GPS and RFID Package Tracking

It was not that many years ago that package tracking was almost totally guesswork. If you ordered something that needed to be shipped to you it might arrive in 3 days or 3 weeks and where the package was in between the shipper and you was a complete mystery. All of that is changing not only because of GPS tracking but also because of radio frequency identification (RFID).

GPS is a wonderful technology that is revolutionizing many areas of our lives; but it is simply too expensive to put a GPS receiver on every box, package or envelope that is shipped. But it really isn't necessary to GPS track every package. Inevitably packages are in a building, or a truck, so all you need to know is which truck or building has your package and where the building or truck is. Buildings obviously don't move so you don't need to GPS track the packages in a building you simply need to know constantly exactly what packages are in the building.

Shipping and delivery trucks, of course, are a different matter. Trucks must be GPS tracked in order to track the packages in them. Very soon every new delivery truck that hits the roads will have a fully integrated GPS tracking system. Older trucks will end up being updated with GPS, sooner rather than later, or the trucks will be likely retired completely. GPS in shipping trucks is used primarily to let the shipper and shipping company know where the packages are. The GPS can also be used for navigation, but most truckers already know their territory and don't need GPS navigation. The big push for GPS-equipped delivery trucks is for tracking packages.

So the only thing left to make the system work is to electronically tag each package. In the state of the art system of the near future packages will be identified by RFID. It will not be long before a RFID electronic tag will be attached to almost all packages shipped everywhere. Unlike current bar coding systems, RFID electronic tags do not require a visual scan and can carry significantly more information. Bar coding is almost everywhere these days, but it requires a close and accurate visual scan by a bar code reader. It is simply too slow and often inaccurate. RFID tags on the other hand require only that the package be within radio frequency range of the RFID receiver or RFID interrogator. The days of running a package under a visual scanner by hand are almost over.

Even today most shipping companies have prototype shipping and delivery trucks with fully integrated RFID interrogators, RFID antennas, GPS tracking and a cellular computer network to tie it all together. Factories, shipping and mail centers are also starting to use RFID throughout their facilities so they know exactly what packages are in their facilities. So the package-tracking circle will soon be complete. The package sends, or is induced to send, out a radio frequency signal, the RFID interrogator inside the back of the truck or in the building picks up the signal, the computer network on the truck or in the building sends out a cellular message letting the shippers computer know what is where and finally the GPS system tells the shipper where the truck is if the package is currently on a truck.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to GPS

How to Find a Live GPS Tracking Company to Do Business With

Are you interested in having live GPS tracking equipment installed and activated for your cell phone or your vehicle? If you are, you will need to find a live GPS tracking company to do business with. A live GPS tracking company is a company that will record all of your movements, as well as give you access to those movements through their own customized programs. A live GPS tracking company is what makes it possible for you to benefit from having GPS equipment installed on your cell phone or in your vehicle.

If you are interested in having GPS tracking activated in your personal vehicle, cell phone, or even your work vehicles, you will need to find a live GPS tracking company to do business with, as previously mentioned. When it comes to finding a live GPS tracking company to do business with, you will find that you have a number of different options. Perhaps, the easiest option is to use the internet.

When it comes to finding a live GPS tracking company to do business with, it is advised that you perform a standard internet search. When performing a standard internet search, you may want to search with the phrases ?live GPS tracking,? ?GPS tracking company,? or another similar phrase. Your standard internet search will likely return a number of different results. Some of those results should include the online websites of live GPS tracking companies. You will want to examine each of those online websites for additional information.

When examining the online website of a live GPS tracking company, there are a number of points that you will want to examine. One of those points is location of service. While most live GPS tracking companies service the entire United States and sometimes even foreign countries, there are some live GPS tracking companies that have limitations. Before doing business with a live GPS tracking company, you will want to examine the areas serviced; as you want to make sure that the places you travel to can be recorded, as that is what live GPS tracking is all about.

You will also want to examine the equipment used by a live GPS tracking company. Many live GPS tracking companies require that their own equipment is used; however, not all do. If you have a cell phone that already has live GPS tracking equipment installed on it or if your vehicle does, you will want to see if the equipment that you already have can be used or activated. If it can, this may be able to save you a considerable amount of money on equipment.

By using the internet and a standard internet search, you should be able to find a number of live GPS tracking companies to do business with. GPS tracking is good for your personal cell phone, your personal vehicle, or, if you are a business owner, your business phones and vehicles.

Quentin Chamberlain is a writer for RM Tracking . com where you can find accurate information about Live GPS Tracking and other related information.

Advances in GPS Tracking - SOMEBODY Knows Where You Are!

