Current and Near-Term (1990) Trends in GPS Receiver Technology

Joseph A. Calabria

Abstract:	The eventual deployment of the NAVSTAR/Global Positioning System (GPS) has enabled GPS receiver technology to develop along two product lines, namely, radio frequency (RF) receivers and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). Advances in antenna technology, RF devices, and digital processing devices have improved every feature of GPS receivers, including cost. These improvements have not gone unnoticed by INS suppliers who have coupled gyro and accelerometer technology improvements with GPS for a self-contained GPS integrated INS. This paper surveys 30 manufacturers of GPS equipment to assess their currently available receiver capabilities in terms of performance, size, weight, power, etc. Results of the study show that 54 receiver models of varying complexity are available in 1987. Near-term projections identify at least 77 models of GPS receivers available by 1990. Of these, nine manufacturers will have 20 GPS receiver models less than 200 in in size. Finally, cost trends are presented for available receiver models. The cost of GPS receivers currently ranges from $15K to $45K with varying capability. Generally, the cost of a p-code receiver is 50% greater the equivalent C/A code receiver. By 1990, the introduction of modern Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Silicon integrated circuits (VHSIC, ASIC) and economies of scale (VLSI) will reduce the number of components in the receiver, thereby, dramatically reducing the price of stand-alone receivers by at least 50% to the $7K to $22K price range. The cost of embedded GPS receivers in inertial or radio navigation systems is expected to reach approximately $2K.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 1988 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 26 - 29, 1988 Santa Barbara, CA
Pages:	158 - 173
Cite this article:	Calabria, Joseph A., "Current and Near-Term (1990) Trends in GPS Receiver Technology," Proceedings of the 1988 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Santa Barbara, CA, January 1988, pp. 158-173.
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