Geo-Informatics

Lecture 7-8 What is GPS?

 GPS Stands for Global Position System
 A very precise positioning system
Introduction to GPS  Developed and maintained by the US Department of
Defense (DOD)
 Feasibility studies begun in 1960’s.

 Pentagon appropriates funding in 1973.

 First satellite launched in 1978.

Nabeel Ahmed  System declared fully operational in April, 1995.

[email protected]  Satellite Based

0344-5485232  24 satellites

 20,200 km high orbit

Characteristics of GPS
 Free
 Precise
Reliable


 All weather
How GPS Works
 Anytime & anywhere
 Unlimited user capacity

Segments of GPS Three Segments of the GPS

Space Segment

 Space Segment

 Control Segment
Control Segment User Segment
 User and Equipment
Ground
Master Station Monitor Stations Antennas
 Control Segment
Space Segment
US Space Command

Cape Canaveral  GPS satellites (24) fly in

Hawaii  circular orbits
Kwajalein Atoll  at an altitude of 20,200 km and
Diego Garcia
 with a period of 12 hours.
Ascension  Powered by solar cells, the
satellites continuously orient
Is.

themselves to point their solar

panels toward the sun and
their antenna toward the
earth.
 Orbital planes are centered on
the Earth
Master Control Station Monitor Station Ground Antenna

User Segment Four Basic Functions of GPS

 Military  Position and coordinates
 Search and rescue
 Disaster relief
 The distance and direction
 Surveying between any two waypoints, or a
 Marine, aeronautical and terrestrial navigation position and a waypoint
 Remote controlled vehicle and robot guidance  Travel progress reports
Satellite positioning and tracking

 Accurate time measurement
 Shipping
 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Determining GPS Position Position is Based on Time

 Suppose the distance Signal leaves satellite
from Satellite A to our at time “T” T
position is 11,000 miles +
Satellite A
 At this point we could
be located anywhere on
the specified sphere T+3
+
 Next, let us take Satellite B

another measurement Signal is picked up by the

from a second satellite, receiver at time “T + 3”
Satellite B
Signal From One Satellite Signal From Two Satellite
The receiver is
somewhere on
this sphere.

Three Dimensional (3D)

Three Satellites Position

Selective Availability (S/A) Sources of GPS Error

 The Defense Department dithered the  Standard Positioning Service (SPS ):
satellite time message, reducing position
accuracy to some GPS users.  Civilian Users
 S/A was designed to prevent America’s Source of Error Amount
enemies from using GPS against us and our Satellite clocks 1.5 to 3.6 m
allies.
 In May 2000 the Pentagon reduced S/A to Orbital errors <1m
zero meters error. Ionosphere 5.0 to 7.0 m
 S/A could be reactivated at any time by the Troposphere 0.5 to 0.7 m
Pentagon. Receiver noise 0.3 to 1.5 m
Multipath 0.6 to 1.2 m
 Receivers Errors are Cumulative Sources of Signal Interference
Earth’s Atmosphere
System and other flaws = < 9
meters

Solid Structures

User error =
+- 1 km

Metal
Electro-magnetic Fields

Planning a Navigation Route

Waypoint
 A waypoint is based on coordinates entered into a
GPS receiver’s memory
 It can be either a saved position fix, or user
entered coordinates.

= Waypoint
Start

How A Receiver Sees Your

Route
GPS Satellite Geometry
 Satellite geometry can affect the quality of GPS
signals and accuracy of receiver trilateration.
 Dilution of Precision (DOP) reflects each satellite’s
position relative to the other satellites being
accessed by a receiver.
 Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) is the DOP
value used most commonly in GPS to determine
the quality of a receiver’s position.
 It’s usually up to the GPS receiver to pick satellites
which provide the best position triangulation.
Ideal Satellite Geometry Good Satellite Geometry
N

W E

Good Satellite Geometry Poor Satellite Geometry

N

W E

Poor Satellite Geometry Poor Satellite Geometry

 Real Time Differential GPS

x+5, y-3
x+30, y+60

Differential GPS x-5, y+3

Receiver DGPS Receiver

DGPS Site
DGPS correction = x+(30-5) and True coordinates =
y+(60+3) x+0, y+0

True coordinates = x+25, y+63 Correction = x-5, y+3

Wide Area Augmentation System How good is WAAS?

Geostationary GPS Constellation
With Selective Availability set
WAAS satellites to zero, and under ideal
conditions, a GPS receiver
without WAAS can achieve +-15 meters
fifteen meter accuracy most
of the time.*
+-
3 meters

Under ideal conditions a

WAAS equipped GPS
receiver can achieve three
meter accuracy 95% of the
time.*

WAAS Control
Local Area Station (East
* Precision depends on good satellite geometry, open sky view, and no user
WAAS Control System (LAAS) Coast)
Station (West Coast) induced errors.

Future GPS

(a) GPS in USA

(b) GLONASS Program for Russia
(c) GALILEO from European countries