, two navigation systems are used, GPS and GLONASS, the importance of which is very difficult to overestimate. Today, not a single task can be done without their use that requires drawing up a route, determining the exact location, calculating distances, searching for people and other actions where maps are used. Navigation modules have become part of many systems and household devices that make the lives of many people simpler and more comfortable.

Navigation equipment. Professional and household navigation equipment, which is used to plot a route using electronic maps, requires determining the exact location. It is the navigation modules in professional equipment that allow ships and planes to accurately follow the route; in everyday life, they are widely used in cars, indicating the way and allowing special applications to build a route in the event that the user does not know exactly how to get to his destination

The navigation module performs the same function in a mobile phone, allowing you to find a road, a desired address on a map, or get directions to a desired point. Many manufacturers use such technical capabilities to create interactive games, fitness applications, interactive maps and others that make it possible to build an interesting and educational process based on location data.

The question of why a navigation module is needed also does not arise in the commercial sphere, where cargo transportation, passenger transportation and delivery functions for various goods and goods are used. Here, the location function is used to calculate the distance traveled, the employee’s movement schedule, his employment, monitoring compliance with the schedule, fuel consumption and to obtain other data that is no less useful for logistics planning.

In household devices, the navigation module is built into the structure itself, like in mobile phones, tablets or navigators, or it can be made as a separate device. It allows you to expand the functionality of the system by adding the function of determining current coordinates. The presence of a navigation module has long been a standard for most mobile devices.

When purchasing any device that uses a navigation module, the only problem that arises is how to choose a device to fully utilize this feature. To decide on a solution to this issue, you need to understand the principle of operation of the positioning system. It is based on the use of satellites. Both types of positioning systems have almost identical operating principles and methods for obtaining the necessary data, so they are very similar in their characteristics. However, there are several significant differences. The Russian positioning system uses three planes for soup bowls, while the American one uses six. These and some other differences allow the American positioning system to obtain greater accuracy in determining coordinates. In addition, technical capabilities make it possible to further increase accuracy as soon as the appropriate equipment becomes available.

Nowadays, most gadgets are equipped with both positioning modules, so the question of which is better disappears by itself. If for some reason you have to use a device in which only one module is installed, then it is best to choose the one that is more accurate. This will allow you to fully evaluate all the capabilities of the positioning system. Most users prefer to purchase devices that have both modules installed to work with both Russian and American positioning systems. Modern gadgets are created in such a way that both of these modules are used simultaneously. Moreover, they do not conflict with each other, but complement. This feature allows you to significantly increase the accuracy of determining coordinates compared to if both systems were used separately.

The use of a positioning system has opened up great opportunities for many users. But it is necessary to take into account some of the subtleties of its work. For example, accurate data can only be obtained in an open place. Even trees can interfere with receiving a stable signal.

Now many of us cannot imagine our lives without any devices that were born with the help of the latest technologies. A striking example is all kinds of gadgets designed to calculate location. They can be anti-theft devices, portable navigators or even entire tracking systems. They all have a number of features and differ from each other in their set of functions.

But the most important difference, which a potential buyer most often pays attention to, is the accuracy of determining the location coordinates.

All devices of this type can be divided into three groups depending on the technology that is used in their operation - GPS, GPRS and GLONASS. Each type of device has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

For quite a long time, there have been disputes between fans of satellite systems. Some believe that the Russian GLONASS system is the height of perfection, while others are confident that at the moment there is no technology that can compete with GPS. Is this true?

To give the correct answer to this question, it is necessary to delve a little deeper into history. The technology for determining location using satellites is the Doppler effect, which is known to every person from a high school physics course. The bottom line is that the frequency of a satellite's signal depends on the distance at which it is located from the Earth.

Do not forget that the GLONASS system is much younger than GPS. This is confirmed by historical dates. At the time of the launch of the first navigation system, there was an eight-year gap between GPS and GLONASS. However, our scientists and engineers have done a tremendous amount of work, so currently both systems are direct competitors. At the moment, the error in determining the location coordinates of Glonass is slightly greater than that of GPS. However, representatives of the domestic company promise that by 2020 they will be able to catch up and overtake GPS in many respects.

What is the difference between GPS and GLONASS?

Devices operating using the GPS system are very picky about the presence of active satellites. To determine the coordinates as accurately as possible, the device must pick up signals from six to eleven. But for the Glonass navigator, it is enough to have six or seven active satellites to determine the location with the same error.

