Analysis of airborne GPS multipath effects using high-fidelity EM models

Airborne GPS systems are being upgraded to provide sufficient positioning accuracy to support automatic landing operations in low visibility conditions. This is made possible by differential GPS (DGPS), in which the errors common to the airborne receiver and ground station are removed by knowledge of the latter's precise location. However, errors specific to the airborne system remain, of which the dominant components are receiver noise and multipath. To support the assessment of the integrity of the signal in space, these residual errors are incorporated in a statistically based error model, designated as the "standard model." The standard model is defined as the standard deviation of a Gaussian distribution that overbounds the residual pseudo-range (PR) error. It relates the standard deviation of the overbounding distribution to the elevation angle of the satellite relative to the local level coordinate system. The international community is currently developing improved standards to enable DGPS systems to support landings in the worst visibility conditions (i.e., CAT III). As a part of this development, the standard model for multipath is being re-evaluated and an improved model is sought. In order to better characterize the residual multipath errors, tools for accurate calculation of the airframe scattering effects are needed. Development of such tools is the subject of this paper. A new method for accurately computing pseudo-range error, based on the use of high-fidelity EM models, is described. This approach provides new insight into the mechanisms causing multipath error.     

低成本GNSS终端中北斗三号多频观测的分析及应用CSCD

低成本消费级GNSS芯片相较于传统测绘级接收机在体积、功耗等方面具有突出优势,在未来无人驾驶、物联网等新兴应用领域具有极大潜力。然而当前低成本GNSS芯片的观测量存在非常严重的噪声和误差,为了改善观测质量,低成本芯片正逐渐从单频向多频过渡。首先调研了目前低成本GNSS接收机对多频信号的支持情况,然后介绍了北斗三号多频观测在电离层延迟和整周模糊度估计等方面的应用。通过对真实数据的采集和分析,针对当前原始观测量存在的诸多问题,提出了具体的预处理方案,并在此基础上开展了信号强度、电离层和模糊度实验。实验结果表明,基于华为Mate 40手机的低成本GNSS方案的北斗三频电离层延迟估计误差的均值为-2.97m,三频整周模糊度估计的成功率达93.8%,相较于单频整周模糊度估计的3.11%成功率有显著提升。     

Gating Functions for Multipath Mitigation in GNSS BOC Signals

A new multipath mitigation technique is proposed for binary offset carrier (BOC) signals in global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) using the concept of gating function originally conceived for the GPS coarse-acquisition (C/A) code. Specially-tailored pulses are utilized to diminish the number of false-lock points of the code discriminator response and to improve the multipath mitigation capability. The code loop includes only four real correlators (two extra correlators are required for the simplified bump-jumping algorithm with BOC(n,n) signals). Results obtained with BOC(n,n) and BOC(2n,n) signals show that this technique eliminates the multipath ranging errors for reflected rays with relative delays typically above twenty percent of the spreading code chip duration, thus comparing favorably with the conventional receiver correlation techniques.     

Receiver-channel based adaptive blind equalization approach for GPS dynamic multipath mitigation

Aiming at mitigating multipath effect in dynamic global positioning system (GPS) satellite navigation applications, an approach based on channel blind equalization and real-time recursive least square (RLS) algorithm is proposed, which is an application of the wireless communication channel equalization theory to GPS receiver tracking loops. The blind equalization mechanism builds upon the detection of the correlation distortion due to multipath channels; therefore an increase in the number of correlator channels is required compared with conventional GPS receivers. An adaptive estimator based on the real-time RLS algorithm is designed for dynamic estimation of multipath channel response. Then, the code and carrier phase receiver tracking errors are compensated by removing the estimated multipath components from the correlators’ outputs. To demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed approach, this technique is integrated into a GPS software receiver connected to a navigation satellite signal simulator, thus simulations under controlled dynamic multipath scenarios can be carried out. Simulation results show that in a dynamic and fairly severe multipath environment, the proposed approach achieves simultaneously instantaneous accurate multipath channel estimation and significant multipath tracking errors reduction in both code delay and carrier phase.     

基于自适应遗传算法的DGPS整周模糊度快速解算

 鉴于遗传算法(GA)所具有的全局搜索特性,也为了更快速准确地解算差分全球定位系统(DGPS)整周模糊度,将自适应遗传算法(AGA)引入DGPS整周模糊度的搜索中。首先根据全球定位系统(GPS)载波相位双差方程求解出双差整周模糊度的浮点解,并以基线长度作为约束条件确定整周模糊度的搜索范围;然后利用白化滤波的方法对整周模糊度进行降相关处理,降低整周模糊度各分量之间的相关性;最后将自适应遗传算法应用在整周模糊度的解算过程中,搜索整周模糊度的最优解。仿真计算结果表明,与LAMBDA算法和简单遗传算法相比,自适应遗传算法能够快速地求解整周模糊度,也具有较好的可靠性和鲁棒性。     

GPS 双基线载体姿态测量研究

研究了采用双基线方案测量载体的姿态,利用GPS双差相位测量基线矢量,双差伪距观测值辅助解相位整周模糊,双频时引入空间变换缩小置信空间搜索次数,通过实例分析得出了正确解算相位模糊与观测次数、伪距测量精度的关系,并利用误差传播定律对姿态测量精度进行分析,结合卫星星历数据计算表明,在卫星运行周期内航向角和俯仰角平均测量精度在一定条件下优于2mrad.     

基于多频GNSS观测的编队星间相对定位样条表示模型

从编队卫星的高精度星间相对定位需求出发,基于未来全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)多频信号测量体制的发展,综合利用观测数据与待估参数的几何关系以及待估参数随历元连续变化的约束,根据函数逼近理论,提出基于多频GNSS观测的编队星间相对定位样条表示模型,给出多频数据相对于双频数据、样条表示模型相对于传统逐点模型在改善星间相对位置...     

Position Error Bound Calculation for GNSS using Measurement Residuals

In safety-of-life applications of satellite navigation, the protection level (PL) equation translates what is known about the pseudo-range errors into a reliable limit on the positioning error. The current PL equations for satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) rely on Gaussian statistics. This approach is very practical: the calculations are simple and the receiver computation load is small. However, when the true distributions are far from Gaussian, such a characterization forces an inflation of the PLs that degrades performance. This happens in particular with errors with heavy tail distributions or for which there is not enough data to evaluate the distribution density up to small quantiles. We present a way of computing the optimal protection level when the pseudo-range errors are characterized by a mixture of Gaussian modes. First, we show that this error characterization adds a new flexibility and helps account for heavy tails without losing the benefit of tight core distributions. Then, we state the positioning problem using a Bayesian approach. Finally, we apply this method to PL calculations for the wide area augmentation system (WAAS) using real data from WAAS receivers. The results are very promising: vertical PLs are reduced by 50% without degrading integrity.     

Beamspace ML bearing estimation incorporating low-angle geometry

A problem in low-angle radar tracking, namely, bearing estimation in the presence of a strong specular multipath component that arrives within the beamwidth of the direct path signal, is studied. Three-dimensional beamspace domain maximum likelihood (3D-BDML) is a computationally simple ML bearing estimation algorithm applicable in this scenario which operates in a 3-D beamspace. A variation of 3D-BDML incorporating the multipath geometry as a priori information is presented. In symmetric 3D-BDML the pointing angle of the center beam is equal to the bisector angle between the direct path ray and the image ray, which may be estimated a priori given only the radar height and the target range. The effect of the inclusion of a priori information on the performance of 3D-BDML is analyzed in terms of the dependence on the relative phase difference between the direct and specular path signals, the sensitivity to error in the bisector angle estimate, and the results of operation when no specular multipath component is present in the data. In addition, computationally simple schemes for coherently incorporating multifrequency data into 3D-BDML are investigated     

