Byungwoon Park

RRC unnecessary for DGPS messages

The range rate correction (RRC) was useful in reducing the latency error of pseudo-range correction (PRC), and the data baud rate. With selective availability (SA) removed, the temporal variations in the corrections are much smaller, so the issue has been raised as to whether the RRC term is still necessary. We provide results on PRC and RRC variation that account for seasonal, diurnal, and regional differences in the atmosphere and receiver noise statistics. We concluded that setting RRC to zero would help to reduce latency error, and supported this conclusion by static and dynamic tests using commercial receivers and the Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services (RTCM) correction message. The results will be used for defining differential correction messages in the new version 3 standard. The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting tests to address these issues based on results to date because of the potential benefits of reducing the data requirements for differential corrections and thus making available new services over the existing radio-beacon broadcast links. The results of this paper are expected to provide a thorough understanding of the factors affecting the temporal variations of the corrections, and will support the development of standards worldwide

Position Accuracy Improvement by Implementing the DGNSS-CP Algorithm in Smartphones.

The position accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) modules is one of the most significant factors in determining the feasibility of new location-based services for smartphones. Considering the structure of current smartphones, it is impossible to apply the ordinary range-domain Differential GNSS (DGNSS) method. Therefore, this paper describes and applies a DGNSS-correction projection method to a commercial smartphone. First, the local line-of-sight unit vector is calculated using the elevation and azimuth angle provided in the position-related output of Android’s LocationManager, and this is transformed to Earth-centered, Earth-fixed coordinates for use. To achieve position-domain correction for satellite systems other than GPS, such as GLONASS and BeiDou, the relevant line-of-sight unit vectors are used to construct an observation matrix suitable for multiple constellations. The results of static and dynamic tests show that the standalone GNSS accuracy is improved by about 30%–60%, thereby reducing the existing error of 3–4 m to just 1 m. The proposed algorithm enables the position error to be directly corrected via software, without the need to alter the hardware and infrastructure of the smartphone. This method of implementation and the subsequent improvement in performance are expected to be highly effective to portability and cost saving.

The Compact Network RTK Method: An Effective Solution to Reduce GNSS Temporal and Spatial Decorrelation Error

This paper proposes a method that combines compact real-time kinematic (RTK) and reference station (RS) networking techniques, and shows that this approach can reduce both the temporal and spatial decorrelation error. The compact RTK method compatibility with all the conventional network RTK systems, i.e., Master-Auxiliary Concept (MAC), Virtual Reference Stations (VRS), and Flachen-Korrektur Parameter (FKP), is examined theoretically in this paper. To prove that the compact RTK approach is not only valid, but also helpful to the network RTK system, a field test was held using one hour of Receiver Independent Exchange Format (RINEX) data logged every second from Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS). No matter which network RTK method is applied, the Compact Network RTK approach resolves the ambiguity of the carrier phase in 10-40 s and determines position with 6-7 cm horizontal and 7-8 cm vertical error (95%) in a 100 by 100 km region. Moreover, the Compact Network RTK approach enables network RTK service providers to reduce the data-link bandwidth for correction messages to 5-700 bps (bit/s) down from several thousand bps, currently 9600 bps of GPRS/GSM, without a severe degradation of accuracy.

Optimal Hatch Filter with an Adaptive Smoothing Window Width

The Hatch filter is a code-smoothing technique using integrated carrier phase observations. It is an easy technique that non-experts can use to reduce receiver noise on the pseudorange. This paper suggests a new algorithm for the optimal Hatch filter whose smoothing window width varies adaptively depending on the regional, diurnal and seasonal ionospheric variation and satellite elevation angle. We consider both quiet and storm conditions of the ionosphere. Using the well-known quiet ionospheric model, a conservative boundary value for ionospheric storm and the receiver noise statistics function of the satellite elevation angle, this algorithm can mathematically solve the optimal averaging constant for each satellite in every epoch. From a 24 hr data process result and real-time experiment, we found that the position accuracy of the optimal Hatch filter is better and more robust than that of the traditional Hatch filter. The optimal Hatch filter algorithm and its results are expected to provide a new solution for a single-frequency DGPS receiver and a thorough understanding of the relationship between the position error and the averaging constant. Furthermore, a DGPS user who applies this algorithm to a low-cost single-frequency receiver can obtain a more accurate and robust position result than via the classical Hatch filter.

