GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

NAVEEN KUMAR KARRI K.V.S. PRAVEEN SETTY

ECE ¾ ECE ¾
E mail: [email protected] E mail: [email protected]
M.V.G.R COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING M.V.G.R COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

ABSTRACT: mapping the whole world. Soon GPS

will become almost as basic as the
Uncertainties in position and time telephone and it may also become a
have been vexing problems for the universal utility. This paper explains
mankind for centuries. “Where am I, the basic concepts of GPS and its
where are you, how do I get there applications.
and how long will it take” – these
questions are to be answered in KEY WORDS:
navigation and synchronization, and Global Positioning System (GPS),
any mistake in answering these often Pseudo-Random Code (PRC),
have fatal consequences. Navigation Triangulation, Navigation.
and positioning are crucial to so
many activities and yet the process
has always been quite cumbersome. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Over the years all kinds of
technologies have tried to simplify The first GPS satellite was launched
the task but every one has had some in 1978. The first 10 satellites were
disadvantage. The search for a better developmental satellites, called
and an accurate option resulted in the Block I. From 1989 to 1993, 23
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM production satellites, called Block II,
(GPS), a system that’s changed were launched. The launch of the
navigation forever. The global 24th satellite in 1994 completed the
positioning system (GPS) technology system.
which emerged in the US and the
former USSR answers all the • The basis of GPS is
aforesaid questions accurately. The triangulation from satellites.
GPS is a worldwide radio-navigation • To triangulate GPS a receiver
system formed from a constellation measures distance using the
of 24 satellites and their ground travel time of radio signals.
stations. Nowadays GPS receivers • To measure travel time, GPS
have been miniaturized to just a few needs very accurate timing.
integrated circuits and so are • Along with distance the exact
becoming very economical and that location of satellites in space is
makes the technology accessible to required.
virtually everyone. GPS is now
 • To know exact location high
orbits and careful monitoring are
required.
• Finally error correction is
necessary for any delays the
signal experiences as it travels
through the atmosphere.

2.0 GPS ARCHITECTURE:

The GPS is a universal positioning or

navigation system that provides
three-dimensional positions accurate
to within a few metres, velocity
accurate to 0.03m/s, and time
accurate to within a few
nanoseconds. It performs three major 2.1 Space segment:
tasks:
To produce accurate positions in
1) Acquire signals from the four three dimensions, the user must be
geometrically optimum satellites. able to see the four GPS satellites,
separated sufficiently and
2) Process the satellite data, geometrically oriented in three-
determine the position of the receiver dimensional space so that processing
and transform that information into a defines a precise signal intersection.
coordinate system (latitude, After much analysis, this basic
longitude and altitude) that is requirement for simultaneous multi
familiar to the operator. satellite global coverage resulted in
a constellation design comprising 24
3) Interface to the user and his satellites deployed in semi-
vehicle by providing a means to synchronous circular orbits at an
receive signals from other vehicle altitude of 10,900 nautical miles with
systems in both digital and analogue a 12 hour orbital period. The
forms, a command output to the satellites are uniformly spaced with
user’s vehicle (such as steering four satellites in each of the six
signals), and an interaction with the orbital planes 90 degrees apart. Each
operator through a control and orbital plane is inclined at 55 degrees
display unit. to the equator. Orbital planes are
separated from each other in
To perform the above functions GPS longitude by 60 degrees. GPS
contains mainly three segments operational constellation is shown in
1)Space segment, 2) Control the following Fig.
segment, 3) User segment. These
segments are shown in the following
Fig.
 which are uploaded to the satellites
twice daily by the uplink antenna.

