Cycle Slip Detection and Ambiguity Resolution

Abstract

In phase measurement there is an ambiguity problem.If the signal happens with a loss of lock, the phase measurement has to be initiated again. This phenomenon is called cycle slips, i.e., the cycle counting has a new beginning because of an interruption of signal. The consequence of the cycle slips is that the adjacent carrier phase observable jumps by an integer number of cycles, and in the related observation model the ambiguity parameter should be a new one. Correct cycle slip detection becomes a guarantee for a correct ambiguity parameterisation. After the discussion of cycle slip detection, emphasis given to the integer ambiguity resolution problem includes the criteria of the integer ambiguity search. The historical ambiguity function method is also outlined and discussed.