Geographical Positioning Systems or GPS in short have been around for some time now, and what was once a novelty has become a wrist watch based minor device with some very major applications. GPS works on the principle of triangulation from a reference system based in space. Having its genesis in the Transit System being used in the US Navy in the late 1950s, where a 2 dimensional system was used to find the location of ships with the aid of satellite reflection waves, the current generation GPS systems have come a very long way indeed.

GPS is increasingly being integrated with diverse applications that require knowledge of own geographical location. With the miniaturization of the GPS device and increase in the satellite imagery resolution, it is becoming an affordable solution for a vast range of applications ranging from wild animal tracking to whale herd movement, submarine tracking by Naval forces to precision guidance for missiles. GPS devices have become an essential part, rather the most essential part of a number of applications that have tracking of an object or a living being as its prime objective.

The principle on which a GPS functions and which is used to ensure flawless tracking is based on the trilateration or triangulation in 2 dimensional terms. The principle is based on the time difference it takes for clock signals to arrive at the GPS receiver from various satellites hovering in space. The differential in time is fed to the GPS software which in turn determines the location of the object in relation to the satellites. Tracking takes this feature a step further by integrating the principle of radio broadcast with GPS location service or a viewing service or a central node station using means to communicate with it. The coordinates of the GPS, when translated onto a mapping service and stored in the GPS?s memory make a primitive tracker where the way points of movement can be tracked. This feature, if combined with moving vehicles can become a vehicular tracking system. The use of other devices like GPS based phone can assist in human tracking in the field. The same is finding extensive use in the armed forces around the world. Central management of resources by large corporations is also done using a GPS device; albeit some covertly and some after declaration. When using a central command center to coordinate the GPS coordinates of all neighboring GPS stations, a grid can be formed and movement patterns of a large body can be tracked. The possible applications for tracking are limited only to ones imagination and of course the budget.

The question ?Where am I ?? might still remain unanswered if you ask it to yourself, but for someone tracking you, he knows exactly your latitude, longitude and altitude. Just ask him.

The Evolution of GPS Tracking Device Technology

As GPS technology has become more main stream and accessible to consumers, the variety of GPS enable devices has also increased at an incredible rate. Most of us know someone with GPS in their car or we own a unit ourselves. As the technology gets more advanced even smaller and more versatile, handheld portable GPS devices are becoming increasingly popular. Portable GPS systems for serious use GPS technology is being used more and more each day for business matters and emergency use. Many of us already own GPS enabled cell phones. Emergency 911 operators can now pinpoint the caller in distress by locating their GPS cell phone. GPS cell phones report their location at all times they are turned on. For businesses, PDA's can be used by delivery, sales and repair personnel to find their way and also have their positions tracked by the head office. There is time saving software which will plan the route for a delivery run based on the location of their drop-off points for the day. Surveyors use specialized GPS equipment to plan roads, and map out fields. Locating and re-locating survey markers and boundaries is also made much easier with GPS. Laptop computers can easily be turned into PDA receivers or trackers with the addition of USB plug in devices and software. The possible uses really are limitless. Using your portable GPS for fun The accessibility of this million dollar technology to the general population has of course, opened up new recreational uses. As well as tracking your own location, you can use GPS to track other people's and or objects locations. Geocaching is a type of hi-tech treasure hunt. A small item with a GPS transmitter is hidden, and then hunters with GPS devices compete to find it. GPS enabled watches, cameras, pet collars all provide interesting applications to this technology. The cameras can imprint a precise geographical location on photos taken so you can re-locate that position easily. For pets who stray, what easier way than logging into a website to locate them. Some of these pet collars can even send messages to cell phones with Fido's location. If you are attending a large event and are separated from the main group, you could use GPS to hone in on a GPS watch signal to find them. These are just a few instances of GPS technology and what it can do for you. The possibilities really are endless. Wherever it leads us, we will be able to track it!

GPS Tracking Devices offer Security and Confidence for the Weary Traveler. Discover more Reliable Tips on Buying a GPS at http://www.gpstrackingdevice.net/

GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems: Do I Need One?

GPS vehicle tracking systems are more affordable and more popular than ever before, but do you need one? Take this short quiz and keep track of your 'yes' answers. I'll help you total your score and decide after you finish.

Step One: Take Quiz

1. Do I use vehicles in my business? Yes/No

(The definition of 'vehicles' includes heavy, medium and light-duty vehicles, construction equipment (dozers, graders, backhoes, etc), cars, motorcycles, RV's, pick-up trucks, vans, tractor trailers, buses, trailers, dump trucks, snow plows, limousines, taxis, etc.)

