MapForums

Hi,

I'm having trouble getting reliable GPS in from devices. How can anyone suggest as a good way to get GPS data in from the field?

I'd like to use the wireless network, I presume, to get the GPS location of a device (any capable device), every 10-60 seconds.

Any suggestions will be welcomed.

Thanks,
Bob

Hi Bob,

Do you want to gahter GPS from a fleet, or from a local GPS receiver connected to your program, or from a local GPS receiver connected to Mappoint.exe ?

__________________
rgds, Wilfried Mestdagh
www.mestdagh.biz
MapPoint coding demo
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Wilfried,

I need to collect data from every driver in a fleet, which is why the per driver cost needs to be as low as possible.

Thanks for the help,

Bob

Hi,

I would be willing to write a Java application for the phone, if I could get a few words of direction regarding the development platform, etc. I know the i415, i450, i835, i855 and i875 have an affordable pay as you go plan and would really like to explore this possibility.

Any help that anyone coiuld give me would be really appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Hi,

I did a quick search on the net to see what you are talking about. Seems those are GSM's with build in GPS, and programmable in Java. Right?

I cannot advice in Java, however it is possible I have to make some programs soon with Nokia 12 embedded witch is similar I think.

As network layer you can:
- setup a GPRS connection to the internet. On backoffice you have to have a fixed IP of course. There you can make a TCP server where the mobile devices connect to. Advantage is a continue online. Whilst having GPRS session the phone normally can do SMS, and can suspend it for a while if someone wants a voice call. All mobiles are reachable at same time.
- send all positions with SMS. Then at backoffice you need another phone and a server that talks with the phone. All mobiles are also reachable however with some delay which can be 1..10 seconds depending on the GSM provider.
- make a PPP Deamon on the mobile. Backoffice can then dial in to it one by one. Only 1 mobile at the time can be reached, and you need memory to store all positions until the dialup comes. Very cheap in most countries, but not real time tracking.

So purely what your application wants you have a lots of choises. I dont know of course if you can do all these things with this mobile devices.

Most of my mobile applications are with embedded phones connected to a programmable boardcomputer, so this is totally different.

__________________
rgds, Wilfried Mestdagh
www.mestdagh.biz
MapPoint coding demo
Order MapPoint 2009 with Routing and User Tools Spreadsheet

Wilfried,

Given that I have a website with a static IP address, could I not use that, and thereby eliminate some (or all) of the networking issuse you described? Then, it sems that the Java program only need to grab the GPS coordinates and create an IP packet to the website, which would then use the Nextel API to send to the website.

As you can see, I have not done any programming of this sort before. I'll get a log-in to the Nextel developers site and ask about using the Nextel API.

Thanks for the help. I'd be interested in hearing if you think having my own website would simplify this process.

Bob

Hi,

With a website with static IP address can give other possibilities. I'm not sure if it is simpliefied, it is only different. Your mobile has to implement the HTTP protocol and POST to the website. Other approach is that it implement FTP protocol and upload a small file with the GPS informations. Of course files must be exclusive named.

If FTP or HTTP is implemented in the API in the mobile then it can simplifie a lots of course

If you can run executables or CGI on that website gives again more possibilities.

__________________
rgds, Wilfried Mestdagh
www.mestdagh.biz
MapPoint coding demo
Order MapPoint 2009 with Routing and User Tools Spreadsheet