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A Literature Review of GPS & GPS Antenna Designing

Preprint · July 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18685.31202

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Literature Review GPS Antenna Design ELE4ACS

GPS & GPS Antenna Designing Literature Review

Advanced Communication Systems ELE4ACS
Adeepa S. Palihawadana 19868190

Introduction
GPS antenna is the main element of any GPS system. GPS accuracy is mainly based on the antenna
performance. Global Positioning System (GPS) plays a major role in present electronic field. GPS
system development started around 1970’s as a result of the US Government Space Research
Programme mainly for the US Army navigation purposes [1] [2]. The Department of Defence of the
United State started to create a satellite system by using Navigation System with Timing Ranging
(NAVSTAR) satellites with help of the US Navy scientists and the navigation system installation
finished in 1993 with 24 NAVSTAR satellites [3]. GPS has two types of systems Standard
Positioning System(SPS) and Precises Positioning System(PPS) where the PPS system is for US
military and government purposes [3].

GPS Navigation
GPS satellite’s high accuracy atomic clocks create a L-band frequency of 10.23 MHz. This
fundamental frequency then multiplied by 154 and 120 to create two different frequencies L1-
1575.42 MHz and L2 – 1227.60 MHz which is used to form two different GPS platforms [1] [3].

L1 frequency is used for Standard Positioning Services(SPS) which is available to the public. Both
L1 and L2 frequencies are used to create the Precise Positioning Services(PPS) GPS system and this
is only for military and government applications of the USA [1] [3].

GPS signal is read by a GPS receiver and it measures the distance to the satellite by counting the
travelling time between satellite signal transmission and multiplying by the speed of light [2] [4].
Receiver location is calculated by taking the signal intersection point of three or more satellite as
shown in the figure 01 [2]. Then receiver GPS coordinates are calculated by using the known satellite
outer space position [2].

Reflection of GPS signals known as multipath error is a common phenomenon and it occurs due to
reflection of GPS signals because of buildings, trees etc. The multipath error is reduced by designing
better antennas and using signal processing technics [2] [5].

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Literature Review GPS Antenna Design ELE4ACS

Figure 01, GPS Receiver Location Calculation, [3]

GPS Antenna Types

GPS antennas can be divided into two groups Passive Antennas and Active Antennas. Active antenna
has an amplifier apart from the radiating element that need a power supply to operate the antenna.
Passive antenna only has the radiating element that doesn’t need a power supply [6]. For the low
power applications passive antenna is the best option. There are different designs of passive GPS
antennas available and patch GPS antenna, helix GPS antenna, chip GPS antenna, spiral GPS
antenna, PIFA antenna are some examples for different GPS antennas [5] [6].

Patch Antenna Planer Inverted F Antenna (PIFA)

- Perfect for flat surfaces - Typically use in mobiles
- Made with dielectric - Wideband, good
material (ceramic) and radiation pattern
metal, low cost, light - Simple construction
weight, easy integration - Low Cost, easy integration
- Mounted on a large ground plane - Design variations are limited

Helix Antenna Chip Antenna

- Loaded with dielectric - Low cost, High gain
material (small antenna) or - Very small in size
air (large antenna), Omini- - Omini-directional
directional radiation
- High gain, wide - Performance depends on the size of the
bandwidth ground plane
- Gain is proportional to the antenna size

Table 01, GPS Antenna Types, [5] [6] [8] [7]

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Literature Review GPS Antenna Design ELE4ACS

GPS Patch Antenna Design

Patch antennas for GPS applications are common today because of the low cost, simple structure and
easy integration [7] [8]. There are different designs available for GPS patch antenna to reduce the
multipath error and the Faraday rotation effect [9] [7]. GPS antenna should have some common
features [7].

1. Good upper half-plane radiation pattern – Hemisphere radiation pattern

2. Right-hand circular polarization – removing the ionosphere Faraday rotation

GPS patch antenna performance can be varied by adjusting some several parameters. Axial ratio
change, reduce the multipath mitigation. Studies have shown that axial ratio bandwidth is a major
factor for the GPS antenna performance [10]. Also, improvement of the inside dielectric material of
the antenna changes the antenna performance.

Common Equations - patch antenna design (W- width, L – length, h – thickness of dielectric material,
𝜀𝑟 – material permittivity, 𝜀𝑒 – equivalent permittivity) [7] [9].
1 𝑊
𝜀𝑟 + 1 𝜀𝑟 − 1 ℎ −2 Δ𝐿 (𝜀𝑒 + 0.3) ( + 0.264)
ℎ
𝜀𝑒 = + (1 + 12 ) = 0.412
2 2 𝑊 ℎ 𝑊
(𝜀𝑒 − 0.258) ( + 0.8)
ℎ
Based on the feeding ports there are two types of Patch antennas, duel-feed and single-feed (Different
right-hand polarization methods).

Single Feed Duel Feed

Fed at a single point. AR bandwidth smaller Two feeding ports, 900 current phase
than duel-feed type [5]. differences [5] [9].
Slotted square patch
[8]

Slotted ground
plane [8]

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Literature Review GPS Antenna Design ELE4ACS

Shorting-wall rectangular [8]. Or 900 hybrid circuit implemented in the

To change input impedance and resonant antenna/ phase difference [10].
frequency change “Shorting wall”

References

[1] B. H. Wellenhof, H. Lichtenegger and J. Collins, “Global Positioning System,” in Theory and Practice, New York,
Springer-Verlag Wien, 2001, pp. 11 - 24.

[2] W. Masood and W. Mir, “GPS Technology,” in IEEE Students Conference, ISCON '02, Lahore, Pakistan, 2002.

[3] “Global Positioning System History,” NASA, 2018. [Online]. Available:

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/communications/policy/GPS_History.html.

[4] E.-T. G., “COMPARISON OF PSEUDO-RANGE MULTIPATH,” Survey Review, vol. 39, no. 306, pp. 338-348, 19 Jul
2007.

[5] X. Chen, C. G. Parini, B. Collins, Y. Yao and M. U. Rehman, “Fundamental Considerations for GNSS Antennas,” in
Antennas for Global Navigation Satellite Systems, A. John Wiley & Sons, 2012, pp. 21 - 40.

[6] “GPS Antenna RF Design Concideration Application Notes,” u-blox, [Online]. Available: https://www.u-
blox.com/sites/default/files/products/documents/GPS-Antenna_AppNote_%28GPS-X-
08014%29.pdf?utm_source=en%2Fimages%2Fdownloads%2FProduct_Docs%2FGPS_Antennas_ApplicationNote
%28GPS-X-08014%29.pdf.

[7] H. G. Hao, H. X. Lu, W. Chen and C. An, “A Novel Microstrip Antenna for GPS Applications,” INformaics in Control,
Automation and robotics, vol. 133, no. 2, pp. 139 - 147, 2011.

[8] X. Chen, C. G. Parini, B. Collins, Y. Yao and M. U. Rehman, “Terminal GNSS Antennas,” in Antennas fo Global
Navigation Satellite Systems, A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2012.

[9] O. Abraham, A. Leib and H. Matzner, “Designing and building of a circular GPS antenn,” 2011 IEEE International
Conference on Microwaves, Communications, Antennas and Electronic Systems (COMCAS 2011), pp. 1-3, 19 12
2011.

[10 M. Park, W. Lee and T. Son, “Composie GPS PAtchAntenna for the AR Bandwidth Enhancement,” Internationl
] Journal of Antennas and Propagation, 2016.

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