Satellite Visibility in Simulating Urban Satellite Positioning-Based Road User Charging (SPRUC)

D. Vrhovski

Abstract:	The last few years have seen a rapid growth of applications based on positioning information provided by satellite positioning systems. In transport management and control, satellite positioning has proven to be the most promising means for spatial location data collection. With the GPS modernisation programme well underway, and the recent developments of the Galileo project, even more GNSS-based applications are to be expected in the future. The position and velocity information provided by GNSS can also be used as the prime input to a road user charging (RUC) scheme. However, navigation in urban environments raises a number of problems. Most important are the difficulties related to signal obstruction by features such as tall buildings, urban canyons, bridges and trees, as well as the effects of multipath caused by signal reflections from buildings and other vehicles. Given the inevitable limitations of road trials, the use of simulation modelling to assess the present and future satellite positioning systems' performance to support urban RUC seems indispensable. Hence, a hypothetical RUC scheme was conceived and a GPS data simulator has been used to simulate data around the defined charging sites. To address the issue of signal obstruction by the built-up environment, an environmental Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model of the observed area was developed. The model enabled the satellite visibility analysis to be undertaken and the correspondent findings to be employed in future simulations. In order to provide a prime input to the simulator, field tests have been undertaken and significant amounts of GPS data were collected. Statistics were also derived for positioning accuracy and signal availability so that the results from the simulation modelling can be validated against those from the undertaken road trials.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003) September 9 - 12, 2003 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	199 - 205
Cite this article:	Vrhovski, D., "Satellite Visibility in Simulating Urban Satellite Positioning-Based Road User Charging (SPRUC)," Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003), Portland, OR, September 2003, pp. 199-205.
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