GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS WEBSITE

Firmware

Programs or data (software) written to hardware.

GPS

GSM short for Global System for Mobile Communications, one of the leading digital cellular systems. The satellites orbit the earth at approximately 12,000 miles above the surface and make two complete orbits every 24 hours.

The GPS satellites continuously transmit digital radio signals that contain data on the satellites location and the exact time to the earth-bound receivers. The satellites are equipped with atomic clocks that are precise to within a billionth of a second. Based on this information the receivers know how long it takes for the signal to reach the receiver on earth. As each signal travels at the speed of light, the longer it takes the receiver to get the signal, the farther away the satellite is. By knowing how far away a satellite is, the receiver knows that it is located somewhere on the surface of an imaginary sphere centered at the satellite. By using three satellites, GPS can calculate the longitude and latitude of the receiver based on where the three spheres intersect. By using four satellites, GPS can also determine altitude.

GPRS

General Packet Radio System; This protocol is the first of its kind where, similar to TCP/IP each packet contains its own address and could therefore dynamically find its way to the destination.

Short for General Packet Radio Service, a standard for wireless communications which runs at speeds up to 115 kilobits per second, compared with current GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) systems' 9.6 kilobits.

GPRS, which supports a wide range of bandwidths, is an efficient use of limited bandwidth and is particularly suited for sending and receiving small bursts of data, such as e-mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data.

GSM

Global Systems for Mobile Communications Short for Global System for Mobile Communications, one of the leading digital cellular systems. GSM uses narrowband TDMA (time division multiple access), which allows eight simultaneous calls on the same radio frequency. GSM was first introduced in 1991. As of the end of 1997, GSM service was available in more than 100 countries and has become the de facto standard in Europe and Asia.

IMEI

IMEI short for International Mobile Equipment Identity, a unique number given to every single mobile phone typically found behind the battery. IMEI numbers of cellular phones connected to a GSM network are stored in a database (EIR - Equipment Identity Register) containing all valid mobile phone equipment. When a phone is reported stolen or is not type approved, the number is marked invalid.

LAN

Local Area Network

MSISDN

Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number

SVR

Stolen Vehicle Recovery

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol; The kind of connection that a PC would use to send data to another destination over the Internet. The destination address of the data is included in the packet and therefore it can dynamically be rerouted via many different routes in order to reach the intended destination.

UPS

Short for uninterruptible power supply, a power supply that includes a battery to maintain power in the event of a power outage. Typically, a UPS keeps a computer running for several minutes after a power outage, enabling you to save data that is in RAM and shut down the computer gracefully. Many UPSs now offer a software component that enables you to automate backup and shut down procedures in case there's a power failure while you're away from the computer.

There are two basic types of UPS systems: standby power systems (SPSs) and on-line UPS systems. An SPS monitors the power line and switches to battery power as soon as it detects a problem. The switch to battery, however, can require several milliseconds, during which time the computer is not receiving any power. Standby Power Systems are sometimes called Line-interactive UPSes.

An on-line UPS avoids these momentary power lapses by constantly providing power from its own inverter, even when the power line is functioning properly. In general, on-line UPSs are much more expensive than SPSs.

VMS

Vehicle Management System

WAN

Wide Area Network