Analysis of Multipath Detection Performance between B1I and B3I Bands Using 3D Gaussian Distribution and RGB Reconstruction

Yuquan Ma, Rong Yang, Xingqun Zhan

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	Multipath propagation remains a critical challenge to the positioning accuracy and robustness of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) in practical navigation scenarios. While the conventional B1I band (1561.098 MHz) still dominates current BDS applications, the emerging B3I band (1268.52 MHz) provides improved positioning performance due to its wider bandwidth and higher chipping rate. However, a systematic quantitative comparison of their multipath detection capabilities has yet to be conducted. Building on the established theoretical framework comprising a three-dimensional Gaussian equiprobability ellipsoid model and RGB color–time map reconstruction, this study quantitatively evaluates and compares the multipath detection performance of B1I and B3I signals using Q-branch correlator outputs. Through simulations spanning a wide range of multipath delays, phase rotations, and attenuation levels, we analyze the detection sensitivity, performance boundaries, and blind-zone distributions of each band. Results demonstrate that B3I achieves superior detection resolution for short-delay multipath with higher chipping rate, whereas B1I exhibits stronger robustness to long-delay reflections. In addition, due to differences in carrier wavelength, each band exhibits distinct phase-dependent detection blind spots. These findings offer a physically interpretable basis for feature selection in multi-frequency BDS receivers and support the development of lightweight, correlation-domain multipath detectors for urban navigation applications.
Published in:	Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting April 13 - 16, 2026 Hilton Waikiki Beach Honolulu, Hawaii
Pages:	33 - 48
Cite this article:	Ma, Yuquan, Yang, Rong, Zhan, Xingqun, "Analysis of Multipath Detection Performance between B1I and B3I Bands Using 3D Gaussian Distribution and RGB Reconstruction," Proceedings of the ION 2026 Pacific PNT Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 2026, pp. 33-48. https://doi.org/10.33012/2026.20642
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