Global Positioning Systems

for
Precision Farming
Error
Differential correction sources
Comments on system configuration

Inaccuracy,
imprecision,
and bias
e = b
re
p
Im

on
i
s
ci

as
Bi

Inaccuracy and imprecision

Concept of True Value

Bias

Definition - deviation of the mean value of a

measurement from the true value
Specification - Single value (not representing a probability)
Formula - b Vt
Vt normally measured or inferred through some
exemplar method

Operational formula - b m Vt

Inaccuracy and imprecision

Imprecision

Definition - deviation of a measured value from the mean

Specification - bounds through:

MPE=0.674s - 50%
RMS or 1s - 68%
2s - 95%
3s - 99.7%
(represents a probability, s based measures imply normality)

Formula i2

(mk m ) 2

n 1
k 1
k n

(containing 95% of normal values)

Inaccuracy and imprecision

Inaccuracy

Definition - deviation of a measurement from the true

value
Specification - normally specified as the sum of bias
and imprecision
2
Formula - e b i
k n

(
m

m
)
k

Operational formula (2s limit) - e m Vt 2

n 1
k 1

Inaccuracy and imprecision

Y

1D, 2D, 3D?

X Y
2

re
p
Im

ion
s
i
c

R
X

as
Bi

Multi-Dimentional Error Specs.

Root-mean-square (RMS) error is the value of one standard

deviation (68%) of the error in one, two or three dimensions.

Circular Error Probable (CEP) is the value of the radius of a

circle, centered at the actual position that contains 50% of
the position estimates (2D).

Spherical Error Probable (SEP) is the spherical equivalent of

CEP, that is the radius of a sphere, centered at the actual
position, that contains 50% of the position estimates (3D).

GPS Errors

Current receiver designs for SPS (4 SVs)

100 meter horizontal accuracy

156 meter vertical accuracy
340 nanoseconds time accuracy

Range Errors (per SV, 2 sigma)

Imprecision (Noise)

PRN Code Noise ( ~1 m)

Receiver Noise ( ~1 m)

Bias

Selective Availability ( ~ 60m)

SV Clock error ( ~1 m)
Ephemeris data error ( ~1 m)
Atmospheric Delay ( ~11 m)
Multi-path interference ( ~0.5 m)

GPS Errors

Position error = combination of range errors of each SV through

the trigonometry of the position solution
Dissolution of Precision - factor of error increase over ideal due
to geometry or time error
GDOP geometric
HDOP horizontal
VDOP vertical
TDOP time

DOP ranges

1-5 good
5-10 fair
10-75 poor

GPS Errors

Sources of DGPS correction

signals

Local station

Costs ~$5000 plus distribution costs

Range - as designed

FM sub-carrier

Sources - DCI / Accupoint?

DCI Costs $840 per year + $525 one meter service

DCI sites
Frederick, KSYE 91.5
Oklahoma City, KTST 101.9
Oklahoma City, KXXY 96.1
**Clinton, KCLI 95.5
**McAlester, KMCO 101.3

Range <75 mi

Sources of DGPS correction

signals

Satellite distribution of ground station network

OmniStar / Satlock
Costs $4500 + $800/yr

OmniStar Coverage

Sources of DGPS correction

signals

Low Frequency Beacons - US Coastgard

Receivers CSI, Trimble, Lowrance

Costs $250-1600

COVERAGE

DGPS System Configuration

Connections
GPS Antenna
Coaxial Cable
GPS Receiver

RTCM 1.04
4800 baud
RS232
Differential Correction
Receiver

NMEA 0183
4800 baud
RS232

Precision Farming
Equipment

GPS Data Output (NMEA)

GGA message - Lat / Lon

$--GGA,hhmmss,DDMM.HH,N,DDDMM.HH,W,A,N,DOP,aaa,M,hhhh,M,DGPS,CKRL*hh<CR><LF>
hhmmss = time - hours, minutes, seconds UTC
DDMM.HH latitude - degrees,minutes,hundredths-min
N latitude - North or south
DDDMM.HH longitude - degrees,minutes,hundredths
W longitude - West or East
A availability of GPS 0=not, 1= yes
N number of satellites, 3 or 4
DOP HDOP
aaa Altitude above SL (geoid height)
M Altitude meters or feet
hhhh geoidal separation
M Geoidal separation meters or feet
DGPS Age of DGPS data
CKRL differential reference station ID 0000-1023

GPS Data Communications

(SAE J1939)

J1939/ISO 11783

Critical communications system for on-board

agricultural equipment
Current Status - Now in Green Star, other mfgs. now
developing

Position Message

8 bytes data, 4 bytes Latitude, 4 bytes Longitude

Units - Degrees as 10e-7 per bit, -210 degree offset

J1939/ISO 11783 Network

Structure

Implement
Node

Management
Computer
Task Computer

VT
Gateway

Implement Bridge

Tractor/Implement Bus
Hitch
Tractor Bus

Implement
Node

Tractor to
Implement
Bridge

GPS
Engine

OmniStar 7000

J1939/ISO 11783 interface

Computation of distance
along Longitude
S =R

S
Lon

R=6,433,000m

Lon

R
31.2 m/s

Computation of distance
along Latitude
R40

SLat=R40

R40=R cos
25.6 m/s