How does GPS work? – Technology Times

GPS is as everybody knows today, Global Positioning System.  This is the communication which is related to locate the geographical position/current location of the device in terms of latitudes and longitudes.  This GPS comes pre-installed in all the latest devices these days.  This GPS technology works brilliantly in the applications like Google Maps and other software’s.  Moreover this is the free service and while on the move if you have lost your way; no need to worry just turn your GPS on and you’ll get directions from your initial location to your destined one. 

Not only this, it has a great application in crime detections and to locate any of the location on this Earth. GPS satellites do not transmit any signals; their receivers just track the signals and locate the direction in terms of pre-defined co-ordinates.  It works fine in the clear skies however the more cloudy it would be the tougher it would be to get the signals.  This is only the reason that it do not work fine in dense forests.  But it will, since everyday new technology is adding in our database; hence we can hope for the better GPS support.  These operations, to locate the objects; works on a very accurate time references.  These references are provided by the clocks located in U.S. Naval observatory and that clock is termed as Atomic Clock.  Henceforth, each satellite has its own Atomic Clocks on board.

It transmits the data that indicates its location and the current time.  They need to be synchronized in order to give the accurate time and reference.  Well, these satellites get the signals at the speed of light which is the maximum speed ever.  So, all these satellites get the data at different instances of time, this helps them to measure the distance as written in their coding algorithms to calculate the distance; and this finally helps in making the 3-D representation of the position of the device.  So, there are in total 24 operational GPS satellites running all the time.  These are operated by the U.S.  Air Force, these operate with a period of 12 hours.  The work of ground stations is merely to precisely track the satellite’s orbit.

This is the simple explanation about the GPS system but in an insight it has major algorithms to be executed.  Technology makes us to live better. Use your creativity to make the things work smarter.