New Coder For WinMobile - General Questions and Answers

I have some questions about coding specifically, this seems like something to put in the development forum, but its rules seem to specify that it is not.
I am making some GPS applications currently for my phone and would like to have some tips on being "friendly" with other GPS programs.
I have created a program that does GPS tracking and records coordinates and speed while driving. When I run this at the same time as Google Maps, it loses the ability to query the GPS device intermittently. What I would like is to be able to see if the GPS device itself is available. Currently I am using the GPS library provided by the Microsoft Sample with some edits (it was doing some unfortunate thread locking that it had no right to know about for a class library).
My hope is that my GPS app can recognize that another program is using it, OR it can recognize that the GPS device has been disabled by another program and turn it back on. Currently the sample library is either Open or Closed but does not actually seem to query the device to get these device states back.
Does anyone have some good example code for this? I intend to keep coding it, but right now it seems I will have to ignore other software on the phone that might be using it until I can get some help on this.

Related

looking for a SMARTPHONE

Hi there,
I need to make an application for a smart device. This application should be able to access the GPS (the device must have GPS) on the COM ports and collect data so that I can calculate the distance when the device is moving. Other requests are that the device should run Windows Mobile and have UMTS capability. I will be using . NET platform for writing the application, so if someone has done this before or something similar and can help me with anything from advices to code snippets or even the application itself, I will be forever thankful .
The big question I have in the beginning is what device suits best this description. I want to use the classic ASUS 636n but it has no UMTS capability.
thanks to admins for this great forum , see ya

