In order to directly interface with signal broadcast by global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) – such as GPS or Galileo – for the purpose of calculating location, a potential user is required to extract great amount of information from interface control documents (ICD) as well as build custom software tools to process this information. This is time consuming and inefficient. Instead it would be great if such tools and information was readily available in one single project. This thesis addresses this issue by designing a universal data structure which is able to accommodate all necessary information to interface with any GNSS. Universal GNSS data structure is designed in such a way so that software tools can be entirely generic across all GNSS, i.e. do not include any functionality specific to only one GNSS. This is done by embedding certain logic parameters inside data structure itself, which determine how software tools behave. The data structure realized in the form of XML file with specific rules and syntax. Data from GPS and Galileo ICDs is scraped and compiled into XML file. A Rust tool-set is created to read XML file and extract information such as pseudo-random noise codes and navigation message structure. Using this information, it is possible to decode a raw bit stream broadcast by GNSS spacecraft, although currently additional tools need to be added to completely automatize this process.

La réflectométrie GNSS (GNSS-R) est une technique d'observation de la Terre reposant sur un système radar bi-statique passif qui utilise, comme signaux d'opportunité, les signaux GNSS en bande L. Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit de thèse ont pour but de développer des méthodes de traitement du signal dédiées à l'altimétrie au sol par GNSS-R. L'altitude entre le récepteur GNSS-R et la surface de réflexion est déduite de la différence de chemin entre les signaux direct et réfléchi. On propose trois méthodes d'estimation dédiées à l'altimétrie par GNSS-R, pour un récepteur mono-fréquence, utilisant respectivement les observables de code, de puissance (carrier-to-noise ratio C/N₀) et de phase des signaux GNSS observés. Nous proposons un estimateur de la pseudo-distance qui utilise la mesure de délais de code sous-échantilloné aidée par la mesure de phase. On montre que l'estimateur sub-résolution proposé permet d'obtenir une précision qui est inférieure à la résolution en délai de code. Le deuxième estimateur s'appuie sur une méthode de calibration qui normalise la puissance de la somme des signaux direct et réfléchi (Interférence Pattern Technique). On montre par l'étude des bornes de Cramèr-Rao que l'estimateur proposé permet de réduire le temps de mesure et de conserver une précision centimétrique. La mesure de phase est une grandeur circulaire qui évolue linéairement avec l'élévation du satellite. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons deux estimateurs qui s'appuient sur un modèle de régression circulaire et la distribution circulaire de von Mises. Des expérimentations sur données réelles viennent conclure ce manuscrit de thèse et montrent la faisabilité des trois méthodes d'estimation proposées. La précision centimétrique est atteinte. / The Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is an Earth observation technique. It is based on a passive bi-static radar system using the L-band signal coming directly from a GNSS satellite and this same signal reflected by the Earth surface. The aim of the presented work is to develop signal processing methods for altimetry measurements using ground based GNSS-R. The altitude is derived from the difference of path between the direct and reflected signals. We propose three estimators for GNSS-R altimetry measurement using respectively the code observations, the carrier-to-noise ratio C/N₀ observations, and the phase observations obtained by a mono-frequency receiver. Firstly, we define a pseudo-range estimator using under-sampling code delay observations aided by phase measurements. We show that the proposed estimator allows avoiding accuracy limitations due to the receiver resolution. Secondly, a calibration method has been developed for the Interference Pattern Technique, for normalizing the C/N₀ of the combination of the direct and reflected signals. The Cramèr-Rao Lower Bound of this estimation technique is studied. We show that the proposed estimator allows reducing the observation duration while keeping the centimeter accuracy. Thirdly, a last method is proposed in order to evaluate the difference of path between the direct and reflected signals using phase measurement.The phase measurement is an angular data evolving linearly with the satellite elevation. In this context, we propose two estimators based on a circular-linear regression and the von Mises distribution. Experimentation on real data conclude this manuscript and show the feasibility of these methods. The centimeter accuracy is reached.

