Lecture-4
5.5 Data Combinations
Data combinations are defined as methods of correlating GPS measured with the same receiver at
one station.
The code pseudo range can be smooth by using phase pseudo range with the help of combination
of phase and code pseudo range for real-time processing.
Data combinations can be obtained from the previous code range data and the change in the
carrier phase between two instants.
Let for dual frequency measurements at epoch t1, the code pseudo ranges be R L1 (t1 ), R L2 (t1 )
and the carrier phase pseudo ranges be ΦL1(t1 ),Φ L2 (t1 ).
After scaling code pseudo ranges to cycles by dividing them by the corresponding carrier
wavelength and by using the two frequencies f L1, f L2 the following combination can be
constructed:
f L1 Rz1 f L 2 Rz 2
R (t i )
f L1 f L 2
Wide lane signal or combination
A wide lane combination of carrier phase signal is given as:
(ti ) L1 L 2
When i = 1 and 2, the change of carrier phase can be given as:
( t 2 ) ( t 2 ) ( t1 )
extrapolated values are calculated as:
R(ti )extrapolated R(t i 1 ) (t i )
smoothed value is finally obtained as:
R(ti ) R(ti )extrapolated
R(ti )Smooth
2
As the carrier phase is sensitive to cycle slips, it may introduce errors during smoothing. Hence, a
weight k can be introduced (Dhunta, 2001) as:
R(ti )Smooth kR(ti ) (1 k) R(ti1)Smooth (ti )
5.6 Ambiguity Resolution
Basic carrier phase equation is as:
1
i j ij Nij f j i j (t)
N i j The ambiguity for satellite j and receiver i combination
Ambiguities may be resolved from both single and dual frequency receivers
Single Frequency Receivers
These measurements are modeled by the basic equation and the liberalized equations are
processed.
N is estimated along with the other unknowns. In this, the un-modeled errors affect all
estimated parameters.
Lost integer nature of the ambiguities is estimated as real values.
The important factor is the ionospheric refraction that is used to prevent a correct resolution of all
ambiguities.
Features and Benefits:-
GPS tracking with low power consumption for long running operating time.
L1, L-Band and SBAS signals tracking that provides constrained applications.
Accurate and reliable sub-metre positioning in real time
Dual Frequency Receivers
It makes possible use of various possibilities of linear combinations via wide lane and narrow
lane techniques.
(t1 ) L1 (t1 ) L 2 (t1 )
The frequency of this signal is fw= 347.82 MHz. The increased wide lane wavelength
λw (86.2cm) enables enhanced ambiguity spacing and makes the integer ambiguities effective.
Consider the phase models for the carriers L1 and L2.
Replacing λ by frequency f using λ= c/f and substituting for the ionospheric term as given in the
following equation :
1 A
zero ( f )
f2
We get (minus term for ionosphere as it results in the advancement of phase):
1 1
L1 N L1 f L1 zero ( f L1 )
L1 L1
1 1
L2 N L 2 f L 2 zero ( f L 2 )
L 2 L 2
Rewriting these equations in terms of frequency and velocity of signal is as:
f L1 A
L1 N L1 f L1
c cf L1
fL2 A
L2 N L 2 f L 2
c cf L 2
The difference between the above 2 equation is given as:
fw A 1 1
w f w N w
c c f L1 f L 2
The terms reflecting the ionospheric influence or affect may be grouped as:
A f w f L 2 f L1 f L 2 f L12 A f w f L 2 f L1 ( f L1 f L 2 )
c f L1 f w f L 2 c f L1 f w f L 2
The resultant equation for L1 ambiguity derived from above is as:
f L1 A f L 2 f L1
N L1 L1 (w N w )
f w c f L1 f L 2
This wide lane technique is termed sometimes as the L5 combination, the wide lane pseudo range
is, therefore, advanced by the ionosphere (range too short).
N L1 L 2
Features and Benefits:-
Enhanced Availability of satellites with NOVATEL technology and GLONASS tracking.
L1, L2, L2C, B1 and E1with easy integration and enables signal tracking.
Low power consumption because of smoothing algorithm.
API reduces hardware and system requirements and removes complexity.
Narrow Lane Combination
Narrow lane observable or L6 is obtained by adding the two phase equations (L1 + L2) expressed
in cycles.
The L6 ionospheric effect is approximately 1.28 times than that on L1. But the noise on the L6
observables is very small.
The narrow-lane pseudo-range is thus delayed by the ionosphere.
Single Difference
The single differencing (Φ1ab) is termed as the phase measurements difference of same signals via two
receivers of same satellite. It can be stated by the equation as:
1a (t a ) 2a (t a ) a1 (t a , t a a1 ) b1 (t b , t b b1 ) cdt a (t a ) cdtb (t b ) c t a (t a ) c tb (t b )
N a1 N b1 I a1 I b1 Ta1 Tb1 m1a mb1 a1 b1
The left hand side shows the time argument which shows non-simultaneousness in the measurement
because the receiver clock errors are not the same at both the receivers.
The receiver clock error and bias terms can be removed via taking single difference between signals via
different satellites (Φ12a) as:
1a (t a ) a2 (t a ) a1 (t a , t a a1 ) a2 (t a , t a a2 ) cdt1 (t1 ) cdt 2 (t 2 ) c t1 (t1 ) c t 2 (t 2 )
Na1 Na2 I a1 I a2 Ta1 Ta2 m1a ma2 a1 a2
Double Difference
The double difference is obtained by subtracting the single difference of two satellites Φ12ab and is
obtained in meters. Its equation is as follows:
a b a b I a I b Ta Tb ma mb N a N b a b
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Where
Φ12α Φ12b indicate single difference between two receivers a & b of satellites 1 & 2 for epoch t
and it is observed in cycles.
Ι it is the ionospheric error source
Τ it is the tropospheric error source
δm is the multipath
ε measurement noise
ρ the double difference representation
Advantage:
The double differencing is the differencing between the satellite and between the receivers so the
receiver clock offset and clock biases cancel each other, the single difference ambiguity
difference Na12 – Nb12 is parameterized as new ambiguity parameter Na12.
Nb12 is integer because non-integer terms in GPS carrier phase observation cancel.
The useful principle of double differencing is that around a closed loop the sum of double difference
ambiguity is zero. It is employed in network ambiguity resolution technique and is used in multi-rover
network algorithms.
Triple Difference
Triple difference is obtained by the difference between double differences from measurements recorded at
subsequent epochs.
Advantage:
It eliminates integer ambiguities.
It detects cycle slip.
It detects loss of lock.
For eliminating time independent ambiguities, one can difference the Double Difference at two
different epochs t1 and t 1
1
AB
jk
(t1 ) AB
jk
(t1 ) N AB
jk
1
AB
jk
(t 2 ) AB
jk
(t 2 ) N AB
jk
Triple difference is given as:
1
ABjk (t 2 ) ABjk (t1 ) AB
jk
(t 2 ) AB
jk
(t1 )
1
ABjk (t12 ) AB
jk
(t12 )
Variables from single difference are uncorrelated but the variables from double and triple difference
equation are correlated.