2.3 User segment:

The GPS navigation set contains an

antenna, receiver, data processor and
display unit. Depending on the user’s
need, the GPS navigation set can
either track the signal from four
satellites sequentially or
simultaneously. The satellite signals
are further processed by the data
processor of the navigation set to
2.2 Control segment: demodulate the data and then decode
it to get the user’s 3-dimensional
For the highest accuracy of GPS, position coordinates, velocity and
great care must be taken to model time. The position is computed in
and correct any error in the received World Geodetic System WGS-84
time delay such as clock drift and coordinates. The WGS-84 is an
propagation delay. The ground earth-centered-earth-fixed (ECEF)
control segment monitors the reference frame, so position
broadcast satellite signals and determinations are essentially
uplinks corrections to ensure independent of the local topography,
predefined accuracies. The which must be accommodated by
operational control segment consists geodetic models within the GPS
of five monitor stations, a master receiver.
control station and three uplink
antennae. The widely separated
monitor sets – positioned worldwide
at Hawaii, Kwajalein, Diego Garcia, 3.0 WORKING OF GPS:
Ascension and Colorado Springs –
allow simultaneous tracking of the GPS operation is based on
full satellite constellation and relay triangulation of satellite signals.
orbital and clock information and Basically, it implements the time-
meteorological data to the master difference-of-arrival concept using
control station. The ranging data precise satellite position and on-
accumulated by the monitor stations board atomic clocks to generate
is processed by the master control navigation messages that are
stations is processed by the master continuously broadcast from each of
control station at Colorado Springs the GPS satellites. These messages
for use in satellite determination and can be received and processed by
systematic error elimination. The users anywhere in the world to
master control station then generates determine their position and time
ephemeris and clock bias predictions accurately.
and formulates navigation messages,
 The whole idea behind GPS is to We then make a measurement from a
use 24 satellites in space as reference third satellite and if found that we're
points for locations here on earth. 13,000 miles from that one, that
Accurately measuring our distance narrows our position down even
from three satellites we can further, to the two points where the
“triangulate” our position anywhere 13,000-mile sphere cuts through the
on earth. circle that's the intersection of the
first two spheres as shown if the
Suppose we measure our following Fig.
distance from a satellite and find it to
be 11,000 miles. Knowing that we're
11,000 miles from a particular
satellite narrows down all the
possible locations we could be in the
whole universe to the surface of a
sphere that is centered on this
satellite and has a radius of 11,000
miles as shown in the following Fig.

Even though there are two possible

positions, they differ greatly in
longitude/latitude position and
altitude. To determine which of the
two common points is our actual
position, we’ll need to enter our
approximate altitude into the GPS
receiver. This will allow the receiver
Let the distance from second satellite to calculate a two dimensional
is 12,000 miles, then we're position ( latitude, longitude).
somewhere on the circle where these However, by adding a fourth
two spheres intersect as shown in the satellite, the receiver can determine
following Fig. our three dimensional position
(latitude, longitude, altitude ). Let’s
say our distance from a fourth
satellite is 10,000 miles. We now
have a fourth sphere intersecting the
first three spheres at one common
point.

We measure the distance to

something that’s floating around in
space by timing how long it takes for
a signal sent from the satellite to
arrive at our receiver. The whole
thing boils down to those "velocity • The complexity of the Pseudo
times travel time". (d= v x t). The Random Code makes GPS
case of GPS we're measuring a radio economical. The codes make it
signal so the velocity is going to be possible to use "information
the speed of light. (30,000 kmps) theory" to "amplify" the GPS
signal.
3.1: The Pseudo Random Code • GPS receivers don't need big
(PRC) satellite dishes to receive the
GPS signals because or PRC
It is a fundamental part of GPS. The
signal is so complicated that it 4.0 GPS ERRORS:
almost looks like random electrical
noise. Hence the name "Pseudo- 4.1 Ionospheric delay:
Random”. Physically it's just a very
complicated digital code. It’s just a The pseudorange is calculated from
complicated sequence of "on" and the transit time of the GPS signal,
"off" pulses as shown here. scaled by the speed of light ‘c’. The
speed of light is assumed to be
constant. However, as the signal
travels through the atmospheres, its
speed varies. This effect is generally
attributed to two separate layers of
the earth’s atmosphere: the
ionosphere and the troposphere: the
ionosphere and the troposphere.

3.2 Advantages of PSEUDO- The ionosphere is the part of the

RANDOM CODE as a atmosphere where UV radiation from
transmitting signal: the sun has ionized a fraction of the
gas molecules. The change in the
speed of light through this region is
• Complex pattern helps
inversely proportional to frequency
make sure that the receiver
squared. If the GPS signal is tracked
doesn't accidentally sync up to
on both L1 and L2 frequencies, the
some other signal.
delay added to the signal transit time
• It's highly unlikely that a
from the atmosphere can be
stray signal will have exactly the
calculated and removed from PR
same shape.
measurement. For precision
• Pseudo-Random Code positioning, this error is about 3.1m
also guarantees that the receiver
won't accidentally pick up 4.2 Tropospheric delay:
another satellite's signal.
• All the satellites can Since tropospheric delay is not
use the same frequency without dependent on frequency, it is not
jamming each other. removed by dual-frequency, it is no
removed by dual-frequency
compensation, but can be adequately GPS is the most powerful navigation
modeled. The residual error after system used in a myriad of military,
tropospheric compensation is about commercial, civil and scientific
2m. applications.