Enhanced SBAS Integration Method Using Combination of Multiple SBAS Corrections

In this paper, we propose a new way of improving DGNSS service using combination of multiple SBAS information. Because SBAS uses Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, it has very large coverage but it can be unavailable in urban canyon because of visibility problem. R. Chen solved this problem by creating Virtual Reference Stations (VRS) using the SBAS signal [1]. VRS converts SBAS signal to RTCM signals corresponding its location, and broadcast the converted RTCM signals over the wireless internet. This method can solve the visibility problem cost effectively. Furthermore it can solve DGNSS coverage problem by creating just a transmitter instead of a reference station. Developing above method, this paper proposes the methods that integrate two or more SBAS signals into one RTCM signal and broadcast it. In Korea, MSAS signal is available even though it is not officially certified for Korean users. As a Korean own SBAS-like system, there is the internet-based KWTB (Korean WADGPS Test Bed) which we developed and released at ION GNSS 2006. As a result, virtually two different SBAS corrections are available in Korea. In this paper, we propose the integration methods for these two independent SBAS corrections and present the test results using the actual measurements from the two systems. We present the detailed algorithm for these two methods and analyze the features and performances of them. To verify the proposed methods, we conduct the experiment using the logged SBAS corrections from the two systems and the RINEX data logged at Dokdo monitoring station in Korea. The preliminary test results showed the improved performance compared to the results from two independent systems, which shows the potential of our proposed methods. In the future, the newly developed SBASs will be available and the places which can access the multiple SBAS signals will increase. At that time, the integration or combination methods of two or more SBASs will become more important. Our proposed methods can be one of the useful solutions for that. As an additional research, we need to extend this research to the system level integration such as the concept of the decentralized WADGPS.

GPS Cycle Slip Detection Considering Satellite Geometry Based on TDCP/INS Integrated Navigation

This paper presents a means of carrier phase cycle slip detection for an inertial-aided global positioning system (GPS), which is based on consideration of the satellite geometry. An integrated navigation solution incorporating a tightly coupled time differenced carrier phase (TDCP) and inertial navigation system (INS) is used to detect cycle slips. Cycle-slips are detected by comparing the satellite-difference (SD) and time-difference (TD) carrier phase measurements obtained from the GPS satellites with the range estimated by the integrated navigation solution. Additionally the satellite geometry information effectively improves the range estimation performance without a hardware upgrade. And the covariance obtained from the TDCP/INS filter is used to compute the threshold for determining cycle slip occurrence. A simulation and the results of a vehicle-based experiment verify the cycle slip detection performance of the proposed algorithm.

Optimal Divergence-Free Hatch Filter for GNSS Single-Frequency Measurement

The Hatch filter is a code-smoothing technique that uses the variation of the carrier phase. It can effectively reduce the noise of a pseudo-range with a very simple filter construction, but it occasionally causes an ionosphere-induced error for low-lying satellites. Herein, we propose an optimal single-frequency (SF) divergence-free Hatch filter that uses a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) message to reduce the ionospheric divergence and applies the optimal smoothing constant for its smoothing window width. According to the data-processing results, the overall performance of the proposed filter is comparable to that of the dual frequency (DF) divergence-free Hatch filter. Moreover, it can reduce the horizontal error of 57 cm to 37 cm and improve the vertical accuracy of the conventional Hatch filter by 25%. Considering that SF receivers dominate the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) market and that most of these receivers include the SBAS function, the filter suggested in this paper is of great value in that it can make the differential GPS (DGPS) performance of the low-cost SF receivers comparable to that of DF receivers.

