Assessment and improvement of the capabilities of a window correlator to model GPS multipath phase errors

• Published in: IEEE transactions on aerospace and electronic systems Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 705 - 717
• Main Authors: Betaille, D.F., Cross, P.A., Euler, H.-J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-04-2006; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Aircraft components; Computer Science; Correlators; Data analysis; Electronic systems; Error correction; Frequency estimation; Geographic information systems; Global Positioning System; Indicators; Kinematics; Mathematical models; Networking and Internet Architecture; Phase estimation; Position measurement; Satellite navigation systems; Satellites; Signal to noise ratio; Studies; Time series; TRAITEMENT DU SIGNAL; GPS
• ISSN: 0018-9251; 1557-9603
• DOI: 10.1109/TAES.2006.1642583

The potential of output from a window correlator to mitigate GPS phase multipath is reviewed and assessed based on the analysis of data collected in controlled multipath environments under both static and kinematic conditions. Previous findings that the method is suboptimal for reflectors leading to additional path lengths of less than about 7m are confirmed, and methods for combining this output with two other multipath indicators: time series of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and estimates of code multipath from dual frequency code and phase combinations, are investigated. A new method to combine all three indicators has been found and its application is shown to improve the quality of GPS static phase data by between 10% and 20% depending on the length of the additional path travelled by the reflected signal. The method can be applied completely automatically as it uses just the three multipath indicators; no knowledge of the surrounding environment is required. The paper concludes with some suggested practical applications.