Geopositioning is the process of determining or estimating thegeographic position of an object or a person.[1]Geopositioning yields a set ofgeographic coordinates (such aslatitude andlongitude) in a givenmap datum. Geographic positions may also be expressed indirectly, as a distance inlinear referencing or as a bearing and range from a known landmark.In turn, positions can determine a meaningful location, such as astreet address.Geoposition is sometimes referred to asgeolocation, and the process of geopositioning may also be described asgeo-localization.
Specific instances include:
Geofencing involves creating a virtual geographic boundary (ageofence), enabling software to trigger a response when a device enters or leaves a particular area.[3] Geopositioning is a pre-requisite for geofencing.
Geopositioning uses various visual andelectronic methods includingposition lines andposition circles,celestial navigation,radio navigation,radio and WiFi positioning systems, and the use ofsatellite navigation systems.
The calculation requires measurements or observations of distances or angles to reference points whose positions are known. In 2D surveys, observations of three reference points are enough to compute a position in atwo-dimensional plane. In practice, observations are subject to errors resulting from various physical and atmospheric factors that influence the measurement of distances and angles.[4]
A practical example of obtaining a position fix would be for a ship to takebearing measurements on threelighthouses positioned along the coast. These measurements could be made visually using ahand bearing compass, or in case of poor visibility, electronically usingradar orradio direction finding. Since all physical observations are subject to errors, the resulting position fix is also subject to inaccuracy. Although in theory two lines of position (LOP) are enough to define a point, in practice 'crossing' more LOPs provides greater accuracy and confidence, especially if the lines cross at a good angle to each other. Three LOPs are considered the minimum for a practical navigational fix.[5] The three LOPs when drawn on the chart will in general form a triangle, known as a 'cocked hat'. The navigator will have more confidence in a position fix that is formed by a small cocked hat with angles close to those of anequilateral triangle.[6] The area of doubt surrounding a position fix is called anerror ellipse. To minimize the error,electronic navigation systems generally use more than three reference points to compute a position fix to increase thedata redundancy. As more redundant reference points are added, the position fix becomes more accurate and the area of the resulting error ellipse decreases.[7]
The process of using 3 reference points to calculate the location is calledTrilateration, and when using more than 3 points,multilateration.
Combining multiple observations to compute a position fix is equivalent to solving a system oflinear equations. Navigation systems useregression algorithms such asleast squares in order to compute a position fix in 3D space. This is most commonly done by combining distance measurements to 4 or moreGPSsatellites, which orbit the Earth along known paths.[8]
The result of position fixing is called aposition fix (PF), or simply afix, a position derived from measuring in relation to external reference points.[9] In nauticalnavigation, the term is generally used with manual or visual techniques, such as the use of intersecting visual or radioposition lines, rather than the use of more automated and accurate electronic methods likeGPS; in aviation, use of electronic navigation aids is more common. A visual fix can be made by using any sighting device with abearing indicator. Two or more objects of known position are sighted, and the bearings recorded. Bearing lines are then plotted on a chart through the locations of the sighted items. The intersection of these lines is the current position of the vessel.
Usually, a fix is where two or more position lines intersect at any given time. If three position lines can be obtained, the resulting "cocked hat", where the three lines do not intersect at the same point, but create a triangle, gives the navigator an indication of the accuracy.The most accurate fixes occur when the position lines are perpendicular to each other.Fixes are a necessary aspect of navigation bydead reckoning, which relies on estimates ofspeed andcourse. The fix confirms the actual position during a journey. A fix can introduce inaccuracies if the reference point is not correctly identified or is inaccurately measured.
Geopositioning can be referred to both global positioning and outdoor positioning, using for exampleGPS, and to indoor positioning, for all the situations where satellite GPS is not a viable option and the localization process has to happen indoors. For indoor positioning, tracking and localization there are many technologies that can be used, depending on the specific needs and on the environmental characteristics.[10]
Media related toGeolocation at Wikimedia Commons| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Subfields | |
| Physical phenomena | |
| Related disciplines | |
Authority control databases: National |
|---|
