Global Positioning System (GPS)
The global positioning system (GPS) enables the navigation system to determine the current position of the vehicle by utilizing the electric waves transmitted from the satellites in orbit around the earth. The satellites transmit the satellite identification signal, orbit information, transmission time signal, and other information. When the GPS receiver receives the electric waves from three or more satellites simultaneously, it calculates the current position of the vehicle based on the distance to each satellite and the satellite positions on their respective orbits.
Position detection Image with GPS satellite
Precision of GPS
The precision of the GPS varies according to the number of satellites from which electric waves are received and the control condition. The precision is indicated by the GPS icon shown on the upper left of the display.
| GPS ICON | No. of SATELLITES | CONDITION | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| No satellite mark | 2 or less | Impossible to detect vehicle position | GPS function is normal. The satellite electric waves received by the GPS are too few to detect the vehicle position. |
| Yellow satellite mark | 3 | Vehicle position detectable in 2 dimensions | The longitude and latitude of the vehicle position can be detected. (Less precise than detection in three dimensions) |
| Green satellite mark | 4 or more | Vehicle position detectable in 3 dimensions | The longitude, latitude and the altitude of the vehicle position can be detected. (More precise than detection in two dimensions) |
| Not indicate | - | Faulty | The GPS can't be utilized due to a faulty GPS receiver, open in the wire, or other fault. |