Single antenna GPS measurement of roll rate and roll angle of spinning platform

A system for determining roll of a spinning platform comprising:

• only one antenna for receiving GPS signals, said antenna outputting antenna signals;
• a receiver processor having correlators correlating the antenna signals from each of at least four satellites and outputting correlated signals, and said receiver processor outputting platform position and velocity data;
• and
• a roll processor configured to:
• correlate the antenna signals from at least one satellite in a roll processor correlator driven synchronously at the tracking loop frequency of the corresponding satellite correlator of the receiver processor and outputting correlated antenna signals;
• measure IQ characteristics of the roll processor correlated antenna signals without intermediate processing;
• accept the platform position and velocity data;
• and
• determine roll information from said measured IQ characteristics and said platform position and velocity in a roll filter, said roll filter including platform roll dynamics and outputting said roll information.

A method for determining roll of a spinning platform comprising the steps of:

• receiving GPS signals at a single antenna outputting antenna signals;
• correlating the antenna signals received from at least four satellites in a receiver processor correlator outputting correlated antenna signals;
• determining platform position and velocity with the receiver processor correlated antenna signals;
• correlating the antenna signals received from at least one satellite in a roll processor correlator outputting correlated antenna signals, said roll processor correlator driven synchronously at the tracking loop frequency of the corresponding receiver processor satellite correlator;
• measuring IQ characteristics of the correlated antenna signals output from said roll processor correlator without intermediate processing;
• and
• determining roll information from said measured IQ characteristics and said platform position and velocity in a roll filter, said roll filter outputting said roll information.

A method for determining roll of a spinning platform comprising the steps of:

• receiving GPS signals at a single antenna outputting antenna signals;
• correlating the antenna signals received from at least four satellites in a receiver processor correlator outputting correlated antenna signals;
• determining platform position and velocity with the receiver processor correlated antenna signals;
• correlating the antenna signals received from at least one satellite in a roll processor correlator outputting correlated antenna signals, said roll processor correlator driven synchronously at the tracking loop frequency of the corresponding receiver processor satellite correlator;
• measuring IQ characteristics of the correlated antenna signals output from said roll processor correlator without intermediate processing;
• and
• determining roll information from said measured IQ characteristics and said platform position and velocity in a roll filter, said roll filter including platform roll dynamics and outputting said roll information.