Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ambiguity resolution for smartphone GNSS precise positioning: effect factors and performance

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Geodesy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the availability of Global Navigation Satellite Systems raw measurements in smartphones, high-precision positioning using smartphones has become possible in recent years. Integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) is critical for smartphone precise positioning, which would be more difficult in smartphones and affected by various factors. In this paper, we will numerically study the effect factors for integer property of phase ambiguities, data quality, IAR efficiency and positioning accuracy for the smartphone. The results show that integer property of phase ambiguities and data quality are governed not only by the smartphone brands and embedded antennas, but also by the mobile operating system and smartphone attitudes. In general, the different constant offsets exist for the different frequency ambiguities, and the ambiguities are fixable once the corresponding offsets are calibrated. With the operating system of EMUI 9.0, the ambiguities are fixable for Xiaomi Mi8 but not for Huawei Mate20. However, with the updated operating system of EMUI 9.0.1, the ambiguities of Huawei Mate20 become fixable. Besides the smartphone brands and embedded antennas, the smartphone attitudes significantly affect the data quality, such as carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N0) values, data availability and observation precisions, thus affecting the ambiguity fixing rate and positioning accuracy. The ambiguity fixing rates differ from attitudes by 17%, and generally, the upward attitude has the best performance. Finally, the kinematic positioning results indicate that only the meter-level accuracy is obtained with an embedded antenna, while the centimeter to decimeter-level accuracy is achievable with the external antenna.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets used in the study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Aggrey J, Bisnath S, Naciri N, Shinghal G, Yang S (2019) Use of PPP processing for next-generation smartphone GNSS chips: key benefits and challenges. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2019, Institute of Navigation, Miami, Florida, USA, Sept 16–20, pp 3862–3878

  • Amiri-Simkooei AR, Tiberius CCJM (2007) Assessing receiver noise using GPS short baseline time series. GPS Solut 11(1):21–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amiri-Simkooei AR, Jazaeri S, Zangeneh-Nejad F, Asgari J (2016) Role of stochastic model on GPS integer ambiguity resolution success rate. GPS Solut 20(1):51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banville S, Van Diggelen F (2016) Precision GNSS for everyone: precise positioning using raw GPS measurements from Android smartphones. GPS World 27:43–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilich A, Larson K (2007) Mapping the GPS multipath environment using the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Radio Sci 43:3442–3446

    Google Scholar 

  • Darugna F, Wübbena J, Ito A, Wübbena T, Wübbena G, Schmitz M (2019) RTK and PPP-RTK using smartphones: from short-baseline to long-baseline applications. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS 2019, Institute of Navigation, Miami, Florida, USA, Sept. 16–20, pp 3932–3945

  • Darugna F, Wübbena J, Wübbena G, Schmitz M, Schön S, Warneke A (2020) Impact of robot antenna calibration on dual-frequency smartphone-based high-accuracy positioning: a case study using the Huawei Mate20X. GPS Solut 25(1):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Elmezayen A, El-Rabbany A (2019) Precise point positioning using world’s first dual-frequency GPS/GALILEO smartphone. Sensors 19(11):2593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Euler HJ, Schaffrin B (1990) On a measure of the discernibility between different ambiguity solutions in the static-kinematic GPS mode. In: Schwarz KP, Lachapelle G (eds) Kinematic systems in geodesy. Surveying and remote sensing. Springer, New York, pp 285–295

    Google Scholar 

  • European GNSS Agency (2017) Using GNSS raw measurements on Android devices. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

    Google Scholar 

  • European GNSS Agency (2019) PPP-RTK market and technology report. Tech. Rep., 2019. Retrieved 17 Aug 2021 from https://www.gsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/calls_for_proposals/rd.03-ppp-rtk_market_and_technology_report.pdf

  • Geng J, Li G (2019) On the feasibility of resolving Android GNSS carrier-phase ambiguities. J Geod 93(12):2621–2635

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geng J, Li G, Zeng R, Wen Q, Jiang E (2018) A comprehensive assessment of raw multi-GNSS measurements from mainstream portable smart devices. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2018, Institute of Navigation, Miami, Florida, USA, Sept 24–28, pp 392–412

  • Gill M, Bisnath S, Aggrey J, Seepersad G (2017) Precise point positioning (PPP) using low-cost and ultra-low-cost GNSS receivers. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2017, Institute of Navigation, Portland, 25–29 Sept. 2017, pp 226–236

  • Gogoi N, Minetto A, Linty N, Dovis F (2019) A controlled-environment quality assessment of android GNSS raw measurements. Electronics 8(1):5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Håkansson (2019) Characterization of GNSS observations from a Nexus 9 android tablet. GPS Solut 23(1):21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys TE, Murrian M, van Diggelen F, Podshivalov S, Pesyna KM (2016) On the feasibility of cm-accurate positioning via a Smartphone’s Antenna and GNSS Chip. In: IEEE/ION PLANS, Savannah, GA, USA, April 11–14, pp 232–242

  • IGS/RTCM (2018) RINEX—the receiver independent exchange format version 3.04. International GNSS Service (IGS), RINEX working group and radio technical commission for maritime services special committee 104 (RTCM—SC104). ftp://igs.org/pub/data/format/rinex304.pdf

  • Kirkko-Jaakkola M, Söderholm S, Honkala S, Koivula H, Nyberg S, Kuusniemi H (2015) Low-cost precise positioning using a national GNSS network. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2015, Institute of Navigation, Tampa, Florida, USA, Sept. 14–18, pp 2570–2577

  • Laurichesse D, Rouch C, Marmet FX, Pascaud M (2017) Smartphone applications for precise point positioning. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2017, Institute of Navigation, Portland, Oregon, USA, Sept 25–29, pp 171–187

