How Live Tracking Works

Live tracking shows server-accepted device locations on the map as they arrive. This page explains what you see, what controls update timing, how location filtering keeps your data clean, and the difference between Live View and History Playback.

What you see in Live View

When you start Live View on a device or asset detail page, Pointeron opens a real-time connection to the server. As the device moves, its position updates on the map automatically — no page refresh needed.

While Live View is active, you'll see:

• A pulsing marker showing the device's current position
• A trail line connecting the positions received during your session
• Duration and point count in the header, tracking how long the session has been active

Real-time delivery starts after the device reports

The real-time connection delivers new server updates without a page refresh, but it does not control when a device obtains or uploads a location. Device reporting cadence, GPS reception, background permissions, network availability, local upload queues, and operating-system scheduling all affect freshness.

On a phone, the map's blue location dot is rendered from the operating system's local position. The asset marker uses the last phone-tracker point accepted and processed by Pointeron, so the blue dot can move first. See Mobile App & Phone Tracking for the complete delivery path and troubleshooting steps.

Why some points are filtered

Not every GPS reading your device sends appears on the map. Pointeron uses smart filtering to keep only meaningful location data and remove noise.

The system records a new point when it detects:

• Significant movement — the device has moved beyond a minimum distance from its last recorded position
• A turn — the heading changed by more than 15 degrees while the device is moving
• A speed change — the device started moving after being stopped, or stopped after moving
• A heartbeat interval — enough time has passed since the last recorded point, even if the device hasn't moved

The system filters out:

• GPS jitter — small position jumps caused by poor GPS accuracy (e.g. indoors or in urban canyons)
• Stationary noise — repeated readings when the device is parked or sitting on a desk

This filtering means your routes are cleaner, your storage is used efficiently, and your map isn't cluttered with redundant points.

Live View vs History Playback

Pointeron offers two ways to view location data:

Live View is best for watching a device in motion. It shows what's happening right now but doesn't load historical data.

History Playback is best for reviewing past routes. It loads all recorded points for a selected day, with routes colored by speed band and full playback controls (play, pause, step forward/backward, speed adjustment).

Speed-colored routes

In History Playback, routes are colored based on the device's speed at each point:

For routes with many points, the server pre-computes the colored segments so the map renders quickly even for full-day routes with thousands of points.

Tips

• Start Live View before the device moves to capture the full trail from the beginning of its journey.
• Use History Playback for investigations — it shows the complete recorded route, not just what arrived during your browser session.
• Check Category settings if you're seeing too many or too few points recorded. The minimum distance and interval control the filtering sensitivity.