GPS receiver algorithms for suppression of narrowband and structured wideband interference

This dissertation describes algorithms that enhance the acquisition and tracking performance of a GPS receiver in the presence of narrowband and structured wideband interference. As GPS becomes an essential element of the civil infrastructure in the areas of aviation, ground transportation, communications, and power distribution, its vulnerability to interference must be addressed. Unintentional interference typically takes the form of a narrowband signal. Structured wideband interference can result from the ground-based augmentation of GPS with pseudolites. Algorithms that enhance performance for these two situations are developed and described in detail.; Pseudolites are a very useful augmentation to GPS that provide enhanced coverage in areas of high blockage or for critical missions such as aircraft landing. However, pseudolites may introduce what is known as near-far interference, where a pseudolite signal interferes with the acquisition and tracking of weaker satellite signals. I have applied the technique of successive interference cancellation (SIC) to improve acquisition performance in the presence of a pseudolite signal. An extension of SIC to the identification and cancellation of pseudolite multipath is also given. The performance of these algorithms is demonstrated on simulated and experimental data, showing significant improvement over conventional techniques.; The low level of GPS signals makes them susceptible to narrowband interference, despite the inherent resistance to interference afforded by GPS spread spectrum modulation. In my research I have investigated a number of algorithms that can increase the robustness of GPS receivers in a hostile narrowband electromagnetic environment. This dissertation describes several adaptive estimators which are applied to simulated GPS data. Comparisons are made in terms of post-correlation signal-to-noise ratio, tracking errors, and computational requirements.; Conventional techniques of high accuracy Doppler estimation result in significant delay and computational requirement before the processing can be handed over to the tracking loops. An additional contribution of this research is the development of high accuracy estimation algorithms which reduce the computational requirements and at the same time reduce the delay in handing over the control to the tracking loops. Here again, the algorithms are applied to simulated and experimental GPS data.