Satellite Navigation Multipath Channel Models

In indoor environments the accuracy of positioning by global navigation satellite systems suffers significantly from signal blockage, reflection and diffraction. To develop advanced receiver position algorithms working in harsh propagation environments, accurate channel simulators are necessary. Therefore, DLR investigated the satellite-to-indoor propagation channel in its very detail by a measurement campaign in 2008. As an outcome, we proposed a novel and accurate wideband satellite-to-indoor channel model. Compared to the state of the art, the proposed channel model is able to reproduce the spatial characteristics of the wideband propagation channel for a moving receiver. The model is based on a hybrid approach combining physical-deterministic and stochastic methods: (a) waves diffracted and transmitted by walls, windows and doors are considered by using physical-deterministic near field methods, (b) in order to model multipath components occurring due to reflections on walls, a hybrid approach is used, (c) the behavior of scattered waves is stochastically modeled. The proposed channel model accurately models satellite-to-indoor propagation effects, and, thus, can be used for testing and validating range estimation algorithms for positioning.

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Standardized in ITU-R P.681-7 (10/09) "Propagation data required for the design of Earth-space land mobile telecommunication systems"

In autumn 2002 the German Aerospace Center (DLR) carried out a high resolution measurement campaign to investigate the land mobile satellite navigation multipath channel. High bandwidth navigation systems like GALILEO are strongly disturbed by reflections from structures close to the receiver. To model these effects a very high time resolution is required. Especially for the BOC (Binary Offset Carrier) signal structures the delays of echoes have to be known in ns accuracy. Approaches of the past to describe the multipath effects have resolutions of 50 ns, which is not satisfying for high precision positioning. For the measurements a Zeppelin simulated the satellite transmitting a signal down to a measurement van equipped with the receiver and various sensors. During the campaign more than 60 measurements, each lasting for about 15 minutes, were taken in several urban, suburban and rural scenarios for car and pedestrian applications.

This Software simulates an end-to-end model to generate Distance Measurement Equipment (DME) signals as an interference source to airborne Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS).