Global Positioning

System

By- AMOL DESAI

JAY DESAI
 What I want to talk
about?
• Definition of GPS.
• History
• Structure
• How it Works?
• Determining position.
• Methods
• Triangulation
• Receivers
• Applications
 Definition:
• The Global Positioning System, usually
called GPS, is the only fully-functional
satellite navigation system(allow small
electronic devices to determine their location
(Longitude, Latitude, and Altitude) in within a
few meters using time signals transmitted
along a line of sight by radio from satellites.
Receivers on the ground with a fixed position
can also be used to calculate the precise time
as a reference for scientific experiments.)
 Definition (cont…):
• GPS has become a vital global utility,
indispensable for modern navigation on land, sea,
and air around the world, as well as an important
tool for map-making and land surveying. GPS
also provides an extremely precise time
reference, required for telecommunications and
some scientific research, including the study of
earthquakes. GPS receivers can also gauge
altitude and speed with a very high degree of
accuracy.
History
Global Positioning
System(s)
• Who / When
– United States
NAVSTAR GPS 1993
– Russia + India
GLONASS 1993-
2009
– European Union+
Galileo 201– 2011
– China,Japan,India
 History
• The design of GPS is based partly on similar ground-based
radio navigation systems, such as Loran and the Decca
navigator developed in the early 1940s, and used during World
War 2.
• Additional inspiration for the GPS came when the Soviet Union
 launched the first Sputnik in 1957. A team of U.S. scientists led
by Dr. Richard B. Kershner were monitoring Sputnik's radio
transmissions.
• They discovered that, because of the Doppler Effect, the
frequency of the signal being transmitted by Sputnik was higher
as the satellite approached, and lower as it continued away
from them. They realized that since they knew their exact
location on the globe, they could pinpoint where the satellite
was along its orbit by measuring the Doppler distortion.
 History(contd..)
• The first satellite navigation system, Transit, used by
the United States navy, was first successfully tested in 1960.
Using a constellation of five satellites, it could provide a
navigational fix approximately once per hour. In 1967, the
U.S. Navy developed the Timation satellite which proved the
ability to place accurate clocks in space, a technology the
GPS relies upon.
• In the 1970s, the ground-based Omega Navigation
System, based on signal phase comparison, became the
first world-wide radio navigation system.
• The first experimental Block-I GPS satellite was launched in
February 1978.[ The GPS satellites were initially
manufactured by Rockwell International(now part of ) and
are now manufactured by Lockhead (IIR/IIR-M)
and Boeing (IIF).
Structure
GPS consists of three parts:
the space segment, the control
segment, and the user
segment. The U.S. Air Force
develops, maintains, and
operates the space and control
segments. GPS satellites
Broadcast signals from space,
which each GPS receiver uses
to calculate its three-
dimensional location (latitude,
longitude, and altitude) plus
the current time.
 Structure(contd…..)
• The space segment is composed of 24 to 32
satellites in medium earth orbit and also
includes the boosters required to launch them
into orbit.
• The control segment is composed of a master
control station , an alternate master control
station, and a host of dedicated and shared
ground antennas and monitor stations.
• The user segment is composed of hundreds of
thousands of U.S. and allied military users of
the secure GPS Precise Positioning Service,
and tens of millions of civil, commercial, and
scientific users of the Standard Positioning
Service .
 How it works?
• – 31 satellites currently active (9/2007)
• – Orbit 11,000 miles above Earth
• – 6 visible sats from any point on Earth
• – 5 monitoring stations synchronize the
atomic
• clocks on board each satellite
• – distance from a satellite to a receiver in
• miles=(186,000 mi/sec) x (signal travel time in
 How it works?

• All satellites have clocks set to exactly the same

time.
• All satellites know their exact position in space from
data
• sent to them from the systems controllers.
• Each satellite transmits its position and a time
signal.
• The signals travel to the receiver delayed only by
• distance traveled.
• The receiver calculates the distance to each
satellite and
• trilaterates its own position.
 Determining Position
• A GPS receiver "knows" the
location of the satellites. By
estimating how far away a
satellite is, the receiver also
"knows" it is located
somewhere on the surface
of an imaginary sphere
centered at the satellite. It
then determines the sizes of
several spheres, one for
each satellite. The receiver
is located where these
spheres intersect.
• 1- Satellite's position is
determined relative to
the Earth.
• 2- Location on Earth is
located relative to the
satellite.
• 3- THEN the Location's
position on the Earth
can be determined from
the VECTOR sum of the
other two
measurements. All
measurements must are
done to such a precision
that the location on the
Earth is known to within
15 m.
 METHODS:
• The distance from the satellite is determined by the
time it takes for a radio wave to reach the site from
the satellite.
• distance = (speed of light) x (time of flight)
• This is very simple but there are a few difficulties:
– The receiver clock is not exactly synchronized with
the satellite clock so the time of flight will be
imprecise.
– The satellite and receiver are in different velocity
reference frames and gravitational regimes .
– The speed of light is 300,000 km/s in a vacuum.
However, while traveling through the Earth
Ionosphere and Troposphere, the radio waves
travel at slightly slower speeds.
 Method(cont…)
• The location is a vector and
must also include direction. In
order to do this, distances
from several satellites are
required. This is called
triangulation. We wish to find
our latitude, longitude and
height above the center of the
Earth. These are three
different numbers and would
require distances to three
different satellites
 Gps Triangulation
How does GPS "triangulation" work?
•Start by imagining a "distance sphere" (in three
dimensions) surrounding a GPS satellite. Points on the
surface of the sphere are all the same distance from the
satellite that's located exactly at the center.
•knowing distance from one satellite places you
somewhere on a spherical surface that's centered around
the satellite
•knowing distances from two satellites places you
somewhere along a circle that's between the two satellites
(defined by the intersection of their "distance spheres")
 Gps
Triangulation(contd..)
• Distances from three satellites usually
intersect at two points, and if you're not
flying around, one of these points will be
on Earth's surface
• Distances from four or more GPS
satellites will intersect at just one point
• This process works by finding the
intersection of your distances from three
or more satellites. Thus, describing it as
"trilateration" is actually better than
"triangulation", but neither term seems
precisely correct from a technical
standpoint.
 Gps receivers
• If the receiver is also equipped with a display
screen that shows a map, the position can be
shown on the map.
• If a fourth satellite can be received, the
receiver/computer can figure out the altitude as
well as the geographic position.
• If you are moving, your receiver may also be
able to calculate your speed and direction of
travel and give you estimated times of arrival to
specified destinations.
• Some specialized GPS receivers can also store
data for use in Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) and map making.
Gps receivers(contd..)

