PANEL SESSIONS and SYSTEM WORKSHOPS

Panel sessions and system workshops reflect timely policy and business related issues featuring leading industry decision makers.

Program Updates: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, COMPASS, IRNSS and QZSS
Moderator: Dr. John Betz, The MITRE Corporation

Program Updates: High Integrity Systems
Moderator: Patrick Feuillet, EGNOS Development Manager, ESA, France

Compass System Workshop: Design, Implementations, Current Status & Future Outlook
Moderators: Dr. Xiancheng (Hunter) Ding, Beidou Management Office, China; Dr. Yuanxi Yang, China National Administration of GNSS and Applications, China; Dr. Jade Morton, Miami University

Galileo System Workshop: Design, Implementations, Current Status and Future Outlook

GLONASS Workshop: Design, Implementations, Current Status and Future Outlook

QZSS Workshop: Design, Implementations, Current Status and Future Outlook

ION GNSS 2012 Technical Sessions

Submit Your Abstract

Advances in Military GNSS Systems and Applications
This session will describe concepts and demonstrations of improved military GNSS receiver design. These improvements may be related to rapid acquisition, improved code and/ or carrier tracking performance, high accuracy position solutions, and reduced computational loads. Also covered will be novel methods for flexible receiver architectures, and GNSS/GPS interoperable receivers.
Co-chairs: Dr. Keith McDonald, The MITRE Corporation
Harold Klotz, Boeing

Algorithms and Methods
General methods and advanced algorithms for positioning and navigation with a diversity of sensors. Approaches to exploit multiple GNSS constellations, terrestrial RF signals, and other signals of opportunity. Nonlinear estimation, optimization, and fusion algorithms and analytic methods applied to sensor configuration, feature selection, and performance evaluation of positioning and navigation systems. Techniques to improve acquisition and tracking in terms of sensitivity, robustness, and accuracy and to ensure better integrity, continuity, and availability.
Co-chairs: Dr. Richard Langley, University of New Brunswick, Canada
Dr. Ruizhi Chen, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Finland

Alternatives, Compliments and Backups to GNSS
Novel location methods to obtain navigational information whenever GNSS cannot be used due to jamming, spoofing, or attenuation. Alternative location methods suitable for consumer products. Positioning using WiFi, RFiD, Bluetooth, NFC, HD Radio/DAB, Digital TV signals, Low Frequency (LF) systems, etc. Orientation and motion estimation from image/LiDAR/LADAR sequences. Map/ terrain/landmark matching techniques. Collaborative positioning. Combinations of above methods with inertial sensor measurements.
Co-chairs: Dr. Jussi Collin, University of Tampere, Finland
Frank Takac, Leica Geosystems, Switzerland
Prof. Terry Moore, University of Nottingham, UK
Dr. Olivier Julien, ENAC, France

Aviation Applications
The use of GNSS for civil and military aviation, including future GNSS requirements for aviation. Integration of GNSS receivers into aircraft and flight testing of GNSS applications. Aircraft based processing, including integrity monitoring and integration with other sensors (e.g. INS, baro, radar altimeter, etc.) to support aviation requirements. Use of GNSS PVT to support nontraditional navigation functions (e.g. ADS-B surveillance, Ground Proximity Warning Systems, noise abatement procedures, route planning, etc.). Satellite positioning technology applications for Air Traffic Management and airport surface navigation and guidance.
Co-chairs: Dr. Zhen Zhu, Northrop Grumman
Dr. Hans Trautenberg, European Aviation Safety Agency, Germany

Consumer Location Services
Location services and application for mobile phones, tablets, and other consumer devices. New developments, apps and products; the effect and benefits of different operating systems and their location APIs, including Android, Windows 8, and iOS.
Co-chairs: Dr. Jari Syrjärinne, Nokia, Finland
Cristina del Amo, Microsoft