多径衰落条件下两种常规测向方法的误差问题

讨论了莱斯多径衰落信道模型在两类常规测向技术中的应用。利用常规测向技术对信噪比的特定要求,分析了具有莱斯分布特性衰落信道对比相、比幅测向误差抖动的影响,给出了其分布函数,并通过仿真指出其应用限制。最后就工程应用中所关心的模型参数获取和采样点数确定等问题作一论述。     

Passive localization by a single moving observer using TOA only with unknown SRI: Observability analysis and algorithm

Passive localization by a single moving observer using Time of Arrival (TOA) only with an unknown Signal Repetition Interval (SRI) is investigated in this paper. Observability analysis is performed first. The observability condition for uniquely determining the emitter position and SRI is derived. The conditional Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) is also analyzed. It is found that the ambiguity of the SRI integer of the first TOA does not affect the theoretical estimation precision of the emitter position and SRI. A Reference-Fixed Differential TOA (RFDTOA)-based Iterative Maximum Likelihood Estimator (IMLE) is proposed, which only needs O(M) computational operations. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the Mean Square Error (MSE) of the proposed algorithm could attain the CRLB with moderate Gaussian measurement noise.     

Azimuth-Elevation Estimation Performance of a Spatially Dispersive Channel

A model is presented for the estimation of azimuth and elevation in a dispersive media where the signals come from a continuum of directions. These bounds depend upon the array ambiguity patterns and the channel spread function. Specific cases are discussed showing how the result reduces to an easily tractable analytical tool in many cases of interest. The model discussed is applicable to angular estimation performance in the presence of such interference as diffuse multipath, chaff clouds, vertical angle of arrival spread in sonar systems, and turbulent and multiply scattered optical channels.     

Joint parameter and state estimation for stochastic uncertain system with multivariate skew t noises

Due to the pulse interference, measurement outliers and artificial modeling errors, the multivariate skew t noise widely exists in the real environment. However, to date, little attention has been paid to the state estimation for systems in which the process noise and the measurement noise are both modeled as the heavy-tailed and skew non-Gaussian noise. In this paper, the multivariate skew t distribution is utilized to model the heavy-tailed and skew non-Gaussian noise. Then a probabilistic gra...     

GPS多径信号的自适应滤波估计方法

 研究全球定位系统(GPS)多径信号估计的问题。通过分析自适应滤波器的原理,建立了数字中频信号处理的数学模型,提出一种用自适应滤波实现GPS多径幅度、码相位和载波相位估计的方法。该方法采用不同延迟的伪随机序列对信号进行解扩、解调和累加,得到了作为期望信号的系列自适应滤波相关值。对该方法与其他3种方法进行了理论上的分析比较,得出本方法具有信噪比高、自适应滤波性能好、带有码相位信息和不存在载波模糊度问题等优点。根据各种滤波器算法的特点和本应用的需求,给出了选用递归最小二乘算法实现的方法。通过计算机仿真,验证了提出的方法能够在14 dB的信噪比下,以1个采样间隔的时间延迟分辨率和0.005周的载波相位估计精度估计出GPS L1的多径信号。     

GNSS多径抑制基带处理算法综述CSCD

随着全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)信号体制的不断更新,接收机应用环境越来越复杂,多径误差抑制技术也在不断发展进步。其中,基于改进基带的多径抑制算法由于成本和效果综合较优,受到了国内外研究人员的重视。论文首先阐述了GNSS多径抑制的基本原理,综述了传统的GNSS参量式和非参量式多径抑制算法的研究现状和实现方式,然后探讨分析了新体制信号中提高抗多径性能的方法,总结了当前GNSS多径抑制基带处理研究中的主要问题,最后展望了其未来的发展趋势。     

Probability Density of the Maximum Likelihood Elevation Estimate of Radar Targets

The probability density of the maximum likelihood estimate of elevation angle of a radar target in the presence of multipath is calculated. For detectable signals that have low signal-to-noise ratios, the density is a mixture of a Gaussian density and a delta function at the horizon.     

