computer science

GPSoverIP

GPSoverIP is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand GPSoverIP rather than just read about it. In short: GPSoverIP is a proprietary protocol for transmitting geocoordinates of moving objects to the internet. It is a very lean and narrow technology which can be used even in areas where the GSM network bandwidth is no longer sufficient for other transmission paths.

Key takeaways

GPSoverIP belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect GPSoverIP to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of GPSoverIP from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

GPSoverIP is a proprietary protocol for transmitting geocoordinates of moving objects to the internet. It is a very lean and narrow technology which can be used even in areas where the GSM network bandwidth is no longer sufficient for other transmission paths. The only requirement is a functioning GSM mobile phone network.

History The GPSoverIP technology was developed by the GPSoverIP GmbH, a spin-off of the Netzwerk GmbH. In 1998, the desire for a solution for the uninterrupted transmission of the geo-positions of vehicles in short intervals to the internet led to an increased focus on the then still young field of expertise. So-called standardized transport protocols (Transport Control Protocol, TCP) are frequently used for the wireless transmission of GPS data of moving objects on the internet. These are universal and data-intensive protocols designed for the wired internet. Their original purpose is to transfer data over the wired internet. Therefore, they are only partially suitable for the transmission of GPS data of moving objects on the internet. On the one hand, this is due to the size of the overheads, a complex and data-intensive confirmation procedure, the sending of unused layers (identification, flags, version, header, checksum, etc.); on the other hand, the fluctuating quality of the bandwidths in the networks of mobile network operators represents a considerable hurdle for the TCP/IP transport protocol. It can no longer be used if the bandwidth is too low. This leads to interruptions during the transmission. For these reasons, GPSoverIP was developed to improve the systems' performance and is specially adapted to the specific requirements of the mobile internet. The technology was completed and successfully tested in 2004. The patent was filed in the same year. In 2005 GPSoverIP GmbH was established as an independent company on the market and the first product working with the protocol was launched. The protocol is established in the OEM area. The technology is used by equipment manufacturers as well as by institutions such as Deutsche Bahn. The transmission technology GPSoverIP has been accompanied by another protocol since 2006: DATAoverIP. This is based on the same basic approach to meet the special requirements of the mobile internet. The task of DATAoverIP is to transfer data of different formats to the mobile internet. The background of this development was to transfer not only the GPS position but also other data for general communication (texts, pictures, etc.) as well as vehicle-specific data (FMS/CAN bus, RFID, digital tachographs, etc.).

Functionality

Many systems use the TCP/IP transport protocol for the wireless transmission of GPS data of moving objects on the internet. TCP/IP is a universal transport protocol, which was designed for a wired internet. Its task is to transmit data on the internet, such as texts, sound, photos, or videos. However, it is not suitable for the transmission of GPS data of moving objects on the mobile internet. On the one hand, this is due to the size of its overhead, an elaborate and data-intensive confirmation procedure, the sending of unused layers, and on the other hand, the fluctuating bandwidth quality in the networks of mobile network operators also represents a major hurdle for the TCP/IP transport protocol. GPSoverIP, which was developed specifically for data transmission in the mobile internet, compensates for the problems caused by TCP/IP. It does not contain any unused layers and is, including GPS and user data (longitude, latitude, direction, altitude, delivery time, speed, number of satellites, checksum, as well as backup and user data), many times smaller than a standard TCP/IP packet without any data. Thus GPSoverIP works stable even with fluctuating bandwidth quality in contrast to TCP/IP. Besides, it avoids overloaded headers and works with its confirmation procedure. The optimal header responsible for a fast and secure transmission is achieved when the GPS frame only needs one packet. This is the case with GPSoverIP. With GPSoverIP, positions can be transmitted in short intervals, allowing much better visualization of vehicle movement; this is referred to as live positioning. Data sets generated by GPSoverIP are more accurate because there are hardly any data breaks, and GPS transmission errors are corrected immediately at GD-GATE. Based on these data sets, analyses, evaluations, or logbooks can be created reliably. GPSoverIP is a telematics protocol with which fleet control is possible. Compared with conventional methods, the package sizes for transmission are approx. only one-tenth as big. The GPS coordinates can be transmitted using the push method. A GPSoverIP system always consists of a device with an integrated receiver and transmitter for geo-coordinates and user data. It sends its data via the proprietary GPSoverIP protocol to a gateway that works on the FIFO principle. From there, the GPSoverIP web service provides this information via the real-time API interface for query by GIS applications. The GPSoverIP protocol operates on OSI layers 3 and 4, while OSI layers 5 to 7 are available to any application developer with a defined interface to the GPSoverIP protocol.

Applications There is a wide range of users for the use of GPSoverIP. The possibilities to implement this geodata in the software are diverse. The stability and maintenance of this internet-based service have priority. The live display and access to historical data can be done in any software based on the open interface (API) of GPSoverIP. The description of the API with validated interfaces is available to every developer free of charge. Thus, the data generated by GPSoverIP can be integrated into already existing software solutions, such as merchandise management programs. Companies such as Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Deutsche Bahn, Navigon, Deutsche Messe, Audi, Rohde & Schwarz, Deutsche Telekom and Putzmeister, as well as associations such as the ADAC all currently use GPSoverIP protocol and related technologies.

Patent DE 02007001710A1 "Method for Loading Means of Transport With Persons and/or Goods to Be Transported and Associated System"

Awards 2016: Mittelstandsunion Innovation Award 2018/2020: German Telematics Award

Notes and references

External links Website of GPSoverIP

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with GPSoverIP

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what GPSoverIP claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to GPSoverIP before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about GPSoverIP ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of GPSoverIP

In research: GPSoverIP appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses GPSoverIP in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: GPSoverIP is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Application layer protocols, Clear text protocols, Internet Standards, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for GPSoverIP outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study GPSoverIP in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what GPSoverIP means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain GPSoverIP out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is GPSoverIP in simple terms?

Why does GPSoverIP matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study GPSoverIP?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on GPSoverIP.