What is more accurate: GLONASS or GPS? Don’t forget about those devices that have both systems on board. Their performance is one of the best. Such “double” devices cost a little more than regular ones, so to increase efficiency it is best to purchase them.

What is the difference between GPS and GPRS? There is another technology that makes it possible to determine location. It is called GPRS. This abbreviation is well known to all mobile Internet users, because until recently it was with its help that access to the World Wide Web was achieved.

The main difference between these two systems is that GPS receives signals from satellites, and GPRS uses Internet access. That is why beacons that use only GPRS technology for detection often provide data with a large error. It is also worth noting that such tracking systems are imperfect, as they often end up in coverage areas.

For increased safety, use GPS. Its cost is not very different, but the level of efficiency is an order of magnitude higher. gprs technology has taken root very well in GLONASS GPS systems. That is, the device receives location data using three technologies at once, which significantly reduces the error.

Materials from the site. When copying text, an active link is required.

An article about the principle of operation and concept of GPRS and GPS systems, and their use in cellular communications/

A cell phone is a mini radio transmitting and receiving station that provides full radio communication without interference. A cell phone is a center of Internet technology that provides systematic access to the World Wide Web.

Mobile phone - mini - radio station

GPS technology used in mobile communications is a network of global location-based object identification using space satellites that carries out digital data transmission.

Military object identification technologies used in the GPS system

The GPRS system is a technology that allows a cellular subscriber to exchange messages and calls with subscribers of other devices over this network, external networks and the Internet.

Using the GPRS system for civilian objects

A cellular subscriber has its own channel, consisting of a modem in a mobile device. The GPRS system has its own communication channel. Configuring both channels relative to each other makes it possible to exchange and transmit data.

Mobile phone communication channel, modem

Data transfer takes place in the service mode of the telecom operator to which the subscriber belongs.

instant internet access
ability to connect gadgets to the Internet: smartphones, tablets, laptops
tariffs based on actual Internet access, namely, based on the volume of information sent or received

GPRS system capabilities

Methods for connecting the GPRS system to a mobile phone

Service center of mobile operator

GPS is a satellite communication system for determining coordinates, location on the map, speed of movement, and an object. The owner and operating organization is the American Department of Defense. The system is available to ordinary subscribers if they have a navigation device or a mobile phone with a GPS receiving device.

GPRS is an internal GPS system, a transmitter that sends data to cellular subscribers, connecting them with gadgets to the Internet and other devices.

The difference is that GPS is for identifying an object, GPRS is a radio data transmission system when connected to the Internet.

Collaboration of two systems GPRS and GPS

GPS refers to military technologies, GPRS has nothing to do with the militaristic sense of identifying objects and the parameters of their location.

The meaning and principle of operation of individual systems is significantly different. However, their tandem provides enormous opportunities for the civilian cellular subscriber.

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is an add-on to GSM mobile (cellular) communication technology that allows packet data transfer. GPRS allows a mobile phone user to access the Internet and send email messages.

GPS (Global Positioning System), global positioning system - a satellite system for determining the location of objects created by the US Department of Defense. The operating principle is as follows: a device on the ground receiving a signal simultaneously from several satellites determines its exact location on the ground. GPS was originally developed as a purely military project.

In 2000, the United States lifted restrictions on the use of GPS for civilian purposes. Today the whole world uses this service provided by the USA absolutely free of charge. Today there are 28 satellites, of which 24 satellites are constantly in working order. Alternative systems are the Russian GLONASS system and the European GALILEO.

To receive information about traffic jams, the GPS navigator must have access to the Internet (). The most convenient way to download information about traffic jams is to connect to the Internet through the built-in GRRS module with a SIM card from a cellular operator.

Let's start with the fact that GPS or Global Positioning System is a global positioning system. To put it very simply, this system is a virtual map with which the user can determine his location. It is worth noting that the above system has nothing to do with GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), since the latter is a so-called GSM add-on for packet data transmission for accessing the mobile Internet.

If we return to GPS technology, it is not only used by motorists, as many people think. The scope of use of the GPS system is much wider. For example, it is very popular among travelers, hunters, fishermen and other people who prefer an active pastime and who from time to time need information about their own location or the location of a particular location. In addition, if information is needed on the speed of the vehicle and the estimated time of arrival at the destination, GPS can become an indispensable tool.

