What is GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)? Meaning, Working, and Applications in 2022

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a group of satellites strategically placed to generate and relay positioning, timing, and navigation data from space to connected sensors on the earth – usually embedded in Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This article explains how GNSS works and discusses its leading applications in 2022.

What Is GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)? 

A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is defined as a group of satellites strategically placed to generate and relay positioning, timing, and navigation data from space to connected sensors on the earth – usually embedded in Internet of Things (IoT) devices. 

Every day, our lives are increasingly improved by advancing technology. There is so much at our disposal, technology that integrates all the parts of our lives, from your fitness trackers and Siri’s guiding voice to automated coffee machines, smart homes, and smart cars. The world is getting closer to an ideal environment where everything is connected and life is made more accessible. One predominant factor propelling this change is GNSS. 

GNSS or Global Navigation Satellite System is a type of satellite system with widespread global coverage. It uses satellites to provide independent geospatial positioning. It makes it possible for regular electronic devices to ascertain their location, positioning, and navigation via sensors that receive radio signals from the satellites.

The GNSS system also allows for real-time synchronization of events, endpoint devices, etc. It covers the broad field of satellite tracking and all its applications. Each GNSS system comprises a constellation of satellites that transmits high-frequency signals from space to receivers all over the globe. The global navigation satellite system is used for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT).

Currently, there are about four fully functional GNSS systems operating worldwide. The popular United States Global Positioning System (NAVSTAR) was the first of its kind, closely followed by satellite constellations from other countries. There is China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, Russia’s Global Navigation System (GLONASS), and the European Union’s Galileo. Other regional augmentation systems include the Quasi-Zenith satellite system owned by Japan.

GPS Vs. GNSS

When global navigation satellite systems are mentioned, the first thing people think of is GPS. Therefore, it is essential to correct the popular misconception that GPS is the same as GNSS. GPS or Global Positioning System is a type of GNSS owned by the US and is otherwise called NAVSTAR. 

GNSS is a term that accounts for every form of the global satellite positioning system, of which GPS is a classic example. Thus, GPS is a type of GNSS system. It is the pioneer GNSS system and was invented to be used as an independent military navigation system by the United States ministry of defense. The navigation and positioning system was released to the public for general use years later. 

GPS is the most accurate positioning system available to today’s users. However, GNSS-compatible equipment – i.e., all equipment that uses positioning, navigation, and timing – can use signals from satellites in brother GNSS networks but outside the GPS and still obtain similar information.

In essence, GPS is not synonymous with GNSS. It falls under examples of GNSS systems and can be classified alongside other types of GNSS. 

Classification of GNSS 

GNSS systems used in civil navigation include GNSS 1 and GNSS 2. GNSS 1 is a first-generation global satellite system, and it combines existing satellite-based navigation systems with other augmentation systems (like Satellite Based Augmentation System or SBAS). Examples include the GPS augmented with the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in the U.S. 

GNSS 2 is a second-generation satellite system. They provide accuracy and integrity used for monitoring civil navigation. Examples include Galileo, GLONASS, etc. When talking about the performance of the different GNSS systems, there are four criteria used, which are:

• Accuracy: This measures how factual the actual position, speed, or time are compared to that measured by the GNSS. 
• Integrity: This describes the system’s ability to give a threshold of confidence in the data it provides and also to raise the alarm when abnormal information is recorded. 
• Continuity: This is the GNSS’s capacity to provide continuous information without disruptions. 
• Availability: The availability of a GNSS system is measured in percentage. It represents how often the signals from that system fulfill the other three criteria mentioned above. 

As earlier mentioned, an addition of regional augmentation systems can improve the quality of output given off by these global navigation satellites. 

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How Does GNSS Work?

It can be overwhelming to understand how satellites orbiting the earth can tell a person where they are and map out the direction to the nearest grocery store. Nevertheless, we can know the basic principles guiding GNSS systems and how they work. There are three broad components to every GNSS: 

1. The satellites or space segment 

This refers to the actual satellites orbiting around the earth. The GPS satellite constellation is arranged in six equally spaced planes. Each plane has at least four satellites, and this arrangement ensures that at least four satellites are available at all times to every receiver, be it a phone, wristwatch, smart car, etc.

