GPS World

Tag: Ellipse

  • SBG Systems advances GNSS/INS with 3rd-generation Ellipse

    SBG Systems advances GNSS/INS with 3rd-generation Ellipse

    Photo: SGB Systems
    Photo: SGB Systems

    SBG Systems renews its popular line of miniature inertial sensors with high-end functionalities and dual frequency RTK

    SBG Systems has announced the third generation of its Ellipse series of miniature inertial sensors. The renewed product line benefits from a 64-bit architecture, allowing high precision signal processing.

    All of the INS/GNSS devices now embed a dual-frequency, quad constellations GNSS receiver for centimetric position and higher orientation accuracy.

    SBG Systems manufactures miniature high-accuracy inertial navigation systems with inertial measurement unit (IMU) design, calibration and filtering. All improvements made in the high-end lines could naturally benefit the Ellipse miniature line.

    The Ellipse series includes four models.

    • Ellipse-A is a motion sensor
    • Ellipse-E provides navigation with an external GNSS receiver
    • Ellipse-N is a single-antenna RTK GNSS/INS
    • Ellipse-D is a dual-antenna RTK GNSS/INS

    With its new 64-bit architecture, the third-generation Ellipse series enables the use of high-precision algorithms and technology used in high-end inertial systems such as rejection filters and FIR filtering.

    All Ellipse miniature INS are now RTK-enabled without extra cost, and output raw data for post-processing. All these features are made possible in a small, robust aluminum-enclosure box version, as well as in the 17-gram OEM version.

    The 17-gram OEM version of the Ellipse-D can provide drones with high-end features. Its dual antennas gives UAVs robust instant heading for take-off. Dual antenna is achievable with a very short baseline, down to 50 centimeters. Integration is enabled with ROS and PX4 drivers, full API, and free phone and email technical support.

    Ellipse-D

    Ellipse-D is the smallest dual-frequency, dual-antenna RTK GNSS/INS device offered.

    With its dual-frequency RTK GNSS receiver, the Ellipse-D provides a centimeter positioning. Dual frequency provides more robust heading and position computation than single-frequency receivers. It also allows high performance in attitude (0.05°) and in heading (0.2°).

    With its dual-antenna capability, Ellipse-D provides precise heading in a few seconds, in all dynamic conditions, and even in challenging GNSS conditions. It is also immune to magnetic disturbances. Ellipse-D is a quad-constellation receiver, simultaneously using signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo to enable navigation in challenging conditions.

    Designed with high quality industrial-grade components, Ellipse inertial sensors are highly tested and calibrated in dynamic and temperature for consistent, repeatable behavior in all conditions.

  • SBG Systems provides firmware update for Ellipse

    SBG Systems provides firmware update for Ellipse

    SBG Systems has announced a major firmware update for the Ellipse product line. New features have been added to version 1.7 to enhance performance of the sensor.

    Automotive package. New features were developed to better answer needs of the autonomous testing and driving markets. These features include:

    • CAN odometer. Users now have the choice to connect an external odometer (DMI) with pulses or use their car odometer with velocity information. During the installation, users can enter a rough “resolution.” Then, SBG’s inertial sensor refines the odometer installation parameters to automatically obtain the best performance.
    • New outputs. Included are body velocity and slip angle, which calculates the “drift” angle between the vehicle assumed trajectory and its actual (deviated) trajectory.

    Fixed lever-arms mode. For precision applications as well as low dynamics, and reduced warm-up time, the new Ellipse firmware allows users to run the Ellipse Kalman filter with no lever-arm estimation. This will ensure centimeter pass-to-pass accuracy for real-time kinematic (RTK) applications and allow operation in lower dynamics while reducing warm-up time.

    To precisely calibrate the lever arms, the use of Qinertia Lite can be used to obtain centimeter precise lever arms. For general-purpose applications, the standard mode of operation that refines the lever arms in real time is still available.

    Marine applications. The firmware update provides new features for advanced marine applications.

    • DVL aiding support. This helps to reduce drifts from the inertial sensor underwater, providing an interesting opportunity for projects such as short subsea navigation with affordable inertial sensors.
    • New output message (INDYN). INDYN brings support to performance sailing autopilots such as the B&G H5000.

    Improved magnetic calibration (sbgCenter). The new sbgCenter embeds a new magnetic calibration algorithm that improves overall performance in challenging calibration while allowing even more difficult calibration conditions. This new calibration procedure also provides improved quality feedback.

    The firmware download is protected by a password, the same credentials as for the last version. To request the password, e-mail [email protected].

    Photo: SBG Systems
    Photo: SBG Systems
  • SBG Systems improves Ellipse inertial sensors

    SBG Systems improves Ellipse inertial sensors

    SBG Systems has released a new version of the Ellipse Series, its product line of miniature inertial sensors. The Ellipse has been greatly improved, showing higher performance in attitude measurement while adding the Galileo constellation to its GNSS receiver.

    ELLIPSE-N_Inertial_Navigation_System_GNSS-W
    Photo: SBG Systems

    After thousands of Ellipse miniature inertial sensors operational on the field, SBG Systems has made major improvements to its Ellipse line of miniature inertial sensors while keeping the same form factor and price level.

    Attitude Accuracy Improved by a Factor of Two. With low-noise gyroscopes and new high performance accelerometers providing superior noise level, the accuracy of every Ellipse model has now improved from 0.2° to 0.1° in roll and pitch. In addition, the new accelerometers tolerate very high vibration environments (up to 8 g).

    The Ellipse-N model is an all-in-one inertial sensor that embeds a L1 GNSS receiver. Ellipse-N is already compatible with GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou constellations. With the addition of Galileo tracking, Ellipse-N benefits from more satellites, improving the signal robustness in harsh environments.

    Ellipse embeds high-quality sensors with a greatly improved long-term stability. Sensors are totally integrated in an IP68 enclosure, resistant to dust and water.

    Every Ellipse sensor is tested and calibrated in temperature and dynamics, to ensure constant behavior in every condition. Highly robust, Ellipse are guaranteed for two years. This warranty can be now extended up to five years.

    Entry-level Solution for Surveying. The Ellipse Series is extremely powerful for its size. It is an affordable all-in-one solution providing accurate attitude and position for surveying applications, whether they are terrestrial, aerial, or marine.

    With its fully backward compatibility design, the new Ellipse series can be used as a drop-in replacement of the previous Ellipse. No specific action is required in terms of mechanical, electrical or software integration. The new Ellipse sensors are available for ordering now.