Accuracy Improvement of DGPS for Low-Cost Single-Frequency Receiver Using Modified Flächen Korrektur Parameter Correction

A differential global positioning system (DGPS) is one of the most widely used augmentation systems for a low-cost L1 (1575.42 MHz) single-frequency GPS receiver. The positioning accuracy of a low-cost GPS receiver decreases because of the spatial decorrelation between the reference station (RS) of the DGPS and the users. Hence, a network real-time kinematic (RTK) solution is used to reduce the decorrelation error in the current DGPS system. Among the various network RTK methods, the Flachen Korrektur parameter (FKP) is used to complement the current DGPS, because its concept and system configuration are simple and the size of additional data required for the network RTK is small. The FKP was originally developed for the carrier-phase measurements of high-cost GPS receivers; thus, it should be modified to be used in the DGPS of low-cost GPS receivers. We propose an FKP-DGPS algorithm as a new augmentation method for the low-cost GPS receivers by integrating the conventional DGPS correction with the modified FKP correction to mitigate the positioning error due to the spatial decorrelation. A real-time FKP-DGPS software was developed and several real-time tests were conducted. The test results show that the positioning accuracy of the DGPS was improved by a maximum of 40%.

Study on GNSS Constellation Combination to Improve the Current and Future Multi-GNSS Navigation Performance

In the case of satellite navigation positioning, the shielding of satellite signals is determined by the environment of the region at which a user is located, and the navigation performance is determined accordingly. The accuracy of user position determination varies depending on the dilution of precision (DOP) which is a measuring index for the geometric characteristics of visible satellites; and if the minimum visible satellites are not secured, position determination is impossible. Currently, the GLObal NAvigation Satellite system (GLONASS) of Russia is used to supplement the navigation performance of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in regions where GPS cannot be used. In addition, the European Satellite Navigation System (Galileo) of the European Union, the Chinese Satellite Navigation System (BeiDou) of China, the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) of Japan, and the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) of India are aimed to achieve the full operational capability (FOC) operation of the navigation system. Thus, the number of satellites available for navigation would rapidly increase, particularly in the Asian region; and when integrated navigation is performed, the improvement of navigation performance is expected to be much larger than that in other regions. To secure a stable and prompt position solution, GPSGLONASS integrated navigation is generally performed at present. However, as available satellite navigation systems have been diversified, finding the minimum satellite constellation combination to obtain the best navigation performance has recently become an issue. For this purpose, it is necessary to examine and predict the navigation performance that could be obtained by the addition of the third satellite navigation system in addition to GPS-GLONASS. In this study, the current status of the integrated navigation performance for various satellite constellation combinations was analyzed based on 2014, and the navigation performance in 2020 was predicted based on the FOC plan of the satellite navigation system for each country. For this prediction, the orbital elements and nominal almanac data of satellite navigation systems that can be observed in the Korean Peninsula were organized, and the minimum elevation angle expecting signal shielding was established based on Matlab and the performance was predicted in terms of DOP. In the case of integrated navigation, a time offset determination algorithm needs to be considered in order to estimate the clock error between navigation systems, and it was analyzed using two kinds of methods: a satellite navigation message based estimation method and a receiver based method where a user directly performs estimation. This simulation is expected to be used as an index for the establishment of the minimum satellite constellation for obtaining the best navigation performance.

Performance Analysis of Low-Order Surface Methods for Compact Network RTK: Case Study

Compact Network Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) is a method that combines compact RTK and network RTK, and it can effectively reduce the time and spatial de-correlation errors. A network RTK user receives multiple correction information generated from reference stations that constitute a network, calculates correction information that is appropriate for one’s own position through a proper combination method, and uses the information for the estimation of the position. This combination method is classified depending on the method for modeling the GPS error elements included in correction information, and the user position accuracy is affected by the accuracy of this modeling. Among the GPS error elements included in correction information, tropospheric delay is generally eliminated using a tropospheric model, and a combination method is then applied. In the case of a tropospheric model, the estimation accuracy varies depending on the meteorological condition, and thus eliminating the tropospheric delay of correction information using a tropospheric model is limited to a certain extent. In this study, correction information modeling accuracy performances were compared focusing on the LowOrder Surface Model (LSM), which models the GPS error elements included in correction information using a low-order surface, and a modified LSM method that considers tropospheric delay characteristics depending on altitude. Both of the two methods model GPS error elements in relation to altitude, but the second method reflects the characteristics of actual tropospheric delay depending on altitude. In this study, the final residual errors of user measurements were compared and analyzed using the correction information generated by the various methods mentioned above. For the performance comparison and analysis, various GPS actual measurement data were collected. The results indicated that the modified LSM method that considers actual tropospheric characteristics showed improved performance in terms of user measurement residual error and position domain residual error.