  • Leick A, Rapoport L, Tatarnikov D (2015) GPS satellite surveying. Wiley, Hoboken

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Li B (2016) Stochastic modeling of triple-frequency BeiDou signals: estimation, assessment and impact analysis. J Geod 90(7):593–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li B (2018) Review of triple-frequency GNSS: ambiguity resolution, benefits and challenges. J Glob Position Syst 16:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41445-018-0010-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Geng J (2019) Characteristics of raw multi-GNSS measurement error from Google Android smart devices. GPS Solut 23(3):90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Shen Y, Lou L (2010) Analysis of the stochastic characteristics for medium and long baseline GPS measurements. Geomat Inf Sci Wuhan Univ 35(2):176–180 (In Chinese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Li Z, Zhang Z, Tan Y (2017) ERTK: extra-wide-lane RTK of triple-frequency GNSS signals. J Geod 91(9):1031–1047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linty N, Lo Presti L, Dovis F, Crosta P (2014) Performance analysis of duty-cycle power saving techniques in GNSS mass-market receivers. In: Proceedings of the position, location and navigation symposium-PLANS 2014, Monterey, CA, USA, May 5–8, pp 1096–1104

  • Nardo A, Li B, Teunissen PJG (2016) Partial ambiguity resolution for ground and space-based applications in a multi-GNSS scenario: a simulation study. Adv Space Res 57(1):30–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Netthonglang C, Thongtan T, Satirapod C (2019). GNSS precise positioning determinations using smartphones. In: 2019 IEEE Asia Pacific conference on circuits and systems (APCCAS), pp 401–404

  • Pesyna Jr KM, Heath Jr RW, Humphreys TE (2014) Centimeter positioning with a smartphone-quality GNSS antenna. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2014, Tampa, Florida, Sept. 8–12, pp 1568–1577

  • Pirazzi G, Mazzoni A, Biagi L, Crespi M (2017) Preliminary performance analysis with a GPS+Galileo enabled chipset embedded in a smartphone. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS 2017, Institute of Navigation, Portland, Oregon, USA, September 25–29, pp 101–115

  • Psychas D, Bruno J, Massarweh L, Darugna F (2019) Towards sub-meter positioning using Android raw GNSS measurements. In: ION GNSS+ 2019, Institute of Navigation, Miami, Florida, USA, Sept 16–20, pp 3862–3878

  • Realini E, Caldera S, Pertusini L, Sampietro D (2017) Precise GNSS positioning using smart devices. Sensors 17(10):2434. https://doi.org/10.3390/s17102434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robustelli U, Baiocchi V, Pugliano G (2019) Assessment of dual frequency GNSS observations from a Xiaomi Mi8 Android smartphone and positioning performance analysis. Electronics 8(1):91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin D, Lim C, Park B, Yun Y, Kim E, Kee C (2017) Single-frequency divergence-free hatch filter for the android N GNSS raw measurements. In: Proceedings of ION GNSS+ 2017, Institute of Navigation, Portland, Oregon, USA, Sept. 25–29, pp 188–225

  • Siddakatte R, Broumandan A, Lachapelle G (2017) Performance evaluation of smartphone GNSS measurements with different antenna configurations. In Proceedings of the international navigation conference

  • Teunissen PJG (1995) The least squares ambiguity decorrelation adjustment: a method for fast GPS integer estimation. J Geod 70(1):65–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wanninger L, Heßelbarth A (2020) GNSS code and carrier phase observations of a Huawei P30 smartphone: quality assessment and centimeter-accurate positioning. GPS Solut 24(2):64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q, Sun M, Zhou C, Zhang P (2019) Precise point positioning using dual-frequency GNSS observations on smartphone. Sensors 19(9):2189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yong C, Odolinski R, Zaminpardaz S, Moore M, Rubinov E, Er J, Denham M (2021) Instantaneous, dual-frequency, multi-GNSS precise RTK positioning using google pixel 4 and Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphones for zero and short baselines. Sensors 21(24):8318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zangenehnejad F, Gao Y (2021) GNSS smartphones positioning: advances, challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives. Satell Navig 2:24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Yao Y, Yu J, Chen X, Zeng Y, He N (2013) Design of a novel quad-band circularly polarized handset antenna. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on antennas and propagation, Nanjing, China, Oct 23–25, pp 146–148

  • Zhang X, Tao X, Zhu F, Shi X, Wang F (2018a) Quality assessment of GNSS observations from an android N smartphone and positioning performance analysis using time-differenced filtering approach. GPS Solut 22(3):70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Li B, Shen Y (2018b) Efficient approximation for a fully populated variance-covariance matrix in RTK positioning. J Surv Eng 144(4):04018005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Li B, Shen Y, Gao Y, Wang M (2018c) Site-specific unmodeled error mitigation for GNSS positioning in urban environments using a real-time adaptive weighting model. Remote Sens 10:1157

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundations of China (42074026, 41874030), the Program of Shanghai Academic Research Leader (20XD1423800), the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (2021-01-07-00-07-E00095), the ‘Shuguang Program’ supported by Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (20SG18) and the Scientific and Technological Innovation Plan from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (20511103302, 20511103402 and 20511103702).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Surveying and GeoInformatics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Bofeng Li, Weikai Miao, Guang’e Chen & Zhong Li

Authors
  1. Bofeng Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Weikai Miao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guang’e Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

BL proposed this study and developed the methodology. WM, GC, ZL conducted the experiments for data collection, and computations. BL and MW wrote the manuscript. All authors were involved in discussions throughout the development.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bofeng Li.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, B., Miao, W., Chen, G. et al. Ambiguity resolution for smartphone GNSS precise positioning: effect factors and performance. J Geod 96, 63 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-022-01652-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-022-01652-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation