The Stanford-ESA integrity diagram: focusing on SBAS integrity

Abstract

In this article, a new concept for SBAS integrity validation is presented. The proposed concept is a modification of the well known Stanford diagram [2], where a 2D histogram shows the relationship of position errors against protection levels for a set of measurements using an all in view satellite selection. The new method consists on two diagrams: the Worse-Safety Index diagram and the “All-Geometries” diagram, known here as the Stanford-ESA and the All-Stanford-ESA, respectively. The first consist on taking, at each sample time and given location, the worst possible satellite geometrical combination (out of all possible combinations) from a SBAS integrity margin viewpoint. In the second, all possible geometries are displayed and, in case of MIs, the geometries associated to each epoch are leveled with different symbols and colors. It allows, to easily identify the different clusters and to assess the time correlation of the events. Real measurement results are presented here showing that the EGNOS integrity margins remain safe under this very exigent criterion, a certainly very positive result. It is suggested here to use the Stanford-ESA Integrity concept, for routine performance monitoring and to support and complement the safety case of the EGNOS system with real experimental data.

Peer Reviewed

Postprint (published version)