Analysis of Three-Carrier Ambiguity Resolution (TCAR) Technique for Precise Relative Positioning in GNSS-2

U. Vollath, S. Birnbach, H. Landau, J.M. Fraile-Ordoñez, M. Martin-Neira

Abstract:	In the framework of the Global Navigation Satellite System 2 nd Generation Program (GNSS-2), which aims at the design of a future civilian satellite navigation system, the European Space Agency (ESA) recently commissioned a series of studies which cover the signal structure design, the development of a navigation payload breadboard and the definition of a navigation experiment. One of the initiated activities is the “Study of Precise Relative Positioning using GNSS-2 Three-Carrier Ambiguity Resolution (TCAR)”. The TCAR concept has been proposed within the studies related to the signal structure as a means to allow for instantaneous ambiguity resolution. The technique is based on the use of three modulated carriers which theoretically allow to reduce the number of candidate points of the ambiguity to only one, hence making extremely precise navigation possible in real-time. The method works in a stepwise fashion, starting from the code-phase to the single carrier-phase resolution, stepping through two intermediate wide-lane frequencies. We analyzed the robustness of the TCAR technique against different types of errors, its performance and possibilities, and methods to increase its efficiency. This paper includes a review of the state of the art, a presentation of TCAR theoretical background, a discussion of error sources and their impact on performance, the integration of TCAR and search approaches, simulation setup and simulation results so far. The work described in the paper was done under ESA contract. Responsibility for the contents resides in the authors who prepared it.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1998) September 15 - 18, 1998 Nashville, TN
Pages:	417 - 426
Cite this article:	Vollath, U., Birnbach, S., Landau, H., Fraile-Ordoñez, J.M., Martin-Neira, M., "Analysis of Three-Carrier Ambiguity Resolution (TCAR) Technique for Precise Relative Positioning in GNSS-2," Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1998), Nashville, TN, September 1998, pp. 417-426.
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