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T. Jongrujinan, C. Satirapod
Department of Survey Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
(Thanate.j@student.chula.ac.th, Chalermchon.s@chula.ac.th )
Abstract despite the fact that the reference stations are many
tens of kilometers apart. The main challenge is to keep
Network-based positioning has currently become on fixing ambiguities during situations when there is
the main precise GNSS surveying technique especially a long data gap, or when a new satellite rises [2].
for a medium-range baseline (approximately 20-100 Secondly, the distance-dependent errors at reference
km.). The key concept of this approach is to use the stations are precisely modelled and interpolated to a
observations of multiple reference stations to rover location within network coverage. Several
generate the network correction for mitigating the interpolation methods have been proposed and
distance-dependent error including atmospheric compared in detail [3]
effects and orbital uncertainty at the user’s location. Although the significant distance-dependent
Numerous GNSS data processing strategies have been errors can be modelled and mitigated in
adopted in the functional model in order to improve aforementioned functional models, some unmodelled
both the success of ambiguity resolution and the biases may be present. Beside the adequate functional
accuracy positioning results. However it is impossible model, In order to obtain optimal estimates from the
to completely model the aforementioned errors. As a least-square solution, the stochastic model play an
result, the unmodelled residuals still remain in the important role. The stochastic model represents the
observations when the least squares estimation is statistical characteristics of the observations in the
employed. An alternative approach to deal with these form of the variance-covariance matrix. On the other
residuals is to construct the realistic stochastic model hand, the functional model described the relationship
that GNSS observations are assumed to be and unknown estimates. The VCV matrix should be
homoscedastic. correctly defined. The standard approach to construct
This research aims to investigate stochastic models the VCV matrix is based on the variance-covariance
used for VRS technique in the rapid static mode. The propagation law. For simplicity, it is usually assumed
rigorous statistical method, MINQUE has been that all GNSS observations have the same variance,
applied to estimate the variance-covariance matrix of and they are statistically independent. In fact, these
the double-difference observations for VRS–rover assumptions are not realistic, the GNSS observables
baseline determination. The findings of the may change with different observation conditions
investigations indicated that the MINQUE stochastic such as satellite elevation. Moreover in case of VRS
model could enhance 14 percent better in the vertical technique, to do the baseline processing of the rover
accuracy but produce comparable result in horizontal observables relative to the VRS observables, the
accuracy compared to the model that use equal weight precision of the VRS observables should follow from
for all observation. propagating the uncertainty of both network error
modelling and the interpolate method which form the
Keywords: VRS, Stochastic model. VRS observables.
In this paper, the MINQUE procedure is utilized
1. Introduction for VRS technique in the rapid static mode. This
procedure determines the VCV matrix by using the
For centimeters accuracy level, network–based least squares residuals as the quality indicators. Test
positioning provides a solution the can overcome the results will be presented to evaluate the performance
constraint of the single-based positioning that the of the method.
distance between the reference station and the rover
receiver is typically not exceed 10 km due to the 2. VRS technique
presence of atmospheric biases and orbit errors. [1]
confirmed that the ionospheric error is the main error The core of network-based positioning system is to
source which degrades the network-based positioning use multiple reference stations in order to interpolate
performance in Thailand The functional model to the distance-dependent errors for specific rovers
generate network corrections is carried out in two operating in the network coverage area as well as
major steps. Integer ambiguities between reference transmit the correction information to rovers.
stations must be first correctly resolved in real-time Currently, there exists no standardized data format for
broadcasting of network correction parameter and due to insufficient knowledge about the physical
also no agreement in parameterization of correction phenomena of error sources. Therefore, high accuracy
model. There are several implementations of results using least squares adjustment also requires the
distributing correction that system could provide, reasonable selection of the stochastic model
however the virtual reference station (VRS) is the MINQUE (Minimum Norn Quadratic Unbiased
most commonly used method. It is based on the Estimation) is one of the rigorous statistical method
transmission of VRS observables of “virtual reference for estimating VCV components that all elements in
station”. The VRS is a non-existent GNSS reference the VCV matrix will be directly estimated as the
station at the approximation rover’s location, however, unknown parameter in the least square solution
VRS observables is computed from real GNSS similar to the parameters in the functional model. The
observables of reference stations resemble to the basis of this variance component estimation is to use
distance-dependent error corrections. Meanwhile, the the least squares residuals to formulate the realistic
whole computations to generate VRS are operated by VCV matrix (all GNSS observables are statistically
server side, the rovers just treat or process the received dependent and have different variances). It is assumed
VRS as the same as that of single base station. This that these residual series could adequately reflect the
may save the cost for upgrade any software and presence of the residual biases and measurement noise
receiver. In order to generate the VRS, the following due to the imperfect functional model if redundant
server- side process are required observations are available.
1. Network ambiguity: the purpose of this step is to Previous research [4] has efficiently used this
resolve the integer ambiguities for the individual procedure for the single-based positioning in static
baselines among the reference stations. mode. Therefore it’s expected that MINQUE could
2. Error Interpolation: The residual vectors from construct the appropriate stochastic model for the
step 1 are used to be inputs for interpolating the network-based positioning in rapid static mode (about
distance-dependent error at the approximate rover 15-20 epochs per session) if the observation period is
coordinate long enough to remove the most of systematic effects.
3. VRS observables generation: VRS observables The MINQUE algorithm is expressed as below:
is generated based on the interpolated errors and In the following Gauss-Markov model with n
reference station observables measurements and t unknown;
3. Stochastic model l = Ax + v
After the generated VRS observables is For a session solution with t epochs of data, the
transmitted to the rover receiver via a communication full VCV matrix of double differenced observations is
= P-1 = ∑ θT
link, then the rest of the processes on the rover side
are the same as single-based positioning. The double C (1)
differenced (DD) carrier phase observations are
widely used to formulate the functional model of least
square since it efficiently eliminated most of where l and v are n x 1 vectors of the measurements
systematic errors. The DD equation can be written as: A is the n x t design matrix; x is the t x 1 vector of the
unknown parameters; θ^1 ,θ^2 ,….,θ^k are the variance-
∅ =ρ + N −I + T + O
, , , , , , covariance components; T1, T2 ,…,Tk are the so-called
, , , , , ,
accompanying matrices ; P is the weight matrix of the
where observations and C is the VCV matrix of the
observations. A minimum norm quadratic unbiased
θ ;
u and v denote the rover station and virtual
reference station respectively; i and j denote the estimation of the linear function of
tracked satellites ; ∅ , denote the DD observable;
, g1θ1+g2θ2+…+ gkθk is the quadratic function.
R11 ⋯ R1m
R= ⋮ ⋱ ⋮
Rm1 ⋯ Rmm
v = -QvPl (6)
and
PQvPv = -PQvPl = Pv (7)
Figure 2: F-ratio