GPS World

Tag: Loctronix

  • TCS Makes Strong Play in Indoor Location Market with Loctronix Acquisition

    TCS Makes Strong Play in Indoor Location Market with Loctronix Acquisition

    Jay Whitehurst, TCS
    Jay Whitehurst, TCS

    With market share second only to Ericsson, TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) is investing in location-based services (LBS), particularly those used for indoor location.

    One key investment was the July acquisition of Loctronix, a small Seattle-based provider of positioning systems for GNSS-challenged environments.

    TCS senior vice president and commercial software group president Jay Whitehurst spoke exclusively to GPS World at CTIA Super Mobility 2015 in Las Vegas this week about the acquisition.

    “We’ve been building out the (indoor location) technology, and we bought the assets of Loctronix and hired their CEO (Michael B. Mathews),” Whitehurst said. “They had a developed library and were at proof-of-concept almost ready to go to market and needed a vehicle to get it out there. We have 50 percent market share in E911, and in LBS we have 26 percent market share, relative to Ericsson’s 28 percent.”

    Loctronix’s Mobile Explorer Platform is designed for mobile devices, and delivers high-accuracy positioning booth indoors and out.

    The acquisition comes as TCS completes E911 interoperability testing with four public-safety equipment vendors, ahead of impending government regulation of E911 and with increasing public awareness about the need for emergency services that work with modern technology.

    Beyond public safety and security, Whitehurst says there are “unlimited applications” for the company’s indoor location tools in the commercial sector.

    From Mathews’ perspective, he made “the right choice” in selling his company. Mathews is now vice president of location technology at TCS.

    “I found it was easy to be an evangelist, but scaling that into a commercial solution you could sell and make money on are two very different things. It’s easy to have vision, but you’ve got to have infrastructure and the scale of a company behind you to get it to happen,” he said, standing next to Whitehurst in the TCS booth. “We were able to fit into their infrastructure, and they’ve got a lot of tools we couldn’t wait to get our hands on.”

    TCS plans to announce new geolocation tools based on the Loctronix assets in the fourth quarter. Without going into detail, Mathews described what’s coming as a “holistic solution” — then joked with Whitehurst that in his new role as a “tech guy” instead of CEO, “It’s not my problem.”

    “The story we’re going to tell the next few months is pretty awesome,” Mathews said. “When we say location everywhere we mean location everywhere.”

    Whitehurst presents VirtuMedix, a telemedicine platform using TCS’s LBS solutions

     

    “In the healthcare market vertical, clinicians are licensed to practice in a state. So knowing when somebody is accessing a healthcare provider by a mobile device, we have to determine if they are in the state the clinician is licensed to practice. It’s an important usage of (location-based services).”

    Find out more about VirtuMedix at www.virtumedix.com.

  • TCS Buys Loctronix Location-Based Technology

    TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) has purchased location-based technology and intellectual property from Loctronix. TCS is integrating the newly acquired assets from Loctronix with its location solution portfolio. Combined, the location-based services (LBS) solutions will enable TCS to further develop indoor-location technology applications ranging from advertising and marketing to navigation and public safety, TCS said.

    TCS specializes in secure and reliable wireless communications. The company’s patented solutions enable 9-1-1, commercial location-based services and deployable wireless infrastructure; cybersecurity; defense and aerospace components; and applications for mobile location-based services and messaging. 

    “Purchasing LBS technology and intellectual property from Loctronix not only adds to our already vast set of intellectual property rights for LBS, more importantly it underpins our continued commitment to further building out our advanced location product portfolio,” said Jay Whitehurst, TCS senior vice president and Commercial Software Group president. “In addition to expanding the breadth of our current location product offering, the Loctronix assets will provide clear differentiators in device location, and increase our market and revenue opportunities — both for commercial and public safety applications.”

    “We have exciting news,” Loctronix announced on its website. “The global leader in Precise Device location, TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) has integrated our assets with theirs. We have always said that our mission was to locate any device anywhere — indoors or outdoors. With our technology, TCS will now be able to do just that.”

    TCS plans to roll out new solutions leveraging the Loctronix assets by year’s end.

