GPS bluetooth the prop and the pocketpc

fish

Ok, so·here's what I am thinking...
I want to take my trusty·Parallax GPS module (put it in·RAW mode) and have my Prop control the Parallax EmbeddedBlue eb500 where·my PocketPC 6700 will read the NMEA data on·a com port.

Now...Since I really don't know·much about how PDAs communicate with GPS devices, I am in·discovery mode here.

Does anyone know how the PDA's (software) generally get the data (serially) from a GPS device?

It looks like (at least on the PocketPC) the only choices I have to communicate to the GPS device is thru the·Com ports 1,2,4,etc. which is fine, I can just assign the bluetooth connection to·one of those·ports.

So then·the·question is:
Do you think that the PDA (software)·just gobbles up whatever·is in the stream·and deals with it or does it make requests for data? (it must be the former, but I don't know for sure)

I am hoping there is a standard for PDA-GPS communication; that being·to·asyncronously read the raw NMEA data from the com port regardless of manufacturer of the GPS device.·

Anyway, I am hoping to find out more about this before I just hook it up and see if it works (or not).

thanks
fish


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_{". . . the fog is rising"~ Emily Dickinson}

Harrison.

Most GPS software uses the standard NMEA gps data specifications. That means the PDA/PC will just sit there and wait for the gps strings and then parse them as it needs it. There is no 'request' or anything of that nature.

From my experience, WM5's built in GPS setting is just used to replicate the GPS serial stream to virtual serial ports so that many applications can use the gps data at the same time. You'll have to consult your specific mapping / gps software to see what the requirements are.

An easy test would be to install the Google Maps application for Windows Mobile and see what it does. I believe Google Maps GPS on PPC requires WM5.

Harrison

fish

Ah, excellent! I hoped as much·and I have Google Maps.
Time to give it a go.
Thanks Harrison.

cheers!
fish




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_{". . . the fog is rising"~ Emily Dickinson}

fish

Yes, that's all it took.
Just tx the gps mod's output to the eb500 via the prop and presto... google maps·on your PDA will figure out where you are in the world.

fish


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_{". . . the fog is rising"~ Emily Dickinson}

Post Edited (fish) : 7/31/2007 3:38:13 PM GMT