• Many different types of receivers have

become less and less expensive in
recent years. They are now portable
enough to put in your pocket. Internal
active antenna are sensitive enough
to pick up 8 satellites even under tree
cover. An external antenna is still
better and more flexible.
 Applications
• GPS has different uses such as:
– Military
– Navigation
– Mobile satellite communication
– Location based services
– Surveying
– agriculture
 Military Purpose
• GPS allows accurate targeting of various military weapons
including cruise missiles and precision-guided munitions,
as well as improved command and control of forces
through improved locational awareness.
• The satellites also carry nuclear detonation detectors,
which form a major portion of the United States Nuclear
Detonation Detection System. Civilian GPS receivers are
required to have limits on the velocities and altitudes at
which they will report coordinates.
 Navigation System
• GPS is used by people around the world as a navigation
aid in cars, airplanes, and ships.
• Personal Navigation Devices(PND) such as hand-held
GPS are used by mountain climbers and hikers.
• Glider pilots use the logged signal to verify their arrival
at turn points in competitions. Low cost GPS receivers
are often combined with PDAs, cell phones, car
computers, or vehicle tracking systems.. The system can
be used to automate harvesters, mine trucks, and other
vehicles.
 Mobile Satellite
Communication
• Satellite communications systems permit
"remotes” to communicate with "hubs" via
satellites.
• A typical system uses satellites in
geosynchronous orbit: this requires a directional
antenna (usually a "dish") that is pointed at the
satellite.
• Essentially all modern antenna controllers
incorporat a GPS receiver to provide this
location information.
 Surveying
• More costly and precise receivers are used
by land surveyors to locate boundaries,
structures, and survey markers, and for road
construction.
• There is also a growing demand for Machine
Guidance such as Automatic Grade Control
systems that use GPS positions plans to
automatically control the blades and buckets
of construction equipment
 Agriculture purpose
• GPS Machine Guidance is used for tractors
and other large agricultural machines via
auto steer or a visual aid displayed on a
screen, which is extremely useful for
controlled traffic and row crop operations
and when spraying.
• As well as guidance, GPS used in
harvesters with yield monitors can provide a
yield map of the paddock being harvested.
Pictures of its
application
 Advantages
Ease of Navigation
•· A GPS device is extremely handy. When you are hiking, you can deviate from a
path without worrying about how you will find your way back.
• When you are driving, GPS-based navigation systems can provide you with turn-
by-turn directions, a helpful feature in a strange town.
•Search Nearby Area
• Some GPS systems allow you to search the local area for nearby amenities,
such as hotels, restaurants and gas stations. This is extremely helpful in some
situations.
•For example, if you are driving cross-country and realize there is a problem with
your car, you can search for nearby auto mechanics and select one that is along your
route. Your GPS system will show you exactly how to get there.
• Water Navigation
•· GPS devices are perfect for water navigation. Since there are no landmarks in
large bodies of water, boaters in the past had to use a compass and a map to
determine if they were on the right heading, But the advent of GPS systems allowed
boaters to figure out their exact position on the map
•. In situations where underwater hazards are a problem, GPS devices allow boaters
to steer around hidden dangers
 Other Advantages

•-fastspeed
•-leads u in right direction
•-has panic buttons built in
•-plugs into your car cigarette lighter
 Disadvantages
• Possible Failures
• · You need to carry a backup map and directions in case your
GPS fails for some reason. For example, if you are driving
down a city street, the buildings may block the satellite signal,
preventing you from receiving position updates. If you are
hiking in the wilderness, your handheld GPS receiver's battery
may die, leaving you with no way to navigate. For hiking
situations, it's a good idea to bring along a compass as well.
Inaccuracy
• GPS signals are not completely accurate. Obstacles like
buildings and trees can deflect the signal, causing your
position on the GPS screen to be off by as much as 100 feet.
Atmospheric conditions may also affect GPS accuracy. For
highway driving, this can cause you to miss a turn or exit.
 Other disadvantages
• -cellular devices can track other cellular
device users
• - not very cheap
• -people focus on GPS more than road =
accidents
• -should be used as backup map but used as
1st resource
• -needs good care and handling
• -external power
• -needs batteries (handheld ones)
Conclusion
Any questions?
Thank you