Split-sum correlator simplifies range computations in GPS receiver

Abstract

A novel correlator architecture for handling the satellite-to-receiver time skew in a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver is presented. The correlator's signal integration and numerically-controlled oscillator updates are referenced to receiver time epochs rather than satellite epochs as in traditional architectures. To avoid straddling navigation data bits, the correlation is split into two parts. The technique was successfully implemented and integrated into a field programmable gate array-based multichannel software GPS receiver.