FUNDAMENTAL OF GNSS

The basic GPS service provides users with approximately 7.8 meter accuracy, 95% of the time,
anywhere on or near the surface of the earth. Positioned in high orbits, the satellite navigation
system network is set at around 22,000 km miles above the planet. The satellites are not fixed in
a certain and unwavering position but have relative motion with regard to the earth and an orbital
velocity of around 14,000 km/hr. This height and speed gives them an orbital period of twelve
hours (they each perform two complete earth orbits per day) and ensures that at least four
satellites are visible from any point on Earth at any time. This is an important factor as a
minimum of three satellites are required to reliably fix a point such as a car. Each of the 32
satellites emits signals to receivers that determine their location by computing the difference
between the time that a signal is sent and the time it is received to accomplish this.
The GPS system concept is based on time. By synchronize to each other and to ground clocks,
the satellites carry very stable atomic clocks. Any drift from true time maintained on the ground
is corrected daily. Likewise, the satellite locations are monitored precisely. Even GPS receivers
have clocks as well; they are not synchronized with true time and are less stable. GPS satellites
transmit their current time and position continuously. By monitor multiple satellites; a GPS
receiver solves equations to determine the exact position of the receiver and its deviation from
true time. Four satellites minimum must be in view of the receiver for it to compute four
unknown quantities (three position coordinates and clock deviation from satellite time).
Each GPS satellite broadcasts a signal (carrier frequency with modulation) continuously that
includes:

A pseudorandom code (sequence of ones and zeros) that is known to the receiver. The
time of arrival (TOA) of a defined point in the code sequence, called an epoch, can be
found in the receiver clock time scale by time-aligning a receiver-generated version and
the receiver-measured version of the code.

A message that consists the time of transmission (TOT) of the code epoch (in GPS system
time scale) and the satellite position at that time. The receiver measures the TOAs
(according to its own clock) of four satellite signals conceptually. The receiver also forms
four time of flight (TOF) values from the TOAs and the TOTs, which are (given the speed
of light) approximately equivalent to receiver-satellite range differences. Threedimensional position and clock deviation from the four TOFs then computes by the
receiver. The receiver must take into account for propagation delays, or decreases in the
signals speed caused by the ionosphere and the troposphere.
By using the navigation equations to process the TOFs; the receiver position (in three
dimensional Cartesian coordinates with origin at the center of the earth) and the offset of
the receiver clock relative to GPS system time are computed simultaneously. The earth-

centered solution location of receiver is often converted to latitude while longitude and
height relative to an ellipsoidal earth model. Then, the height may be further converted to
height relative to the geoid (essentially mean sea level). These coordinates may be
displayed for example on a moving map display and/or recorded and/or used by other
system such as vehicle guidance.