Method for Operating A Gnss Receiver, with Gnss Signal Deselection

Content Provider	The Lens
Abstract	A Global Navigation Satellite System receiver for position determination receives from a multitude of satellites a respective GNSS code signal, which are correlated with a reference code signal to obtain an autocorrelation function. A multitude of function values of the autocorrelation function at different discrete chip spacings (chosen asymmetrically with respect to a prompt chip spacing) are analyzed and used in obtaining a test metric. Using the test metric, a decision is made whether the received GNSS code signal is suitable or unsuitable (thereafter excluded) for a position determination due to multipath signal components. A bias removal is performed taking into account corresponding function values of an autocorrelation function that would result from a received GNSS code signal of the satellite unaffected by multipath signal components. This provides a simple method for operating a GNSS receiver minimizing errors in position determination caused by multipath signal components.
Related Links	https://www.lens.org/lens/patent/009-916-307-689-939/frontpage
Language	English
Publisher Date	2019-02-07
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Patent
Jurisdiction	United States of America
Date Applied	2018-08-01
Applicant	Thales Man & Services Deutschland Gmbh
Application No.	201816051705
Claim	A method for operating a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a multitude of satellites, a respective GNSS code signal to the GNSS receiver for a position determination; correlating the received GNSS code signal for each signal from a satellite of the multitude of satellites with a reference code signal generated by the GNSS receiver to obtain an autocorrelation function; analyzing and using a multitude of function values of the autocorrelation function at different discrete chip spacings to obtaining a test metric; making a decision using said test metric whether the received GNSS code signal is suitable for a position determination or unsuitable for a position determination due to multipath signal components; making a position determination of the GNSS receiver based on the received GNSS code signals from the multitude of satellites, with received GNSS code signals considered unsuitable for position determination being excluded from the position determination; choosing asymmetrically with respect to a prompt chip spacing the chip spacings of the multitude of function values of the autocorrelation function; performing a bias removal during analysis of the multitude of function values of the autocorrelation function taking into account corresponding function values of an autocorrelation function that would result from a received GNSS code signal of the satellite unaffected by multipath signal components; and wherein the multitude of function values contribute to the test metric in an order higher than first order. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the prompt chip spacing is chosen at the maximum of the autocorrelation function. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the chip spacings of the multitude of function values of the autocorrelation function are chosen predominantly on the late side with respect to the prompt chip spacing. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least 3, 6 or 8 functional values contribute to the test metric. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during analysis of the functional values, pairwise differences of functional values with successive chip spacings are calculated, and these differences are used to calculate the test metric. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bias removal encompasses a normalization and/or variance scaling. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the functional values contribute to the test metric in second order, in higher than second order or exponentially. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in said decision the test metric is used such that in case the test metric is larger than a critical value, the received GNSS code signal is considered unsuitable for position determination. The method according to claim 1 , wherein position determinations are done repeatedly, wherein carrier waves carrying the GNSS code signals undergo a low pass filtering, and wherein in case a received GNSS code signal of a satellite has been found unsuitable for position determination using the test metric, a number of subsequent received GNSS code signals of the same satellite will be considered as unsuitable for position determination, too, regardless of obtained test metrics for these subsequent GNSS code signals. The method according to claim 1 , wherein position determinations are done repeatedly, wherein carrier waves carrying the GNSS code signals undergo a low pass filtering, and wherein said low pass filtering is reproduced in the test metric. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a number N of GNSS receivers are operated simultaneously, with N≥2, wherein the different GNSS receivers receive GNSS code signals from a number J of satellites, with J≥2, and wherein the decision whether a particular GNSS code signal from a particular satellite received at a particular GNSS receiver is suitable for a position determination or unsuitable for a position determination due to multipath signal components is not only depending on the test metric of this particular GNSS code signal, but also depending on the test metrics of GNSS code signals received by the other GNSS receivers and/or from the other satellites. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in case covariance of test metrics from different GNSS receivers belonging to received GNSS code signals from the same satellite exceeds a threshold, all received GNSS code signals from that satellite are considered unsuitable for position determination. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in case covariance of test metrics from the same GNSS receiver belonging to GNSS code signals from different satellites exceeds a threshold, all received GNSS code signals at that GNSS receiver are considered unsuitable for position determination. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in case for a particular GNSS receiver, a critical fraction of received GNSS code signals is considered unsuitable due to the test metric of the respective received GNSS code signal in each case, then all GNSS code signals received at the particular GNSS receiver are considered unsuitable for position determination. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in case for a particular satellite, a critical fraction of GNSS code signals from the particular satellite received at different GNSS receivers is considered unsuitable due to the test metric of the respective received GNSS code signal in each case, then all GNSS code signals from that satellite are considered unsuitable for position determination. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or a plurality of GNSS receivers is placed on a running train. A GNSS receiver or a set of GNSS receivers, adapted for performing a method according to claim 1 .
CPC Classification	Radio Direction-Finding;Radio Navigation;Determining Distance Or Velocity By Use Of Radio Waves;Locating Or Presence-Detecting By Use Of The Reflection Or Reradiation Of Radio Waves;Analogous Arrangements Using Other Waves ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION; e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
Extended Family	113-698-955-884-131 049-830-843-841-504 010-720-729-384-319 138-638-441-035-004 059-908-269-756-654 039-228-759-187-189 118-581-846-715-50X 198-069-077-804-653 009-916-307-689-939 016-820-562-835-531 110-431-962-515-543 116-892-941-894-935 195-523-173-357-388 013-924-832-243-235
Patent ID	20190041528
Inventor/Author	Schüttpelz André Kälberer Ulrich
IPC	G01S19/23 G06F17/18 H04L27/227
Status	Active
Owner	Thales Management & Services Deutschland Gmbh
Simple Family	113-698-955-884-131 049-830-843-841-504 010-720-729-384-319 138-638-441-035-004 059-908-269-756-654 039-228-759-187-189 118-581-846-715-50X 198-069-077-804-653 009-916-307-689-939 016-820-562-835-531 110-431-962-515-543 116-892-941-894-935 195-523-173-357-388 013-924-832-243-235
CPC (with Group)	G01S19/22 G01S19/235 G06F17/18 H04L27/2278
Issuing Authority	United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Kind	Patent Application Publication