Note that GPS receivers differ in the speed with which they can calculate coordinates from the moment they are turned on, as well as in the sensitivity and accuracy of positioning. All these parameters depend on the chipset that the GPS receiver is equipped with. There are chipsets for GPS devices from a number of manufacturers on the market, however, the most popular are the SiRfstarIII chipsets, produced by SiRf Technology. Receivers equipped with the SiRfstarIII chipset demonstrate a short so-called cold start time, when the navigation system has not been used for a long time, it lasts a couple of seconds. In addition, these chipsets make it possible to receive signals from 20 satellites at once. Moreover, GPS receivers with SiRfstarIII chipsets are considered the most sensitive and have highly accurate position determination capabilities.

To begin with, it is worth mentioning that the technical specifications of smartphones contain information about different modules. If in some we are talking about a GPS module, then in others we are talking about A-GPS. So what is their difference? If the device is equipped with a regular GPS receiver, then during a cold start (read what this is - read above), the search may take longer because the navigator cannot quickly find the satellite, and this can last for more than one minute. The reason for the long search for a satellite by a GPS navigator is simple - the lack of information about the actual location of the satellite.

If the device uses A-GPS technology, then the necessary information is received online using the GPRS, 3G or LTE (4G) network (traffic does not exceed 12 KB). At its core, A-GPS is a software add-on for a GPS receiver, with the help of which the satellite search time during a cold start can be significantly reduced. As already noted, acceleration is achieved mainly through alternative communication channels. By and large, for A-GPS technology to function, it requires a communication channel with a remote server, from which the information necessary for the GPS receiver is received. If we return to mobile devices, then in their case it is an Internet connection via cellular or Wi-Fi.

Note that the A-GPS add-on has both advantages and disadvantages. If we start with the advantages, it is worth noting the very fast determination of coordinates immediately after switching on. In addition, the technology enhances the sensitivity of weak signal reception in so-called dead zones - tunnels, indoors, in valleys, etc. However, a significant disadvantage of A-GPS is the inability to work where there is no cellular network coverage. In addition, the use of A-GPS cannot be absolutely free, like, for example, GPS. This is due to the consumption of Internet traffic by the A-GPS add-on, which must be paid depending on the tariffs of a particular Internet provider.

And again, the topic of similar, and therefore confusing, abbreviations and intricate abbreviations turned out to be the focus of our attention. Now you have to find out what is the difference between GPS and GPRS. Although the acronyms sound similar, they are actually completely different things.

GPS – global positioning system. In more common language, a virtual map with a location function. The current position is determined with an accuracy of 6 meters using satellites rotating in low-Earth orbit.

GPRS is an add-on to GSM technology used for packet data transfer. In terms of the range of services provided by mobile operators - for access to the Internet.

GPRS is used for data transmission and is not related to geopositioning technologies. That is, in the case of terms that are so similar in pronunciation, there is a complete difference in the principles of their operation and scope of application.

Quite a lot of schoolchildren, blondes, middle-aged women and simply inexperienced users of mobile telephone devices simply do not know the difference between the two concepts, and often make their more experienced and educated friends die of laughter. Therefore, if you or your girlfriend, and perhaps your parents, are not aware of the difference between GPS and GPRS, then just give it to Trashbox, and in a few days you will see significant changes.
So, let's move on to the most important thing. First, let's look at what both abbreviations mean.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, which translated into Russian means Global Positioning System. This thing allows you to determine your location using the built-in module in your phone and relying on signals from several satellites. It is GPS navigators that inexperienced Moscow taxi drivers use to somehow find their way to their clients. We won’t go into the intricacies of how this system works for now, although if you ask me in the comments, I will be very happy to tell you about it in the next article. Below you can see the working diagram:

Let's move on to the second mysterious abbreviation. GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service, and translated into Russian - general packet radio communications. GPRS is a technology that allows you to bring the Internet to your phones over waves. It is when you launch Opera Mini and confirm your Internet connection that your phone establishes a GPRS connection. Experienced users will run up and start shouting about all kinds of 3G and UMTS, but you don’t have to listen to them, so as not to worsen your picture of the world, these are about the same technologies, they just help bring the Internet to your phone much faster.
Below you can see the working diagram:

I invite experienced users to comment on the article to criticize it.

The navigator does not connect to the Internet via GPS? Your communicator shows that it is covered by the GSM network, but ICQ does not work - there is no Internet connection? You never know what can happen with all these complex devices.

GPS - the initial letters of the name of the global positioning system - Global Positioning System.

What kind of system is this?

This is a system that allows you to determine the location of an object with an accuracy of no worse than 100 m, i.e. determine its latitude, longitude and altitude above sea level, as well as the direction and speed of its movement. In addition, using GPS, you can determine time with an accuracy of 1 nanosecond.

