Distributed Positioning: A Network-Supported Method for Satellite Positioning Performance Improvement

Abstract

Recent studies show that basic satellite positioning is reaching its limits in terms of performance improvements. Further enhancements in positioning performance can be based almost entirely on augmentation and procedures supported by other systems. Considering the complexity of the interrelationship with additional systems, intrinsically different solutions are being developed to solve the positioning performance improvement problem. Here we present a new concept in positioning. Dubbed distributed positioning, it merges basic satellite positioning with advanced and assisted positioning procedures. The resulting complex synergy unavoidably includes the use of additional technologies in mobile communications, wireless Internet, and advanced computer systems. The real advantage from the introduction of distributed positioning lies in its capability to provide a significant improvement in overall positioning performance. Latest navigation status and up-to-date local environment models are much easier to apply on rover positioning, compared with classical assisted-GPS positioning procedures. Distributed positioning presents a completely different approach in positioning performance improvement, opening new prospects in research and development not only in the field of the satellite positioning, but also in telecommunications and computer engineering.

Conveying and Handling Location Information in the IP Multimedia Subsystem

“…In order to achieve robust, reliable and accurate position determination, several positioning methods are usually deployed, either alone or as a combination. Due to its unbeatable performance compared with other methods, satellite positioning is considered a preferred method [3] [11], while the others serve either as the augmentation, supporting methods when satellite positioning is not available, or as redundant methods. At present, only the US Global Positioning System (GPS) is fully operational, with the European Galileo system scheduled for 2008, and the Russian Glonass undergoing modernization.…”

“…Satellite positioning methods do not only supply the latitude and longitude of the mobile object in question, but are also capable of providing several additional elements of his/her/its dynamics (velocity, azimuth, altitude etc.) [11].…”

“…Position determination is conducted by combining several positioning sensors' outputs (satellite positioning, network positioning, radio positioning, etc.) with required quality of positioning service [11], which is usually referred to as positioning sensor fusion. Mobile communication systems provide reliable means for position reports and location content exchange between mobile units and the rest of the LBS system.…”

Satellite Positioning for LBS: A Zagreb Field Positioning Performance Study

“…Evidently, the basic GPS positioning service was completely capable of satisfying the requirements for both low-and standard-level accuracy. The high-level positioning accuracy performance asks for implementation of an assisted GNSS service (Filjar et al, 2001) and advanced position computing procedures (Filjar et al, 2002). 5.4.…”