Research Summaries

Back Geolocation Via Communication Methods in a GPS-Denied Environment

Fiscal Year 2012
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Electrical & Computer Engineering
Investigator(s) Klingenstein-Carter, Kaylene
Sponsor Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center-Pacific (Navy)
Summary The proposed research will investigate methods to geo-locate a mobile user in a GPS-denied environment. Today, geo-location via GPS can be accurate to within a few meters. However, GPS may not always be available, due to poor reception, jamming, etc. In the event of GPS unavailability, we can take advantage of other nearby communication systems. Possible methods for positioning include cell phone signals in 40 networks, TV station triangulation, FAA communications, and LORAN.
Focus of this research is to investigate the use of these signals and evaluate one for geo-location. Geo-location in a GPS-denied environment is very important to the Navy and military as a whole. As seen in the War on Terrorism, a new type of militant has evolved and uses new communication techniques not seen in any other wars. Terrorists rely on cell phone communications to relay their orders and information to other terrorist phones. These phones usually do not have GPS capabilities, making it very difficult to trace their origins. Being able to trace their location with the various sources listed above will help the ISR field gain ground on these shortfalls in geo-location, which is so greatly needed to prevent terrorist acts. It is important in the ever-growing fields of electronics and communications to be able to locate a mobile user. The research will also further enhance the military's ability to track military personnel. With a current initiative to evolve from bulky radio transmitters and instead use cell phones as a means of communication for ground troops, it is important to be able to locate them when GPS is unavailable. The need for capability to locate these troops increases significantly due to the fact that in a war zone, battlespace awareness is of the utmost importance.
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Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal