What is the difference between gps and gsm. What is the difference between gps and gprs

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

What is GPS and GPRS

GPS-global system positioning. In a more familiar language, a virtual map with a location function. The current position is determined with an accuracy of up to 6 meters using satellites orbiting the earth.
GPRS- an add-on over GSM technology, used for packet data transmission. In terms of the range of services provided mobile operators, – to access the Internet.

Comparison of GPS and GPRS

What is the difference between GPS and GPRS?
The GPS system is used to determine the location. Initially, it was used by the armed forces of the United States, but subsequently "migrated" from military applications to the category of publicly available technologies.
GPRS is used for data transmission and is not related to geopositioning technologies. That is, in the case of terms so similar in pronunciation, there is a complete difference in the principles of their operation and areas of application.

TheDifference.ru determined the difference between GPS and GPRS is as follows:

GPS is a positioning system, a geolocation system. GPRS is a data transmission technology that is used to access the Internet.

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

A cell phone is a mini - radio transmitting - radio receiving station that provides full-fledged radio communication without interference. The cell phone is the center of the Internet technology, providing system access to the world wide web.

Mobile phone - mini - radio station

GPS technology used in mobile communications, is a network of global determination of an object with reference to the terrain, using space satellites, digital transmission data.

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 via this network, external networks and the Internet.

Use of the GPRS system for civil objects

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

Mobile phone communication channel, modem

Data transmission takes place in the mode of services of the telecom operator to which this subscriber belongs.

instant internet access
the ability to connect gadgets to the Internet: smartphones, tablets, laptops
billing for actual Internet access, namely, for the amount of information sent or received

GPRS System Capabilities

Ways to connect the GPRS system to a mobile phone

Service - mobile operator center

GPS - system satellite communications to determine coordinates, location on the map, speed of movement, object. The owner and operating organization is the US Department of Defense. The system is available to ordinary subscribers, if they have a navigation device or a mobile phone with a GPS receiver.

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

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

Collaboration of two GPRS and GPS systems

GPS refers to military technologies, GPRS is not related to the militaristic sense of determining objects and the parameters of their location.

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

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is an add-on over GSM mobile (cellular) communication technology that allows packet data transmission. GPRS allows a mobile phone user to access the Internet and forward e-mail messages.

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

In 2000, the US lifted restrictions on civilian use of GPS. Today, the whole world uses this service, provided by the United States absolutely free of charge. To date, there are 28 satellites, of which 24 are constantly in operation. 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 (). by the most convenient way Downloading information about traffic jams is accessing the Internet through the built-in GRRS module with a SIM card from a mobile operator.

Let's start with the fact that GPS or Global Positioning System is a global positioning system. To put it quite simply, this system is a virtual map with which the user can determine their 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 for accessing the mobile Internet.

If you still return to GPS technology, then it is used not only by motorists, as many people think. The scope of the GPS system is much wider. For example, it is very popular among travelers, hunters, fishermen and other people who prefer 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 the coordinates from the moment they are turned on, as well as in the sensitivity and positioning accuracy. All these parameters depend on the chipset that the GPS receiver is equipped with. There are chipsets for GPS devices on the market from a number of manufacturers, however, the SiRfstarIII chipsets, which are manufactured by SiRf Technology, are considered the most popular. Receivers equipped with the SiRfstarIII chipset demonstrate a short time of the so-called cold start, when the navigation system has not been used for a long time, it has 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 to be the most sensitive and have high-precision positioning capability.

To begin with, it is worth mentioning that in technical specifications smartphones, information about different modules appears. If in one we are talking about the GPS-module, then in others - about A-GPS. But what is their difference? If the equipment of the device includes a conventional GPS receiver, then during a cold start (what it is - read above), the search may be delayed because the navigator cannot quickly find the satellite, and this may take 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 your device uses A-GPS technology, then the necessary information in operational mode comes via 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 time to search for a satellite 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, a communication link is required with remote server, from which the information necessary for the GPS receiver comes. If we return to mobile devices, then in their case it is a cellular Internet connection or using Wi-Fi.

