Trimble Navigation is one of the 3 major manufacturers of machine control products. Trimble machine control products have benefited from technologies acquired through the company’s many mergers and ac [..]

The Russian satellite constellation. GLONASS was developed by the former Soviet Union (USSR). After falling into disrepair after the fall of the USSR, GLONASS was restored by the Russian government to [..]

Topcon Positioning System is one of the 3 major manufacturers of machine control products. For many years Topcon was the only product machine control products that could track the GLONASS Russian sate [..]

The mathematical process of determining an accurate position based on forming triangles with at least two known points. Distances and angles are measured and a position determined with the help of tri [..]

Brand name for Caterpillar’s machine control system. In 2002 Caterpillar and Trimble formed a 50/50 joint venture (called Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies) which was responsible for developing [..]

A set of data about the satellite constellation used to assist GPS receivers in the translation of satellite signals. Almanac information is transmitted with the satellite position signal and includes [..]

Trimble robotic total station that can be used for positioning both survey devices and machine control systems. ATS has been replaced with UTS (Universal Total Station) to perform better with Trimble’ [..]

Self-functioning, stand-alone, independent. Autonomous GPS works purely off satellite information without any reference source (base station). Once the satellite solution has been fixed, autonomous GP [..]

Areas that for a variety of reasons have been identified as no-go zones that cannot be entered. Avoidance zones can be integrated into some machine control systems effectively creating a virtual fence [..]

A satellite receiver that is established over a known location and transmits corrections to the roving receivers (including GPS machine control systems). Base stations are an essential component to Di [..]