Interference mitigation using a dual-polarized antenna in a real environment

Abstract

In this paper we present a novel approach to interference mitigation. We propose to equip a GNSS receiver with a diversely polarized antenna array in order to combine signal processing in the spatial and in the polarization domain in a novel way. The new algorithm is evaluated by means of measurement data obtained during a measurement campaign which has been carried out in the Automotive Testing Center in Aldenhoven, Germany. The results of the measurement campaign show a significant improvement in receiver robustness against interferences when the dual-polarization approach is used when compared with the general single-polarization case. The benefits that come to light using dual-polarization are of a dual nature. First the carrier-to-noise-density ratios of the line-of-sight components are improved since the receiver can make use of the RHCP power present on the left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) channels due to non-ideal polarization purity of the antenna, in particular for satellites with low elevation, resulting in better receiver computed position, velocity and time (PVT) solutions. Secondly, the interference mitigation becomes more effective due to the possibility of filtering in the polarization domain and the additional number of available degrees of freedom, increasing the receiver robustness and enabling tracking and PVT also in severe interference scenario