Abstract
In recent years, there is an increasing demand for precise positioning with low-cost GNSS devices in support of applications from self-driving cars to unmanned aerial vehicles. Although single-frequency GNSS devices are still dominant in the low-cost market to date, some GNSS manufacturers have released low-cost dual-frequency GNSS devices, which are able to track new civilian signals such as L2C or L5. With dual-frequency GNSS measurements, the ionospheric delays can be eliminated by forming ionospheric-free combinations to further improve the positioning accuracy and reliability with low-cost GNSS devices. Extensive work has been conducted in the past for precise point positioning using high-end dual-frequency GNSS receivers. For low-cost GNSS-based PPP, there are some issues that need to be addressed. One is that current low-cost dual-frequency receivers can track only civil signals but not all GPS satellites currently transmit L2C or L5 civil signals. This means that fewer dual-frequency GNSS measurements are available for position determination. Another is that the measurement quality of low-cost receivers is not as good as high-end receivers. The above will not only increase the convergence time but also affect the obtainable positioning accuracy. We propose a new method in which not only the conventional dual-frequency ionospheric-free code and phase measurements, but also the single-frequency ionosphere-corrected code measurements with precise ionospheric products, are adopted for position determination. To be more specific, ionospheric-free code and phase combinations are applied to satellites with the second civil signal, while the single-frequency ionosphere-corrected code measurement is applied to all observed satellites. Both stationary and automotive experiments have been conducted to assess the performance of the new method. The field test results show that it can quickly reach half-meter accuracy in horizontal at a much faster convergence speed than the conventional DF-PPP which would usually take several minutes to reach a similar accuracy. This indicates that the new method is more suitable for mass-market applications with low-cost GNSS devices.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alkan R, Öcalan T (2013) Usability of the GPS precise point positioning technique in marine applications. J Navig 66:579–588. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0373463313000210
Ashby N (2003) Relativity in the global positioning system. Living Rev Relativ 6:1. https://doi.org/10.12942/lrr-2003-1
Bisnath S, Gao Y (2009) Current state of precise point positioning and future prospects and limitations. In: Sideris MG (ed) Observing our changing earth. International association of geodesy symposia, vol 133. Springer, New York, pp 615–623
Bisnath S, Wells D, Dodd D (2003) Evaluation of commercial carrier phase-based WADGPS services for marine applications. In: Proceedings of ION GPS/GNSS 2003, Institute of Navigation, Portland, Oregon, USA, 9–12 September, pp 17–27
Böhm J, Niell A, Tregoning P, Schuh H (2006) Global mapping function (GMF): a new empirical mapping function based on numerical weather model data. Geophys Res Lett 33:L07304. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL025546
Bona P (2000) Precision, cross correlation, and time correlation of GPS phase and code observations. GPS Solut 4:3–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00012839
Byun SH, Bar-Sever YE (2009) A new type of troposphere zenith path delay product of the international GNSS service. J Geod 83:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-008-0288-8
Cai C, Gao Y (2013) Modeling and assessment of combined GPS/GLONASS precise point positioning. GPS Solut 17:223–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-012-0273-9
Dach R, Lutz S, Walser P, Fridez P (2015) Bernese GNSS software version 5.2. User manual. Astronomical Institute, University of Bern, Bern Open Publishing, Bern
de Bakker PF, Tiberius CCJM (2017) Real-time multi-GNSS single-frequency precise point positioning. GPS Solut 21:1791–1803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-017-0653-2
Deng Z, Fritsche M, Uhlemann M, Wickert J, Schuh H (2016) Reprocessing of GFZ multi-GNSS product GBM. In: Proceedings of IGS workshop 2016, Sydney, Australia, February 8–12, 2016
Gendt G, Dick G, Reigber C, Tomassini M, Liu Y, Ramatschi M (2004) Near real time GPS water vapor monitoring for numerical weather prediction in Germany. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 82:361–370. https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2004.361
Geng J, Teferle FN, Meng X, Dodson A (2010) Kinematic precise point positioning at remote marine platforms. GPS Solut 14:343–350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-009-0157-9
Gu S, Shi C, Lou Y, Liu J (2015) Ionospheric effects in uncalibrated phase delay estimation and ambiguity-fixed PPP based on raw observable model. J Geod 89:447–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-015-0789-1
Guo J, Xu X, Zhao Q, Liu J (2016) Precise orbit determination for quad-constellation satellites at Wuhan University: strategy, result validation, and comparison. J Geod 90:143–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-015-0862-9
Guo J et al (2018) Multi-GNSS precise point positioning for precision agriculture. Precision Agric 19:895–911. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-018-9563-8
Hadas T, Bosy J (2015) IGS RTS precise orbits and clocks verification and quality degradation over time. GPS Solut 19:93–105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0369-5
Kazmierski K, Sośnica K, Hadas T (2018) Quality assessment of multi-GNSS orbits and clocks for real-time precise point positioning. GPS Solut 22:11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-017-0678-6
Keller RJ, Nichols ME, Lange AF (2003) Methods and apparatus for precision agriculture operations utilizing real time kinematic global positioning system systems. United States patent US6553299B1
