Description

Positioning systems, which determine the location of cars, trucks, buses, trains, and airplanes, are critical in the use of intelligent transport systems (ITS) to improve the efficiency and safety of transport systems while making them less congested and less polluting.

This book is the first integrated study of the role of positioning systems in ITS, the major types of positioning systems, the relationship between them, and methods for evaluating their performance.

The content is also unique in that it covers the construction and use of maps for positioning, addresses the Global Positioning System (GPS), and discusses emerging positioning technologies such as Quiktrak and cellular mobile telephones. In addition, the book examines both the role of positioning in the architecture of ITS -- and the suitability of various positioning systems for specific applications. Case studies further illustrate a method for analyzing ITS positioning requirements.

This authoritative reference can help you save time and money by selecting and developing the most appropriate solutions. Specifically, it will help you:

• Determine specifications of positioning systems for ITS
• Identify the different types of positioning systems
• Understand the high-level operation of positioning systems
• Match positioning systems to ITS applications
• Understand high-level mapping issues
• Conceptualize the operation of positioning system components.

The book provides a wealth of information highly useful for transportation, electrical, and software engineers who are responsible for integrating positioning systems into broader ITS applications or designing new positioning systems for ITS. It is also an important source for positioning systems experts who need to gain a better understanding of ITS.

Contents

• Introduction.
• System Concepts.
• System Components.
• Mapping Issues.
• GPS.
• GPS Enhancements.
• Non-GPS Systems: Survey of Non-GPS Systems.
• Role of Positioning Systems in ITS.
• Applications of Positioning Systems.
• Conclusion.

Authors

Chris Drane is a professor of computer systems engineering at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in applied physics from the University of Sydney. He first started working on vehicle tracking systems in the early 1980s and has worked on many different types of positioning systems since that time. In 1996 he was an international fellow at ITS America.

Chris Rizos is an associate professor at the School of Geomatic Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Australia, where he also earned a Ph.D. in satellite geodesy. Dr. Rizos has nearly 20 years of research experience in satellite geodesy, physical geodesy, and Global Positioning Systems. He also co-authored the first surveying textbook on GPS in 1987.