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NLOS GPS signal detection using a dual-polarisation antenna

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Abstract

The reception of indirect signals, either in the form of non-line-of-sight (NLOS) reception or multipath interference, is a major cause of GNSS position errors in urban environments. We explore the potential of using dual-polarisation antenna technology for detecting and mitigating the reception of NLOS signals and severe multipath interference. The new technique computes the value of the carrier-power-to-noise-density (C/N 0) measurements from left-hand circular polarised outputs subtracted from the right-hand circular polarised C/N 0 counterpart. If this quality is negative, NLOS signal reception is assumed. If the C/N 0 difference is positive, but falls below a threshold based on its lower bound in an open-sky environment, severe multipath interference is assumed. Results from two experiments are presented. Open-field testing was first performed to characterise the antenna behaviour and determine a suitable multipath detection threshold. The techniques were then tested in a dense urban area. Using the new method, two signals in the urban data were identified as NLOS-only reception during the occupation period at one station, while the majority of the remaining signals present were subject to a mixture of NLOS reception and severe multipath interference. The point positioning results were dramatically improved by excluding the detected NLOS measurements. The new technique is suited to a wide range of static ground applications based on our results.

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Acknowledgments

This work is part of the Innovative Navigation using new GNSS Signals with Hybridised Technologies (INSIGHT) program. INSIGHT (www.insight-gnss.org) is a collaborative research project funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and undertaken by Imperial College London, University College London, the University of Nottingham, the University of Westminster and 8 industrial partners. The authors would like to thank Dr. Yacine Adane from University of Westminster for designing the amplifier to work with the antenna, QinetiQ for lending the choke ring used in this research and the following people who assisted with the data collection: Mr. Chris Atkins, Mr. Lei Wang and Ms. Naomi Chian-yuan Li. The authors would also like to thank Antom for providing the antenna test data and granting the permission for publishing the data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College London, London, UK

    Ziyi Jiang & Paul D. Groves

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  1. Ziyi Jiang
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  2. Paul D. Groves
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Correspondence to Ziyi Jiang.

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Jiang, Z., Groves, P.D. NLOS GPS signal detection using a dual-polarisation antenna. GPS Solut 18, 15–26 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-012-0305-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-012-0305-5

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