Geometric precision evaluation methodology of multiple reference station network algorithms

Abstract

To evaluate the performance of real time kinematic (RTK) network algorithms without applying actual measurements, a new method called geometric precision evaluation methodology (GPEM) based on covariance analysis was presented. Three types of multiple reference station interpolation algorithms, including partial derivation algorithm (PDA), linear interpolation algorithms (LIA) and least squares condition (LSC) were discussed and analyzed. The geometric dilution of precision (GDOP) was defined to describe the influence of the network geometry on the interpolation precision, and the different GDOP expressions of above-mentioned algorithms were deduced. In order to compare geometric precision characteristics among different multiple reference station network algorithms, a simulation was conducted, and the GDOP contours of these algorithms were enumerated. Finally, to confirm the validation of GPEM, an experiment was conducted using data from Unite State Continuously Operating Reference Stations (US-CORS), and the precision performances were calculated according to the real test data and GPEM, respectively. The results show that GPEM generates very accurate estimation of the performance compared to the real data test.

Keywords

network DGPS algorithms / geometric precision evaluation / covariance analysis / partial derivation algorithm / linear interpolation algorithm / least squares collocation

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