What does GPS consist of?

GPS consists of a set of a certain number of artificial Earth satellites (NAVSTAR satellite system) and ground tracking stations combined into a common network. Individual GPS receivers are used as user equipment, capable of receiving signals from satellites and using the received information to calculate their location.

What is the NAVSTAR satellite system?

The NAVSTAR satellite system includes 24 satellites located in 6 different circular orbits, which are located at an angle of 60 degrees to each other. The orbital period of one satellite is 12 hours. Each satellite weighs about 787 kg and measures more than 5 m, including solar panels. On board each satellite are installed an atomic clock providing an accuracy of 10-9 sec, a computational encoder and a 50 W transmitter emitting at a frequency of 1575.42 MHz.

The birth of NAVSTAR can be considered February 1978, when the first satellite of the system was launched into orbit. The average service life of one satellite is approximately 10 years, so the program includes the constant production and launching into orbit of new satellites to replace those that have used up their resource. The cost of building and launching 24 satellites is $12 billion.

What information do satellites transmit to Earth?

Every millisecond, satellites transmit to Earth:

your status (message about serviceability or malfunction);
current date;
current time;
almanac data;
the exact time of sending the entire set of messages.

What is an almanac?

This is information about where in the celestial sphere each satellite should be located at any time during the day, i.e. orbital data of all satellites.

How are coordinates determined?

The GPS receiver, based on the information received from the satellites, determines the distance to each satellite, their relative position and calculates its coordinates according to the laws of geometry. At the same time, to determine 2 coordinates (latitude and longitude) it is enough to receive signals from three satellites, and to determine the altitude above sea level - from four.

How does a GPS receiver determine the distance to satellites?

Since the speed of propagation of radio signals is constant and equal to the speed of light, the distance to the satellites is determined by the delay in the time the message is received by the GPS receiver relative to the time the message is sent from the satellite. Of course, to accurately determine this delay, the clocks on the satellites and the clocks in the GPS receiver must be synchronous, which is ensured by synchronizing the receiver clocks according to the information contained, as mentioned above, in the satellite signals.

What are the sources of error in position determination?

The main source was the presence of the so-called “limited access” regime. In this mode, the US Department of Defense a priori introduced an error into the satellite signals, allowing the location to be determined with an accuracy of 30 - 100 m, although in principle the accuracy of the GPS system can reach several centimeters. Since May 1, 2000, the “restricted access” mode has been disabled.

Other sources of error are poor geometry of the relative position of satellites, multipath propagation of radio signals (the effect of reflected radio waves on the receiver), ionospheric and atmospheric signal delays, etc.

What is a GPS receiver?

The GPS system allows you to determine your location at any point on land, at sea and in near-earth space. Depending on the area of application, the range of which is quite wide, as well as on the cost, which can range from hundreds to several thousand dollars, the design of GPS receivers is also very diverse. In general, the entire range of models can be divided into four large groups:

Personal GPS receivers for individual use.

These models are distinguished by their small dimensions and a wide range of service functions: from basic navigation, including the ability to generate and calculate routes, to the function of receiving and transmitting email.

Car GPS receivers, which are designed for installation in any land vehicle and have the ability to connect external receiving and transmitting equipment for automatic transmission of traffic parameters to control centers.

Marine GPS receivers equipped with an ultrasonic echo sounder, as well as additional replaceable cartridges with cartographic and hydrographic information for specific coastal areas.

Aviation GPS receivers used to pilot aircraft, including commercial aircraft

Are there other location systems?

Yes. The domestic military space industry has created an alternative satellite system, GLONASS. However, despite the higher accuracy of location determination, its reliability and consumer characteristics are significantly lower than those of NAVSTAR, and to date this system has not received widespread use.

The history of GSM began in the 80s of the last century, when European countries had their own, incompatible cellular networks. Scandinavian countries, Great Britain, France and Germany were equipped with their own networks. Incompatibility of standards hindered the spread of cellular telephony and made life difficult for both operators and subscribers. It was impossible, for example, to perform automatic roaming when moving from the coverage area of one network to the coverage area of another. And subscriber devices, cell phones themselves, were far from universal. For each type of cellular communication it was necessary to develop unique equipment.

GSM cellular communications use radio frequencies of 900, 1800 or 1900 MHz (tri-band phones can be used in networks of any of the listed frequency ranges). Compared to analog standards, GSM has a number of advantages. The main ones are the use of low-power transmitters in subscriber devices and base stations. This reduces the cost of the equipment itself, but does not affect the quality of communication. In addition, the transfer of information in digital form makes it easy to ensure a high degree of confidentiality of negotiations.