Lorsqu'une grandeur est observée par une série temporelle de mesures périodiques, telles que des mesures d'angles, les outils statistiques du domaine linéaire ne sont plus adaptés à l'estimation des paramètres statistiques de cette série. Nous proposons des filtres et un opérateur de fusion adaptés aux grandeurs aléatoires circulaires. Ils sont développés dans un cadre bayésien avec la distribution circulaire normale de von Mises. De plus, on propose un estimateur circulaire GLR (Global Likehood Ratio) de ruptures dans un signal angulaire s'appuyant sur un filtre particulaire défini dans le domaine circulaire. Le traitement des signaux GNSS repose traditionnellement sur l'estimation récursive, en boucles fermées, de trois paramètres : le délai de code, la phase et la fréquence porteuse du signal reçu. On montre dans cette thèse que l'estimation de la phase et de la fréquence en boucle fermée est à l'origine d'imprécisions et de perturbations additionnelles. On propose une nouvelle approche pour l'estimation de ces paramètres en boule ouverte. Dans ce cas, les mesures de phase sont des angles, définis entre ‒π et π. Statistiquement, elles peuvent être modélisées par la distribution circulaire de von Mises et l'on utilise donc les outils d'estimation circulaire développés dans cette thèse pour les traiter. On montre l'intérêt de l'approche proposée pour le positionnement et pour l'altimétrie par réflectométrie des signaux GNSS. La précision obtenue est de l'ordre du centimètre, pour des durées d'intégrationd'une milliseconde. On propose également une technique de résolution de l'ambiguïté de phase, utilisable dans une approche mono-récepteur et mono-fréquence. / When a value is observed by a temporal series of periodic measurements, such as angle measurements, the statistic tools of the linear domain are no longer adapted to the estimation of the statistical parameters of this series. We propose several filters and a fusion operator adapted to angular random variables estimation. They are developed in a Bayesian framework with the von Mises circular normal distribution. Moreover, we propose a Global Likelihood Ratio circular change estimator which relies on a particle filter defined in the circular domain. GNSS signal procedding traditionnaly relies on the recursive estimation of three parameters in lock loops : the code delay, the phase and the frequency of the received signal carrier. We show in this thesis that the phase and frequency estimations, when realized in a lock loop, cause imprecisions and additional perturbations. We proposea new approach for the estimation of these parameters in an open loop. in this context, the phase measurements are angles defined between ‒π et π. They can be modeled using the von Mises distribution, thus we use the developed circular estimation tools in order to process them. We show the benefit of the proposed approach for positioning and for height estimation using the GNSS-Reflectometry technique. The obtained precision is of the centimeter order, for integration times of one millisecond. We also propose a phase ambiguity resolution technique which can be used in a mono-receiver , mono-frequency approach.

The purpose of this work was investigate and measure the possibility to exist multipath caused by the corona noise generated in high voltage electric lines recepting GNSS signals. Experiments were realized with a 69 kV tension electric line localized in Santa Maria/RS. A serie was located with eleven transversal points to the longitudinal ranging of the transmission line. In this points, the eletromagnetic field was estimated using an equipment to measure the electromagnetic field EM-8000 model. Valuations was realized about the interferences on positioning by the absolut method, using a GNSS receiver with C/A code Garmin GPS II Plus model and the positioning by the relative method with the GNSS receiver L1/L2 Topcon Hiper model. To estimate the interference in the points was necessary to obtain the geodesic coordinates of this points without multipath possibilities caused of corona noise. For this was implanted a squared topographical polygonal where the support points were located far from the transmission lines, free of the electromagnetic field influence. Calculating the variances among the coordinates was necessary transform the geodesic coordinates obtained at GNSS receivers to the Local Topographic System, to make the systems compatible, using the rotation and translation model. Calculating was possible conclude that to the raising method and the geodesic equipment used in this experiment, in a 69 kV transmission line, the found discrepancies were in the standard deviation of 17,10 mm admitted to equipment GNSS receiver L1/L2 and 15 mm to GNSS receiver C/A code, in a 95% confidence level. So it was not evidenced interferences in the electromagnetic field at GNSS signal reception. / O propósito deste trabalho foi investigar e mensurar a possibilidade de haver multicaminhamento pelo efeito corona gerado em linhas elétricas de alta tensão na recepção de sinais GNSS. Foram realizados experimentos em uma rede elétrica com tensão de 69 kV localizado no município de Santa Maria/RS. Foi implantada uma série de onze pontos transversais ao alinhamento longitudinal da linha de transmissão. Nestes pontos realizou-se uma avaliação do campo eletromagnético gerado utilizando um equipamento medidor de campo eletromagnético modelo EM- 8000. Foram realizadas avaliações da interferência no posicionamento pelo método absoluto utilizando o receptor GNSS de código C/A Garmin modelo GPS II Plus e o posicionamento pelo método relativo com o receptor GNSS portadora L1/L2 Topcon modelo Hiper. Para avaliar a interferência dos pontos foi necessário obter as coordenadas geodésicas desses pontos sem possibilidades de multicaminhamento pelo efeito corona. Para isto implantou-se uma poligonal topográfica enquadrada em que os marcos de apoio localizavam-se distantes a linha de transmissão sem a influência do campo eletromagnético. Ao realizar o cálculo das discrepâncias entre as coordenadas foi necessário realizar a transformação das coordenadas geodésicas obtidas pelos receptores GNSS para o Sistema Topográfico Local para a compatibilização dos sistemas, sendo utilizado o modelo das rotações e translações. Realizando os cálculos concluiu-se que para os métodos de levantamento e os equipamentos geodésicos utilizados neste experimento, em uma linha de transmissão de 69 kV, as discrepâncias constatadas ficaram dentro do desviospadrões de 17,10 mm admitido ao equipamento receptor GNSS portadora L1/L2 e 15 m ao receptor GNSS código C/A, a nível de confiança de 95%. Assim não se constatou interferências do campo eletromagnético na recepção dos sinais GNSS.