Emerging GNSS (Galileo, COMPASS, QZSS, IRNSS)
New civil and governmental capabilities and performance, including integrity and accuracy improvement concepts for Galileo, COMPASS and other emerging GNSS. Services provided by these systems are of particular interest including: open and authorized services, search and rescue services and commercial services. Other topics of interest include compatibility and interoperability aspects related to signals and frequencies; constellations characteristics; ground control and monitoring segments; user equipment architecture and design; integration with regional augmentation systems; and use of those new systems to support future applications.
Co-chairs: Dr. Yanhong Kou, Beihang University, China
Dr. José Ángel Ávila- Rodríguez, European Space Agency, The Netherlands

Geodesy, Surveying and RTK for Civil Applications
New technology, products, and applications in precise positioning and RTK for civil applications. New receiver algorithms and methods, including multi-constellation RTK. Advanced network RTK functions. Applications for construction, agriculture, survey, infrastructure, OEM, GIS, and other emerging precise positioning. Advances and performance benefits due to multi-GNSS systems use for applications in surveying and geodesy. Monitoring and maintenance of terrestrial reference frames. Links between ITRS and national datums. Advances in instrumentation and observation techniques. Geotechnical monitoring, e.g. crustal deformation, landslides, coastal processes, etc. Sensor fusion for precise positioning.
Co-chairs: Dr. Susan Owen, NASA JPL
Dr. Aaron Kerkhoff, University of Texas at Austin

GNSS Algorithms and Methods
Advanced GNSS processing techniques and algorithms including multi-constellation and multi-frequency implementations and studies. Methods of exploiting multiple GNSS signals, and/or other signals of opportunity. Enhancements to conventional receiver architectures, as well as innovative vector loops or position domain schemes. Techniques to improve signal processing in terms of sensitivity, robustness, and accuracy, ensuring better performance under challenging conditions. Improved methods to deal with multipath and model inaccuracies. Enhanced algorithms and methods for GNSS receiver design: nonlinear estimation, optimization, fusion algorithms, analytic methods applied to sensor configuration and feature selection. Performance modeling, prediction, and evaluation of positioning systems in realistic channel conditions.
Co-chairs: Dr. Pau Closas, Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya,Spain
Philipp Berglez, Teleconsult Austria GmbH, Austria

GNSS and the Atmosphere
Experimental observations of disturbances on GNSS from the ionosphere (including higher order ionospheric effects) and the neutral atmosphere (troposphere); multiinstrument approaches for ionospheric perturbation monitoring and investigation; ionospheric irregularities and scintillation models, countermeasures and mitigation techniques, prediction and forecasting of ionospheric disturbances on GNSS; establishment or enlargement of networks for monitoring polar and equatorial ionospheric disturbances on GNSS; ground-based and space-based GNSS techniques for monitoring the neutral atmosphere; synergies between numerical weather models and GNSS observable modelling; impact of atmospheric pressure loading on GPS stations and the reference frame; modelling and other techniques for ameliorating the effects of the neutral atmosphere on GNSS positioning, navigation, and timing including use of augmentation systems; impacts upon atmospheric modelling of new GNSS and signals.
Co-chairs: Dr. Mike Bevis, The Ohio State University
Dr. Marcio Aquino, University of Nottingham, UK

GNSS Compatibility, Interoperability, and Services
Optimization of GNSS signal structure, codes and data message. Radio-frequency compatibility and interoperability among different systems. Analysis of the system performance, mutual interference, impact on the noise floor. Protection and coordination of frequencies. GNSS signal simulators. Tools for the assessment of RF compatibility. Effects of non-standard codes on GNSS receivers.
Co-chairs: Dr. Nobuaki Kubo, Tokyo University of Marine Science & Technology, Japan
Marco Anghileri, University FAF Munich, Germany

GNSS for Sports, Fitness, Photography
GNSS for running, cycling, hiking and other fitness applications; including analysis of accurate speed and distance measurement, time-to-fix, position accuracy, and power consumption. GNSS for photography, especially instant-fix solutions using long-term-orbits and/or store-and-process techniques; power issues unique to cameras; and integration within existing data standards such as jpeg. Considerations and designs for GNSS signal acquisition and tracking especially for small antennas, and signal degradation from the environment or arm shaking while running, or swimming. The bio-sensor integrated design, evaluation and analysis in health, racing, fitness monitoring or gaming. GNSS, hybrid positioning for practical indoor/outdoor applications on photography, street view, streetside, bing maps etc.
Co-chairs: Dr. Wei-Wen Kao, TomTom, The Netherlands
Dr. Chin Tang Weng, Mediatek, Taiwan

GNSS Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS)
Developments in GBAS CAT I, CAT II/III, and GAST D based on GPS L1. Future multi-frequency and multi-constellation solutions. Accuracy, integrity, continuity, and availability performance for various architectures and applications, including requirements, compliance, verification, and dataanalysis considerations. User and ground segment equipment design, reference station siting and commissioning, user integration, and bench, ground, or flight testing. Integrity monitoring techniques and performance, including software tools. Interoperability among augmentation systems (e.g. GBAS with SBAS ranging, GBAS with integrated inertial, transitions between GBAS, SBAS and RAIM/FDE etc.). GBAS systems design, status and plans.
Co-chairs: Dr. Jason Rife, Tufts University
Dr. Jiyun Lee, Tetra Tech AMT

GNSS-MEMS Integration
Analysis and solutions applicable to consumer products, in particular, focusing on low cost MEMS sensors found in smartphones and tablets. Including MEMS technologies for accelerometers, magnetometers, gyros, and pressure sensors; magnetometer issues in buildings (such as soft-iron effects), gyro-compensated magnetometer solutions, step counters, and altimeters.
Co-chairs: Prof. Gerard Lachapelle, University of Calgary, Canada
Vytas Keyzs, Research in Motion Limited, Canada

GNSS Simulation, Testing, and Timing Applications
The design of hardware and software for laboratory and real-world testing of all aspects of GNSS receiver performance both in the laboratory and under real-world conditions; including novel approaches to quantifying error contributions of test equipment, estimating limits of characterization accuracy, and improving confidence bounds. Design and validation of comprehensive but time- and resource-efficient test suites as well as in-field testing of GNSS applications. Applications and technologies for deriving and applying precise time, frequency and synchronization capabilities to systems and networks.
Co-chairs: Dr. Wouter Pelgrum, Ohio University
Greg Gerten, PreTalen, Ltd.

GNSS Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)
Developments and planned evolutions in SBAS augmentation systems (WAAS, EGNOS, GAGAN, MSAS). Accuracy, integrity, continuity, and availability performance for various architectures and applications, including requirements, compliance, verification, and data-analysis considerations. User and ground segment equipment design, reference station siting, system certification and commissioning, user integration, and ground, sea, and flight testing. Integrity monitoring techniques and performance, including software tools. Augmentation of current constellations (GPS and GLONASS) as well as plans for extension to support future GNSS developments (Galileo, COMPASS, and/or QZSS satellites). Interoperability among augmentation systems (differences in operations, performance). SBAS systems design, status, and plans.
Co-chairs: Dr. Juan Blanch, Stanford University
Dr. Michael Meurer, German Aerospace Center, Germany

GPS and GLONASS Modernization
New civil and military capabilities and performance, including availability integrity and accuracy improvement concepts for GPS and GLONASS modernization. Services provided by these systems are of particular interest. Other topics include compatibility and interoperability aspects related to signals and frequencies; modernized constellations characteristics; ground control and monitoring segments; user equipment architecture and design; integration with regional augmentation systems; and use of those modernized and new systems to support future applications.
Co-chairs: Dr. Chris Hegarty, The MITRE Corporation
Dr. Sergey Revnivykh, Federal Space Agency, Russia

