[toxaris]

Hello.

I have a N96.

The N96 have 4 types of  Postionmethods.

Bluetooth GPS

Assisted GPS

Integrated GPS

Network based

I guess we can exclude bluetooth in this discussion but the other three types, how does these methods work toghter to resolve my position?

[scoobyman]

Hi toxaris

As soon as you launch Nokia Maps it will establish approximate position using Network based (cell tower) location to give you a pink ring around cursor, provided that Assisted GPS feature has an internet access point to contact the "Positional server = supl.nokia.com" then number crunching will be done on remote server to speed up positional fix from data from Integrated GPS and then you will get black ring around cursor on map.

If you don't have a network internet connection an external Bluetooth GPS with a SIRF Star III chip can also speed up positional fix greatly compared to use of Integrated GPS alone. 

[toxaris]

So if I use all three the it calculates like this (If I understand it right).

1. Calculate an approximate position with the Network Based method using my distances from different celltowers.

    (BTW does this method include GPRS data that I will be charged for?)

2. The Integrated GPS recives some satelite data and sends it on to supl.nokia.com by the A-GPS.

3. The A-GPS recives the calulations from supl.nokia.com and forward it to the Integrated GPS and the Integrated GPS is able to determent my position faster then without the A-GPS.

And I will be charged for the A-GPS data recived I guess, from what I have seen its just about 1-3kb so its not that much.

Do I need to allow Nokia Maps to Go Online to get all this to work or is all this done in the background?

If Go Online in Nokia Maps isnt needed whats that for then?

[mccbleue]

Network-based and A-GPS are there to assist the integrated GPS chip if it struggles to get a fix. Personally, I never use either - my N96 normally picks up its GPS fix in a few seconds with integrated GPS alone. Even amongst the tall buildings of central Brussels in a storm I can get a fix in a small number of minutes, so don't worry too much about it.

You don't need Maps to go online for the positioning methods to work, Maps goes online to make searches in more detailed databases than the offline search can, to process licences and to download data if needed. The positioning methods are available to any application that needs a GPS position, not just Maps, and makes its own internet connection independent of Maps or any other application.

My recommendation to you is to have network and A-GPS switched on to get the initial fix (which can take a while otherwise) then switch the extras off, only let them back on if you have trouble finding a fix.

More info on positioning methods can be found here:

/discussions/board/message?board.id=topfaq&thread.id=104

[toxaris]

Thx for the help guys.