GPS TRACKING SERVER | Node.js

This package let you easily create listeners for your GPS tracking devices. You can add your custom implementations to handle more protocols.

• Installation
• Usage
• Adapters
• Examples
• GPS Emulator

Installation

With package manager npm:

npm install gps-tracking

Currently supported models

• TK103
• TK510
• GT06
• GT02A

• You can add your own adapters easily as commented below

Usage

Once you have installed the package, you can use it like:

var gps = require("gps-tracking");

var options = {
    'debug'                 : true,
    'port'                  : 8090,
    'device_adapter'        : "TK103"
}

var server = gps.server(options,function(device,connection){

    device.on("login_request",function(device_id,msg_parts){

        // Some devices sends a login request before transmitting their position
        // Do some stuff before authenticate the device... 
        
        // Accept the login request. You can set false to reject the device.
        this.login_authorized(true); 

    });


    //PING -> When the gps sends their position  
    device.on("ping",function(data){

        //After the ping is received, but before the data is saved
        //console.log(data);
        return data;

    });

});

Step by step

1. Install Node

2. Create a folder for your project

3. Copy the example code above in a .js file like server.js

4. Install the package in the project folder

cd /path/to/my/project
npm install gps-tracking	

5. Run your server

node server.js

Overview

With this package you are going to create a tcp server that listens on a open port of your server/computer for a specific gps device model. For example, you are going to listen on port 8090 for 'TK103 gps-trackers'.

If you want to listen for different kind of trackers, you have to create another tcp server. You can do this in a different node.js program in the same server, but you have to listen in a different port.

So, you can listen on port 8090 for TK103 devices and listen on 8091 for TK102 devices (or any gps-tracker you want)

Options

debug

Enables console.log messages.

    "debug":false, 

port

The port to listen to. Where the packages of the device will arrive.

    "port": 8080,

device_adapter

Which device adapter will be used to parse the incoming packets.

    "device_adapter": false, 
    // If false, the server will throw an error. 
    // At the moment, the modules comes with only one adater: TK103.
    "device_adapter": "TK103"
    // You can create your own adapter. 
    
    //FOR USING A CUSTOM DEVICE ADAPTER
     "device_adapter": require("./my_custom_adapter")

Events

Once you create a server, you can access to the connection and the device object connected. Both objects emits events you can listen on your app.

var server = gps.server(options,function(device,connection){
    //conection = net.createServer(...) object
    //device = Device object
}

connection events

Available events:

• end
• data
• close
• timeout
• drain

You can check the documentation of node.js net object here.

//Example: 
var server = gps.server(opts,function(device,connection){
    connection.on("data",function(res){
		//When raw data comes from the device
	});
});

Device object events

Every time something connects to the server, a net connection and a new device object will be created. The Device object is your interface to send & receive packets/commands.

var server = gps.server(opts, function(device, connection){
    /*	Available device variables:
		----------------------------
		device.uid -> Set when the first packet is parsed
		device.name -> You can set a custon name for this device.
		device.ip -> IP of the device
		device.port --> Device port
	*/
	
    /******************************
	LOGIN
	******************************/
	device.on("login_request", function(device_id, msg_parts){
		//Do some stuff before authenticate the device...
		// This way you can prevent from anyone to send their position without your consent
		this.login_authorized(true); //Accept the login request.
	});
	
	device.on("login",function() {
		console.log("Hi! i'm " + device.uid);
	});
	
	device.on("login_rejected",function(){
	
	});
	
	
	/******************************
	PING - When the gps sends their position  
	******************************/
	device.on("ping",function(data){
		//After the ping is received
		//console.log(data);
		console.log("I'm here now: " + gps_data.latitude + ", " + gps_data.longitude);
		return data;
	});
	
	
	/******************************
	ALARM - When the gps sends and alarm  
	******************************/
	device.on("alarm", function(alarm_code, alarm_data, msg_data) {
		console.log("Help! Something happend: " + alarm_code + " (" + alarm_data.msg + ")");
		//call_me();
	});	
	
	
	/******************************
	MISC 
	******************************/
	device.on("handshake",function(){
		
	});
	
});

server.setDebug(true);

