5G • 5G-Advanced (Rel-18)
Carrier-Phase Positioning (RTK)
Rel-18 Cellular Real-Time Kinematic Carrier-Phase Positioning
Measures individual wavelengths of the RF carrier wave (cm-level phase cycles), delivering centimeter-level positioning accuracy over 5G networks.
Technical Explanation
While standard cellular positioning uses coarse code-phase timing measurements (yielding 1-3 meter accuracy), Rel-18 Carrier-Phase Positioning tracks the phase of the RF carrier frequency itself (wavelength of ~8.5 cm at 3.5 GHz). Using double-differencing algorithms inherited from GNSS RTK, 5G-Advanced achieves sub-10 cm positioning for industrial AGVs and autonomous drones.
Key Functions
- Tracks the physical phase cycles of the RF carrier wave to achieve sub-10 cm positioning
- Brings satellite Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) precision into indoor cellular networks
- Enables precise navigation for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in smart warehouses
- Resolves integer cycle ambiguities using multi-frequency carrier aggregation observations
Specifications
3GPP TR 38.857, TS 38.305, TS 38.215 (Rel-18)
Interfaces
Uu (PRS)LPP
Related 5G Concepts
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