Q
- What is Automatic
Vehicle Location?
A -
Automatic Vehicle Location is a technologically advanced method of remote
vehicle tracking and monitoring. Each vehicle is equipped with a module that
receives signals from a series of satellites, and calculates its current
geographical location, speed and heading. This information can be stored for
later retrieval, or most often, transmitted to a central dispatch/control
location where it is displayed real time on a high resolution geographical
map. The most popular form of Automatic Vehicle Location is called the Global
Positioning System (GPS).
Q
- What is GPS?
A - GPS is
an existing technology originally set up by the U.S. government to accurately
monitor the maneuvers of military vehicles with nearly pin-point precision.
GPS was a qualified success with military operations, and now it is
revolutionizing navigational tracking for commercial and civilian use. The
principals of GPS are quite simplistic in nature, yet this simple solution to
maintaining knowledge of the exact location of a vehicle or troop of vehicles
is currently being trusted by such high pressure industries as Police Forces,
Hospitals and Fire Departments. Other industries such as Taxi Cab Companies,
Messenger Services, Cement and Concrete suppliers, Construction Firms and
Utility Companies have also discovered the benefits of GPS, and they are
finding advantageous and profitable results as an outcome.
Q
- What is the existing
technology set up by the U.S. Government?
A - In the
early 1980’s, the United States launched 24 satellites. These 24 satellites
are encircling the Earth in six separate orbits at an altitude of 11,000
miles. At any given moment, at least five of these satellites can view any
spot on the Earth’s surface simultaneously. The satellites are synchronized to
emit encoded navigational information (exact positioning and exact time). Any
vehicle equipped with a GPS receiver will intercept these transmissions. The
receiver will then compute its own distance from the satellites. Using a
simple mathematical formula derived from "triangulation" the receiver is able
to calculate its own longitude, latitude, velocity and even altitude.
Q
- What is Triangulation?
A -
Triangulation is at the very root of GPS. As stated above, no fewer than 5
satellites are in view of any given spot on the Earth’s surface at any given
moment. In order to use the formula of triangulation it is only necessary for
three signals to be intercepted by a GPS receiver. Using the information the
satellites transmit to the receiver and by calculating the time the signal
took to reach the receiver, the receiver is able to recognize its exact
distance from the satellite. By collecting signals from three of more
satellites in carefully monitored orbit the receiver computes its own spatial
relationship to each satellite in order to come up with a precise reading of
its position on the planet.
Q
- How can it be so
accurate?
A -
Measuring the travel time of satellite emissions is a crucial key for
triangulation to work properly. The exact location of each satellite is also
of the essence. High orbits, careful monitoring and correcting any delays the
signal experiences as it travels through the atmosphere are important factors.
In order to guarantee that these factors are kept in constant check, GPS also
involves the use of 5 ground control stations strategically positioned around
the globe that track and correct any positioning errors. The ground stations
check the operational health of the satellites as will as their exact position
in space. If an error should be detected by one of the ground stations, the
master ground station will correct it by transmitting any adjustment
information back to the satellite that may not be operating perfectly. The
Department of Defense contributes by measuring minor variations in each
satellite’s orbit, and atomic clocks are on board of every satellite.
Combined, all of these components contribute to the accuracy of GPS. GPS is
accurate up to 100 meters 95% of the time. Accuracy up to 10 meters is
commonplace.
Q
- OK, the receiver knows
its exact position, but how does that affect me?
A - This is
where CES fits into the equation that might look something like this:
GPS + CES technology
=
Enhanced efficiency, productivity, security and management for your company.
CES has produced
state-of-the-art technology that is exceedingly user friendly. Our engineers
have harnessed the power of GPS and have designed products that work with the
existing technology in order for companies like yours to reap the benefits.
Our products are fully integrated and expandable. They can also easily be
adapted to best suit your needs.
Q
- So, what has CES done?
