GNSS Positioning with Multicorrelators as an Alternative to Direct Position Estimation: How Good Can It Get?

Sergio Vicenzo, Chin Lok Tsang, Shuo Tang, Bing Xu, Pau Closas

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	Direct Position Estimation (DPE) was introduced as a positioning algorithm that is robust against multipath (MP) as well as weak signals. However, its high complexity prevents its application in the mass market. In this paper, we propose a methodology for positioning with multicorrelators from 2SP tracking as a low-complexity alternative to DPE; nicknamed Corr-DPE. Concretely, instead of computing the correlations for every candidate position, velocity, and time (PVT) candidates, the values are interpolated from the tracking multicorrelators. Since the maximum code delay tracking error from MP in 2SP tracking is essentially half of the Early-Late spacing, the multicorrelators for Corr-DPE need only to be computed in between the Early and Late correlators. To further accelerate Corr-DPE computation, Accelerated Random Search (ARS) was also used to obtain the PVT based on the interpolated multicorrelator values. This paper evaluates whether Corr-DPE can act as a viable lower computation alternative to DPE for urban positioning. The performance of Corr-DPE against MP and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) were evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations against various multicorrelators spacing as well as the Early-Late correlator spacing. Real static IF data was used to validate the Monte Carlo simulations results. Real data results pointed out that Corr-DPE offers consistent positioning improvement of up to 30% against MP and NLOS in comparison to 2SP Least Squares and computes the PVT at a fraction of a second, thus proving its feasibility as an alternative to DPE.
Published in:	Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting April 13 - 16, 2026 Hilton Waikiki Beach Honolulu, Hawaii
Pages:	541 - 560
Cite this article:	Vicenzo, Sergio, Tsang, Chin Lok, Tang, Shuo, Xu, Bing, Closas, Pau, "GNSS Positioning with Multicorrelators as an Alternative to Direct Position Estimation: How Good Can It Get?," Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 2026, pp. 541-560. https://doi.org/10.33012/2026.20632
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