Course 439: GPS High Precision Kinematic Carrier Phase Techniques

Instructors	Dr. Gérard Lachapelle and/or Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, The University of Calgary
Who Should Attend?	Engineers, scientists and others concerned with using differential GPS technology for achieving centimeter and decimeter positioning accuracies, and/or milliradian level attitude determination, in real time. Also for those involved in the development of high precision components and systems, as well as precision applications, in this rapidly evolving field. This is a fast-paced highly practical course that will prepare you to understand when and how to use the various methodologies available to you for covering different accuracy requirements.
Prerequisites	A basic knowledge of GPS system operation is assumed, as well as familiarity with engineering analysis methods An understanding of GPS principles as in Course 122.
Course Schedule	DAY 1 *Dr. Gérard Lachapelle and/or Dr. Elizabeth Cannon*
	High accuracy GPS positioning provides users accuracies down to the cm level very effectively. This day describes the basic concepts involved, and the various receiver technologies and observables available to obtain high accuracy positions. 8:30 - GPS Description and Status • GPS characteristics, ranging concepts • Space, control and user segments and status • Dilution of Precision • User Equivalent Ranging Error (UERE) • SPS and PPS positioning accuracies • Overview of GPS Modernization 9:45 - GPS Accuracy Enhancements • PPS improvements with improved orbital & clock data • Post-mission orbits • Static & kinematic single point performance • L1 vs. L1/L2 performance • Differential GPS concepts • GLONASS, Galileo 11:00 - Signal Structure and Measurements • Definitions, req's, carrier phase ambiguity • GPS signal characteristics, PRN code generation/properties • Bi-phase modulation, spread spectrum, power levels, signal interference • Characteristics of code and carrier measurements 12:00 - Lunch on your own 1:30 - GPS Navigation Message • Broadcast message, satellite coordinate calculations • Ephemeris records, almanac • GPS time system 2:45 - WGS 84 and Relationship to Other Reference Systems • World Geodetic System 84 • ITRF System • Relationship between reference systems and datums • Horizontal and vertical datums • Geoid accuracies 4:00 - GPS Antennas & Receivers • Antenna types, gain patterns, ground planes • Receiver design, tracking loops • Code correlation and autocorrelation • C/A code Narrow Correlator® spacing • Codeless & semicodeless methods • Receiver specifications • Frequency and time standards 5:00 - Day 1 ends
	DAY 2 *Dr. Lachapelle and/or Cannon*
	This day addresses the various errors affecting GPS, and how to estimate many of them using simple field experiments. It also presents some fundamental aspects of estimation theory; and describes the various DGPS methods and approaches, with real-time implementation implications. 8:30 - GPS Observables and Estimation I • Pseudorange, carrier phase & instantaneous Doppler observables • Point positioning methods & related equations • DGPS • Single, double & triple differencing methods • Cycle slip detection and correction 9:45 - GPS Observables and Estimation II • Carrier phase smoothing of the code • Carrier phase ambiguities • Linear phase combinations (widelaning) • Accuracy measures, Dilution of Precision (DOP) • Statistical internal and external reliability issues 11:00 - GPS Biases and Errors I • Effect of orbital errors on DGPS • Use of precise orbits • Satellite and receiver clock errors • Effect of station coordinate errors 12:00 - Lunch on your own 1:30 - GPS Biases and Errors II • Code and carrier phase noise estimation and examples • Multipath: occurence, estimation & examples, detection, correlation, reduction • Narrow vs. wide correlator spacing • Case study: Gaussian and non-Gaussian error distribution in DGPS kinematic mode 2:45 - Atmospheric Effects • Atmospheric structure and characteristics • Tropospheric and ionospheric effects and modelling • L1/L2 corrections and survey results • Code/carrier phase ionospheric divergence • Absolute and relative numerical results 4:00 - Differential Positioning & Nav Methods • DGPS static positioning for high accuracy applications • Semi-kinematic and kinematic modes • Initial ambiguity resolution techniques • Kinematic methods for 1-10m, and sub-meter accuracies • On-the-fly (OTF) carrier phase ambiguity resolution • Ambiguity float approach for decimeter accuracy • DGPS message types and services 5:00 - Day 2 ends
	DAY 3 *Dr. Lachapelle and/or Cannon*
	This day focuses on using GPS in a variety of applications environments with high precision requirements. Numerous case studies are presented to illustrate the principals involved. 8:30 - Land Case Studies • L1 vs. L1/L2 ambiguity resolution in kinematic mode • Meter & sub-meter level precision farming application • Ambiguity float solutions for long baselines • Under foliage and urban canyon applications • Aiding with self-contained sensors • Stand-alone positioning using post-mission data 9:45 - Airborne Case Studies • High accuracy DGPS aircraft positioning • OTF ambiguity resolution for decimeter accuracy • Velocity determination using carrier phase measurements • High dynamics simulations • Airborne positioning using an on-board pseudolite 11:00 - Marine Case Studies • Ship positioning at the 1-2 meter level using post-mission data • Water level profiling to centimeter level accuracy • Low cost receivers for sonobuoy positioning • Use of pseudolites for marine navigation 12:00 - Lunch on your own 1:30 - GNSS Case Studies • Advantages & limitations of system integrations • Single & double differencing issues for code & carrier measurements • Availability & reliability of integrated solutions under signal masking, urban canyons, etc. • Additional augmentation options 2:45 - Attitude Determination with GPS • Multi-antenna GPS technology using carrier phase techniques for attitude determination • Dedicated vs. non-dedicated receivers • Multi-receiver configurations • Fuselage and wing flexing effects • Marine applications • Antenna separation effects • GPS/GLONASS heading determination 4:00 - Integrated GPS/INS • Advantages of GPS/INS integration • Hardware vs. software integration • Error sources and integration strategies • Kalman filtering techniques • GPS cycle slip detection with INS • Bridging the gap with INS during GPS signal outages • Integration of INS with twin-antenna GPS receiver 5:00 - Course ends
Continuing Education Units	1.8 (18 hours)
Materials You Will Keep	• A USB Drive with PDF electronic course notes used during the course. Bringing a laptop is highly recommended; power access will be provided. Return to top of page