So, by combining the signals from four satellites out of the 31 in the GPS navigation system, a local receiver can decipher the location and time concerning the satellites’ location when users receive the broadcast. 

Although satellites may be different in design, they all have the same basic principles guiding them. Each satellite has one or more highly accurate clocks, atomic clocks that use rubidium or cesium oscillators. At every point in time, the satellite transmits two carrier waves, L1 and L2, at the speed of light back to earth with a fundamental frequency of 10.23MHz. These waves share information from the satellite to Earth, and then receivers use the information.

2. The control segments 

For every GNSS system, there are built stations located around the equator to control, monitor, track and communicate with the satellites. This ensures that the satellite clocks are synchronized and monitored for maintenance like any IT infrastructure. Information on the satellite’s orbit is also transmitted back to the satellites and the earth-bound receiver using the L1 carrier wave. 

3. The user segment 

This covers anything with a receiver, such as mobile phones, cars, law enforcement systems, airplanes, etc. How do receivers interpret signals and pinpoint our location? This is done through a process known as trilateration which is positioning an object from three distances. A GNSS receiver comprises two elements, a processor and an antenna. The antenna picks up the signal, and the processor decodes the necessary information. Some receivers may have two antennas, the primary and secondary antennas. 

When a satellite broadcasts, it transmits the time it sends that signal encoded in the signal information. The receiver then uses the difference in time from when the signal was broadcasted to when they received it, considering the time delay caused by the earth’s surrounding layers. Then using the speed of light, it measures the distance traveled by the signals from three different satellites.

The receiver can deduce its location with the satellite’s initial location information. An atomic clock synced to the GPS or a fourth satellite is needed to time the signal transmission. Another satellite also provides more than one combination of three satellites that can be used for trilateration. 

Current electronic devices do not send signals back to the satellites. They can only receive signals from space and transmit them to other devices or monitoring stations which is how cars, delivery trucks, etc., are tracked.

It is crucial to understand the basic concept of GNSS systems, as it will help us know how this global navigation system affects our day-to-day living. Indeed, GNSS has proven critical in the present and future urban environments, particularly for the Internet of Things (IoT). As technology gradually evolves into smart devices and appliances, the role of GNSS is becoming more apparent. 

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What Is The Importance Of GNSS In The Internet Of Things?

The world is gradually embracing and working towards the concept of the internet of things, and it is no longer the stuff of science fiction movies. Several industries are adopting self-sensing, smart and self-communicating devices. However, there is still so much to discover, and research and prototypes are still being worked on. 

Currently, there are billions of internet-connected devices and millions in the IoT environment. The internet of things is steadily encroaching on everything, and its applications are diverse from smart cars, waste disposal systems, transportation services, etc. This growth would have been quite impossible without location awareness made possible by the global navigation satellite systems. 

GNSS provides real-time tracking, timing, navigation, and other areas of machine-to-machine communication, which is the basis of IoT device management. Indeed, as IoT applications keep growing, more demand is being placed on the satellite system, and these demands are gradually being met, giving room for more discoveries. 

The importance of GNSS in IoT is simply the ability of devices to be aware of their location, the location of other machines around them, and the ability to collate the data into usable information. For example, the ability of a car to sense other vehicles in its path and avoid a collision or even sense a diversion ahead and take the shorter route. The potential applications are endless. However, before we look at the applications of GNSS in today’s world, there are some significant characteristics of these global navigation systems that make them integral to IoT:

1. Identifying the location of objects 

Without the ability to locate devices, GNSS would hardly be able to provide any functionality to the IoT. Using trilateration, the device can connect with three or more visible satellites to locate its precise location. It can then transmit this information to any other device or use it for any purpose. 

2. Calculating the optimal speed

GNSS-activated devices can keep a constant record of their speed because GNSS systems constantly transmit satellite signals as they make their orbit around the earth. Velocity can be computed using the basic physics equation, speed = distance/time from this transmission. This characteristic of GNSS makes it possible for maps to let you know how long it would take to reach the desired destination.

