Trimble Navigation Limited

Qiyue John Zhang

John Delucchi

Method and apparatus for estimating a line bias for a signal received from a common signal source at each of two or more GPS signal receivers. Single difference solutions are obtained for angular orientation of an antenna array and for antenna location, using a two-thread or two-procedure process for determining and updating line bias variation within each of a sequence of time intervals.

Compensation for line bias variation

Methods for estimation of the relative locations (baseline vectors) of two or more GPS signal antennas relative to each other and for estimation of line biases associated with each signal processing channel associated with each GPS signal antenna. Double difference carrier phase signal measurements are formed, using floating integer and fixed integer solutions for the phase integer ambiguities, and baseline vectors between the GPS signal antennas are estimated. Single difference phase integer ambiguities are obtained and approximations for line biases are computed. Single difference carrier phase measurements are used to estimate baseline vectors and line biases, using fixed phase integer ambiguities with the estimated baseline vectors and line biases as initial conditions, and are processed by Kalman filtering or other suitable signal processing. Angular orientation or attitude of a vehicle body on which the GPS signal antennas are placed is determined from the baseline vectors.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Qiyue John Zhang