Architecture Design and First Results of Multi-Antenna GNSS Navigation Receiver

Kurzfassung

Advanced global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) like Galileo and modernized GPS will provide additional services which among others qualify these systems for safety-of-life (SoL) applications. The stringend requirements which have to be fulfilled for SoL applications require several improvements on the navigation receiving systems – especially since interference and multipath signals can cause unacceptable performance degradation. Also in the case of ground stations for monitoring and reference purposes, it has been shown that a high robustness with respect to interference and multipath is crucial for a correct functionalty. In order to overcome the aforementioned problem new digital beam-forming and signal-processing algorithms will be employed. These procedures enable a more accurate and reliable navigation solution by suppressing interference and multipath signals and by improving the reception of useful line-of-sight satellite signals. Digital beam-forming utilizing group antennas offers a large potential for the suppression of undesired signal. Hence, the Institute of Communications and Navigation of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has started an initiative to develop a Safety-of-Life (SoL) receiver demonstrator for the Galileo satellite navigation system. The aim of this project is to perform the necessary pre-development research as well as to develop, to build and demonstrate an integrated SoL receiver system, which is robust against interference and multipath effects. Some of the most challenging tasks to achieve this goal include: - Development of optimized antenna elements and arrays - Design of a robust frontend suitable for multi constellation multi frequency reception with multiple antennas - Development and analysis of powerful interference detection and mitigation techniques enhanced for Galileo