Real-time software defined GPS receiver

Jeremy Hershberger, Purdue University

Abstract

Space-based global navigation systems have become a mainstay in providing navigation for aviation, ground and maritime operations. The US based Global Positioning System (GPS) has been integrated into many aspects of daily life. However, GPS receiver design is challenging depending on the operating environment of the user. Multipath propagation and considerable attenuation leading to low signal strength are examples of some of these challenges. Designing specific environmental operating modes creates application-specific hardware architectures. The goal of a Software-Defined GPS system is to create, solely through programming, a reconfigurable GPS receiver than can adapt to its environment. The first step to meeting this goal is to process the GPS signal in real time and decode the GPS navigational message. This work describes the design and implementation of a real-time Software-Defined GPS Receiver based on the Wireless Open Access Research Platform (WARP). The output of this receiver is the bits of the navigational message. To obtain this, first the process of acquisition was performed, whereby the characteristics of a GPS satellite's signal were estimated. Second the estimated parameters from acquisition were further refined through the process of tracking, ultimately providing the navigational message. Finally, the navigational message is examined for bit errors confirming that the received bits are correct.

Degree

M.S.E.

Advisors

Thompson, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Electrical engineering

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