Multiple Ambiguity Datum Precise Point Positioning Technique Using Multi-Constellation GNSS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou

Mahmoud Abd Rabbou

Department of Civil Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada.

DOI: 10.4236/pos.2015.63004                

Abstract

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is traditionally based on dual-frequency observations of GPS or GPS/GLONASS satellite navigation systems. Recently, new GNSS constellations, such as the European Galileo and the Chinese BeiDou are developing rapidly. With the new IGS project known as IGS MGEX which produces highly accurate GNSS orbital and clock products, multi-constellations PPP becomes feasible. On the other hand, the un-differenced ionosphere-free is commonly used as standard precise point positioning technique. However, the existence of receiver and satellite biases, which are absorbed by the ambiguities, significantly affected the convergence time. Between-satellite-single-difference (BSSD) ionosphere free PPP technique is traditionally used to cancel out the receiver related biases from both code and phase measurements. This paper introduces multiple ambiguity datum (MAD) PPP technique which can be applied to separate the code and phase measurements removing the receiver and satellite code biases affecting the GNSS receiver phase clock and ambiguities parameters. The mathematical model for the three GNSS PPP techniques is developed by considering the current full GNSS constellations. In addition, the current limitations of the GNSS PPP techniques are discussed. Static post-processing results for a number of IGS MGEX GNSS stations are presented to investigate the contribution of the newly GNSS system observations and the newly developed GNSS PPP techniques and its limitations. The results indicate that the additional Galileo and BeiDou observations have a marginal effect on the positioning accuracy and convergence time compared with the existence combined GPS/GLONASS PPP. However, reference to GPS PPP, the contribution of BeiDou observations can be considered geographically dependent. In addition, the results show that the BSSD PPP models slightly enhance the convergence time compared with other PPP techniques. However, both the standard un-differenced and the developed multiple ambiguity datum techniques present comparable positioning accuracy and convergence time due to the lack of code and phase-based satellite clock products and the mathematical correlation between the positioning and ambiguity parameters.

Keywords

GNSS, PPP, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, BSSD, Multiple Ambiguity Datum

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Kouba, J. and Héroux, P. (2001) Precise Point Positioning Using IGS Orbit and Clock Products. GPS Solutions, 5, 12-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/PL00012883
[2]	Gao, Y. and Chen, K.Z. (2004) Performance Analysis of Precise Point Positioning Using Real-Time Orbit and Clock Products. Journal of Global Positioning Systems, 3, 95-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.5081/jgps.3.1.95
[3]	Collins, P., Bisnath, S., Lahaye, F. and Heroux, P. (2010) Undifferenced GPS Ambiguity Resolution Using the Decoupled Clock Model and Ambiguity Datum Fixing. Navigation, 57, 123-135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-4296.2010.tb01772.x
[4]	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. Journal of Geodesy, 82, 389-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00190-007-0187-4
[5]	Geng, J., Shi, C., Ge, M., Dodson, A.H., Lou, Y., Zhao, Q. and Liu, J. (2012) Improving the Estimation of Fractional- Cycle Biases for Ambiguity Resolution in Precise Point Positioning. Journal of Geodesy, 86, 579-589. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00190-011-0537-0
[6]	Geng, J.H., Bock, Y., Melgar, D., Crowell, B.W. and Haase, J.S. (2013) A New Seismogeodetic Approach Applied to GPS and Accelerometer Observations of the 2012 Brawley Seismic Swarm: Implications for Earthquake Early Warning. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 14, 2124-2142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ggge.20144
[7]	Rabbou, M.A. and El-Rabbany, A. (2015) Integration of GPS Precise Point Positioning and MEMS-Based INS Using Unscented Particle Filter. Sensors, 15, 7228-7245. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s150407228
[8]	Xu, P.L., Shi, C., Fang, R.X., Liu, J.N., Niu, X.J., Zhang, Q. and Yanagidani, T. (2013) High-Rate Precise Point Positioning (PPP) to Measure Seismic Wave Motions: An Experimental Comparison of GPS PPP with Inertial Measurement Units. Journal of Geodesy, 87, 361-372. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00190-012-0606-z
[9]	Cai, C.S. and Gao, Y. (2007) Precise Point Positioning Using Combined GPS and GLONASS Observations. Journal of Global Positioning Systems, 16, 13-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.5081/jgps.6.1.13
[10]	Abd Rabbou, M. and El-Rabbany, A. (2015) PPP Accuracy Enhancement Using GPS/GLONASS Observations in Kinematic Mode. Positioning, 6, 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/pos.2015.61001
[11]	Rabbou, M.A. and El-Rabbany, A. (2015) Precise Point Positioning Using Multi-Constellation GNSS Observations for Kinematic Applications. Journal of Applied Geodesy, 9, 15-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jag-2014-0021
[12]	Gutman, S., Fuller-Rowell, T. and Robinson, D. (2003) Using NOAA Atmospheric Models to Improve Ionospheric and Tropospheric Corrections. Proceedings of the US Coast Guard DGPS Symposium, Portsmouth, 17-19 June 2003.
[13]	Kouba, J. (2009) A Guide to Using International GNSS Service (IGS) Products. International GNSS.
[14]	Cai, C., Gao, Y., Pan, L. and Zhu, J. (2015) Precise Point Positioning with Quad-Constellations: GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS and Galileo. Advances in Space Research, 56, 133-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2015.04.001
[15]	Li, X., Zhang, X., Ren, X., Fritsche, M., Wickert, J. and Schuh, H. (2015) Precise Positioning with Current Multi- Constellation Global Navigation Satellite Systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Scientific Reports, 5, 8328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep08328
[16]	Abd Rabbou, M. and El-Rabbany, A. (2014) Tightly Coupled Integration of GPS Precise Point Positioning and MEMS-Based Inertial Systems. GPS Solution, 1-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0415-3
[17]	Phelts, R.E. (2007) Range Biases on Modernized GNSS Codes. Proceedings of the European Navigation Conference GNSS/TimeNav, Geneva, 29 May-1 June 2007. http://waas.stanford.edu/~wwu/papers/gps/PDF/PheltsENC07.pdf
[18]	Shi, J.B. and Gao, Y. (2014) A Comparison of Three PPP Integer Ambiguity Resolution Methods. GPS Solutions, 18, 519-528.
[19]	Hofmann-Wellenhof, B., Lichtenegger, H. and Walse, E. (2008) GNSS Global Navigation Satellite Systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and More. Springer, New York.
[20]	Leick, A. (2004) GPS Satellite Surveying. 3rd Edition, Wiley, New York.
[21]	Montenbruck, O., Steigenberger, P., Khachikyan, R., Weber, G., Langley, R.B., Mervart, L. and Hugentobler, U. (2014) IGS-MGEX: Preparing the Ground for Multi-Constellation GNSS Science. Inside GNSS, 9, 42-49.
[22]	Leandro, R.F., Langley, R.B. and Santos, M.C. (2008) UNB3m_Pack: A Neutral Atmosphere Delay Package for Radiometric Space Techniques. GPS Solutions, 12, 65-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10291-007-0077-5