Interference and Spectrum Management
Effects of interference on the GNSS RF bands. Interference detection, characterization, geolocation, mitigation techniques. Radio frequency compatibility assessments between GNSS systems. Effects of interference on GNSS receivers, receiver design trade-offs, acquisition and tracking performance, test results. Interference to weak signals in urban canyons, indoors, and stressed environments. GNSS and radar compatibility. Spectrum management, policy and frequency protection issues.
Co-chairs: Dr. Todd Humphreys, The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Grace Gao, Stanford University

Land Based Applications
Technologies that will have a significant impact towards enabling ubiquitous positioning capability for land based applications. Topics include GNSS augmented with application specific sensors or sensor configurations and other accuracy, availability, and reliability enhancement methods. Example applications include integrated vehicle guidance, advanced driver assistance and collision avoidance, improving fuel economy, odometry, road tolling, liability issues associated with commercial delivery of positioning services, precision farming and industrial applications.
Co-chairs: Dr. Chaminda Basnayake, General Motors
Dr. David Bevly, Auburn University

Marine Navigation and Applications
New developments in offshore PPP applications, tests and implementation of new offshore vertical reference frames; precise navigation in constricted waterways, harbour entrance and approach, port entry and docking; RTK and long-range RTK developments in marine positioning; performance assessment of commercial services; rig monitoring and offshore wind farm positioning; marine navigation and operations in polar regions; and GNSS buoy technologies.
Co-chairs: Dr. Sally Basker, Traxis Limited, UK
Dr. Yuki Zhang, NavCom Technology Inc.

Multi-Constellation User Receivers
Design of multi-constellation (GPS/Galileo/ GLONASS/COMPASS/QZSS/IRNSS) user receivers, signal acquisition and tracking design and analysis, and innovative processing (BOC, MBOC, AltBOC tracking, SQM). Operational concepts for multi-frequency/multiconstellation receivers. Methods, technology and algorithms for digital processing of wideband signals in hardware and software in a multi-constellation context. Hardware and software, emerging technologies, risk areas. RF design for various frequencies front ends and inter-frequency bias calibration. Wideband frontends. Dynamic reconfiguration of receivers upon interference or loss of one constellation. Application specific signal and bandwidth selection. Hardware and software, emerging technologies, risk areas. Receivers and markets. Particular examples of manufactured MCR for different applications, commercial and technical results.
Co-chairs: Dr. Gustavo López-Risueño, European Space Agency, The Netherlands
Dr. Jón Winkel, IFEN GmbH, Germany

Next Generation GNSS Integrity
Integrity concept development for multi constellation GNSS aviation receivers encompasses the examination of each GNSS, its narrow and wide failure modes and fault trees for impact on receiver positioning error. From this, a derivation of the required levels of protection for which the integrity concepts will have to protect against is needed. The identification and definition of integrity barriers to be placed at different levels (user algorithms, ground monitoring) and sufficient from safety perspective is an important element to be solved. It is understood that various user communities will have different requirements such as aviation or locomotion communities. When various GNSS data is combined to produce a multi-GNSS position solution, particular attention has to be given to the integrity assumption for each GNSS how these would impact a multi-GNSS integrity concept. The dissemination of integrity support information obtained via ground monitoring of the GNSS signals may be required to achieve compliance with the integrity service requirements. The identification of ground monitoring requirements, the translation of the various multi-GNSS integrity concepts into receiver requirements as well as derivation of analytical formulations for practical implementation on receivers are of particular interest.
Co-chairs: Stefan Wallner, European Space Agency, The Netherlands
Dr. John Studenny, CMC Electronics, Inc., Canada

Precise Point Positioning
High-precision static and kinematic positioning techniques. Network-based carrier phase estimation of uncalibrated phase bias terms (satellite and receiver), provision of new data products enabling PPP integer ambiguity resolution, functional models and novel numerical approaches. Algorithms and methods for improving the performance of PPP techniques. Combined GPS/GLONASS PPP, estimation and stability of inter-constellation biases, reference frame alignment.
Co-chairs: Dr. Yang Gao, University of Calgary, Canada
Dr. Maorong Ge, GFZ Potsdam, Germany