Note that the A-GPS add-on has both advantages and disadvantages. If you start with the advantages, it is worth noting the very fast determination of coordinates immediately after switching on. In addition, the technology enhances the reception sensitivity weak signal in the so-called dead zones - tunnels, indoors, in valleys, etc. However, a significant disadvantage in 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, as, 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 tariffication of a particular Internet provider.

GPS - global positioning system. In a more familiar language, a virtual map with a location function. The current position is determined with an accuracy of up to 6 meters using satellites orbiting the earth.

GPRS is an add-on to GSM technology that is used for packet data transmission. From the point of view 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 so similar in pronunciation, there is a complete difference in the principles of their operation and areas of application.

There are quite a lot of schoolchildren, blondes, middle-aged women and simply inexperienced users of mobile telephony devices, I just don’t know the difference between the two concepts, and often they make their more experienced and educated friends just die with 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 the Threshbox, 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 the signals of several satellites. Exactly GPS navigators used by inexperienced Moscow taxi drivers in order to somehow find their way to their customers. We will not 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 scheme of work:

Let's move on to the second mysterious abbreviation. GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service, and translated into Russian - packet radio common use. GPRS is a technology that allows you to bring the Internet to your phones over the waves. It is when you launch Opera Mini and confirm your Internet connection that your phone establishes a GPRS connection. Power Users they will run up and start shouting about any 3G and UMTS, but you don’t have to listen to them so as not to aggravate 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 scheme of work:

I invite experienced users to comment to criticize the article.

The navigator does not access the Internet via the GPS channel? Your communicator shows that it is in the GSM network coverage area, but ICQ does not work - there is no Internet connection? But 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 is this system?

This is a system that allows you to determine the location of an object with an accuracy of at least 100 m, i.e. determine its latitude, longitude and height above sea level, as well as the direction and speed of its movement. In addition, using GPS, you can determine the time with an accuracy of 1 nanosecond.

What is GPS made of?

GPS consists of a set of a certain number of artificial Earth satellites (NAVSTAR satellite system) and ground tracking stations, united in a common network. Individual GPS receivers serve as subscriber equipment, capable of receiving signals from satellites and, using the information received, 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. The weight of each satellite is about 787 kg, the size is more than 5 m, including solar panels. On board each satellite there is 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.

February 1978 can be considered the birth of NAVSTAR, when the first satellite of the system was launched into orbit. Average term The 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 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:

its status (message of 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 at any time during the day, i.e. orbital data of all satellites.

How are coordinates determined?

Based on the information received from the satellites, the GPS receiver 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 height 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 GPS receiver receives the message relative to the time the message is sent from the satellite. Of course, in order to accurately determine this delay, the clocks on the satellites and the clocks in the GPS receiver must be synchronous, which is ensured by the synchronization of the clock of the receiver according to the information contained, as indicated above, in the satellite signals.

What are the sources of position error?

The main source was the presence of the so-called regime " limited access". In this mode, the US Department of Defense a priori introduced an error into the satellite signals, which made it possible to determine the location 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 the unfortunate geometry of the relative position of the satellites, multipath propagation of radio signals (the effect of re-reflected radio waves on the receiver), ionospheric and atmospheric signal delays, etc.

What is a GPS receiver?

The GPS system allows you to determine the location at any point on land, at sea and in near-Earth space. Depending on the field 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 performance 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 small in size and have a wide range of service functions: from basic navigation, including the ability to generate and calculate routes, to the function of receiving and transmitting e-mail.

Car GPS receivers that are designed to be installed in any ground vehicle and have the ability to connect external transceiver equipment for automatic transmission of traffic parameters to control centers.

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

Aviation GPS receivers used for piloting aircraft, including commercial aviation

Are there other positioning systems?

