Analyzing 5G NR Ranging capabilities for Aiding Multi-GNSS SPP

The standardization of fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) cellular networks offers possibilities to provide low latency and high data rate communication in higher frequency bands. The increasing communication demand, both in public and private spaces, makes the deployment of denser networks especially interesting for urban areas. As a by-product, the emerging signal source can be used for positioning without the need for dedicated positioning infrastructures. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are the workhorse for absolute outdoor localization, with few meters uncertainties; or even centimeter level in urban areas when complemented by dedicated base stations, such as Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning and additional information. However, GNSS signals suffer from the harsh reception conditions in urban areas. NLOS (Non-line of Sight) and multipath signals caused by surrounding buildings, trees, or other interfering factors lead to ranging errors. The presence of a signal transmission infrastructure in an environment that is susceptible to GNSS positioning errors is an incentive to analyze these signals to enhance GNSS localization. This paper evaluates the ranging capabilities of current state-of-the-art 5G NR signals in dense urban environments. Publicly available signal synchronization blocks (SSBs) are analyzed in simulations to evaluate the augmentation capabilities of urban GNSS positioning by additional NR range measurements. The analysis on the SSB Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) shows, that ´ the addition of SSB ranges can improve GNSS-Single Point Positioning (GNSS-SPP) in severe GNSS conditions. Consequently, real SSBs broadcasted by commercial cellular networks in the vicinity of Leibniz University, Hannover are captured and processed to evaluate the ranging quality of the SSBs in dense urban environment.