A New Fuzzy-Cluster-Based Cycle-Slip Detection Method for GPS Single-Frequency Observation

The development of low-cost, small, modular receivers and their application in diverse scenarios with complex data quality has increased the requirements of single-frequency carrier-phase data preprocessing in real time. Different methods have been developed, but successful detection is not always ensured. The issue is crucial for high-precision positioning with Global Positioning System (GPS). Aiming at a high detection rate and low false-alarm rate, we propose a new cycle-slip detection method based on fuzzy-cluster. It consists of two steps. The first is identification of the epoch when cycle slips appear using Chi-square test based on time-differenced observations. The second is identification of the satellite which suffers from cycle slips using the fuzzy-cluster algorithm. To verify the performance of the proposed method, we compared it to a current robust method using real single-frequency data with simulated cycle slips. Results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the robust estimation method, with a higher correct-detection rate and lower undetection rate. As the number of satellites simulated with cycle slips increases, the correct-detection rate rapidly decreases from 100% to below 50% with the robust estimation method. While the correct-detection rate using the proposed method is always more than 60%, even if the number of satellites simulated with cycle slips reaches five. In addition, the proposed method always has a lower undetection rate than the robust estimation method. Simulation showed that when the number of satellites with cycle slips exceeds three, the undetection rate increases to more than 30%, reaching ~70% for the robust estimation method and less than 30% for the proposed method.