Radar/Sonar Signal Design for Bounded Doppler Shifts

In many detection and estimation problems, Doppler frequency shifts are bounded. For clutter or multipath that is uniformly distributed in range and symmetrically distributed in Doppler shift relative to the signal, detectability of a point target or a communication signal is improved by minimizing the weighted volume of the magnitude-squared autoambiguity function. When clutter Doppler shifts are bounded, this volume is in a strip containing the range axis on the range-Doppler plane. For scattering function estimation, e.g., for weather radar, Doppler flow meters, and distributed target classifiers, it is again relevant to minimize ambiguity volume in a strip. Strip volume is minimized by using a pulse train, but such a signal has unacceptably large range sidelobes for most applications. Other waveforms that have relatively small sidelobe level within a strip on the range-Doppler plane, as well as small ambiguity volume in the strip, are obtained. The waveforms are composed of pulse pairs that are phase modulated with Golay complementary codes.     

Doppler ambiguity resolution using multiple PRF

An algorithm for velocity ambiguity resolution in coherent pulsed Doppler radar using multiple pulse repetition frequencies (PRF) is presented. It relies on the choice of particular values for the PRFs. The folded frequency of the target signal is obtained by averaging the folded frequency estimates for each PRF, and a quasi maximum likelihood criterion is maximized for ambiguity order estimation. The fast implementation of this nonambiguous estimation procedure is based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT), The proposed waveform allows full exploitation of any (even) number of PRFs, which appears to be important for estimation improvement. The effects of the waveform parameters and the folded frequency estimation variance on the performance of the ambiguity order estimation procedure are evaluated theoretically and through computer simulations. Mean square error (MSE) curves are given to assess the Doppler frequency estimation accuracy. Finally, the new method is compared with a classical technique and the implementation of the algorithm in a clutter environment is addressed.     

附加双差模糊度网解约束的GNSS相位延迟估计

针对现有相位延迟估计方法未利用双差模糊度网解约束的特点,提出了一种附加双差模糊度网解约束的相位延迟估计方法。首先以整周双差模糊度网解为真值更新精密单点定位(PPP)估计的非差浮点模糊度,再通过网平差法估计未校正相位延迟(UPD)。实验结果表明,PPP双差模糊度与双差模糊度网解一致性好,其宽、窄巷中误差分别为0.07周和0.11周,误差大于1周的PPP双差模糊度主要出现在卫星初升阶段。约束改变了非差浮点模糊度,从而改变了参与UPD网平差的测站,使14%新升起卫星的窄巷UPD在短时间内较无约束有大于0.2周的差异。附加约束/无约束的全天星间单差UPD差异在大于99.9%的置信水平下满足零均值假设,表明整周双差模糊度网解约束方法与无约束方法估计UPD相关产品具有等效性。研究结果可为参考网非差模糊度解算和PPP与网络实时动态定位(RTK)的融合工作提供参考。     

Design and Performance of an Adaptive Kalman Receiver for Synchronous Data Transmission

A class of multilevel linear-modulation data-transmission systems, over unknown, slowly time-varying, and bandlimited channels is considered. It is shown how sequence estimation in the presence of Gaussian noise and intersymbol interference can be carried out by means of a discrete Kalman estimator. Moreover, the receiver can be provided with data-aided adaptive loops for performing channel identification, carrier recovery, and timing extraction. A computational method is presented to evaluate the average probability of error of the overall system in the presence of inter-symbol interference, additive noise, and phase-and sampling-synchronization errors. The method is based upon nonclassical one-and two-dimensional quadrature rules, which are outlined in the Appendix. As an example, numerical performance results related to a phase-shift-keying (PSK) system are given. The results are obtained by means of general-purpose and system-oriented computers.