Adapters

If you want to create a new adapter, you have to create and exports an adapter function. You can base your new adapter on one of these nativaly supported adapters: https://github.com/freshworkstudio/gps-tracking-nodejs/tree/master/lib/adapters

youradapter.js

exports.protocol="GPS103";
exports.model_name="TK103";
exports.compatible_hardware=["TK103/supplier"];

var adapter = function(device){
    //Code that parses and respond to commands
}
exports.adapter = adapter;

Functions you have to implement

function parse_data(data)

You receive the data and you have to return an object with:

return {
    'device_id': 'string',
    // ID of the device. Mandatory
    
    'cmd': 'string',
    //'string' Represents what the device is trying to do. You can send some of the available commands or a custom string. Mandatory
    
    'data': 'string'
    //Aditional data in the packet. Mandatory
}

Available commands (What the device is trying to do?)

'cmd':'login_request' // The device is trying to login.
'cmd':'alarm'   //  (login_request, ping, alarm) 
'cmd':'ping'  //The device is sending gps_data

//Or send custom string
'cmd':'other_command' //You can catch this custom command in you app.

Example:

    var adapter = function(device){
        function parse_data(data){
            // Example implementation
            //
            // Packet from device: 
            // #ID_DEVICE_XXX#TIME#LOG_ME_IN_PLEASE#MORE_DATA(GPS,LBS,ETC)#
            
            //Do some stuff...
            return {
    			"device_id" : 'ID_DEVICE_XXX',//mandatory
    			"cmd" 		: 'login_request', //mandatory
    			"data" 		: 'MORE_DATA(GPS,LBS,ETC)' //Mandatory
    			
    			//optional parameters. Anything you want.
    			"optional_params": '',
    			"more_optional_parameters":'...',
            }
        }
    }

Full example (device_adapter implementation)

This is the implementation for TK103. Example data:

Login request from TK103

Packet: (012341234123BP05000012341234123140607A3330.4288S07036.8518W019.2230104172.3900000000L00019C2C)

So, Start String = "(" Device ID = "012341234123" Command = "BP05" --> "login_request" Custom Data = "000012341234123140607A3330.4288S07036.8518W019.2230104172.3900000000L00019C2C" Finish String = ")"

/* */

/* */
// some functions you could use like this 
// f = require('gps-tracking/functions'). There are optionals
f = require("../functions");

exports.protocol="GPS103";
exports.model_name="TK103";
exports.compatible_hardware=["TK103/supplier"];

var adapter = function(device){
	if(!(this instanceof adapter)) return new adapter(device);
	
	this.format = {"start":"(","end":")","separator":""}
	this.device = device;
	
	/*******************************************
	PARSE THE INCOMING STRING FROM THE DECIVE 
	You must return an object with a least: device_id, cmd and type.
	return device_id: The device_id
	return cmd: command from the device.
	return type: login_request, ping, etc. 
	*******************************************/
	this.parse_data = function(data){
		data = data.toString();
		var cmd_start = data.indexOf("B"); //al the incomming messages has a cmd starting with 'B'
		if(cmd_start > 13)throw "Device ID is longer than 12 chars!";
		var parts={
			"start" 		: data.substr(0,1), 
			"device_id" 	: data.substring(1,cmd_start),//mandatory
			"cmd" 			: data.substr(cmd_start,4), //mandatory
			"data" 			: data.substring(cmd_start+4,data.length-1),
			"finish" 		: data.substr(data.length-1,1)
		};
		switch(parts.cmd){
			case "BP05":
				parts.action="login_request";	
				break;
			case "BR00":
				parts.action="ping";
				break;
			case "BO01":
				parts.action="alarm";
				break;
			default:
				parts.action="other";
		}
		
		return parts;
	}
	this.authorize =function(){
		this.send_comand("AP05");
	}
	this.run_other = function(cmd,msg_parts){
		switch(cmd){
			case "BP00": //Handshake
				this.device.send(this.format_data(this.device.uid+"AP01HSO"));
				break;
		}
	}
	
