Multiple Antenna GPS - A Technology Ripe for Development

Anthony R. Pratt

Abstract:	Most GPS receivers enjoy the signals from just a single antenna – and this has been adequate for many non-integrated system solutions. The growth in silicon integrated circuit capability and the emergence of silicon-germanium mixtures has allowed the development of more complex GPS receivers, better suited for the tasks expected of integrated systems. Some multiple antenna GPS receivers are already known, but have been the preserve of the military for the performance benefits available in signal jamming conditions. The mechanization of performance improvement was through the control of the reception pattern multi-element antenna (CRPA). Often, the CRPA was realized as a separate pre-processor to the GPS receiver. Complex algorithms and constraints are required to ensure that unwanted sensitivity nulls are not steered towards wanted satellite signals. The paper takes a fresh look at multiple antenna receiver architecture. This have the potential to operate successfully in changing unstable signal conditions caused by multi-path propagation that is likely to be prevalent both inside buildings and on mobile platforms in urban conditions. A simple mechanism for coherently combining and processing the signals from many antennae provides a new opportunity for a receiver structure supporting both antenna diversity and CRPA capabilities. A system for performing the control of the antenna pattern for each satellite individually is described. Such a system avoids the earlier disadvantages of CRPA pre-processors by enabling the individual adaptation of sensitivity patterns for each satellite in the received constellation, irrespective of the LOS directions to other constellation members.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2000) September 19 - 22, 2000 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	368 - 375
Cite this article:	Pratt, Anthony R., "Multiple Antenna GPS - A Technology Ripe for Development," Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2000), Salt Lake City, UT, September 2000, pp. 368-375.
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