GNSS Internet Radio and Built in GPS

Hello,
I am new to the forum and also the owner of an HTC Fuze. I have been playing around recently with the GPS on the phone and got me thinking. I live in NY and we have a CORS network of gps base stations that are fed by the use of ntrip.
I was wondering if their was any way to use the gps signal on my phone and the connection to this CORS network to give me sub inch accuracy on my phone...then not sure what I would do with it then. But I do live on a farm and I would like to see some type of precision agricultural use.
I guess I need a way to have the GPS on the phone talk with the GNSS internet radio and then give me spot on guidance and such.
Please let me know your thoughts or if I need to explain better.
Thanks,
Clayton
bump
bump. Any ideas? Anyone
Great idea cwrisrey !
That will save the cost of a geodetic device, which is many times the cost of a Fuze. Further, it will lead the accuracy of the buildin GPS into millimum class.
Not dig into this further, would you go further to tell these:
Is that CORS data encrypted?
Is that accessible through public internet or VPN?
Is there copy right or intellectuall property right issue involved? (I don't think so, but better make it clear first)
Once again, great idea. Please do remember to update this thread once you got any progress. Thanks.
More info
Hello wg5566,
This site would probably answer alot of your questions clearer than I could:
http://www6.nysdot.gov/spiderweb/frmIndex.aspx
* Is that CORS data encrypted?
-I don't believe so, I think that it is just a form of compression, to distribute across the internet.
* Is that accessible through public internet or VPN?
Yes, the NYS CORS anyway. It accessible from the public internet (although they require you to register with them) But I believe there are other free streams. I also believe it was modeled after being able to be sent threw GPRS.
* Is there copy right or intellectuall property right issue involved? (I don't think so, but better make it clear first)
-I believe the ntrip is based on a GNU, I think the source code is available. http://igs.bkg.bund.de/index_ntrip_down.htm
Windows CE version:
http://www.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/crgb/gsr/downloads/installGNSS.CAB
Please, let me know your thoughts...
Thanks,
Clayton
My fast thoughts:
First make sure there is no satisfied freeware currently available for WM.
If so please ask a moderator to move this to the development & hackings section. And Add tyis sentence on the title: Call for developers for revolutionary GPS app!
I'm sure somebody here can develop this. You know the geodetic device was invented many years ago with very weak profiles comparing to current WM devices. The hardware on our phone should be capable to deal with these calculations, and the WM Pro platform should be capable to support such an app. Anyway it should not be a biggy for many masters here. But it is a biggy for gps users with high accuracy demand for any reason.
Edit: Did you try install that wince cab on your phone? I think some of WINCE apps can just run on WM. Please backup your data first.
Edit2: I tried to install it on my device, at first it did not show up in start menu, then I found the cab just put files and shortcut in the folder names in French. But there is no registry involved in the cab. Only three files. And then program UI itself is in English. Just run the executable from the folder will go right out of the box. So please try it. I did not try to connect & loggin yet, due to not registered account.
Edit3: Looks like the cab is only access the data from internet, convert the data format and export the data, but we still need a geodetic/gps software to process/use the data.
Disclaimer: I attatched these three files for the only purppose of exchanging software developement infomation. Anybody if download it please do not use it for any purppose other than this. Thanx.
Some thoughts on the subject
Hi All,
The idea of using NTRIP to make a Windows Mobile GPS device sub-meter accurate crossed my mind. After some research I found this thread.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any software capable of doing this. My idea is that it should be possible to accomplish this goal, using a combination of existing tools (which would be really cool!).
As wg5566 notes, there is a (WM) tool called GNSS Internet Radio, which is capable of downloading NTRIP corrections. It turns out this software works, but does have some flaws. Someone wrote another open source tool which is better (?), but unfortunately it isn't built for Windows Mobile (see: http://lefebure.com/software/).
More searching revealed a (dead?) project on codeplex: SharpGPS. It's an unfinished demo. It does however seem to be designed to do exactly what we're suggesting in this thread.
My idea: Completing the WM version of SharpGPS with parts of GNSS Internet radio / lefebure NTRIP client should result in a tool that's capable of upgrading a WM devices' gps signal to sub-meter accuracy through RTK/DGPS corrections over NTRIP.
Any ideas / suggestions about this?
It's already been done for the commercial market
Land surveyors, construction companies, and farmers use RTK GPS and RTK GNSS correction services on a regular basis. Some are free and some are paid subscription. They can be either NTRIP protocol with casters or individual TCP or UDP connections. Examples of software available are Carlson SurvCE and MicroSurvey. Read Carlson's support site for how they deal with the data flow using such networks on SurvCE (Windows Mobile and CE).
I have worked in land surveying using such equipment, and it generally requires dual frequency receivers, RTK corrections, and high quality antennas to achieve 1-2cm 95% CI horizontal precision. The current GPS chips in cell phones are only single frequency and so the best you could expect under ideal conditions is 2'-3' precision using some form of differential correction like WAAS or beacon or DGPS via NTRIP. Under average conditions, the precision will likely be in the 10-20' range. The dual frequency receivers take care of the large errors caused by radio waves traveling through the ionosphere.
Due to the limitations of batteries, antennas, and space for more chips in cellphones, the future of location accuracy will likely include some combination of GPS/GLONASS and cellular radio signal frequency timing calculations from cell towers. True Position, with its U-TDOA technology, is one example of measuring the time differences of cell phone radio waves using cell towers with known coordinates. Rumors (from surveying journals) have it that there are current patents in place that can allow for sub foot precision using such methods when sufficient cell towers are present for multilateration.
Has anyone found success on this topic? WM or Android...
Would be very interested, since there is a free NTRIP feed available in Switzerland... anyone?
*bump* it up
Been there still trying. Problem is no carrier phase off internal gps.
Grimli said:
Hi All,
The idea of using NTRIP to make a Windows Mobile GPS device sub-meter accurate crossed my mind. After some research I found this thread.
As wg5566 notes, there is a (WM) tool called GNSS Internet Radio, which is capable of downloading NTRIP corrections. It turns out this software works, but does have some flaws. Someone wrote another open source tool which is better (?), but unfortunately it isn't built for Windows Mobile (see: /lefebure.com/software/).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lance lefebure is a really cool guy I'm sure he wouldn't have any problem building a wm version but it is going to takea lot more than that to get rtk to a cell phone.
Very good ,thanks.
Ed hardy bikini said:
Very good ,thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are confused just ask questions and I will do my best to answer them. I am in the ag industry and deal with RTK networks and different ways of connecting them and tons of different gps units on a daily basis.
Look at this:
http://stakemill.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/ashtech-mobile-mapper-100-supports-esri-arcpad-10-0/
and this:
http://www.ashtech.com/-2359.kjsp?RH=1272644205746&RF=1270806507068
Is that still a phone !?
wg5566 said:
Look at this:
Is that still a phone !?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope PDA with support for external GPS with a builtin reciever that even sees glonass satellites (russian constelation). That was made specifically to do RTK mapping. It does have a GSM radio for data to connect to the cors.
Phone positioning using CORS
To perform a CORS (Network Reference correction we need a GGA stream from the GPS in your device. This allows us to remove the anomalies and provde the correction stream. As phones use a sirf II chip or similar they do not have input capability to output the NMEA stream to achieve this.
This one works great! it will connect to an Rtk receiver and get the nmea string from it or will use the internal GPS to be able to register on the CORS network. It will then stream the corrections over Bluetooth to a receiver or even a repeater radio. It won't however correct the internal GPS. http://antrip.dyndns.biz/Home/DownloadTrial