Preserving the Availability and Integrity of GNSS in Harsh Environments
While alternate navigation techniques are one solution to navigation in GNSS-denied environments, enhancing the ability to track GNSS signals in these environments is also a viable technique. This session will cover hardware and software techniques to improve the availability of GNSS navigation in jammed or obscured environments. This session will also discuss techniques to preserve the accuracy and integrity of signals received in these harsh environments.
Co-chairs: John Lavrakas, Advanced Research Corporation
Tim Murphy, Boeing

Product Integration Challenges – Why It Works in the Lab But Not in the Product
System integration challenges found in consumer products – including: small, cheap, antennas; antenna placement (top or bottom?); masking of antenna by electronics, by the case, by users hand/head/body; interference from radios, clocks, displays, and other interferers found in phones and tablets; and oscillator issues such as rapid frequency variations caused by heating from adjacent parts.
Co-chairs: Dr. Philip Mattos, STMicroelectronics, UK
Dr. Lionel Garin, Qualcomm

Receivers and Antennas
New or improved technologies, methods and algorithms for acquisition or tracking, novel multipath mitigation strategies, new GNSS antenna designs and their impact on receiver performance; acquisition and tracking of new/multiple signals; designs of novel code and carrier tracking loops and front end architectures; interference mitigation and protection; pre-correlation filtering techniques; and experimental results, models and analysis of real environments.
Co-chairs: Jonathan Auld, NovAtel, Inc., Canada
Dr. Mark Petovello, University of Calgary, Canada

Remote Sensing with GNSS and Integrated Systems
Concepts and algorithms for remote sensing using GNSS signals to probe the earth’s atmosphere and surface, and the use of GNSS-based positioning to support observations made by other sensors. Topics include: ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne GNSS reflectometry, GNSS radio occultations (GNSS-RO), airborne laser scanning, digital photogrammetry and synthetic aperture radar applications.
Co-chairs: Patricia Doherty, Boston College
Dr. Penina Axelrad, University of Colorado

Robust Navigation in GNSS-Challenged Environments
As both commercial and military users have become dependent on the accuracy and availability of GNSS positioning, the requirement to maintain this accuracy in harsh environments has come to the forefront. This session will address both software data fusion and hardware integration enhancements that provide continuous, accurate, alternate navigation capabilities in environments where some or all of the GNSS satellites have been compromised by jamming, foliage, urban environments, or indoor operations.
Co-chairs: Dr. Di Qiu, Sigtem Technology, Inc.
Dr. Alex Stratton, Rockwell Collins

Software Receivers
Reconfigurable receiver architectures for navigation (GNSS, other signals) receivers for all kinds of computing platforms (CPU, DSP, embedded, FPGA, GPU). Optimized implementations (multi-threading, vectorization, dynamic FPGA reconfiguration). Realtime aspects: long-term stability, power consumption, number of channels/correlators. Demanding post-processing applications: position domain tracking, sensor fusion, forward/backward in time processing. Multi-antenna applications: attitude/phased array. Snap-shot receivers. Server-side processing. Flexible front ends. Use of software radio standards and tools (SCA, GNU-Radio). Open source projects. Use in teaching.
Co-chairs: Dr. Thomas Pany, IFEN GmbH, Germany
Prof. Peter Hecker, Technical University Braunschweig, Germany