  • Loctronix IDS Captures Real-World GPS Jamming Interference

    A newly published white paper by Loctronix Corporation presents preliminary test results of its Interference Detection System (IDS), which included capturing two separate incidents of intentional interference caused by a sweep jammer device. On October 23, Loctronix will host a webinar, “Detecting GNSS Interference in the Wild,” based on the findings revealed in the white paper “Catching a Jammer.”

    In recent tests, the IDS ran continuously for 24 hours monitoring for potential interference originating from traffic on a nearby highway, SR-522, passing through Woodinville, Washington. “In a single day, the IDS detected two separate instances of a sweep jammer moving along the highway,” noted Loctronix Founder and CEO Michael Mathews. “These discoveries were unexpected, given the relatively short monitoring period and the fact that SR-522 is not a heavy truck-route.”

    “The two interference events were likely caused by sweep jammers installed within a vehicle’s interior. The intercepted signals exhibited significant variations in amplitude probably caused by the jammer antenna non-uniform radiation pattern as the jammer vehicle passed through the IDS antenna beam pattern,” Mathews added.

    Intentional interference is designed to prevent a GPS receiver from acquiring and tracking signals. The use of jammers is in the U.S. is illegal; however, they can still be purchased for as little as $30. Thousands of GPS jammers are purportedly in use throughout Europe and several parties have been caught illegally jamming GPS in the U.S.

    Loctronix developed the IDS to identify, characterize, and ultimately geolocate GPS interference. When interference is present, the system analyzes the interference for signal structure and notifies operators if the threat is significant.

    The IDS is highly portable, simple to use, and cost-effective, Loctronix said. The system is based upon the Loctronix ASR-2300 software defined radio platform, making it readily configurable (from a single mobile detector to a multi-sensor network array) to monitor additional GNSS bands and, potentially, cellular bands.

    Loctronix’ webinar, ”Detecting GNSS Interference in the Wild,” will be held October 23, 10-11 a.m. PDT.

    In the video below, Michael B. Mathews, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Loctronix, tells GPS World about the IDS at the ION GNSS+ Conference, held September in Tampa, Florida.

     

  • ION GNSS+ 2014: Loctronix

    Michael B. Mathews, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Loctronix, details the company’s Interference Detection System (IDS) at the ION GNSS+ September 9-12 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.

  • Loctronix Advances GNSS Integrity Monitoring with HGX Interference Detection System

    Loctronix Corporation, a provider of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions for GNSS-challenged environments, has unveiled the HGX Interference Detection System (IDS) for identifying and monitoring intentional and unintentional interference sources. The IDS is being demonstrated September 10-11 at ION GNSS+ 2014, in Tampa, Florida.

    “The IDS can detect sources of interference ranging between 5 dB and 60 dB GNSS jamming to signal (J/S) ratio. Featuring a novel profiling function, the IDS not only detects, but can identify the type of interference given a database of known/previously recorded profiles,” stated Michael Mathews, Loctronix’ CEO and founder.

    According to Mathews, “The greater dependence of GNSS within critical infrastructure — including, transportation, communications, finance and the growing availability of jammers — requires new tools to respond to potential threats. The IDS is the first tool to combine the powerful capabilities of Loctronix Spectral Compression Positioning (SCP) technology for identification and characterization of signals with traditional GNSS signal processing to provide full situational awareness of GPS/GNSS operations. The IDS system will benefit government, military, and commercial/industrial applications wherever there is a critical dependence upon quality GNSS data.”

    The IDS was developed using the Loctronix HGX hybrid sensor toolkit along with the company’s ASR-2300 ASR Workbench software defined radio platform. The standard implementation supports L1 GNSS bands and measurement rates of 10 measurements per second. Partner-licensed custom/solutions can support multiple bands (such as L2, L5) with greater bandwidths and measurement rates. Multiple sensitivity modes enable monitoring of sub-thermal and high-power interference.

    The HGX toolkit API will be available for specialization of the system for custom/embedded applications and adaptation to other hardware platforms. Visit Loctronix in Booth 422.

  • Loctronix’ Offers ASR Workbench for Software-Defined Radio Module

    Loctronix Corporation, a provider of unified positioning solutions for GNSS-challenged environments, has announced the availability of the ASR Workbench, a development toolset for the company’s recently released ASR-2300 software-defined radio (SDR) module.  The ASR-2300 is a function-rich SDR for high-performance positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), and communication applications, the company said.