Unexpected behaviour of built-in GPS module in HTC HD2

Hi all,
Considering introducing some kind of GPS Localization module to my project, I decided to create small test application just to see how does the Microsoft API work.
I referenced the code provided with Compact Framework to wrapp the original library and used it in my application. It was pleased to see, that everyting works just from scratch, but after a while I came across quite worrying behaviour.
Everything went good, before the signal was lost. What you expect then is the LocationChangedEvent to stop firing or position not validating at least.
Not this time. I got new position reports every second, including changing precision, satellites in view, GPS time, altitude.. everything.
Even using GetPosition() with TimeSpan set for 1 minute each new position was accepted. You could catch this data even after hour sitting in a tunnel, far from any sattelites signal, still getting new reports.
Is it typical behaviour for this devices? How could you recognize if the signal has been really lost or not then?
My Device is HTC HD2, Windows Mobile 6.5 inside. Behaviour does not depends on COM port selection or any other configuration.
P.S. Hmm, what is more I have noticed that the situation is similar using applications like OpenStreetMaps, etc.
Any idea?
Best Regards
Mikolaj
As this is not a development yet and still a question, moved to Q&A.
Please contact a MOD when this becomes a working APP and feel free to post it in D&H if you wish to share it.
Till then it will have to be entertained in Q&A.
Moved.

Help with dementia coffeemaker app.

Hi,
I am working on a coffeemaker that helps people diagnosed with dementia getting a bit of there independence back. It has to show the directions of the coffee making process. The coffeemaker has some sensors placed on it to register what steps have already been completed and has a arduino + bluetooth module for communication. I would like to build an app that makes it possible to show a particular page of the app>res>layout depending on what number it gets from the arduino. So basicly it should whent receives like a 4 from the arduino it should set the contentview to r.layout.4. I am a absolute noob at android programming and I have no clue where to start. I even cant get the Bluetooth connection to work. The arduino code is working so when I am using a android Bluetooth serial terminal I can communicate with the arduino.
So it has to fetch the data of the incoming bluetooth (serial) data and according to that data view a page on the app.
I am also able to create the layoutfiles with the desired text and pictures.
Do you guys have some tips and like a good tutorial for me or some help/advice?
I have looked at the android development pages but I simply cant get it to work.
Thank you in advance,
Marijnsp

[Bounty]Lenovo Mirage Solo OS Rebuild

Fair warning: I know only mostly what I want, I have no clue how difficult it will be to achieve, and therefor have no idea how to price the work. There are several people interested in this project though, so I'm sure a good budget can be reached.
I have several copies of Lenovo+Google's ill-fated virtual reality headset, which I would like to turn into actually functional devices. The kernel is Android 8 with some additional hooks (I have a copy with the additional required files). I also have one that has developer access of some kind, which may make the process easier.
The primary problems the device needs fixed:
Needs USB File transfer (disabled completely currently)
Needs access to cameras (Especially necessary for AR passthrough)
Needs Task Manager
Needs better widget and notification area systems (Currently, to skip a song on, say, spotify, you have to exit the app you're in, navigate to spotify, switch the song, restart the app you were in. The notifications are also not context aware, so you can't click on one to go to the referenced app)
Support for alternate controllers (basic, such as keyboard or bluetooth PSX)
According to the last person I attempted to hire for this, it would be easier to start from scratch than to implement an altered rom, but I don't think he understood how the 360 virtual environment and camera tracking systems were integrated (not that I do, but I know enough to know that building them out from scratch would be a massive undertaking).
Here is the current road map document, which is still a work in progress.
Any assistance, direction, or paid work would be appreciated, as I've been stumped on where to even begin for over a year.
MOD ACTION:
Thread closed since bounty threads are not allowed on XDA.
@bridgebrain

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