2. Have any of my vehicles been stolen in the past? Yes/No

3. I'd like to know what is going on and where my employees/vehicles are during the day: Yes/No

4. I'd like to reduce my fuel expenses and know if any of my vehicles are wasting gas: Yes/No

5. Being able to give my customers accurate and precise arrival/delivery estimates is important to me: Yes/No

6. It is important to know if any of my vehicles are used after hours or on weekends for non-business purposes: Yes/No

7. I'd like save up to 30% on my vehicle insurance: Yes/No

8. It is important to know if my employees are speeding or otherwise abusing my vehicles: Yes/No

9. If any of my employees are using my vehicles to 'moonlight' or do work without my knowledge, I'd want to know: Yes/No

10. Knowing about mechanical problems before they become expensive to fix is important: Yes/No

11. If any of my vehicles are ever stolen, I'd like to locate them within minutes: Yes/No

12. I'd like to have vehicle use data to compare with overtime requests as a way to guard against errors and fraud: Yes/No

13. I'd like a reminder when it is time to do routine maintenance on my vehicles: Yes/No

14. Occasionally, customers question when we were at their location, having the exact date and time recorded in our tracking system would really help in those cases: Yes/No

15. I'd like to help my employees be more productive by seeing where they go each day: Yes/No

Step Two: Total Your 'Yes' Answers

Add up your 'yes' answers.

* Fewer than 7 'yes' answers:Thanks for taking the quiz, you don't appear to want/need a vehicle tracking system.

* 7 to 11 'yes' answers: Thanks for taking the quiz. You could greatly benefit from a vehicle tracking system.

* More than 11 'yes' answers: Thanks for taking the quiz. You need a vehicle tracking system.

By the way, every question above (except question 1 & 2) is answered by using GPS vehicle tracking systems.

Step Three: Cost vs. Gain

The average business owner recoups their investment in GPS vehicle tracking systems within 6 - 12 months after purchase. Of course, your ROI may vary. Recovering one stolen vehicle may pay for your entire tracking system.

Vehicle tracking helps you reduce operating costs and boosts productivity.

Tracking systems reduce vehicle costs by putting a spotlight on speeding employees, who waste fuel, cause excessive engine wear and drive up insurance rates. Vehicle tracking systems will also remind you when it's time for preventive maintenance, like oil changes, helping you keep your vehicles on the road and making you money.

GPS vehicle tracking systems improve productivity by:

* documenting long lunch hours,

* exposing unauthorized breaks,

* comparing driver overtime requests with system reports of driver activity,

* highlighting unauthorized vehicle use after hours and on weekends,

* eliminating driver logs.

Many insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30% for vehicles protected with tracking systems.

Step Four: Due Diligence

GPS vehicle tracking systems are outstanding tools for vehicle and fleet management, but you need to find the right system for you. Take a look at the different types of GPS vehicle tracking systems.

Check a company's hardware and software, as well as their monthly data access plan. You'll also need to decide whether to buy or lease your GPS tracking system.

Good luck.

Ken Sink, owner of My Vehicle WatchDog, is a veteran with 20+ years of transportation experience, including fleet management of over 800 vehicles. Visit http://www.MyVehicleWatchDog.Info for more information about GPS vehicle tracking systems from Fleet Management Solutions, Networkfleet and Sprint/Nextel. Submit your info for a quick, no-obligation system quote. Quantity discounts for volume purchases

The Military and GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is one of the most interesting technological advances of our time. GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and is used just for that. GPS can be used to find anyone with a tracker anywhere in the world. This is because the whole system makes use of the satellites that occupy the space above the earth. With special signals, and a little triangulation, GPS tracking can help anyone figure out where they are and plan out where they should go next.

GPS tracking began as a project especially for the United States military. In the 1980s, the system was being developed so that the military would have better capabilities on the ground to keep on target. It could also be used to help find lost soldiers and to more quickly locate the wounded. GPS provided a powerful tool for the United States and its allies. And it is still used by the military today.

Even though civilians could use GPS tracking in the late 1980s and 1990s, it was not the same system that the military used. The GPS used by civilians was less accurate and quick. The military scrambled its signals so that only it had access to the highly precise GPS calculations used in operations. This is why GPS was slow to catch on among "regular" folks. However, that all changed in 2000.

In the year 2000, at the turn of the century and the millennium, then-president Bill Clinton ordered the military to stop scrambling its GPS tracking signals. This did not mean that all of a sudden civilians could access battle plans and find out where troops were. What it did mean was that anyone with the right equipment (which is sold just about everywhere and fairly easy to get) could have access to the military's system. This allowed anyone, individuals and businesses, to make use of the extremely accurate military system.