3. Ensuring precision of IoT performance

What use are location and navigation if they come with gross error in time calculations? In fact, without the powerful atomic clocks used in GNSS systems, it would be impossible to get an accurate measure of distance and positioning using trilateration. The clocks embedded in satellites are maintained and monitored frequently from control stations. The stations ensure that timekeeping is accurate and that GNSS devices can function correctly.

With the rapidly growing market for GNSS technology in all devices, there have also been some concerns about the practicality of high energy consumption. Devices connected to GNSS satellites receiving information consume a lot of power and can be impractical for day-to-day appliances. It would mean a shorter battery life span and higher cost of production, for one thing, not to mention its impact on the environment. Currently, there are some proposed solutions to this problem of energy efficiency. 

One approach is to reroute data to an external facility without the power restrictions of a smaller device before sending the processed information to the device. Another technique in consideration is the snapshot technique, where the receiver is activated only when needed for a short period to determine geolocation. 

This challenge to provide geolocation for IoT that is practical in terms of cost, size, and power consumption is different from that of smartphones. 

IT companies are rethinking their strategy as current smartphone GNSS chips do not work well for all IoT devices. This is because smartphones are usually charged daily and thus provide enough power to the GNSS receivers. They have fast-core processors and are constantly active. Smartphones also have an acceptable cost of a few hundred dollars, while an individual would be less inclined to buy a wristwatch or smart backpack for the same amount. 

Therefore, several companies are jumping on the opportunity to provide low-power GNSS so that sensors and trackers can last years or decades without replacing them. 

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Top 5 GNSS Applications In 2022

Despite the hurdles, there are already so many ways GNSS has changed how we operate daily. GNSS has found several potential applications, from individuals and families to schools and industries. Some of these include:

1. Logistics and transportation

GNSS enables real-time access to the location of items for delivery. When products are ordered, the manufacturer, the logistics company, and the buyer can track the movement of the items, through dispatch right to their delivery. 

It is also used extensively in the transport industry, such as rail, aviation, and marine transportation. On rail transport, you can track the location of all locomotives and cars, map the position of other trains and minimize accidents, delays, etc. Without GNSS, pilots will be lost in the air. From departure, en route, and navigating unseen atmospheric conditions to the landing, GNSS systems guide the entire aviation system. The same also applies to marine transport. Captains can know their exact location and bearing via GNSS-enabled methods.

2. Asset tracking and security 

Everyone knows what a car GPS tracker is, and this is one primary application of GNSS surveillance systems. With GNSS, you can confirm the location of your vehicle in case of theft and track it to its location. Beyond cars, luggage misplacement at the airport is often a common issue and can be avoided by monitoring devices. 

3. Wearables 

Currently, there are several smartwatches and health monitors that can track an individual’s movement. They also alert and call for help during health crises or accidents and then enable the person’s position to be located. Fitness trackers also make use of GNSS solutions. Further applications of GNSS include monitoring kids’ locations at parks, monitoring convicts, looking after older patients with degenerative diseases, etc.

4. Industry and agriculture 

GNSS has also found application in industry and agriculture. This ranges from monitoring incoming trucks to increasing the efficiency of farm machinery. It extends to soil monitoring, livestock tracking, and forest management. 

5. Smartphones and semi-automated cars

Lastly, GNSS has found a massive application with smartphones and cars. This covers GPS-enabled maps for self-driving cars. GNSS has seen the most widespread use currently in smartphone devices. You can easily access the best routes with less traffic and know about the nearest hotels, eateries, etc. Self-driving cars are becoming more common and all this has a heavy reliance on positioning systems.

One thing is certain, GNSS has so much to offer in connected technology. The future is bright and full of amazing innovations. Soon enough, we will have a widespread network of smart devices that can sense, locate, anticipate and prepare for specific situations. 

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Takeaway 

GNSS is among the foundational technologies powering the Internet of Things and nearly every connected urban environment we use today. It has evolved from merely defense and public sector use cases to span civil applications – particularly for IoT implementations.

As organizations embrace the fourth industrial revolution and smart cities become the norm and not the exception, GNSS will be a staple for nearly every device and system. Its ability to accurately inform positioning, navigation, and timing will make it a crucial enabler for future enterprises. 

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