    “The ASR-2300 delivers advanced SDR capabilities in a small, mobile form-factor enabling developers to readily create and field complex SDR-based solutions. The new ASR Workbench tool makes it easy for developers to take full advantage of the ASR-2300’s capabilities,” said Michael Mathews, Loctronix’ CEO and founder.

    The new ASR Workbench is a Windows-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for SDR applications development and testing.  It comes with a drag-and-drop, real-time DSP modeling tool with integrated support for the ASR-2300. With ASR Workbench developers will be able to:

    • Process multiple ASR-2300 baseband I/Q sample streams.
    • Access a variety of DSP processing and visualization blocks for use in custom models.
    • Record/playback signals, analyze received signals using a variety of demonstration models.
    • Optimize the performance and configuration of the ASR-2300 module with a suite of diagnostic tools.
    • Export data into formats supporting additional analysis using a variety of standard tools including Matlab/Simulink, Excel, etc.

    Loctronix’ ASR-2300 SDR module provides multiple, fully-integrated RF paths supporting reception of GNSS, cellular, ISM band, and UHF signals of opportunity, making it suitable for demanding scientific, military, aerospace and commercial/industrial applications, such as UAV/UAS navigation, GPS-challenged or -denied tracking and navigation, combined communications and navigation radios, and GPS integrity monitoring and validation, according to Mathews.

    “Using an SDR effectively is challenging due to the steep learning curve required to take advantage of its many programmability benefits.  At Loctronix, one of our highest priorities is to provide tools that simplify complex application development.  It is not enough to provide just an API and hardware for the user community and hope that they will learn how to use the platform effectively,” Mathews said.

    “Developers looking to create solutions for these demanding applications will realize greater functionality with the ASR-2300, thanks to its multiple sensor and multiple frequency capabilities,” he added.  “The new ASR Workbench will result in shorter development times and lower development costs for such high-performance PNT applications.”

    The ASR Workbench will be freely downloadable for customers purchasing the ASR-2300. The ASR-2300 SDR is available directly from Loctronix.

  • Loctronix Ships ASR-2300 Software-Defined Radio Module for Indoor/Outdoor Positioning

    Loctronix Ships ASR-2300 Software-Defined Radio Module for Indoor/Outdoor Positioning

    Loctronix ASR2300 module.
    Loctronix ASR-2300 module.

    Loctronix Corporation, a provider of unified positioning solutions for GNSS-challenged environments, announced that it has begun shipments of its new software-defined radio (SDR) module, the ASR-2300, for developing high-performance positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), and communication applications.

    “The ASR-2300 delivers advanced SDR capabilities in a small, mobile form-factor enabling developers to readily create and field complex SDR-based solutions. Featuring a 2×2 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) RF transceiver and an array of inertial sensors, the open-source ASR-2300 is an ideal platform for tapping advanced, multi-sensor/signals of opportunity for high-performance PNT,” said Michael Mathews, Loctronix’ CEO and founder.

    Loctronix ASR-2300 kit.
    Loctronix ASR-2300 kit.

    “Unique amongst the growing number of SDRs, Loctronix’ ASR-2300 provides multiple, fully-integrated RF paths supporting reception of GNSS, cellular, ISM band, and UHF signals of opportunity, making it well-suited for demanding scientific, military, aerospace and commercial/industrial applications, such as UAV/UAS navigation, GPS-challenged or -denied tracking and navigation, combined communications and navigation radios, and GPS integrity monitoring and validation,” Mathews noted.

    The MIMO transceiver module incorporates two wideband Field Programmable RF (FPRF) transceivers (300 MHz to 3.8 GHz), 10-axis accelerometer/gyro/compass/barometer sensors, and a large programmable FPGA capable of over 300 MiB/sec sustained communications with a host processor via USB 3.0 interface.  The module’s nine integrated RF path options and low size, weight, and power characteristics contribute to ease of integration and portability, Loctronix said.  Accommodating both internal 1 PPM TCXO or external frequency reference, multiple ASR-2300s can be inter-connected via an expansion port and/or UART interface, supporting real-time reception / transmission of 4, 6, 8 or more signals without the need for significant additional hardware.

