Precise Timing using a High Sensitivity Receiver in Indoor Environments

E. Anyaegbu, J.P. Bickerstaff, P. Fleming, G. Whitworth

Abstract:	GPS is commonly used as a source of precise time comparable with the atomic standards. This is because the GPS satellites are synchronized with on-board Caesium or Rubidium atomic clocks that are in turn synchronized to GPS time. This allows the GPS system to be used for precise time transfer and accurate synchronisation in different applications, for example in telecommunications. A major problem is the installation costs for conventional timing receivers with antennas that have a clear view of the sky as this means extensive cabling costs and sometimes difficulty of access to the outside of buildings. There is an obvious need to extend the use of high sensitivity receivers to timing for indoor environments. ST-NXP has a high-performance GPS receiver platform that allows the generation of a GPS steered output frequency and 1pps signal, with the ability of the receiver to maintain GPS lock even in environments with extremely weak signals. This unique ability allows the GPS receiver to be employed in applications indoors and in difficult environments with reduced cabling requirements. This paper will describe how precise timing can be achieved under these conditions. Results from an extensive series of field trials in difficult indoor environments will be presented and discussed.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008) September 16 - 19, 2008 Savannah International Convention Center Savannah, GA
Pages:	590 - 601
Cite this article:	Anyaegbu, E., Bickerstaff, J.P., Fleming, P., Whitworth, G., "Precise Timing using a High Sensitivity Receiver in Indoor Environments," Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008), Savannah, GA, September 2008, pp. 590-601.
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