The Global Positioning System

Bart Krol / Jeroen Verplanke

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION

The Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System

Acknowledgements
GPS Overview by Peter H. Dana, Department of Geography,
University of Colorado, USA. http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/gps/gps_f.html

GPS Tutorial

by Trimble Navigation Ltd.

http://www.trimble.com

Why GPS ?

Finding out where you are and where youre going Positioning is crucial in handling geographical data A world wide system for positioning

What is GPS ?

A world wide radio-navigation system Uses satellites as reference points to calculate positions Three components:
Space segment Control segment User segment

GPS components

Space segment

GPS components

Control segment

User segment

How GPS works

1. The basis for GPS is

resection from satellites

2. For resection a GPS receiver calculates

distance to satellites
using travel time of radio signals

exact timing 4. Along with distance you need to know the satellite position 5. For accurate positioning you must correct for errors
3. To measure travel time, GPS needs

1. Resection from satellites

3 satellites for a position fix

2. Measuring distance to satellites

Distance= velocity * travel time

Distance is about 22,000 km

We cannot see satellites We cannot measure exact distance

Calculating distance to satellite Using travel time of radio signal Travel time = ? approx. 0.07 sec !

Using radio signal to calculate distance This signal travels with speed of light Speed of light = 299,174 km/sec

3. Exact timing

How to measure travel time

satellite and receiver generate radio signal at the same time travel time = phase difference between signals
1 msec

Satellites signal

GPS receivers signal

3. Exact timing

Very precise clocks for exact timing

satellites receivers : highly accurate atomic clocks
(about USD 100,000 each)

: moderately accurate quartz clocks

Clock error due to difference in clock accuracy

use a 4th satellite to correct for clock error

3. Exact timing

Correcting for clock errors in 2D:

At least: 3 satellites for 2D fix 4 satellites for 3D fix

4. The satellite position in space

Using satellites as reference points for positioning also requires that you know the exact position in space of each satellite, at any place and at any time. The GPS control segment monitors the satellite position in space.
All details of satellite orbits is available in an almanac This satellite status information can be downloaded to the GPS receiver

5. Correcting for errors

Main GPS error sources

Clock errors Signal errors (noise) Interference in ionosphere and troposphere Multipath error Satellite position (ephemeris) error Geometrical error (Geometric Dilution of Precision - GDOP) Intentional errors (Selective Availability - SA) Human errors Receiver errors (hardware, software, antenna)

5. Correcting for errors

Geometric Dilution Of Precision (GDOP)

GOOD GDOP ( 2)

POOR GDOP (2-6)

5. Correcting for errors

GDOP, continued

Were somewhere in this box

At close angles the box gets bigger

5. Correcting for errors

GDOP, continued

GOOD COMPUTED GDOP AND BAD VISIBILITY RESULTS IN POOR GDOP

5. Correcting for errors

Selective Availability (SA)

The US military can introduce intentional errors to limit accuracy for civil GPS users

SA introduces an artificial clock error into the radio signal and writes an error in the satellite status information
If SA is on a potential horizontal accuracy of 30 meters will be reduced to 100 meters.

5. Correcting for errors

Some typical errors

Satellite clock error Receiver noise Interference in ionosphere and troposphere Multipath error Satellite position (ephemeris) error
poor GDOP Human errors Receiver errors (hardware, software, antenna)

2 meter 0.5 meters

5 meters 1.4 meter 2 meters up to 200 meters up to hundreds of meters any size possible

Using a handheld GPS receiver

Typical accuracy: 10 m Horizontal

( civilian use, good GDOP) Results of measurements over one month (Garmin 12XL) Horizontal Accuracy (50%) 3.9 meters Vertical Accuracy (50%) 9.6 meters Horizontal Accuracy (95%) 9.3 meters Vertical Accuracy (95%) 21.9 meters

Source: GPS ACCURACY MONITOR by Dennis Milbert (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dmilbert/handacc/accur.htm)

How GPS works

To sumarize

1. Resection from satellites 2. Distance to satellites

3. Exact timing

4. Position in space

5. errors

How to operate the Garmin

Basic buttons:
change up/down
Enter Next page Power

How to operate the Garmin

Navigation screen:
Mode Accuracy Units Horizon

Expected sat position

Battery level Known sat position

Skyline at 45
Zenith (90)

Signal strength
Satellite number

Set up the GPS and go outside

In the classroom
Familiarize yourself with the GPS Set-up the GPS Enter Waypoints

Outside the main entrance

Check position Try using the compass in the GOTO function Go and find the waypoints