GPS Library in J2ME

 

This is the first and only free and open source API for cell phones that provides the possibility to build locationsbased applications on cell phones that use a Bluetooth GPS device.

It is originally a license work for the University of Geneva done by Stéphane Velen and Christophe Praplan under the GNU Lesser General Public License. The original idea for this API comes from Michel Deriaz.

What it does: It makes much easier the programming of J2ME applications that need to get coordinates or other informations from a Bluetooth GPS receiver. This API makes the Bluetooth connexion with the GPS device simpler, and manages automatically the messages it sends so you can get the coordinates, as well as others informations like direction, speed, informations on the fix and informations on the satellites in view of the receiver. And because it's in J2ME, it can be used on any phone who meets the requirements.

It also provides some methods to convert the coordinates between the coordinate systems of the GPS (WSG84) and other coordinates systems (Swiss, French Lambert's and Belgian Lambert at the moment). It can also calculate the distance between two points. There is a tracker who can record the coordinates every x seconds and save those records into a file in a format which can be open with other programs such as ArcExplorer to show the patch on a map.

Moreover you can configure your GPS receiver with the API by using simple methods. You can activate or deactivate SBAS (WASS/EGNOS), DGPS, set the rate of the NMEA sentences and switch between the SiRF and NMEA protocols.

 

An example of a saved record opened with ArcExplorer.

 

 

 

Requirements:   - A cell phone with CLDC 1.1, JSR82.

      -  JSR75 (optional).

                         - A Bluetooth GPS receiver.

 

 

Download

This zip archive contains the library, the javadoc, some examples of code and a complete testing application.

            

Some pictures from the testing program.

 

You can also download  the report of our work, wich contains informations about this API, the testing application and explainations about the GPS and coordinates systems (in french).