Integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (iGNSS) QoS prediction

Navigation applications, among other location-based applications, that rely primarily on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are subject to positioning uncertainties. This paper presents an integrated GNSS (IGNSS) QOS prediction methodology that can provide navigation applications with quality of GNSS positions on prospective roads in a selected route ahead of time. As a part of the methodology, this paper discusses the technique for simulating signal paths using lidar data and signal propagation models for predicting levels of satellite visibility, positional availability, and positional accuracy. Experiments were conducted, and the predicted results by IGNSS QOS were evaluated against reference data (GPS coordinates) at various environment settings. Evaluation results indicated that IGNSS QOS can predict positioning quality with reasonably a high level of confidence in open sky locations and with some uncertainties in obstructed locations. © 2012 American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.