Kinematic ME-MAFA for Pseudolite Carrier-Phase Ambiguity Resolution in Precise Single-Point Positioning

Area of Science:

• Geomatics Engineering
• Satellite Navigation Systems
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Carrier-phase positioning systems, like synchronized pseudolites, offer precise single-point positioning.
• Ambiguity resolution (AR) is critical for rapid and reliable carrier-phase positioning.
• Conventional methods like LAMBDA struggle with cycle slips in multipath environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel AR method robust to cycle slips in pseudolite systems.
• To enhance the Modified Ambiguity Function Approach (MAFA) for kinematic applications.
• To improve computational efficiency and reliability of AR in dense multipath conditions.

Main Methods:

• A new AR method based on the Modified Ambiguity Function Approach (MAFA) is proposed, designed to be insensitive to cycle slips.
• The kinematic multi-epoch MAFA (kinematic ME-MAFA) algorithm is developed to strengthen the model and mitigate multipath biases.
• A heuristic method utilizing Doppler-based velocity for 'float position' prediction is implemented for enhanced computational efficiency.

Main Results:

• The kinematic ME-MAFA algorithm demonstrates feasibility and reliability through numerical simulations and kinematic experiments.
• A method for computing the success rate of the kinematic ME-MAFA is proposed, enabling reliable positioning.
• Horizontal positioning accuracy better than 1.7 centimeters was achieved in the pseudolite system.

Conclusions:

• The proposed kinematic ME-MAFA algorithm provides a reliable and accurate solution for ambiguity resolution in pseudolite positioning.
• The method effectively overcomes cycle slip issues and multipath interference common in dense environments.
• Centimeter-level positioning accuracy can be guaranteed without additional ambiguity validation when the success rate is high.