Multi-Receiver GNSS Positioning for Wrong Fix Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
GNSS receivers experience accuracy degradation under weak signal conditions, leading to cycle slip and integer ambiguity resolution failures, which result in significant position errors and reduced robustness in positioning systems.
Innovation Solution
Integrate measurements from multiple GNSS receivers using an antenna baseline vector to enhance positioning accuracy by reducing wrong fix errors and improving carrier phase cycle slip detection and repair, thereby facilitating faster convergence and alignment with inertial measurement units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If carrier phase measurements are used to achieve higher positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to cycle slip errors and requires constant lock maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines measurements from multiple GNSS receivers into a unified baseline solution. By merging data from multiple receivers observing the same satellite signals, the system achieves higher positioning accuracy through differential processing while the redundant measurements provide inherent protection against cycle slip errors, reducing the need for constant re-locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the baseline solution and provides feedback on measurement quality and lock status. When cycle slip detection occurs or lock is lost, the system can quickly re-acquire and resolve ambiguities using the established baseline framework, maintaining constant accuracy without requiring complete re-initialization.
2Measurement precision
If multiple GNSS receivers are integrated using antenna baseline vectors, then wrong fix errors are reduced and positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the positioning system into independent receiver units, each capable of autonomous operation and measurement collection. By dividing the system into modular receiver segments that can be independently configured and processed, the complexity of integrating multiple receivers is reduced while still achieving the accuracy benefits of baseline processing.
3Loss of time
If IAR is resolved quickly to improve positioning accuracy, then convergence time is reduced, but the system becomes more sensitive to cycle slip failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary ambiguity resolution using preliminary integer ambiguity estimates before finalizing the baseline solution. This preliminary action allows the system to quickly converge to an initial accurate position while maintaining the flexibility to detect and correct cycle slip errors that may occur during or after the resolution process, reducing sensitivity to timing-related failures.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for integrating GNSS measurements between two or more GNSS receivers. An example method includes determining an antenna baseline vector based on relative locations of a first antenna that is communicatively coupled to a first GNSS receiver and a second antenna that is communicatively coupled to a second GNSS receiver, determining a first position estimate and a first integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) status with the first GNSS receiver at a first time, determining a second position estimate and a second IAR status with the second GNSS receiver at approximately the first time, computing a horizontal offset value based on the antenna baseline vector and a difference between the first position estimate and the second position estimate, and generating the wrong fix indication in response to the first IAR status being fixed, the second IAR status being fixed, and the horizontal offset value being greater than a threshold value.