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The positioning performance of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network real-time kinematic (NRTK) depends on regional atmospheric error modeling. Under normal atmospheric conditions, NRTK positioning provides high accuracy and rapid initialization. However, fluctuations in atmospheric conditions can lead to poor atmospheric error modeling, resulting in significant atmospheric biases that affect the positioning accuracy, initialization speed, and reliability of NRTK positioning. Consequently, this decreases the efficiency of NRTK operations. In response to these challenges, this paper proposes a fast and reliable NRTK positioning method based on sequential ambiguity resolution (SAR) of multi-frequency combined observations. This method processes observations from extra-wide-lane (EWL), wide-lane (WL), and narrow-lane (NL) measurements; performs sequential AR using the LAMBDA algorithm; and subsequently constrains other parameters using fixed ambiguities. Ultimately, this method achieves high precision, rapid initialization, and reliable positioning. Experimental analysis was conducted using Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) data, with baseline lengths ranging from 88 km to 110 km. The results showed that the proposed algorithm offers positioning accuracy comparable to conventional algorithms in conventional NRTK positioning and has higher fixed rate and positioning accuracy in single-epoch positioning. On two datasets, the proposed algorithm demonstrated over 30% improvement in time to first fix (TTFF) compared to conventional algorithms. It provides higher precision in suboptimal positioning solutions when conventional NRTK algorithms fail to achieve fixed solutions during the initialization phase. These experiments highlight the advantages of the proposed algorithm in terms of initialization speed and positioning reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location-based smartphone service brings new development opportunities for seamless indoor/outdoor positioning. However, in complex scenarios such as cities, tunnels, overpasses, forests, etc., using only GNSS on smartphones cannot provide stable and reliable positioning results. Usually, additional sensors are needed to assist GNSS. This paper investigates the GNSS positioning algorithm assisted by pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) in complex scenarios. First, we introduce a step detection algorithm based on the peak–valley of acceleration modulus, and the Weinberg model and the Mahony algorithm in PDR are used to estimate step length and heading. On this basis, we evaluated the performance of GNSS/PDR fusion positioning in an open scenario, a semiopen scenario, and a blocked scenario, respectively. Finally, we develop a GNSS/PDR real-time positioning software, called China University of Mining and Technology-POSitioning (CUMT-POS) version 1.0, on the Android 10 platform. By comparing GNSS solutions, PDR solutions, GNSS/PDR solutions, and real-time kinematic (RTK) solutions, we verify the potential auxiliary ability of PDR for GNSS positioning in complex environments, proving that multisource sensor fusion positioning significantly improves reliability and stability. Our research can help the realization of urban informatization and smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integer Aperture Bootstrapping (IAB) is a crucial method for testing ambiguity acceptance in carrier-phase differential global navigation satellite system (CDGNSS) positioning. It has the advantage that integrity parameters, such as the failure rate, can be analytically calculated, which is essential in safety-of-life applications. Although the IAB methods have been extensively studied, their threshold-determining method is still not well explained, theoretically. In this study, a new method, named Analytical Integer Aperture Bootstrapping (AIAB), is theoretically derived to determine the optimal IAB threshold. AIAB is novel in that: (1) a precise and easy-to-compute expression has been developed to describe the relationship between the IAB threshold and the failure rate, (2) an analytical function model has been derived from the expression to determine the IAB threshold; moreover, the function model is simplified, and (3) a data-constraint approach has been proposed to reduce the complexity of IAB. In the global CDGNSS simulations, AIAB is shown to outperform the existing IAB methods under both strong and weak models, particularly at low fix rates, which are 23% to 40% higher than the basic IAB method. The Monte Carlo simulation results show that AIAB can obtain almost theoretically the same performance as Optimal Integer Aperture (OIA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite orbit information is crucial for ensuring that global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) provide appropriate positioning, navigation and timing services. Typically, users can obtain access to orbit information of a specific accuracy level from navigation messages or precise ephemeris products. Without this information, a system will not be able to provide normal service. In response to this problem, initial orbit information of a certain level of precision must be obtained to support subsequent applications, such as broadcasting or precise ephemeris calculations, thereby ensuring the successful subsequent operation of the navigation system. One of two ways to calculate the initial orbit of a GNSS satellite is to utilize ground tracking stations to observe satellite vector information in the geocentric inertial system; the second way is to utilize GNSS range observations and known orbit information from other satellites. For the second approach, some researchers use the Bancroft algorithm combined with receiver clock offset to determine the initial orbit of GNSS satellites. Because this method requires an additional known receiver clock offset, we study the dependence of the Bancroft algorithm on clock offset in GNSS orbit determination. By assessing the impact of errors of different magnitude on the accuracy of the orbit results, we obtain experimental conclusions. After comprehensively analyzing various errors, we determine the accuracy level that the Bancroft algorithm can achieve for orbit determination without considering receiver clock correction. Dual-frequency and single-frequency pseudorange data from International GNSS Service stations are used in orbit determination experiments. When a small receiver clock offset is considered and no correction is made, the deviations in the calculated satellite positions in three dimensions are approximately 979.3 and 1118.1 m (dual and single frequency); with a satellite clock offset, these values are approximately 928.8 and 1062.7 m (dual and single frequency). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receiver code biases (RCBs) have long been identified as time-constant. However, RCBs can exhibit remarkable intraday variability, which affects GNSS-based ionospheric retrieval and timing applications with different combinations. Previous studies remain on characterizing the variation of geometry-free linear combinations. In this contribution, we propose a modified geometry-free (MGF) GNSS model to extract the receiver code bias variations (RCBVs). We collect 153 stations to test the MGF model and characterize the estimated RCBVs. The results show that RCBVs bear a strong linear correlation with intraday temperature, which is receiver and constellation dependent. Many stations exhibit significant RCBV, even 10% of stations, of which RCBV exceeds 5 ns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) cannot provide normal location services in an indoor environment because the signals are blocked by buildings. The Beidou satellite navigation system (BDS)/GPS indoor array pseudolite system is proposed to overcome the problems of indoor positioning with conventional pseudolite, such as time synchronization, ambiguity resolution and base stations. At the same time, an algorithm for Doppler differential positioning is proposed to improve the indoor positioning accuracy and the positioning coverage of the system, which uses the Doppler difference equation and Known Point Initialization (KPI) to determinate the velocity and position of the receiver. Experiments were conducted to verify the proposed system under different conditions; the average positioning error of the Doppler differential positioning algorithm was 7.86 mm in the kinematic test and 2.9 mm in the static test. The results show that BDS/GPS indoor array pseudolite system has the potential to make indoor positioning achieve sub-centimeter precision. Finally, the positioning error of the proposed algorithm is also analyzed, and the data tests show that the dilution of precision (DOP) and cycle- slips have a significant impact on the indoor positioning accuracy; a cycle-slip of a half-wavelength can cause positioning errors of tens of millimeters. Therefore, the Doppler-aided cycle-slip detection method (DACS) is proposed to detect cycle-slips of one cycle or greater than one, and the carrier phase double difference cycle-slip detection method (CPDD) is used to detect cycle slips of a half-wavelength., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.