Yes. The domestic military space industry has created an alternative GLONASS satellite system. However, despite the higher positioning accuracy, its reliability and consumer characteristics are significantly lower than those of NAVSTAR, and today this system has not received wide distribution.

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. The 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 themselves Cell Phones were far from universal. For each type of cellular communication, it was necessary to develop unique equipment.

In GSM cellular communications, radio frequencies of 900, 1800 or 1900 MHz are used (triband phones can be used in networks of any of the listed frequency bands). Compared to analogue standards, GSM has a number of advantages. The main ones are the use of low-power transmitters in subscriber units 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 the 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 a lot of signals that differ in phase, from which it selects the right one, 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 speak, it turns on. This mechanism allows you to minimize the power consumption of a cell phone. Smart machine turns out!

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 close to the subscriber unit (and GSM cells in large cities are dense enough to avoid "dead" zones between buildings), the full power of the phone's transmitter is not needed to maintain a stable connection. To adjust the power, a mechanism for analyzing the number of errors in transmission and reception is used. Based on it, the transmitter power base station and the phone is reduced to a level where the quality of communication is quite stable. This power control thing is very subtle. Most user complaints about poor communication quality are on his "conscience".

The abbreviation GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. This is a kind of superstructure over a conventional GSM cellular network, which allows you to transfer data at significantly higher speeds than in a conventional GSM network. If in a conventional GSM network you can get a maximum of 14.4 Kbps, then the theoretical maximum in GPRS is 171.2 Kbps with full use. GPRS is a packet data transmission system that functions similarly to the Internet. The entire data stream of the sender is broken into separate packets and then delivered to the recipient, where the packets are assembled together, and it is not at all necessary that all packets go the same route.

The Internet and GPRS are united not only by packet data transfer. At the beginning 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 is imperceptible to the end user.

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

GPS and GPRS seem to be similar, but in that sense they are completely different. The difference between GPS and GPRS is that GPS is a satellite navigation system whereas GPRS is used to provide cellular based data services.

GPS supports a variety of applications such as satellite operation, surveying and mapping, power grid, telecommunications, intelligent machines, precision agriculture, etc. On the other hand, GPRS provides applications such as access to e-mail, multimedia messages, video calls, etc.

comparison table

Basis for comparison	GPS	GPRS
Stands for	satellite navigation system	General Packet Radio Service
Target	Provides a positioning service.	Provides voice and data services used in mobile phones.
request	Navigation, geodesy, cartography, GIS, etc.	Access to email, multimedia messages, video calls, etc.
Working	GPS communicates with a set of satellites that orbit the earth.	GPRS communicates with the earth tower.
Number of stations required	3 or more	1
usage	GPS can be used anywhere: sky, land, seas, etc.	GPRS is limited in range and only available on land.
Price	Expensive	economic

GPS Definition

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based positioning system. The GPS network uses satellites to determine the exact position of an object on earth. The GPS network consists of a constellation of 24 active satellites and some additional Reserve copy. These satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of more than 20,180 kilometers, and each of them takes 11 hours and 58 minutes.

In GPS, the satellites are located in such a way that from almost anywhere on the earth's surface, the receiver must have a line of sight of at least four satellites. This is vital as locating a GPS point requires at least four satellites to calculate three position coordinates and clock deviation, this process is called trilateration .

Sometimes the trilateration process fails when the GPS navigator receives inadequate information, this is due to ionosphere and troposphere, that slow down the speed of the signals. In this situation, the GPS system notifies the user of the failure rather than sending incorrect information.

GPS devices are receivers, such as mobile phones, that are capable of sending and receiving signals. Every GPS satellite transmits a navigation message to Earth that contains an extremely accurate time stamp (obtained using atomic clock, available on satellites).

The satellites also broadcast their position during the broadcast, with all GPS signals being broadcast on frequencies of 1.57542 GHz ( L1 signals) and 1.2276 GHz ( L2 signals). These two bits of information allow you to determine the position on Earth when all satellites send accurate time to Earth. The GPS receiver can compare the time difference between the signal being sent and received to determine the distance between you.

