accessing integrated GPS unit

[JK1]

Hi,

Is it possible to access the Integrated GPS unit in HP ipaq 6915 PDA. it uses tom tom gps software.

What am looking at is either accessing the GPS unit directly or extract the required parameters from tom tom gps if its published by some activeX sort of generic controls.

If above doesnt work could anyone suggest a pda that has integrated GPS and is accessible via programming (from LabVIEW).

Please help me out.

With regards,
JK.

[Eugen_Graf]

You can look in tom tom settings which interface uses tom tom to communicate with GPS receiver and try to connect to it over this interface. Usually it's COM1. Tyr to connect to it, but don't forget to close tom tom application before.

[BruceAmmons]

If you can connect to it using a COM port and it uses the standard GPS message formatting (some units use proprietary formats), I have some routines I wrote a few years ago that parse the standard GPS strings.  I can post them here if anybody is interested.

Bruce

[mikealder]

The biggest problem to overcome with integral GPS receivers is to get the receiver to power up from Labview, I have never managed this correctly with my HTC devices, a simple call to the associated Com port does nothing as the GPS won't power up, it needs a seperate command (I suspect the HP device will be the same).

How I overcame this problem was to use Fransons GPS Gate to start the hardware then split the GPS signal to a number of "virtual" ports, so it is possible to run the Nav package and a Labview PDA program at the same time - but you will find the processor strugles with the load of both applications and the battery life is horrible (even when connected to a car charger) - Mike

[BruceAmmons]

Take a look at the Delorme web site.  They have a USB GPS available for less than $100.  The USB version comes with serial drivers for a PC.  They also have a bluetooth version that would connect to a PDA wirelessly.  I suspect one of these would connect easily to a LabVIEW program on a PDA.

Bruce