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GPS (Global positioning systems)
GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM (GNSS)
It refers to a constellation of satellites providing signals from space transmitting positioning and
timing data.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)
It is a radio navigation system provided by American Department of defense (USA).
- A GPS receiver on earth will receive radio signal from the satellites and from this signal it is possible
to calculate position on earth.
IRNSS: Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
> It is a Regional Navigation System, not Global.
> Operational Name: NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).
> It is an autonomous regional Navigation system that provides accurate real time positioning and
timing service developed by ISRO.
> It covers India and region extending 1500 km around it.
> Consists of 7 satellites with two additional satellites on ground as stand-by.
> NAVIC will provide two level of service, the standard positioning service for civilian use and a
restricted service for authorized users.
Advantages of GPS
> Relatively high positioning accuracy
> Capable of determining velocity and time
> Signal availability anywhere on globe
> No user charges
> All weather system
> Operational at all 24 hours
> Positioning information is 3 dimensional: Horizontal (Latitude and Longitude) and Vertical
(Elevation).
COMPONENTS OF GPS
3 segments:
a. The space segment
> It consists of GPS satellite constellation which allows determining the position, velocity and time.
> The constellation consists of 24 satellites placed in 6 orbits at an altitude of 20,200 km with each
plane inclined to the equator by 55°.
> Satellite takes 12 sidereal hours for one revolution around earth.
> The space segment is so designed that there will be a minimum of 4 satellites visible at any point on
the earth surface at any time.
> Atomic clocks in the GPS satellite provide the most accurate timing system. (Having around 3 nano
second accuracy)
> GPS uses Radio waves.
b. The control segment
> Control segment consist of two master station, 16 monitoring station and 11 ground antennas.
> Control segment tracks the GPS satellites, updates their orbiting position and calibrates and
synchronizes their clocks.
c. The user segment
> User segment consists of GPS receivers which are used to receive the signal for determination of the
position and time.
> Receiver works on Quartz clock standard.
> Typical application within the user segment are land navigation, marine navigation, aerial navigation
and surveying.
Mainly there are two types of receivers:
1. Military receiver
2. Civilian receiver
Note:
1. Minimum number of satellites to locate position of receiver = 3
2. Minimum number of satellites to accurately determine the position of receiver along with altitude =
4
Other components of GPS includes:
1. Microstrip antenna
2. Power supply
3. Microprocessor
4. Precision oscillator
5. User interface command and display panels.
Accuracy of GPS
Defense purpose = 10 m
Ship in coastal water = 5 m
Geodetic and land survey = 1 cm
SATELLITE SIGNAL STRUCTURE
Signal structure consists of 3 components:
1. Carrier Wave:
These are radio waves. There are two types of carrier waves
a. LI Carrier wave
b. L2 Carrier wave
Used to transmit (carry) information from satellite to receive
2. Ranging codes or pseudo-random codes:
These are codes used to compute time taken by the signal to reach the receiver from satellite and thus
the distance.
a. Precise code (p-code)
b. Coarse/ acquisition code (c/a)
3. Navigation codes:
This contains the satellite orbital position data and clock information, general system status messages,
satellite health status, satellite clock corrections, ionospheric and atmospheric data.
TRILATERATION : working principle of GPS. Determining absolute or relative location of points
based on the distance to at-least 3 known positions.
ERRORS IN GPS
1. Ephemeris error:
> Errors in the prediction of a satellite position.
> Very difficult to correct and compensate.
2. Clock stability
> GPS satellites carry rubidium and cesium time standards
> Receivers works on Quartz clock standard
> Time offset - Difference between time recorded by satellite clock and that recorded by receiver.
5. Satellite and receiver clock errors:
> Satellite clocks are very accurate to about 3 nano seconds
> Sometimes drift slightly and cause small errors.
DIFFERENTIAL GPS (DGPS)
> An enhancement to Global Positioning System
> To improve positional accuracy and integrity.