GPS System

Three Components of the GPS

GPS is comprised of three segments; a space segment, a ground
segment, and a user segment. The space segment is the set of
satellites providing known locations for resection, the ground
segment is a set of ground control stations that communicate with
the satellites and determine their locations, and the user segment is
the recievers and people who use them.
The segments work together; the control stations locate the satellites
precisely in space, each satellite generates radio signals that allow a
receiver (user) to estimate the satellite location and distance between
the satellite and the receiver, and the receiver uses those
measurements to calculate where on the Earth the user is located.

The Three Components of the GPS System

Satellite Segment

The space segment of the GPS system

consists of a constellation of satellites
in earth orbit, with at least four visible
anywhere in the world at any time.
While only twenty four satellites are

needed to meet this requirement (four satellites in each of six orbital

planes), several more are generally in service to provide backup. The
satellites primarily consist of antennas, a transmitter, and atomic
clocks. The transmitter sends a signal containing position information,
a time stamp (from the atomic clock) and the psuedo-random code
needed for distance determination.

Ground Segment
The ground segment consists of a global network of monitoring
stations and a master control station (MCS) in Colorado. Coordinates
of the groudn stations are all precisely determined. The monitoring
stations communicate with the satellite constellation, collecting
location information about the satellites and sending it to the MCS.
The MCS processes the information, modeling the location of the
satellites as a function of time and then sending the information out
for uplink to the satellites. Orbital information, atmospheric data, and
other parameters are also monitored and maintained by the MCS.
User Segment
The user segment consists of the person or system (car, airplane, etc)
using a receiver to determine the position of an unknown location.
Receivers contain an antenna that captures signals from visible
satellites, a clock to internally generate signals to synchronize with
the incoming satellite signal, and a hardware and software system to
process signals and calculate position. Characteristics of receivers
that can impact accuracy are single- versus dual-frequency receivers,
the number of channels available to track satellites (i.e. how many
satellites can be tracked simultaneously), whether they are
differential-ready, and whether they use carrier signals in some
fashion. Other characteristics of receivers that may be important
include size, cost, battery life, and interoperability with other systems
like personal computers.
Note that satellites contain an atomic clock; handheld receivers
contain less accurate (and much less expensive) clocks. This results
in errors when trying to synchronize the signal between receiver and
satellite. To account for this error a fourth measurement is required
for positioning. Given three satellites, we have an initial guess at our
location. Theoretically, a fourth satellite distance would correspond to
this location as well. However, if there is a clock error, it is

geometrically impossible for it to match. Given that the error is

constant between satellites (the satellites are all synchronized), the
receiver can adjust the distances by a constant amount until they all
intersect at a single point - the location of the receiver. This
determination of the clock offset also provides a highly accurate time
reading. (For a graphical illustration of this process, see
http://www.trimble.com/gps/clockerrors1.html).
Accuracy
Positional accuracy is of fundamental concern to many people using
GPS. Accuracy is based on the sophistication of the technology a
receiver uses to determine location. Interacting with this technology
(algorithms and hardware/software) are errors. Errors may arise from
atmospheric conditions, placement of satellites relative to each other,
orbital errors, signal multipath (signals bouncing off of objects), and
other considerations.
Accuracy and error is a complex topic; see http://www.eduobservatory.org/gps/gps_accuracy.html for a discussion of the issues.
Another recommended source is the Monographs of the Global
Positioning System published by the Institute of Navigation
(http://www.ion.org)

GPS: Access
Accessing the System
The GPS is accessed for a multitude of reasons, ranging from
recreational hiking to commercial ocean navigation. Access methods
for positioning using GPS reflect this diversity. For example, someone
who is precisely locating a static point for ground surveying purposes
might have stricter accuracy requirements but less time pressure
than a vehicle needing navigation support while moving at sixty miles
an hour.
This section examines the two most commmon positioning modes,
autonomous and differential. Actual field positioning methods may be
a refinement of these modes, but rely on one of these two basic
concepts.

Autonomous Positioning
Autonomous positioning, also referred to as point positioning, uses a
single receiver and at least three satellites to determine location
instantaneously. It is the simplest mode, and does not require any
post-processing or additional equipment; the resulting cooridnate
value on the receiver is the position of your location. Almost all
receivers offer this type of positioning. Expected accuracy is around
10 to 20 meters (with Selective Availability or SA turned off; for a
discussion of SA see http://gps.faa.gov/gpsbasics/SA-text.htm).
Specific receivers may use special techniques to achieve greater
accuracy.
Differential Positioning

Differential positioning uses multiple receivers to increase the

positioning accuracy. One receiver remains stationary on a site with
precisely known coordinates. The other receiver takes readings at
unknown locations. If the receivers use the same satellites for

positioning, the errors and biases should be close to the same. The
receiver at the known location then compares its GPS-determined
location with its known location. These satellite distance errors at the
known location are then used to correct the coordinates determined
independently by the roving receiver. This correction may be done
real-time or afterwards (post-processing), assuming the correction
information is precisely maintained. Accuracy using this method may
reach the sub-centimeter level.
Differential Correction Sources
Differential data for correction may be obtained from third-party
sources or obtained as part of the data collection process. If you are
setting up your own base station you must locate it on a precisely
known position, such as monuments in the High Accuracy Reference
Network available across Wisconsin and in other states. If you are not
setting up your own base station, several third party sources are
increasingly available across the country (and around the world), and
can be very inexpensive. In the United State the Continuously
Operating Reference Station (CORS) network provides high accuracy
correction information for post-processing and real-time, and is
available over the internet for free. The Digital GPS (DGPS) system
run by the U.S. Coast Guard broadcasts differential information for
real-time positioning at near one-meter levels; it does however
require a beacon receiver connected to the GPS receiver. Both CORS
and DGPS operate using land-based networks. A correction service
using both land-based control stations and geostationary satellites
called the Wide Area Augmentation System or WAAS is also in
development, and allows sub-three meter level accuracy on WAASequipped handheld receivers for no additional fee. The system is
geared towards air navigation and is not yet complete, although it is
available to civilians with WAAS-enabled receivers.
See the following web sites for more information on these services:
CORS: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/CORS/
DGPS: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/dgps/Default.htm
WAAS: http://gps.faa.gov/Programs/index.htm
Other Positioning Methods
Positioning methods vary substantially, and a discussion of all of them
is beyond the scope of this introduction. For example, methods must
account for whether positioning needs to be done on a moving target

(e.g. navigation) versus static positions versus stop-and-go rapid

surveying. Different satellite signal components may also be used for
positioning to increase the accuracy of positioning. Suffice to say, the
positioning mode, along with the equipment required, must to be
matched up to the needs (and constraints) of the particular project.

GPS Applications
For more information about GPS applications, please see the following
websites:
GPS manufacturers
www.trimble.com
www.garmin.com
GPS Applications Exchange
http://gpshome.ssc.nasa.gov/

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