RavTrack GPS Tracking Technology Overview

Raveon’s RavTrack GPS tracking system utilizes VHF and UHF radio channels to transmit GPS position information from one place to another. But GPS tracking is much more than sending a GPS position and placing an icon on a map. The RavTrack system addresses a host of challenging technical issues and feature requirements, to make the best stand-alone real-time AVL system on the market.

• Long Communication Range	Raveon’s M7 transceiver’s DSP technology and powerful 5-watt transmitter allow the AVL system to cover hundreds of square miles.
• Fast Updates	While many other AVL systems are limited to position updates every few minutes, the M7 transponder can send position reports every second. The M7’s TDMA protocol allows hundreds of vehicles to located in the same area, and still track all of them in real-time with no interference.
• The M7 Transponder
• TDMA Protocol	Raveon adapted a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication protocol for its RavTrack product line. TDMA, used in military, commercial, and CSM cellular systems, allows many users to share a radio channel without any interference. Hundreds of vehicles can report their position, with no interference. It also greatly reduces battery power consumption.
• Mono-Board	Raveon builds is M7 series of GPS tracking radios with only one single electrical circuit board. This unique mono-board method of construction makes the M7 extremely rugged, and yet economical to produce.
• Fast MODEM	Raveon’s highly integrated GPS transponder has a high-performance two-level and four-level GFSK radio modem in it, increasing the communication range over conventional AFSK modems, and reducing the amount of transmit air time by over 50%. Reduced air-time increases battery life, and allows more vehicle to report in at faster rates.
• Secure	AES encryption is built into the M7, securing the GPS position transmissions from unauthorized reception.
• Open Interface	Raveon publishes its radio interface specification, and works with other software and hardware vendors to offer more I/O options and user-interfaces than any other AVL system. The M7 transponder has many different I/O drivers in it allow it to be connected to dozens of different displays and computer applications.
• Versatile	Raveon’s GPS transponders may be simple to use, but their power microprocessors enable them to have more features and options than any other GPS tracking device. Over 100 programmable parameters allow the user to configure the M7 GPS transponder for any application.