Introduction To Global

Positioning System (GPS)

Chris Hecker

Department of Earth Systems Analysis

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION

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/GPS

• Contributions by Bart Krol, ITC

Why GPS ?
Why GPS ?

• Finding out where you are and

where you’re 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 “ranging” from satellites

2. For ranging a GPS receiver calculates distance to satellites

using travel time of radio signals

3. To measure travel time, GPS needs exact timing

4. Along with distance you need to know the satellite position

5. For accurate positioning you must correct for errors

1. Resection from satellites

3 satellites for a position fix

2. Measuring distance to satellites

Distance= velocity * travel time

Calculating distance to satellite
Using travel time of radio signal
Distance is about 22,000 km
Travel time = ?
z We cannot see satellites approx. 0.07 sec !
z We cannot measure exact distance

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

Satellite’s signal

GPS receiver’s signal

3. Exact timing

• Very precise clocks for exact timing

• satellites : highly accurate ‘atomic’ clocks
(about USD 100,000 each)

• receivers : moderately accurate quartz clocks

• 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)
• Intentional errors (Selective Availability)
• 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, continuation

We’re somewhere
in this box At close angles
the box gets bigger
5. Correcting for errors

GDOP, continuation

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

Selective Availability (SA)

SA on (before May 2000) SA off (after May 2000)

5. Correcting for errors

Some typical errors

• Satellite clock error 2 meters
• Receiver noise 0.5 meter
• Interference in
ionosphere and troposphere 5 meters
• Multipath error 1.4 meter
• Satellite position (“ephemeris”) error 2 meters

• poor GDOP up to 200 meters

• Human error up to hundreds of meters
• Receiver errors
(hardware, software, antenna) any size possible
Using a handheld GPS receiver

Typical accuracy: 10 m Horizontal

(civil use, good GDOP)

Results for a 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)
Other "GPS” Systems

Russian GLONASS System

(Global Navigation Satellite System)
Managed by: Russian Space Forces
1st Satellite: 1982
Accuracy: 50-70m horizontal (99.7%)
Info: http://www.glonass-center.ru/

European GALILEO System

Developed by: European Space Agency
1st Satellite: 2006
Fully operational: 2008
Accuracy: around 1m
Info: http://www.esa.int/export/esaSA/GGGMX650NDC_navigation_0.html
How GPS works

In conclusion

1. Ranging from satellites 2. Distance to satellites 3. Exact timing

4. Position in space 5. errors