Acura 3.5 RL Manual page 1292

Global Positioning System (GPS)
The Global Positioning System (GPS) enables the navigation system to determine the current position of the vehicle by
using the electric waves transmitted from the satellites in orbit around the earth. The satellites transmit the satellite identi-
fication signal, orbit information, transmission time signal, and other information. When the GPS receiver receives the
electric waves from three or more satellites simultaneously, it calculates the current position of the vehicle based on the
distance to each satellite and the satellite positions on their respective orbits.
Position detection Image with GPS satellite
NOTE: Four satellites on each of six orbits.
Precision of GPS
The precision of the GPS varies according to the number of satellites from which electric waves are received and the con-
trol condition. The precision is indicated by the GPS mark shown on the upper left of the display.
GPS MARK
No satellite
mark
Yellow
satellite
mark
Green
satellite
mark
Not indicated
GPS Antenna
Receiving the electric waves from the satellites, the GPS antenna amplifies and transmits them to the GPS receiver.
GPS Receiver
The GPS receiver is built in the navigation unit. It calculates the vehicle position by receiving the signal from the GPS
antenna. The vehicle position and signal reception condition is transmitted from the GPS receiver to the navigation control
unit to adjust vehicle position.
No. of
CONDITION
SATELLITES
Two or less Impossible to detect
vehicle position
Vehicle position
Three
detectable in two
dimensions
Four or more Vehicle position
detectable in three
dimensions
Faulty
DESCRIPTION
GPS function is normal.
The satellite electric waves received
by the GPS are too few to detect the
vehicle position.
The longitude and latitude of the
vehicle position can be detected.
(Less precise than detection in three
dimensions)
The longitude, latitude and the alti-
tude of the vehicle position can be
detected. (More precise than detec-
tion in two dimensions)
The GPS can't be used due to a
faulty GPS receiver, open in the
wire, or other fault.
(cont'd)