Electromagnetic Interference Effect of Portable Electronic Device with Satellite Communication to GPS Antenna.

Abstract

Recent technological advancements have resulted in the emergence of portable electronic devices (PEDs), including mobile phones equipped with satellite communication capabilities. These devices generally emit higher power, which can potentially cause electromagnetic interference to GPS antennas. This study uses both simulation and experimental methods to evaluate the interference path loss (<i>IPL</i>) between PEDs located inside an A320 aircraft and an external GPS antenna. The effects of PED location, antenna polarization, and frequency bands on <i>IPL</i> were simulated and analyzed. Additionally, measurement experiments were conducted on an A320 aircraft, and statistical methods were used to compare the experimental data with the simulation results. Considering the front-door coupling of both spurious and intentional radiated emissions, the measured <i>IPL</i> is up to 15 ± 3 dB lower than the IPLtarget. This result should be interpreted with caution. This issue offers new insights into the potential risks of electromagnetic interference in aviation environments. The findings help quantify the probability of interference with GPS antennas. Furthermore, the modeling simplification method used in this study may be applicable to the analysis of other large and complex structures.