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Cellhunter is set up like a game to find GSM network cells. The identification of the network cells and the strength of signal to the GSM network cells are available information of the phone. The project has the objective to collect the GPS location of GSM network cells.
You collect points for finding and uploading especially new GPS locations of network cells.
If this project is finished, then the rough GPS location can be identified just by calculating the current distances (strength of signal) to the currently used GSM phone network cells and available GSM network cells (neigbours).
The big advantage is, that this can be done even when the GPS satellites are not available (e.g. in a building).
GPS information are more precise. The freerunner has determine 3 options to locate and determine changes in the location:
Car navigation systems like Navit on the Freerunner get the GPS location via the GPS daemon. The results of cellhunter could help to improve the GPS daemon, so that a rough GPS location can be send to [Navit] even if the is no GPS satellite information available. The advantage is, that the applications like Navit or TangoGPS do not have to be change.
Accuracy of the signal should be later available may be on an other GPSD port so that applications can make use of that (Accuracy: GPS, GSM, ACCEL or a real value from 0 location not available and 1 exact information on location.
The current GPS location of phone (Freerunner with SHR distro) provides to the CellHunter a GSM network profile of the currently used GSM network cells and its neighbours. This collected information is especially valuable for road segments where GSM network connection is available and no GPS satellites are available.
Lets consider a road connection between A and B with GPS satellite connection in A and B and no satellite connection between A and B (e.g. a tunnel or very narrow road with high buildings around).
The GPS location (4452 N 1129 E) can be mapped to profile of available GSM network cells (e.g. GSM Cell 1 will strength s1, ... ,GSM Cell 4 will strength s4). The profiles can be normalized to values between 0 and 1 so that they can be compared better. 1 is the value of the cell with the strongest signal, that is used for the current GSM network connection to your provider. 0 is a strength of a signal to a neighbor cell that is not available. Only GSM Cell IDs are part of the GSM network location profile that have a value greater than 0.
Driving from A to B and collecting the accelerometer info GPS speed before and location A. The collection of the accelerometer info is additional information for determining changes in the speed. Best would be a constant speed from A to B for mapping the GSM network profile between A and B. The location can be retrieved by mapping the current connection profile to GSM network cells to the collected data of GPS location.
CellHunter is just a game at the moment, to find a maximum of unknown ID of GSM network cells, which you can play in groups to collect point jointly. The objective is to collect GSM cell IDs with the GPS location (GPS mapping to GSM Cell profile).
Even it is designed as game, it has a great potential for improving car navigation systems.
Further Information can be found at http://cellhunter.omoco.de
CellHunter is available in German and Englisch.
Screenshots: