SSB Acquisition for Positioning and Navigation in 5G Terrestrial Networks

To accurately assess the benefits of cellular signals as contribution to alternative Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) concepts and absolute positioning methods, it is necessary to understand the entire system, to quantify potential error sources, and to improve knowledge of the integrity of cellular signal measurements. Enabling positioning with snapshot processing or tracking multiple fifth-generation New Radio (5G NR) signals in terrestrial environments requires robust acquisition of initial estimates. The STARE software receiver with its extensive customizability and the conscientious mapping and monitoring of multiple transmitters facilitates a comprehensive evaluation of acquisition performance, and under varying signal conditions.
Our static and dynamic evaluations show that STARE can provide usable code and Doppler estimates from opportunistic measurements in commercial 5G NR networks.