Introduction to 3 Types of Location Tracking Techniques

Last Updated on August 8, 2023 by ScreenPush

Wireless geolocation monitoring signifies the different methods used to record and location tracking an object using electromagnetic waves. Any feature of the wave that varies with the location can easily be used.

Methods for Location Tracking

The following are the three most common methods for cellular geolocation tracking.

#1. Location Using Trilateration

trilateration

Multilateration, generally known as hyperbolic positioning, is actually a method for tracking a radio transmitter by calculating the Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) of any signal transmitted from it to 3 or more receivers.

The TDOA shows the particular distance between each and every receiver and the transmitter, from which the positioning of the transmitter can easily be deduced. This same approach can easily be used to track a receiver by computing the TDOA of a signal from 3 or more synced transmitters.

Signal attenuation, as used by the Received Signal Strength (RSS) can be used in place of TDOA or time of travel to figure out the distance.

#2. Location Using Triangulation

This cellular geolocation method is known as Angle of Arrival, or AoA, through which receivers utilize arrays of directional antennas to figure out the Angle of Arrival of the particular incoming waves.

With 3 or more receivers, the emitter is usually located, however with limited accuracy and reliability (it is not easy to get narrow beams). The current use of AoA is usually in the geo-location of mobile phones accustomed to making an emergency call (911 in The United States, 112 in European countries).

In this method, the presumption is that the signal is traveled in a straight line from the particular transmitter to the receiver.

#3. Location by RF Fingerprinting

rf fingerprinting

While employing a feature of the wave that can’t be made mathematically or while waves are shown and don’t travel in any straight line between receiver and transmitter, a method known as Radiofrequency (Rf) fingerprinting can be used.

In this particular method, a selected feature of the signal (signal strength, phase shift, spread spectrum …) is usually captured by the receiver at each and every location during a standardization period.

The features of numerous signals from various transmitters proficiently create a sort of fingerprint identifying the location. With a data source of fingerprints and related locations, a positioning system can be used.

Forensic Tool Reports on iPhone Location Tracking Feature

forensic tool reports

Mobile phone forensic specialists have created new tools to take advantage of the highly promoted iPhone location monitoring feature that was all over the news in early 2012. You can also read how to turn off find my iPhone.

So if you want to know where your husband or wife or kids have been over the past couple of weeks, months, or even years, you can easily have their iPhone screened and get a comprehensive report that includes almost all the locations the phone has been. And if you want to hack the Snapchat location of your spouse, then this guide on BestCellPhoneTrackerApps will help you.

The revolutionary forensic tool available to law enforcement officials and private detectives and various other professionals can download these tracking details from your iPhone and show them on Google Earth as well as give the information in a spreadsheet.