GpsOne

gpsOne is the brand name for a cellphone chipset manufactured by Qualcomm that allows cell phones to more accurately plot your position, using a technology referred to as A-GPS or Assisted-GPS. For differences between GPS and A-GPS methods, please see their respective articles.

Current Uses

*gpsOne is primarily used today for Enhanced-911 E911 service, allowing your cell phone to relay your location to emergency dispatchers, one of the traditional shortcomings of cellular phone technology. Using a combination of GPS satellite signals and the cell towers themselves, gpsOne allows your location to be plotted with greater accuracy than traditional GPS systems in areas where satellite reception is problematic due to buildings or terrain.
*Geotagging - addition of location information to the pictures you take with your camera phone.
*Location based information delivery, ie local weather and traffic alerts.
*Verizon Wireless uses gpsOne to support its VZ Navigator automotive navigation system.

Future Uses

Some vendors are also looking at this technology as a method of implementing location based solutions, such as:

*Employers can track employees, or fleet vehicles, allowing quick response from the nearest representative.
*Restaurants, clubs, theatres and other venues could relay SMS special offers to patrons within a certain range.
*When using your phone as a 'wallet' and making e-payments, your location can be verified as an additional layer of security against cloning.
**ie John Doe in AverageTown USA is most likely not purchasing a candy bar from a machine at LAX if he was logged paying for the subway token in NYC and calling his wife from the Empire State Building.
*Locating opponents for multiplayer phone games who are nearby.

What it does

gpsOne can operate in 4 modes:

*Standalone - Your handset has no connection to the network, and uses only the GPS satellite signals it can currently receive to try and establish a location.
*MS Based - Your handset is connected to the network, and uses the GPS signals + a location signal from the network.
*MS Assisted - Your handset is connected to the network, uses GPS signals + a location signal then relays its 'fix' to the server, which then uses the signal strength from your phone to the network towers to further plot your position. You can still maintain voice communication in this scenario, but not 'Internet/Network service' ie Web Browser, IM, streaming TV etc..
*MS Assisted/Hybrid - Same as above, but network functionality remains. Normally only in areas with exceptional coverage.

Adoption

Since introduction in 2000, the gpsOne chipset has been adopted by 40+ vendors, and is used in more than 250 cellphone models worldwide.

More than 300 million gpsOne enabled handsets are currently on the market, making it one of the most widely deployed solutions.

Links

Product website: http://www.cdmatech.com/products/gpsone.jsp

au (KDDI,Japanese): http://www.au.kddi.com