Next is multi-channel equalization technology. The fact is that in the range of 900 MHz and above, the radio signal is easily reflected from the walls of buildings and other obstacles. As a result, the phone will receive many signals that differ in phase, from which it selects the one needed and ignores the rest.

Another interesting GSM technology is intermittent transmission. Notice how we talk on the phone. Say a word, pause, say another word, pause again. So, when we are silent, the phone turns off the transmitter. As soon as we start talking, it turns on. This mechanism allows you to minimize the power consumption of your cell phone. It turns out to be a smart machine!

All cell phones, depending on the power of the built-in radio transmitters, are divided into several classes - from 20 watts (real monsters!) to 0.8 watts (most popular models). But usually, when the base station is located next to the subscriber device (and GSM “cells” in large cities are located densely enough to avoid “dead” zones between buildings), the full power of the telephone transmitter is not needed to maintain stable communication. To regulate power, a mechanism is used to analyze the number of errors during transmission and reception. Based on it, the transmitter power of the base station and telephone is reduced to a level where the communication quality is quite stable. This power control is a very subtle thing. Most user complaints about poor call quality are his fault.

The abbreviation GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. This is a kind of add-on over a regular GSM cellular network, which allows you to transfer data at significantly higher speeds than in a regular GSM network. If you can get a maximum of 14.4 Kbps on a regular GSM network, then the theoretical maximum in GPRS is 171.2 Kbps when fully used. GPRS is a packet data transmission system that functions similarly to the Internet. The entire sender's data stream is broken down into separate packets and then delivered to the recipient, where the packets are collected together, and it is not at all necessary that all packets take the same route.

The Internet and GPRS are united not only by packet data transfer. At the start of a GPRS session, each GPRS terminal, just like on the Internet, is assigned its own unique address; the GPRS protocol is transparent to TCP/IP, so the integration of the GPRS network with the Internet occurs unnoticed by the end user.

To connect to the GPRS service, your mobile device must be configured and your mobile operator has connected this service. In this case, only the volume of information sent/received is paid, and not airtime. You can also connect GPRS devices to the computer: for laptops - via a PCMCIA connector; for PDAs - via Compact Flash slot; for computers - via USB port.

GPS vs GPRS

Although there is only one letter separating GPS and GPRS, they are different from each other when you study their technology and features. GPS is a positioning service that can determine any location on earth through a process called trilateration, hence the name Global Positioning System. On the other hand, GPRS is a data technology that allows 2G telecommunication networks to provide services other than voice calls. These services include email access, multimedia messaging, and somewhat limited Internet access.

As stated above, GPS and GPRS have specific roles and are not competing technologies. GPS is an old military technology that is now starting to take off in the market since it wasn't that long ago that the US government allowed full civilian access. Full-fledged legal receivers accurately pinpoint their location within 10 feet, making it a viable tool for location tracking and navigation devices used in airplanes, boats and its most popular uses these days. Accuracy allows navigation devices to give you directions in real time. GPRS is part of 2G technologies and is quite old. In most parts of the developed world, GPRS has been replaced by superior 3G technology. It can be thought of as the equivalent of dial-up for mobile phones.

The operation of both is also significantly different, as GPS receives information from satellites in low Earth orbit, while GPRS communicates with ground-based cell towers. For GPRS to work properly, only one cell tower with an adequate signal is required. GPS, on the other hand, needs three or more satellites due to the basic principles of trilateration. Due to the extreme altitude of orbiting satellites, you can use your GPS device almost anywhere in the world, even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. GPRS is limited to mesh towers located on land.

1. GPS is a positioning service and GPRS is a data service used in mobile phones.

2. GPS is used to determine your location on earth and GPRS is used to access emails and browse the Internet.

3. GPS communicates with a collection of satellites that orbit the Earth, and GPRS communicates with a tower on the ground.

4. GPS requires three or more stations to work, but GPRS requires only one.

5. GPS can be used anywhere you can see the sky, while GPRS is more limited in range.

Definition

GPS– global positioning system. In more common language, a virtual map with a location function. The current position is determined with an accuracy of 6 meters using satellites rotating in low-Earth orbit.

GPRS– an add-on to GSM technology used for packet data transmission. In terms of the range of services provided by mobile operators - for access to the Internet.

Comparison

The GPS system is used to determine location. It was originally used by the United States armed forces, but subsequently “migrated” from military applications to the category of publicly available technologies.