Improving Precise Point Positioning Convergence Time through TEQC Multipath Linear Combination
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
Pseudorange multipath and noise are still considered the major sources of error in precise point positioning (PPP) solutions. If multipath and noise were correctly mitigated from the pseudoranges, the accurate estimation of float ambiguities could be achieved rapidly; thus, a reduction in PPP convergence time would be realized. In this study, three different methods were used: (1) the known multipath linear combination using the postprocessed (PP) average; (2) the multipath linear combination with the moving average by translation, editing, and quality check (TEQC) software; and (3) the modified stochastic modeling or weights based on the multipath linear combination. TEQC software is one of the most famous tools used to solve the preprocessing problems for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data. TEQC software was used to provide multipath corrections according to a multipath linear combination that depends on the moving average algorithm for a seven-day data set from 75 international global positioning system service stations. The improvements were computed by comparing the proposed methods with the traditional PPP solution for which all pseudorange measurements are equally weighted. The results of this study indicate that the improvements of the convergence time were achieved for 32 and 41.5% of the data set using the postprocessed multipath linear combination and the modified weighting scheme derived from a TEQC multipath linear combination, respectively. Also, the results indicate that only the traditional PPP enhanced by the TEQC multipath linear combination and the traditional PPP have the same convergence performances.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the editor and reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the quality of the paper. This work was supported by a Mansoura University research grant. The authors gratefully acknowledge this support.
References
Bilich, A., and Larson, K. M. (2007). “Mapping the GPS multipath environment using the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).” Radio Sci., 42(6), RS6003.
Collins, J. P., and Langley, R. B. (1999). “Possible weighting schemes for GPS carrier phase observations in the presence of multipath.” Rep. TCN98151, Geodetic Research Laboratory, Dept. of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, Univ. of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
CSRS-PPP [Computer software]. Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa.
Dixon, T. H. (1991). “An introduction to the global positioning system and some geological applications.” Rev. Geophys., 29(2), 249–276.
Elsobeiey, M., and El-Rabbany, A. (2012). “On modelling of second-order ionospheric delay for GPS precise point positioning.” J. Navig., 65(1), 59–72.
Estey, L. H., and Meertens, C. M. (1999). “TEQC: The multi-purpose toolkit for GPS/GLONASS data.” GPS Solutions, 3(1), 42–49.
Fenton, P. C., and Jones, J. (2005). “The theory and performance of NovAtel Inc.’s vision correlator.” Proc., 18th Int. Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2005, Institute of Navigation, Manassas, VA, 2178–2186.
Fuhrmann, T., Luo, X., Knöpfler, A., and Mayer, M. (2015). “Generating statistically robust multipath stacking maps using congruent cells.” GPS Solutions, 19(1), 83–92.
Gao, Y., and Shen, X. (2002). “A new method for carrier-phase-based precise point positioning.” Navigation, 49(2), 109–116.
Ge, M., Gendt, G., Rothacher, M., Shi, C., and Liu, J. (2008). “Resolution of GPS carrier-phase ambiguities in precise point positioning (PPP) with daily observations.” J. Geodesy, 82(7), 389–399.
Geng, J. (2011). “Rapid integer ambiguity resolution in GPS precise point positioning.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K.
IGS (International GNSS Service). (2017). “IGS network.” 〈http://www.igs.org/network〉 (Dec. 29, 2017).
Kouba, J., and Héroux, P. (2001). “Precise point positioning using IGS orbit and clock products.” GPS Solutions, 5(2), 12–28.
Langley, R. B. (1997). “GPS receiver system noise.” GPS World, 8(6), 40–45.
Larson, K. M., Bilich, A., and Axelrad, P. (2007). “Improving the precision of high-rate GPS.” J. Geophys. Res., 112, B05422.
Lau, L. (2012). “Comparison of measurement and position domain multipath filtering techniques with the repeatable GPS orbits for static antennas.” Surv. Rev., 44(324), 9–16.
Li, X., et al. (2015). “Accuracy and reliability of multi-GNSS real-time precise positioning: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo.” J. Geod., 89(6), 607–635.
Li, B., and Shen, Y. (2010). “Global navigation satellite system ambiguity resolution with constraints from normal equations.” J. Surv. Eng., 63–71.
Li, P., and Zhang, X. (2014). “Integrating GPS and GLONASS to accelerate convergence and initialization times of precise point positioning.” GPS Solutions, 18(3), 461–471.
Lou, Y., Zheng, F., Gu, S., Wang, C., Guo, H., and Feng, Y. (2016). “Multi-GNSS precise point positioning with raw single-frequency and dual-frequency measurement models.” GPS Solutions, 20(4), 849–862.
MATLAB [Computer software]. MathWorks, Natick, MA.
Mireault, Y., Tétreault, P., Lahaye, F., Héroux, P., and Kouba, J. (2008). “Online precise point positioning: A new, timely service from Natural Resources Canada.” GPS World, 19(9), 59–64.
Ogaja, C., and Hedfors, J. (2007). “TEQC multipath metrics in MATLAB.” GPS Solutions, 11(3), 215–222.
Ray, J. K., Cannon, M. E., and Fenton, P. (1999). “Code range and carrier phase multipath mitigation using SNR, range and phase measurements in a multi-antenna system.” Proc., 12th Int. Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation, ION GPS 99, Institute of Navigation, Manassas, VA, 713–726.
Seepersad, G., and Bisnath, S. (2014). “Challenges in assessing PPP performance.” J. Appl. Geod., 8(3), 205–222.
Seepersad, G., and Bisnath, S. (2015). “Reduction of PPP convergence period through pseudorange multipath and noise mitigation.” GPS Solutions, 19(3), 369–379.
Teunissen, P. J. G. (1996). “An analytical study of ambiguity decorrelation using dual frequency code and carrier phase.” J. Geod., 70(8), 515–528.
Townsend, B. R., Fenton, P. C., Van Dierendonck, K. J., and van Nee, R. D. J. (1995). “L1 Carrier phase multipath error reduction using MEDLL technology.” Proc., 8th Int. Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, Institute of Navigation, Satellite Division, Manassas, VA, 1539–1544.
Tranquilla, J. M., Carr, J. P., and Al-Rizzo, H. M. (1994). “Analysis of a choke ring ground plane for multipath control in Global Positioning System (GPS) applications.” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 42(7), 905–911.
Van Dierendonck, A. J., Fenton, P., and Ford, T. (1992). “Theory and performance of narrow correlator technology in GPS receiver.” Navigation, 39(3), 265–283.
Wang, G., de Jong, K., Zhao, Q., Hu, Z., and Guo, J. (2015). “Multipath analysis of code measurements for BeiDou geostationary satellites.” GPS Solut., 19(1), 129–139.
Xia, L., Liu, J., Zhang, S., and Deng, Y. (1999). “Analysis on code multipath mitigation by phase—Aided smoothing.” Geo-Spatial Inform. Sci., 2(1), 73–77.
Zhu, L., Lai, Y.-C., Shah, M., and Mahmood, S. (2007). “Efficiency of carrier-phase integer ambiguity resolution for precise GPS positioning in noisy environments.” J. Geod., 81(2), 149–156.
Zumberge, J. F., Heflin, M. R., Jefferson, D. C., Watkins, M. M., and Webb, F. H. (1997). “Precise point positioning for the efficient and robust analysis of GPS data from large networks.” J. Geophys. Res., 102, 5005–5017.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 23, 2016
Accepted: Nov 15, 2017
Published online: Jan 29, 2018
Published in print: May 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jun 29, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.