Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A new approach to modernized GPS phase-only ambiguity resolution over long baselines

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Geodesy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the advent of modernized GPS, triple-frequency phase measurements (L1, L2, and L5) are available for civil use. The successful ambiguity resolution of the integer ambiguities of the phase measurements will be the key to centimeter-level positioning. In order to achieve ambiguity resolution over long baselines, code measurements (pseudorange) are regularly incorporated with the phase measurements in the observation model. However, code multipath affects ambiguity resolution and thus completely eliminating the influence is an important issue. Therefore, the present study proposes an approach that uses only the phase measurements in the observation model. The proposed approach has three steps and focuses on resolving the integer ambiguities of the triple-frequency phase measurements. Simulation baseline data were processed by the proposed approach and the results show that the integer ambiguities of the phase measurements can be successfully resolved and that satellite geometry is an important factor for the phase-only ambiguity resolution performance. Real triple-frequency GPS data from currently available Block IIF satellites were also processed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bossler JD, Goad CC, Bender PL (1980) Using the global positioning system (GPS) for geodetic positioning. Bulletin géodesique 54:553–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chu F-Y, Yang M (2014) GPS/Galileo long baseline computation: method and performance analyses. GPS Solut 18:263–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cocard M, Bourgon S, Kamali O, Collins P (2008) A systematic investigation of optimal carrier-phase combinations for modernized triple-frequency GPS. J Geod 82:555–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dow JM, Neilan RE, Gendt G (2005) The international GPS service: celebrating the 10th anniversary and looking to the next decade. Adv Space Res 36:320–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dow JM, Neilan RE, Rizos C (2009) The international GNSS service in a changing landscape of global navigation satellite systems. J Geod 86(3–4):191–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan J, Bevis M, Fang P, Bock Y, Chiswell S, Businger S, Rocken C, Solheim F, Tv H, Ware R, McClusky S, Herring TA, King RW (1996) GPS meteorology: direct estimation of the absolute value of precipitable water. J Appl Meteorol 35:830–838

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Euler HJ, Schaffrin B (1990) On a measure for the discernibility between different ambiguity solutions in the static-kinematic GPS-mode. In: Proceeding of IAG symposia no. 107: kinematic systems in geodesy, surveying, and remote sensing, Alberta, pp 285–295

  • Feng Y (2008) GNSS three carrier ambiguity resolution using ionosphere-reduced virtual signals. J Geod 82:847–862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng Y, Rizos C (2009) Network-based geometry-free three carrier ambiguity resolution and phase bias calibration. GPS Solut 13:43–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goad C, Yang M (1997) A new approach to precision airborne GPS positioning for photogrammetry. Photogramm Eng Remote Sens 63:1067–1077

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann-Wellenhof B, Lichtenegger H, Wasle E (2008) GNSS-global navigation satellite systems. Springer, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopfield HS (1969) Two-quartic tropospheric refractivity profile for correcting satellite data. J Geophys Res 74:4487–4499

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleusberg A, Teunissen PJG (1996) GPS for geodesy. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Koch KR (1999) Parameter estimation and hypothesis testing in linear models, 2nd edn. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Leick A (2004) GPS satellite surveying, 3rd edn. Willey, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Feng Y, Shen Y (2010) Three carrier ambiguity resolution: distance-independent performance demonstrated using semi-generated triple frequency GPS signals. GPS Solut 14:177–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Verhagen S, Teunissen PJG (2014) Robustness of GNSS integer ambiguity resolution in the presence of atmospheric biases. GPS Solut 18:283–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu G, Liao Y, Wen Y, Zhu J, Feng X (2007) Simulation and evaluation on the performance of the proposed constellation of global navigation satellite system. In: Proceeding of Asia simulation conference 2007, Seoul, pp 103–111

  • Mannucci AJ, Tsurutani BT, Iijima BA, Komjathy A, Saito A, Gonzalez WD, Guarnieri FL, Kozyra JU, Skoug R (2005) Dayside global ionospheric response to the major interplanetray events of October 29–30 “Halloween Storms”. Geophys Res Lett 32:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melbourne WG (1985) The case for ranging in GPS based geodetic system. In: First international symposium on position with global positioning system, Rockville, pp 373–386

  • Montenbruck O, Hauschild A, Steigenberger P, Hugentobler U, Teunissen P, Nakamura S (2013) Initial assessment of the COMPASS/BeiDou-2 regional navigation satellite system. GPS Solut 17(2):211–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nee RDJV (1992) Multipath effects on GPS code phase measurements. Navigation 39:177–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odijk D, HvD M, Song I (2000) Precise GPS positioning by applying ionospheric corrections from an active control network. GPS Solut 3:49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odijk D (2003) Ionosphere-free phase combinations for modernized GPS. J Surv Eng 129:165–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafael CG, Woods RE (2002) Digital image processing. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaer S, Gurtner W, Feltens J (1998) The ionosphere map exchange format version 1. In: IGS analysis centers workshop, Darmstadt, pp 233–247

  • Tang W, Deng C, Shi C, Liu J (2014) Triple-frequency carrier ambiguity resolution for Beidou navigation satellite system. GPS Solut 18:335–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG, Joosten P, Tiberius C (2002) A comparison of TCAR, CIR and LAMBDA GNSS ambiguity resolution. In: Proceeding of the ION GPS 2002, Portland, pp 2799–2808

  • Teunissen PJG (1995) The least-squares ambiguity decorrelation adjustment: a method for fast GPS integer ambiguity estimation. J Geod 70:65–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG (1997) The geometry-free GPS ambiguity search space with a weighted ionosphere. J Geod 71:370–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG, de Jonge PJ, Tiberius CCJM (1997) The least-squares ambiguity decorrelation adjustment: its performance on short GPS baselines and short observation spans. J Geod 71:589–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG (1999) An optimality property of the integer least-squares estimator. J Geod 73:587–593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG, Odijk D (2003) Rank-defect integer estimation and phase-only modernized GPS ambiguity resolution. J Geod 76:523–535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teunissen PJG, Verhagen S (2009) The GNSS ambiguity ratio-test revisited: a better way of using it. Surv Rev 41:138–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhagen S (2004) Integer ambiguity validation: an open problem? GPS Solut 8:36–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang M, Tang C-H, Yu T-T (2000) Development and assessment of a medium-range real-time kinematic GPS algorithm using an ionospheric information filter. Earth Planets space 52:783–788

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Lachapelle G (2001) Precise estimation of residual tropospheric delays using a regional GPS network for real-time kinematic applications. J Geod 75:255–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the National Land Surveying and Mapping Center and the Ministry of Science and Technology (Project numbers 104-2221-E-006-047-MY3 and 104-2119-M-006-015) of Taiwan for their support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    Feng-Yu Chu & Ming Yang

  2. Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Chung Li, Taiwan

    Joz Wu

Authors
  1. Feng-Yu Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ming Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Joz Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ming Yang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chu, FY., Yang, M. & Wu, J. A new approach to modernized GPS phase-only ambiguity resolution over long baselines. J Geod 90, 241–254 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-015-0869-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-015-0869-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation