Potential Networking Applications of Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Global Positioning System (GPS) Technology allows precise determination of location, velocity, direction, and time. The price of GPS receivers is falling rapidly and the applications are growing. PCMCIA receivers that can be connected to any notebook personal computers are available for \$300-400 to end consumers. The main goal of this study was to survey current applications of GPS to distributed systems and networks. While GPS is appearing in the computer magazines very often and while many computer companies have announced GPS related efforts, most such efforts are in providing navigational guidance to drivers. Digitized city maps along with a GPS sensor on a mobile computer provide directions to drivers. A number of consortiums have been formed by companies such as IBM, Apple, Toshiba, Sony, and others. Currently, applications of GPS for distributed computation and networking are limited to measuring delays in Wolter and Golderman's DA-30 network analyzers and in clock s...

• Type: Technical Report
• Year: 1996
• Where: Ohio State University
• Authors: G. Dommety and Raj Jain
• Keywords: Computer Networks, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Wireless Networks