Since GPS tracking has been open to everyone, the marketplace has responded by making all sorts of consumer goods that allow people to find out where they are, and even track their kids and spouses. These is because the technology is so advanced that anything can be used for GPS tracking -- even a cell phone. This article is about: GPS Tracking

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How Vehicle Tracking Technology Has Changed

Fleet tracking technology has been around for decades, but only recently has it become practical and affordable for even the smallest fleet operators. From the earliest systems of two-way radios to sophisticated GPS and computer tracking of today, vehicle tracking technology has evolved and improved tremendously.

Early systems
The earliest vehicle tracking systems started with the advent of two way radios. With a radio in each vehicle and a base station, fleet operators could talk to their drivers and map their progress through each day?s route. Changes and emergent calls could be sent out to the field more easily, making operations more efficient.

The downside, of course, is that radio communications had limitations in distance, accuracy, and the ability to connect with drivers going in and out of their vehicle. The information received at the base station was only as good as what the drivers provided, and for fleets of any significant size, tracking and mapping progress manually was a challenge.

The dawn of GPS
When GPS tracking became widely available, it transformed the vehicle tracking landscape. Fleet operators could now locate each vehicle electronically and track it via computer, making it easier to keep track of large numbers of vehicles and verify the information provided by drivers. Of course the early systems were tremendously expensive, making them far out of reach economically for all but the largest fleets.

As GPS units became smaller and cheaper, and computer tracking capabilities became more advanced and less expensive, the modern fleet tracking systems took shape. Each vehicle carried a tracking unit that was monitored and information communicated back to the central base station, while the base station expanded in size and complexity to handle the large amounts of information coming in.

Companies that use this type of fleet tracking have to invest significant amounts of capital in the vehicle units as well as the infrastructure for a central base station to monitor and dispatch the fleet. There are expensive monthly subscription fees as well.

A new innovation
A recent innovation in the vehicle tracking industry is transforming the efficiency and affordability of fleet tracking systems. This new system uses a small tracking unit in the vehicle and a web-based interface that is accessed via a regular mobile telephone. There is no investment required in expensive central infrastructure and fleet managers can monitor the system from anywhere for no monthly subscription fee. This allows supervisors and managers to spend more time in the field and less time in the office.

The affordability of this new technology makes it practical for even the smallest fleets. This in turn brings the benefits of vehicle tracking ? less driver downtime, more efficient routing, etc. ? to operators of all sizes and compositions.

The future of vehicle tracking
Of course nobody can predict the future with 100% accuracy, but most industry experts agree that the new wave of technology is leading vehicle tracking into a new era of convenience and affordability. For the first time ever, small and medium fleets can afford to adopt vehicle tracking and enjoy the many benefits that come along with greater efficiency.

Richard Harris is a vehicle telecommunications expert who has developed an innovative vehicle tracking system. He advises on vehicle tracking, and a range of information can be found at http://www.autoalert.me.uk/news_toc.jsp

Auto Insurer's Vehicle Electronic Tracking Device Can Discount Your Car Insurance Premiums

Do you act differently when somebody's watching? Perhaps those crazy dance moves that you perform in the privacy of your own living room wouldn't be performed in the middle of a crowded dance hall?

Is it any different when you drive a car? Would you drive better if you knew Geico were watching your every move? every acceleration? every speed? every brake? If you knew Allstate were watching, would you drive so recklessly?

A handful of auto insurance companies are piloting a program where a vehicle electronic tracking system (smart meter) is connected to the car's electronic diagnostic system and works similarly to the "black box" on airplanes (similar to the device manufactured by Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. of Waterloo, Ontario) The device, among other things, tracks the following:

• Speed
• Total distance that you drive
• Time of day that you drive
• Aggressive acceleration and breaking

The auto insurer will discount your auto insurance premiums for renewals based on the statistics uploaded from the smart meter.

I'm no statistician but i truly believe that this program makes sense; good drivers should get more discounts than bad drivers. But I think this program will go even further in creating better drivers and, thus, reducing car accidents and subsequent claims. It doesn't say this in the insurance company's marketing materials but this is what I think would happen: When you know somebody is watching (the insurance company) you consciously change your habits; in this case, your driving habits.

So you drive better, have less accidents, and then you get cheaper auto insurance rates. You win. The insurance company wins. Everybody wins!

If you live in Ontario, Canada and would like a quote with Elite Insurance Company's "Save As You Drive" program, call insurance broker Tino Buntic or Markus Agyeman (Boywonda) at 1-888-639-0002 for a free, no-obligation quote. Available in any Ontario city, including Toronto, Oakville, Burlington, Ottawa, Kitchener, Hamilton, Niagara Fallas, Pickering, Barrie, Sudbury, Mississauga, Brampton, Richmond Hill, London, Milton, Markham, Woodbridge, and Whitby.

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