Visualizing real-time GPS data with Internet's VRML Worlds

GPS data tells the position of a GPS user anywhere on the Earth. The position is usually shown on a 2D map. For many applications a 3D representation wouId improve the usabiIity of the data. A system is presented to visualize real-time multi-user GPS position data over the Internet in a three-dimensional VRML model of a real worId place The system is the first of its kind. Several mobile units can connect to the VRML worId and their movements can be tracked in real-time by multiple viewers. A client-server system passes GPS position data from mobile units onto the viewer application which works on standard web browsers supporting VRML.