	this.request_login_to_device = function(){
		//@TODO: Implement this.	
	}
	
	this.receive_alarm = function(msg_parts){
		//@TODO: implement this
		
		//gps_data = msg_parts.data.substr(1);
		alarm_code = msg_parts.data.substr(0,1);
		alarm = false;
		switch(alarm_code.toString()){
			case "0":
				alarm = {"code":"power_off","msg":"Vehicle Power Off"};
				break;
			case "1":
				alarm = {"code":"accident","msg":"The vehicle suffers an acciden"};
				break;
			case "2":
				alarm = {"code":"sos","msg":"Driver sends a S.O.S."};
				break;
			case "3":
				alarm = {"code":"alarming","msg":"The alarm of the vehicle is activated"};
				break;
			case "4":
				alarm = {"code":"low_speed","msg":"Vehicle is below the min speed setted"};
				break;
			case "5":
				alarm = {"code":"overspeed","msg":"Vehicle is over the max speed setted"};
				break;
			case "6":
				alarm = {"code":"gep_fence","msg":"Out of geo fence"};
				break;
		}
		this.send_comand("AS01",alarm_code.toString());
		return alarm
	}
	
	
	this.get_ping_data = function(msg_parts){
		var str = msg_parts.data;
		var data = {
			"date"			: str.substr(0,6),
			"availability"	: str.substr(6,1),
			"latitude"		: functions.minute_to_decimal(parseFloat(str.substr(7,9)),str.substr(16,1)),
			"longitude"	: functions.minute_to_decimal(parseFloat(str.substr(17,9)),str.substr(27,1)),
			"speed"			: parseFloat(str.substr(28,5)),
			"time"			: str.substr(33,6),
			"orientation"	: str.substr(39,6),
			"io_state"		: str.substr(45,8),
			"mile_post"	: str.substr(53,1),
			"mile_data"	: parseInt(str.substr(54,8),16)
		};
		var datetime = "20"+data.date.substr(0,2)+"/"+data.date.substr(2,2)+"/"+data.date.substr(4,2);
		datetime += " "+data.time.substr(0,2)+":"+data.time.substr(2,2)+":"+data.time.substr(4,2)
		data.datetime=new Date(datetime);
		res = {
			latitude		: data.latitude,
			longitude		: data.longitude,
			time			: new Date(data.date+" "+data.time),
			speed			: data.speed,
			orientation	: data.orientation,
			mileage			: data.mile_data
		}
		return res;	
	}
	
	/* SET REFRESH TIME */
	this.set_refresh_time = function(interval,duration){
		//XXXXYYZZ
		//XXXX Hex interval for each message in seconds
		//YYZZ Total time for feedback
		//YY Hex hours
		//ZZ Hex minutes
		var hours = parseInt(duration/3600);
		var minutes = parseInt((duration-hours*3600)/60);
		var time = f.str_pad(interval.toString(16),4,'0')+ f.str_pad(hours.toString(16),2,'0')+ f.str_pad(minutes.toString(16),2,'0')
		this.send_comand("AR00",time);
	}
	
	/* INTERNAL FUNCTIONS */
	
	this.send_comand = function(cmd,data){
		var msg = [this.device.uid,cmd,data];
		this.device.send(this.format_data(msg));
	}
	this.format_data = function(params){
		/* FORMAT THE DATA TO BE SENT */
		var str = this.format.start;
		if(typeof(params) == "string"){
			str+=params
		}else if(params instanceof Array){
			str += params.join(this.format.separator);
		}else{
			throw "The parameters to send to the device has to be a string or an array";
		}
		str+= this.format.end;
		return str;	
	}
}
exports.adapter = adapter;

Examples

DEMO SERVER APP

You can check a basic demo app here

GPS Emulator

We created a brand new gps emulator so you can start testing your app in a breeze. You can check the code of the emulator in this repo. https://github.com/freshworkstudio/gps-tracking-emulator

Stay tuned - Contributions

We are adding support for multiple devices and protocols. We highly appreciate your contributions to the project. Please, just throw me an email at [email protected] if you have questions/suggestions.

Why NodeJS?

NodeJS appears to be the perfect solution to receive the data for your multiple GPS devices thanks to the amazing performance an ease of use. Actually, it's extremely fast and it's easy to understand.