Elements of GPS

Space segment- this includes a satellite orbiting the earth.
Control segment- this segment includes stations located at the Earth's equator to control satellites.
user segment. Segment includes the entity (person or organization) that receives and uses GPS signals.

Definition of GPRS

General Packet Radio System (GPRS) is the most popular cellular system of the second generation, which provides high-speed data transmission. GPRS is also known as 2.5 generation mobile and telecommunications and is an extended version of the 2G GSM network. GPRS implements the concept of packet switching to send and receive data services over a network, while GSM uses circuit switching.

However, there have been more technologies and generations since GPRS. GPRS also uses the latest schemes for combining time slots and channel coding. Basic architecture based Internet Protocol(IP) is included to support integrated voice and data applications in wireless networks with packet data.

GPRS features

The connection speed increased to 56-118 Kbps due to GSM time slot aggregation.
Provides a constant connection without constant data consumption and eliminates the slow process of dialing.
Includes full internet services such as video conferencing.
Provides portability, which means it maintains continuous voice and data transmission even while the user is on the move.
Offers immediate service; the user can get an immediate connection regardless of the location.

Main Differences Between GPS and GPRS

GPS is short for Global Positioning System which provides location service while GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service which provides wireless integrated voice and data services.
GPS determines the location of an object in terms of latitude and longitude. On the contrary, GPRS is an extended version of GSM that provides high data rates for cellular systems.
GPS uses a constellation of 24 satellites that orbit the earth to determine location. On the other hand, GPRS uses ground towers for communication.
GPRS only requires one station while GPS requires three stations to function.
GPS is very expensive as the satellites used are expensive. Unlike GPRS at a low cost.
GPRS is limited in range and only works well on land where BSTs (Base Transceiver System) are installed. In contrast, the GPS system covers a wider range and can work well even in the sea and sky.

Conclusion

GPS and GPRS are different terms and serve different purposes. GPS is a satellite-based positioning system that includes navigation, geodesy, mapping, and GIS ( geographic information system). On the other hand, GPRS is used to provide services with high speed data transmission (voice and data) to wireless devices or on a cellular network such as real-time video calling on mobile phones, etc.

One of the most sought after and useful features that modern devices have is the ability to establish their own location with great accuracy using. This allows you to use many functions based on precise coordinates. The work 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 a fairly high accuracy.

On this moment two navigation systems are used, GPS and GLONASS, the importance of which is very difficult to overestimate. Today, not a single business can do without their use, which requires compiling a route, determining the exact location, calculating the distance, 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 easier and more comfortable.

Navigation equipment. Professional and domestic navigation equipment that is used to plot a route along electronic cards, requires determining the exact location. It is the navigation modules in professional equipment that allow ships and aircraft to accurately follow the route, while in everyday life they are widely used in cars, showing the way and allowing special applications to build a route if the user does not know exactly how to get to their destination.

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

The question of why the navigation module is needed also does not arise in the commercial sphere, where cargo transportation, passenger transportation and the delivery functions of various goods and goods are used. Here, the location function is used to calculate the distance traveled, the employee’s schedule, his/her employment, monitor 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 design itself, as 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 the current coordinates. The presence of a navigation module has long been the standard for most mobile devices.

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

Now most of the 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 prefer the one that is more accurate. This will allow you to fully appreciate all the capabilities of the positioning system. Most users prefer to purchase devices in which both modules are 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. However, they do not conflict with each other, but complement. This feature allows you to significantly increase the accuracy of determining the coordinates compared to how if both systems were used separately.

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

Definition

GPS– global positioning system. In a more familiar language, a virtual map with a location function. The current position is determined with an accuracy of up to 6 meters using satellites orbiting the earth.

GPRS- an add-on over GSM technology, used for packet data transmission. From the point of view of the range of services provided by mobile operators - for access to the Internet.

Comparison

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