Performance of Hybrid Positioning System Combining GPS and Television Signals

Ju-Yong Do, Matthew Rabinowitz and Per Enge

Abstract:	In spite of the global coverage and the penetration into a daily life of GPS (global positioning system), GPS receivers have not been able to overcome the critical weakness of a GPS signal in indoor and urban areas due to its low signal power level after a long journey from satellites. One of the best solutions to this problem is the adoption of powerful terrestrial signals such as television, WiFi, and cellular communication signals. Among these signals, because TV transmitters have the highest level of signal powers, fixed geometries, and frequency diversities, TV signals are considered to be the strongest candidate as alternative ranging sources in urban and indoor areas. The combination of space-based signals such as GPS and land-based signals such as TV is ideal for a seamless universal positioning service, providing coverage to users in open spaces as well as restricted or closed space such as office buildings. To assess the benefits of a hybrid positioning system combining GPS and television signals, a prototype of TV signal based positioning systems and a GPS receiver are used for the positioning field tests in the San Francisco Bay area, where measurements sites are selected from indoor and outdoor areas in urban, suburban, residential, and rural regions. The performance of the hybrid system is presented across the categorized areas, showing the promising aspects of the combination of space signals and terrestrial signals.
Published in:	Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2006 April 25 - 27, 2006 Loews Coronado Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	556 - 564
Cite this article:	Do, Ju-Yong, Rabinowitz, Matthew, Enge, Per, "Performance of Hybrid Positioning System Combining GPS and Television Signals," Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2006, San Diego, CA, April 2006, pp. 556-564. https://doi.org/10.1109/PLANS.2006.1650644
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