Ambiguity estimation of GNSS signals for three or more carriers

1. A method of processing a first set of GNSS signal data derived from at least three carriers of navigation system signals of a first group of transmitters and a second set of GNSS signal data derived from two carriers of navigation system signals of a second group of transmitters, comprising

a. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data and the second set of GNSS signal data a geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

b. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data a first bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the first bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

c. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one bank of filters using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

d. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one first code filter using a plurality of geometry-free code-carrier combinations to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one first code filter and associated statistical information;

e. applying to the second set of GNSS signal data a second bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the second bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

f. applying to the second set of GNSS signal data at least one second code filter using a plurality of geometry-free and ionosphere-free code-carrier combinations to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one second code filter and associated statistical information; and

g. combining the arrays of a., b., c., d., e. and f. to obtain a combined array of ambiguity estimates for all carrier phase combinations and associated statistical information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one first code filter comprises applying to the first set of GNSS signal data one code filter for each carrier of the first group of transmitters.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying to the second set of GNSS signal data at least one second code filter comprises applying to the second set of GNSS signal data one code filter for each carrier of the second group of transmitters.

6. A method of processing a first set of GNSS signal data derived from three carriers of navigation system signals of a first group of transmitters and a second set of GNSS signal data derived from two carriers of navigation system signals of a second group of transmitters, comprising

a. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data a first geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination of the first geometry filter and associated statistical information;

b. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data a first bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the first bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

c. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one bank of filters using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

d. applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one first code filter using a plurality of geometry-free code-carrier combinations to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one first code filter and associated statistical information;

e. applying to the second set of GNSS signal data a second geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier phase combination of the second geometry filter and associated statistical information;

f. applying to the second set of GNSS signal data a second bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the second bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

g. applying to the second set of GNSS signal data at least one second code filter using a plurality of geometry-free and ionosphere-free code-carrier combinations to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one second code filter and associated statistical information; and

h. combining the arrays of a., b., c., d., e., f. and g. to obtain a combined array of ambiguity estimates for all carrier phase combinations and associated statistical information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying to the first set of GNSS signal data at least one first code filter comprises applying to the first set of GNSS signal data one code filter for each carrier of the first group of transmitters.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein applying to the second set of GNSS signal data at least one second code filter comprises applying to the second set of GNSS signal data one code filter for each carrier of the second group of transmitters.

11. Apparatus for processing a first set of GNSS signal data derived from at least three carriers of navigation system signals of a first group of transmitters and a second set of GNSS signal data derived from two carriers of navigation system signals of a second group of transmitters, comprising:

a. a geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

b. a first bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

c. at least one bank of filters using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

d. at least first one code filter using a plurality of geometry-free code-carrier combinations to obtain from the first set of GNSS data an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations and associated statistical information;

e. a second bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain from the second set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the second bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

f. at least one second code filter using a plurality of geometry-free and ionosphere-free code-carrier combinations to obtain from the second set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one second code filter and associated statistical information; and

g. a combiner to produce from the arrays obtained by the filters of a., b., c., d., e. and f. a combined array of ambiguity estimates for all carrier phase combinations and associated statistical information.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first code filter comprises one code filter for each carrier of the first group of transmitters.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one second code filter comprises one code filter for each carrier of the second group of transmitters.

16. Apparatus for processing a first set of GNSS signal data derived from at least three carriers of navigation system signals of a first group of transmitters and a second set of GNSS signal data derived from two carriers of navigation system signals of a second group of transmitters, comprising:

a. a first geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination of the first geometry filter and associated statistical information;

b. a first bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

c. at least one bank of filters using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain from the first set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information;

d. at least first one code filter using a plurality of geometry-free code-carrier combinations to obtain from the first set of GNSS data an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations and associated statistical information;

e. a second geometry filter using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain from the second set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier phase combination of the second geometry filter and associated statistical information;

f. a second bank of ionosphere filters using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain from the second set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination of the second bank of ionosphere filters and associated statistical information;

g. at least one second code filter using a plurality of geometry-free and ionosphere-free code-carrier combinations to obtain from the second set of GNSS signal data an array of ambiguity estimates for the code-carrier combinations of the at least one second code filter and associated statistical information; and

h. a combiner to produce from the arrays obtained by the filters of a., b., c., d., e., f. and g. a combined array of ambiguity estimates for all carrier phase combinations and associated statistical information.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second set of GNSS signal data is derived from signals received from satellites of a GNSS system comprising one of the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Glonass system (Glonass), and the Galileo system (Galileo).

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one first code filter comprises one code filter for each carrier of the first group of transmitters.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one second code filter comprises one code filter for each carrier of the second group of transmitters.