GPS Vs A-GPS

[Viral]

Hello Everyone,

I know how to retrieve GPS values from internal GPS receiver via Compact
Framework's managed APIs. Nowdays I am hearing about the A-GPS technology
which is part of some new WM based devices (which gets GPS values faster).
Can someone please help me if i want to get the GPS values out of these A-GPS
h/w then how can i do that.

Is there any managed way of doing that in Compact Framework?

Also if someone please help me in clearing my doubt that A-GPS is also
dependent on provider like sprint/at &t who have their own Assisted servers
which helps in getting gps values faster...

I would really request all senior members of this forum to throw some light
on this new topic.

Thanks in advance..

 

[Scott Gifford]

I know how to retrieve GPS values from internal GPS receiver via
Compact Framework's managed APIs. Nowdays I am hearing about the
A-GPS technology which is part of some new WM based devices (which
gets GPS values faster). Can someone please help me if i want to
get the GPS values out of these A-GPS h/w then how can i do that.

Is there any managed way of doing that in Compact Framework?

Generally these devices present an interface just like a standard GPS
device.

You can access them directly as serial devices, but IMO the best way
to access them is through the GPS Intermediate Driver:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms850332.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb158708.aspx

The sample code works quite well.

Also if someone please help me in clearing my doubt that A-GPS is
also dependent on provider like sprint/at &t who have their own
Assisted servers which helps in getting gps values faster...

As far as I know, It does require support from the carrier. I have
heard mixed things on whether it will fail when no mobile carrier
signal is present; it may depend on the particular implementation.

Good luck!

----Scott.

 

[Michael Schiffer]

I know how to retrieve GPS values from internal GPS receiver via Compact
Framework's managed APIs. Nowdays I am hearing about the A-GPS technology
which is part of some new WM based devices (which gets GPS values faster).
Can someone please help me if i want to get the GPS values out of these A-GPS
h/w then how can i do that.

I would really request all senior members of this forum to throw some light
on this new topic.

Hi,

let's see, if I unterstand you right: You know, how to get position
estimates from a WM device's GPS receiver. But now you want to get the
same infos out of an A-GPS receiver?

Simple answer: Do it the same way if you just want a position estimate.
If you want to upload assistence data to the receiver, I can't help.

When a GPS receiver starts positioning, it downloads the almanach and
other data from the satellites. This takes some minutes if the device
has been off for a longer time and the stored data is too old.
An A-GPS device is able to download this data from the web, which is
much faster than downloading it from the satellites. But there is no
difference in calculating the position estimate or getting it from the
device.

mfg
Michael

 

[Viral]

Michael,

So does it mean, if i use the same code for getting lattitude and longitude
from GPS receiver(on A-GPS enabled device), it will still work (it will get
data from A-Server automatically) and in turn, this will be faster compared
to traditional GPS.

For example if I am using Sprint's latest devices which are supporting A-GPS
technology, Same code will be able to get the GPS data faster in comparison
with traditional GPS phone? I don't really have to care about Assisted server
and all?

Please confirm...

Thanks,
Viral

 

[Scott Gifford]

So does it mean, if i use the same code for getting lattitude and
longitude from GPS receiver(on A-GPS enabled device), it will still
work (it will get data from A-Server automatically) and in turn,
this will be faster compared to traditional GPS.

That has been my experience. My app required no changes to run on a
Sprint A-GPS phone.

-----Scott.

 

[Simon Hart [MVP]]

See if this helps, quite informative:
http://wmexperts.com/articles/gps_vs_agps_a_quick_tutorial.html