Kouba J (2003) Measuring seismic waves induced by large earthquakes with GPS. Stud Geophys Geod 47:741–755. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026390618355
Kouba J, Héroux P (2001) Precise point positioning using IGS orbit and clock products. GPS Solut 5:12–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00012883
Leick A, Rapoport L, Tatarnikov D (2015) GPS satellite surveying, 4th edn. Wiley, Hoboken
Li X et al (2013) Real-time high-rate co-seismic displacement from ambiguity-fixed precise point positioning: application to earthquake early warning. Geophys Res Lett 40:295–300. https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50138
Li X, Dick G, Ge M, Heise S, Wickert J, Bender M (2014) Real-time GPS sensing of atmospheric water vapor: precise point positioning with orbit, clock, and phase delay corrections. Geophys Res Lett 41:3615–3621. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058721
Li X, Zhang X, Ren X, Fritsche M, Wickert J, Schuh H (2015) Precise positioning with current multi-constellation global navigation satellite systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Sci Rep 5:8328
Liu T, Yuan Y, Zhang B, Wang N, Tan B, Chen Y (2017) Multi-GNSS precise point positioning (MGPPP) using raw observations. J Geod 91:253–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-016-0960-3
Lou Y, Zheng F, Gu S, Wang C, Guo H, Feng Y (2016) Multi-GNSS precise point positioning with raw single-frequency and dual-frequency measurement models. GPS Solut 20:849–862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-015-0495-8
Loyer S, Perosanz F, Mercier F, Capdeville H, Mezerette A (2016) CNES/CLS IGS analysis center: contribution to MGEX and recent activities. In: Proceedings of IGS workshop 2016, Sydney, Australia, February 8–12, 2016
Malys S, Jensen PA (1990) Geodetic point positioning with GPS carrier beat phase data from the CASA UNO experiment. Geophys Res Lett 17:651–654. https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i005p00651
Montenbruck O et al (2017) The multi-GNSS experiment (MGEX) of the international GNSS service (IGS)—achievements, prospects and challenges. Adv Space Res 59:1671–1697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2017.01.011
Nie Z, Gao Y, Wang Z, Ji S, Yang H (2018) An approach to GPS clock prediction for real-time PPP during outages of RTS stream. GPS Solut 22:14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-017-0681-y
Nie Z, Yang H, Zhou P, Gao Y, Wang Z (2019a) Quality assessment of CNES real-time ionospheric products. GPS Solut 23:11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-018-0802-2
Nie Z, Zhou P, Liu F, Wang Z, Gao Y (2019b) Evaluation of orbit, clock and ionospheric corrections from five currently available SBAS L1 services: methodology and analysis. Remote Sens 11:411. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11040411
Odolinski R, Teunissen PJ (2016) Single-frequency, dual-GNSS versus dual-frequency, single-GNSS: a low-cost and high-grade receivers GPS-BDS RTK analysis. J Geod 90:1255–1278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-016-0921-x
Petit G, Luzum B (2010) IERS conventions (2010), IERS technical note 36. Verlag des Bundesamtes für Kartographie und Geodäsie, Frankfurt am Main
Prange L, Orliac E, Dach R, Arnold D, Beutler G, Schaer S, Jäggi A (2017) CODE’s five-system orbit and clock solution—the challenges of multi-GNSS data analysis. J Geod 91:345–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-016-0968-8
Saastamoinen J (1972) Atmospheric correction for the troposphere and stratosphere in radio ranging satellites. Use Artif Satell Geod 15:247–251. https://doi.org/10.1029/GM015p0247
Schmid R, Steigenberger P, Gendt G, Ge M, Rothacher M (2007) Generation of a consistent absolute phase-center correction model for GPS receiver and satellite antennas. J Geod 81:781–798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-007-0148-y
Schönemann E, Becker M, Springer T (2011) A new approach for GNSS analysis in a multi-GNSS and multi-signal environment. J Geod Sci 1:204–214. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10156-010-0023-2
Shi C et al (2010) Seismic deformation of the Mw 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake from high-rate GPS observations. Adv Space Res 46:228–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2010.03.006
Wang L, Li Z, Ge M, Neitzel F, Wang Z, Yuan H (2018) Validation and assessment of multi-GNSS real-time precise point positioning in simulated kinematic mode using igs real-time service. Remote Sens 10:337. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10020337
Wright TJ, Houlié N, Hildyard M, Iwabuchi T (2012) Real-time, reliable magnitudes for large earthquakes from 1 Hz GPS precise point positioning: the 2011 Tohoku-Oki (Japan) earthquake. Geophys Res Lett. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051894
Wu J-T, Wu SC, Hajj GA, Bertiger WI, Lichten SM (1993) Effects of antenna orientation on GPS carrier phase. Manuscripta Geodaetica 18:91–98
Xu G, Xu Y (2016) GPS: theory, algorithms and applications, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin
Zumberge J, Heflin M, Jefferson D, Watkins M, Webb FH (1997) Precise point positioning for the efficient and robust analysis of GPS data from large networks. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 102:5005–5017. https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB03860
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge CNES for providing RTS service. Our deepest gratitude also goes to anonymous reviewers for their careful work and thoughtful suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nie, Z., Liu, F. & Gao, Y. Real-time precise point positioning with a low-cost dual-frequency GNSS device. GPS Solut 24, 9 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-019-0922-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-019-0922-3