Context-aware peer-to-peer and cooperative positioning

Abstract

Peer-to-peer and cooperative positioning represent one of the major evolutions for mass-market positioning, bringing together capabilities of Satellite Navigation and Communication Systems. It is well known that smartphones already provide user position leveraging both GNSS and information collected through the communication network (e.g., Assisted-GNSS). However, exploiting the exchange of information among close users can attain further benefits. In this paper, we deal with such an approach and show that sharing information on the environmental conditions that characterize the reception of satellite signals can be effectively exploited to improve the accuracy and availability of user positioning. This approach extends the positioning service to indoor environments and, in general, to any scenario where full visibility of the satellite constellation cannot be granted.