4.3 Multipath Error: 5.1 Location:

To navigate with GPS, it is assumed The first and the most obvious
that the GPS signal has traveled applications of GPS is the simple
along a direct path from the satellite determination of a “position” of
to the receiver. But if the receiver is “location”. GPS is the first
near any kind of reflective surface positioning system to offer highly
such as water or concrete, reflected precise location data for any point on
GPS signals are also received at the the planet, in any weather. In a sense
antenna. This effect is known as it ‘s like giving every square meter
multipath. Typically, multipath on the planet a unique address
errors can add 1.2 m to precision
positioning. 5.2 Military:

4.4 Receiver noise and resolution: In military, GPS provides an

Typically, this adds an error of about unparalleled force enhancement tool.
1.1 m to precision positioning. GPS establishes an unambiguous
correlation in four dimensions
4.5 Satellite clock and ephemeris between the target and the dynamic
error. weapon system aimed at the target-
round the clock, anywhere on the
These can add an error of up to 3.9 m earth, and under any condition of
in precision positioning. light, weather, or other source of
obscuration. Because it requires no
Navigation errors due to satellite electronics transmission for access,
clock and ephemeris errors and the enables safe, efficient and precise
atmospheric delays cancel between operations in situations where
receivers tracking the same satellite complete radio silence is required.
in the same area. Multipath errors However, GPS allows battalions
can be eliminated by using an to beam their positions into a central
antenna with a pattern that rejects system, so commanders far in the
signals received at low elevation rear of the battle can watch every
angles. The pseudorange error source manoeuvre in real time. It also
is therefore only the receiver noise. guides pilots in bombing and missile
Since delta ranges measure change in launching, so minimal collateral
the pseudorange, these can be used damage is caused.
to filter the pseudorange noise.
5.3 Telecommunication:
5.0 APPLICATIONS:
Over the past decade, global timing
and communications infrastructure
has adopted GPS as the primary International statutory authority and
distribution mechanism for time and institutions have legally certified
frequency synchronization. The GPS time stamping services for
timing signal from GPS satellite determining financial transaction
constellation is being used sequences.
internationally as a direct and
globally available source of universal
coordinated time. Many
telecommunication service providers
6.0 CONCLUSION:
have replaced their complements of
ground-based atomic frequency
There will probably be a time soon
standards in favour of receiving
when every car on the road can be
continuous precise time and
equipped with a GPS receiver,
frequency signals from GPS.
including a video screen installed in
the dashboard. The in-dash monitor
5.3 Civil land navigation:
will be a full-color display showing
your location and a map of roads
By far, civil land navigation is the
around you. Nowadays GPS has
largest market place for GPS. Major
become important for nearly all
US car manufacturers are working
military operations and weapons
on integrating GPS receivers with
systems. In addition, it is used on
moving map displays. Soon cars will
satellites to obtain highly accurate
be available with display units that
orbit data and to control spacecraft
can be used to plan routes and
orientation. The future of GPS is as
display present location using GPS.
unlimited as your imagination. New
Vehicle fleets can be tracked using
applications will continue to be
GPS sets equipped with transponders
created as the technology evolves.
to broadcast the vehicle’s location to
The GPS satellites, like handmade
the central monitoring station. GPS
stars in the sky, will be guiding us
receivers for civil use are currently
well into the 21st century.
available for around $1000 a piece.

5.4 Electronic commerce and

REFERENCES:
finance:
[1] THE GLOBAL POSITIONING
Many banking and financial firms
SYSTEM AND GIS –By
employ GPS timing for
MICHAELKENNEDY
synchronizing their encrypted
computer networks. The mechanism
[2] GPS SATELLITE
used for distribution of precise
POSITIONING —By ALFRER
timing signals across the Internet is
LICH
GPS. As e-commerce and –trading
expand the importance of precise
[3] ELECTRONICS FOR YOU
time stamping is increasing.
MAGAZINE
Computer transactions and Internet
trading are routinely time tagged.
[4] INTERNET