GNSS multi-carrier fast partial ambiguity resolution strategy tested with real BDS/GPS dual- and triple-frequency observations

The regional constellation of BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) has been officially in operation since December 27, 2012, and real-time kinematic positioning using BDS and GPS multi-frequency observations is feasible. A heavy computational problem arises when resolving ambiguities in the case of multi-system with multi-frequency observations. A multi-carrier fast partial ambiguity resolution strategy is developed with the property that the extra-wide-lane and wide-lane ambiguities in the multi-frequency case can be resolved reliably in advance. Consequently, the technique resolves ambiguities sequentially instead of the usual batch ambiguity resolution (AR) mode so as to improve the computational efficiency of AR significantly. The strategy is demonstrated with real BDS/GPS dual- and triple-frequency observations. The results have shown that the probability of correct AR by the proposed method is comparable to that of the batch AR. Experimentally, the new method is about 2.5 times as fast as the batch AR in the dual-frequency case, 3 times in the mixed dual- and triple-frequency case and 3.5 times in the triple-frequency case.