[Patch] DISABLE Verizon aGPS Server (Improved GPS)

[troymiller]

I have a crazy idea that might just work.

I think we need to BLOCK Verizon's aGPS server. Here is my theory:

1. A request for GPS data is sent from webOS
2. The request is ignored by Verizon
3. The request hangs and then times out
4. The phone then rolls over to Standard GPS

By this time, its too late and the user moves on. If we can block this request or have it return without results then it will switch to standard GPS and you will get a fix. It would work like this:

1. A request for GPS data is sent from webOS
2. The request is blocked and returns nothing
3. This triggers standard GPS much more quickly

I do not have a VZW pre to test but I have made a patch to attempt to filter the aGPS server.
I used Jason's ad-block patch in this case. It causes a luna restart when installed with WQI But please perform a full Reboot.

I am on sprint but I have an AT&T Pre+
With no radios on at all I can get a fix in 40 seconds and a sub 10 meter fix in under a minute. I believe the same will happen with VZW with that aGPS server out of the picture.

If this works it could speed up VZW GPS performance dramatically.

Since this patch will Block the aGPS server, you need to have a clear view of the sky. Go outside to test. Try to get away from any brick, metal, or tall buildings.

[troymiller]

Old patch removed. Check Preware.

[AlbanyHDTV]

I'll test it out.

Just installed it via WOSQI.

[troymiller]

Originally Posted by AlbanyHDTV

I'll test it out.

Just installed it via WOSQI.

Great! I hope this works.

[MDsmartphone]

will this in anyway be blocked by vzw?

does the standard gps work? If so, how can we test this- Put phone in airplane mode?

[troymiller]

Originally Posted by MDsmartphone

will this in anyway be blocked by vzw?

does the standard gps work? If so, how can we test this- Put phone in airplane mode?

This cant be blocked by VZW. We would be blocking them.

I have tested my AT&T pre+ with no radios on and I get a tracking fix in 40 seconds that quickly get to sub 10 meters in under a minute. I think anyone on VZW with these issues can then deal with a less than one minute wait time.

GPS Fix could be used to shrink that time as well. They key is it would be consistent and so not as frustrating.

[palmuse]

@ troymiller - Did you seriously just make a patch that removes the assisted gps?! Why hasn't this been done before? I personally do not have this trouble, but I have seen many complaints.

Would this work on other carriers as well? Curious.

[troymiller]

Originally Posted by palmuse

@ troymiller - Did you seriously just make a patch that removes the assisted gps?! Why hasn't this been done before? I personally do not have this trouble, but I have seen many complaints.

Would this work on other carriers as well? Curious.

It does what the ad block patch does. It redirects an ip to 127.0.0.1 localhost so it returns nothing.

I guess you would have to identify the aGPS server IPs for whatever carrier and add them to the list.

Since I dont have a VZW Pre I cant test it. This is very experimental but also very reversible and non-invasive. I just hope it works.

[palmuse]

I see. Thanks for the details.

[Arthur Thornton]

Just so you all know, you should be able to use whatever new webOS 2.0 doctors that Palm releases for the unlocked GSM phones to get a Palm-run aGPS server for use inside your Verizon devices.

[MDsmartphone]

palm run aGPS server?

[kkhanmd]

Originally Posted by arthurthornton

Just so you all know, you should be able to use whatever new webOS 2.0 doctors that Palm releases for the unlocked GSM phones to get a Palm-run aGPS server for use inside your Verizon devices.

You mean one can copy aGPS settings from a GSM phone to a CDMA one?

[mrtonk]

Tried to install this with Internalz and got an error.

[Rockbeast]

AlbanyHDTV, any report yet?

[Courousant]

Originally Posted by arthurthornton

Just so you all know, you should be able to use whatever new webOS 2.0 doctors that Palm releases for the unlocked GSM phones to get a Palm-run aGPS server for use inside your Verizon devices.

Any chance you can explain this to the less technical among us? This sounds too good to be true.

[thornev]

I just tried Google Maps on my VZW Pre+, allowed GPS to locate my position and it is about 2 miles off. I seem to remember reading posts about poor accuracy. Will this patch improve accuracy too? thorne

UPDATE - 1 minute after I posted the above, Google Maps relocated my position to about 1 mile closer to me. Interesting as I'm seated in my home.

UPDATE 2 - And 1 minute later Google Maps relocated my position back to the 2 miles away. I'm still seated at home.

[AlbanyHDTV]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

AlbanyHDTV, any report yet?

These were taken while inside my office 45 minutes after opening the programs. NOTE: GPS Fix not activated.

Google Maps:


BFG Maps:


I've got to go do some fieldwork later and will check the mapping programs after driving to the site.

[spdsktr]

One thing to note, is that this patch will make you 100% dependent on standalone GPS. Please step outside when trying to get an initial lock, the phone has issues getting a fix indoors, especially concrete/brick ones.

For testing, you can use GPS Fix. Just turn off the "Use Patch" option inside the app. This has the added benefit of allowing you to see the debugging data of what is going on while it tried to see a fix.

One test already revealed that the getCurrentPosition function was returning an "undefined" response, which really should not happen (and to be honest, I do not account for it in the app). Interested in other's experiences.

[trvth]

I successfully installed this from an email attachment via Internalz.

My testing showed the following:
* The install via Internalz led to a Luna restart
* I then switched to Airplane mode and went outside
* I did the ##GPS# routine in the Phone app, and after about 2 minutes of trying it came back with poor accuracy of 1756
* I tried to acquire my position again and it improved to stated accuracy of 141, still not good
* I did a device restart, just to be sure the patch was in place
* I did the ##GPS# routine in the Phone app again, and after about 2 minutes of trying it came back with poor accuracy of 141, still not good
* I turned on WiFi and ran Google Maps; the accuracy circle was pretty huge, and my location was off by about a quarter mile

All in all I tested for about 20 minutes, and sadly I was not able to get a good result. I don't have GPSFix running in the background, but I did also try running it once manually; it had no noticeable effect.

I'd be happy to continue testing, if anyone has any suggestions as to how to go about that to get a good result. I plan on doing some more testing on my own this afternoon as I travel around campus.

[kkhanmd]

So I found this on palm blog:
Some carriers may not support, or may limit access to, Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) for location services. This can dramatically increase the time necessary for an initial position fix. This can be mitigated to some extent by choosing the parameters "responseTime:1" and “accuracy:3” when requesting position information. These settings, when combined with Google Services, will return a low-resolution fix within 30 seconds in most environments. Once the low resolution fix is acquired, updating the location using ‘responseTime:3’ and ‘accuracy:1’ will provide a high resolution location fix when available.

Location Service – HP Palm Developer Center

How does one change parameters?