基于星链下行信号的多普勒定位方法
Doppler-Based Positioning Method Using Starlink Downlink Signal
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摘要: 低轨卫星互联网星座的快速发展为全球通信与定位服务提供了新的机遇。其中,SpaceX的星链星座凭借其庞大的卫星数量和全球覆盖能力,成为最具代表性的低轨卫星网络之一。除通信服务外,星链卫星的下行信号因其高稳定性、宽频带和全球可达性,被研究者视为潜在的机会信号(Signals of Opportunity, SoOP),可用于增强或补充传统卫星导航系统(如GPS、北斗)的定位能力。为有效提升星链卫星星座的机会定位精度,本文提出了一种基于星链下行数据帧信号的多普勒定位方法。该方法结合星链下行数据帧信号中的主同步符号与包含导频的用户数据符号,采用两步估计算法对信号进行多普勒频移测量,并将测量值输入扩展卡尔曼滤波器以完成接收机位置解算。基于星链真实轨道参数的仿真结果显示,该多普勒频移估计算法在抗噪声能力与精度方面均优于锁相环算法、最大似然算法和分段差分互相关算法,在0 dB信噪比下的估计均方根误差为3.7 Hz,在卫星过境期间的均方根误差为2.1 Hz。在此基础上,采用五颗卫星进行定位,仿真结果显示三维定位误差为13.5 m,水平误差为6.1 m,较现有采用六颗卫星并基于信标信号的定位方法分别提升了9.4 m和0.4 m。以上仿真结果表明,所提的基于数据帧信号的定位算法在抗噪声性能和定位精度上均优于传统方法,进一步提高星链卫星的机会定位性能。Abstract: The rapid development of satellite internet constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO) has provided new opportunities for global communication and positioning services. In particular, SpaceX’s Starlink constellation has emerged as one of the most representative LEO satellite networks because of its size and global coverage. In addition to communication services, Starlink’s downlink signals are considered as potential Signals of Opportunity (SoOP) that can be utilized to enhance or supplement traditional satellite navigation systems such as GPS and BeiDou. Given that the constellation comprises thousands of satellites, these signals are characterized by high stability, wide bandwidth, and global accessibility, which makes them particularly suitable for use in navigation. In this study, we propose a Doppler-based positioning method that utilizes Starlink’s downlink data frame signals to improve the accuracy of opportunistic positioning via the Starlink constellation. This method combines the primary synchronization symbols with user data symbols that contain pilot sequences in the downlink signal by employing a two-step estimation algorithm to measure Doppler frequency shifts. The measurements are then fed into an extended Kalman filter to compute the receiver’s position. The results of simulations based on Starlink’s real orbital parameters demonstrate that the proposed Doppler shift estimation algorithm outperforms traditional methods such as phase-locked loops, maximum likelihood estimation, and segmented differential cross-correlation in terms of noise resistance and accuracy. At a signal-to-noise ratio of 0 dB, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the estimation was 3.7 Hz, while the RMSE during satellite overpasses was 2.1 Hz. Furthermore, positioning simulations using five satellites showed a three-dimensional positioning error of 13.5 m and a horizontal error of 6.1 m. Compared to existing beacon-based positioning methods that require six satellites, this represents an improvement of 9.4 and 0.4 m, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed data frame-based positioning algorithm surpasses traditional methods in terms of both noise robustness and positioning accuracy. Thus, the proposed method enhances the performance of opportunistic positioning techniques based on Starlink satellites.
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