    Developers looking to create solutions for demanding military, scientific and industrial applications will realize greater functionality with the ASR-2300, thanks to its multiple sensor and multiple frequency capabilities, Loctronix said. Additionally, access to a variety of user-friendly development tools facilitates waveform experimentation and helps speed the creation of these new solutions, resulting in shorter development times and lower development costs for high-performance PNT applications.

    Bundled kits, which include the module, housing, and power/data communications/RF interfaces, are priced at $1,600 with a special educational discount available for qualified institutions.  The ASR-2300 SDR is available directly from Loctronix.

  • Loctronix Offers Software-Defined Radio Module

    Loctronix Offers Software-Defined Radio Module

    Loctronix ASR-2300
    Loctronix ASR-2300

    Loctronix Corporation, a provider of unified positioning solutions for GNSS-challenged environments, is making available its new software-defined radio (SDR) module, the ASR-2300, for developing high-performance positioning, navigation and timing, and communication applications.

    The ASR-2300 will be on display September 16-19 at the Institute of Navigation annual meeting, ION GNSS+ 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee.

    “The ASR-2300 delivers advanced SDR capabilities in a small, mobile form-factor enabling developers to readily create and field complex SDR-based solutions. The module moves SDR out of the lab and into production, providing the critical piece for tapping advanced, multi-sensor/signals of opportunity for high-performance PNT,” stated Michael Mathews, Loctronix’ CEO and founder.

    According to Mathews, “The ASR-2300 is unique amongst the growing number of SDRs, having multiple, fully-integrated RF paths supporting reception of GNSS, cellular, ISM band, and UHF signals of opportunity. The ASR-2300 will benefit SDR developers working on demanding scientific, military, aerospace and commercial/industrial applications.”

    The ASR-2300 is a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) transceiver module incorporating two wideband Field Programmable RF (FPRF) transceivers (300 MHz to 3.8 GHz) from Lime Microsystems, 10-axis accelerometer/gyro/compass/barometer sensors, and a large programmable FPGA capable of over 300 MiB/sec sustained communications with a host processor via USB 3.0 interface.  The module’s nine integrated RF path options and low size, weight, and power characteristics contribute to ease of integration and portability. Accommodating both internal 1 PPM TCXO or external frequency reference, multiple ASR-2300s can be inter-connected via an expansion port and/or UART interface, supporting real-time reception / transmission of 4, 6, 8 or more signals without the need for significant additional hardware.

    With on-board flash for storing developer customizable firmware and FPGA logic, the ASR-2300 can be configured to operate in a variety of different power profiles, maximizing battery life without requiring a host processor.  The modules will be factory-programmed with only the RF receiver capabilities enabled.  Developers can enable transmit functionality by modifying the firmware and waveforms.

    The A2300 Open Source Project at Myriad RF

    To encourage innovation in PNT and communications applications, Loctronix has partnered with Lime Microsystems to provide the source materials for the ASR-2300 module under open source licensing at the Myriad RF project.

    “The broad utility of the ASR-2300 makes it an ideal platform for prototyping and developing advanced applications in the communications and PNT markets. Developers can make their own boards using the documents and design database contained in the A2300 project and/or purchase hardware, development kits, support services, and licensed waveforms directly from Loctronix,” Mathews said.

    “Encouraging collaboration between the open source community and industry is a natural way to promote innovation and accelerate growth of SDR technology. We are delighted to partner with Loctronix to make their innovative ASR-2300 SDR design available to open source developers for creating advanced SDR applications,” said Lime Microsystems CEO Ebrahim Bushehri, Ph.D.

    The open-source software package includes basic drivers for Linux and Windows environments enabling both GNU Radio and embedded C/C++ developers to interface with the ASR-2300 module.  Developers can obtain source code and design documents for modifying the ASR-2300 to suit their own applications.

    The ASR-2300 will be available from Loctronix this November. Adaptors, antennas, and a housing kit will also be available that provide a variety of configuration options supporting bench-top testing to wearable, battery-operated field demonstrations.