A - CES has
designed and manufactured a superior system of AVL (Automatic Vehicle
Location) using the GPS process. The technology involved with AVL is extremely
advanced, but the explanation as well as the operation of it is quite simple.
A GPS receiver is mounted in a vehicle, and a GPS antenna is mounted on the
vehicle roof. This combination receives and decodes the pertinent data from
the satellites. The data is then passed to the CES radio modem which converts
the information into an analog signal (a series of 1’s and 0’s) for
transmission through a radio system. Once passed through the users radio
system, the data is received at a dispatcher location and displayed on a "real
time" computer mapping system. CES provides the complete turnkey system.
Q
- Modem? Where’s that?
A - CES has
developed an entire series of intelligent messaging devices that operate with
your existing conventional, trunked,
cellular or satellite mobile radio systems. Each of these messaging
devices comes equipped with an internal, built-in modem. It is the modem that
converts the information into a suitable format for transmission to the target
location. Depending on the needs of your company, these device can feature a
vast array of driver interface controls and readouts, or it can be neatly
hidden away within the vehicle and programmed to transmit signals to a
dispatcher completely independent of driver interaction.
Q
- So, I don’t need a new
radio/communication system?
A -
Absolutely not. This is one of the major benefits of having CES installed AVL.
Our family of intelligent mobile wireless data products are engineered to
operate with pre-existing radio systems. Our mobile products are no exception.
Each comes complete with a radio interface cable and mounting brackets. Your
previously installed transceiver operates just as it had before; sending the
signal to a reception tower that reroutes the signal directly to your
dispatcher. Using the exclusive CES QUADTEC process, all transmissions
automatically determine which radio channel is available, send the message,
receive an acknowledgment and process retries if the data is not properly
received by the dispatcher. In other words: CES has made it so that a
transmission is never "lost" because of distance or interference.
CES supports a wide range of
wireless formats, from two-way radio, analog and digital trunking, satellite
and cellular.
Q
- It sounds too good to
be true. What about my dispatch location? Will it require a complete overhaul?
A - CES
technologies have designed a base dispatch Data Controller (DCC) with
simplicity in mind. It comes complete with operating software, Monitor, DCC,
Keyboard and Mouse. The powerful operating software is Windows ’95 compatible.
The "pull down" menu format has been proven user-friendly. It is so
user-friendly in fact, that very little, if any, specialized training is
required. A full "Help" menu is also provided.
Q
- You mentioned a mapping
system. What’s that?
A - The
mapping software designed by CES is not only amazing in terms of its
functionality, it’s also fun to use. Windows compatible digital maps are
loaded into the dispatch computer. Using the transmissions sent to the
dispatch from each vehicle of your fleet, you will be able to see precisely
where these vehicles are located, which direction they are heading and,
depending on intricacies of the programs you have chosen, data such as the job
currently being performed by each vehicle. Our mapping system also features
status messaging, pan, zoom in/out, scroll, and "real time" vehicle display.
No matter how large or small, keeping track of your fleet has never been
easier.
Q
- This is great! I can
see where all my vehicles are on the map, but how do I communicate with them?
A - Your
current two-way radio dispatch system (or cellular) works exactly as it did
before, only now you will have the luxury of immediate messaging without
relying on fallible voice communication. Again, depending on the system that
was selected to best suit your needs, you can easily transmit messages to all
or only one of your fleet drivers. If you opted for mobile display terminals
within your vehicles, you can send electronic messages as simplistic or
elaborate as you desire. Your new dispatch transmissions provide timely and
secure information, reduce costs, improves driver efficiencies, removes driver
distractions, improves productivity and vehicle turn-around, and provides
critical management information. On the other hand, given all these
advancements, you will still be able to use voice communication if you wish.
Q
- I’m sold! But what if I
find that I need my fleet upgraded in the future?
A - CES has
already planned ahead for your future. All of our data products are fully
upgradeable. We have the capability of providing your fleet with such
invaluable hardware as credit card readers, bar code scanners, external
keyboards and even mobile printers.