Urban and Indoor Navigation: New Technologies
New or improved technologies, methods and algorithms for providing accurate positioning and navigation in practical indoor scenarios and deep urban canyons using GNSS and other sensors. Experimental results, models and analysis of radio propagation and reflection in real environments; extraction of precise ranging measurements from signals affected by attenuation, multipath and/or changing environmental topology; assisted and highsensitivity GNSS; system architectures and algorithms for data fusion of multi-sensor systems (GNSS, radio, magnetic, inertial, visual); map/database aided positioning and navigation.
Co-chairs: Prof. Andreas Wieser, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
Dr. Chris G. Bartone, Ohio University
Steve Malkos, Broadcom
Greg Turetzky, CSR

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Submit Your Abstract

Abstracts should be in the form of a paper summary consisting of between 800 and 1000 words and should describe objectives, anticipated or actual results, conclusions, any key innovative steps and the significance of your work. Short abstracts will be de-weighted in the selection process.

Abstracts should be submitted electronically via ION’s Web site no later than March 9. Go to www.ion.org and click on the abstract submission icon for ION GNSS on the main page. Complete all boxes on the abstract submission form.

Enter or paste abstract text directly into the appropriate box on the online submission form. Abstracts may also be e-mailed to abstracts@ion.org as a Microsoft Word™ or text file. Please indicate the abstract title, the most appropriate session(s) for the paper, a list of all authors and affiliations, and the primary contact author’s complete mailing address, phone, fax and e-mail.

Abstracts received electronically will be acknowledged electronically.

Abstract titles and corresponding contact authors will be posted weekly on the ION’s website. If your name does not appear after two weeks, please contact the ION office at 703-366-2723 or via e-mail at meetings@ion.org.

You will be notified of acceptance after April 30th. Accepted authors will receive an author’s kit with publication guidelines and additional meeting information.

Final manuscripts must be received at the ION National Office by August 23, 2012.

Papers not representative of the original abstract submitted will NOT be included in the conference proceedings, regardless of whether or not they were presented at the conference, and may affect the acceptance of future abstracts.

International Participants

We recommend that you apply for a visa at least three to four months in advance due to security policies that have greatly increased processing time, such as interviews and mandatory waiting periods. Travelers from all Visa Waiver Program countries must present either a machine-readable passport or a U.S. visa.

For general information about visas go to http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas/. For Visa Waiver Program and Machine Readable Passports information go to: http://travel.state.gov/.

Registration Information

Register Online

Online registration will be available in Spring 2012.

Full Registration includes all technical sessions, access to the exhibit hall, ION meal functions and events, and a CDROM of the proceedings.

Conference Information

ION GNSS 2012 (technical sessions and exhibits) will be held at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hotel Reservations

ION GNSS 2012 Hotel Information

For hotel reservations, go to the ION GNSS 2012 Hotel Information page. Easy on-line reservations will be available in early 2012.

Remember, make your hotel reservations by August 15 to get the special ION GNSS conference rates!

Exhibitor Information

More than 70 companies showcase their products and services at the ION GNSS conference — the largest GNSS-related trade show in the world! Don’t miss your chance to be one of them! For exhibit information, contact Kenneth P. Esthus, ION National Office, 8551 Rixlew Lane, Suite 360, Manassas, VA 20109. Phone: +1-703-366-2723, Fax: +1-703-366-2724, e-mail: kesthus@ion.org, or visit us at www.ion.org!

Student Paper Awards

Student Paper Awards will be awarded on a competitive basis. Papers submitted by February 1 will be reviewed for technical content, clarity and presentation by a selection committee. The primary student author of each paper selected for presentation is sponsored by the ION to attend the conference and present his or her paper in one of the many professional technical sessions. Selected student authors receive a travel expense stipend, conference registration and publication of the selected paper in the ION GNSS proceedings.

For information on eligibility and deadlines, contact the ION National Office at 8551 Rixlew Lane, Suite 360, Manassas, VA 20109. Phone: 703-366-2723, Fax: 703-366-2724, e-mail: meetings@ion.org.

Journal Publication

Authors of appropriate papers are encouraged to submit them for possible publication in the ION’s archival journal NAVIGATION. You may submit your paper online at www.ion.org/publications/jsp.cfm.