GPS World

Author: GPS World Staff

  • Regional Event in Jordan to Focus on Road, Freight with EGNOS

    On October 21, Jordan will host a Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EUROMED) regional event focused on the use of GNSS, particularly European GNSS, for freight and road transport. The Euromed GNSS II/MEDUSA meeting will be held in Amman, Jordan, at the Sheraton Al Nabil Hotel.

    Jordan-Transport-Ministry-TOrganized by the Euromed GNSS II/MEDUSA project, under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport of Jordan, the event will aim to share experiences and best practices, and to discuss strategies and possible ways forward in relation to the use of the satellite navigation for freight and road transport in the region.

    At the event, MEDUSA will present the results of its case study, which was conducted with Royal Jordanian Customs and with the aid of the Ministry of Transport of Jordan. Since April, supported by European companies involved in MEDUSA, Royal Jordanian Customs have had the opportunity to test and validate the use of European GNSS, and specifically of EGNOS, for tracking and tracing containers shipped across the Mediterranean Sea and vehicles transporting goods in Jordan.

    The case study is one of the technical assistance actions implemented by MEDUSA, and it represents the first life experience of EGNOS services’ usage in areas distant from Europe.

    MEDUSA belongs to the EU Euromed Transport Program. Its objective is to promote the adoption of the European GNSS by the Euromed countries, which include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria (suspended due to political unrest), and Tunisia.

    GNSS technology is applied to several user applications, and transport is one of the most important, including aviation, road, maritime, rail, freight transport and logistics. The MEDUSA project includes a program of specific technical assistance actions for the Euromed countries, to facilitate the introduction and exploitation of GNSS services in their markets.

    The wide adoption of advanced technology, also including satellite navigation, for freight and road transport applications (such as Intelligent Transport Systems, or ITS) enables the implementation of smart mobility and the enhancement of goods transportation/traffic volumes increasing.

    During the event, the participants from the Euromed countries will share lessons learned from the Jordan case study, and learn about relevant best practices in Europe and in the Euromed region, as well as debate strategies and possible ways forward in the light of national interests and common regional perspectives.

    Opened by an institutional panel, with representatives of the Jordan Ministry of Transport and the European Commission, the event will consist of a session dedicated to the case study and a session addressing opportunities in other Euromed countries, including the presentation of European success cases as examples of suitable paths to guide the GNSS operational introduction and adoption.

    At the conclusion of the event, the participants will elaborate guidelines and recommendations, to be possibly translated into action plans for the Euromed countries.

    The meeting agenda is available to download.

  • Spirent Simulator Granted Security Approval by GPS Directorate

    Spirent Simulator Granted Security Approval by GPS Directorate

    Spirent's GSS9000 constellation simulator.
    Spirent’s GSS9000 constellation simulator.

    Spirent Federal Systems, a U.S. provider of positioning, navigation and timing test solutions to the government and its contractors, announces that its GSS9000 RF constellation simulator has been reviewed and granted security approval by the GPS Directorate.

    Higher dynamic simulations with more accuracy and fidelity are enabled by 1000-Hz (1 ms) System Iteration Rate — a four-fold increase over Spirent’s current GSS8000 product — zero inter-channel bias and a 0.3 mm RMS pseudorange accuracy. The GSS9000 also includes support for restricted and classified signals from the GPS and Galileo systems as well as advanced capabilities for ultra-high dynamics.

    According to Spirent, the GSS9000 is being rapidly adopted worldwide by key GNSS system and solution developers and providers because of its flexibility, performance and capability. The GSS9000 builds on the capability and performance of previous solutions from Spirent.

    The GSS9000 is highly flexible and can support the widest range of carriers, ranging codes and data streams for the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou as well as regional/augmentation systems. Its flexibility is key to supporting tailored and customizable solutions for specific and unique test needs. Multi-antenna/multi-vehicle simulation, for differential-GNSS and attitude determination, and interference/jamming and spoofing testing are also supported.

  • Rockwell Tracks Galileo Signal with Secure Software Receiver

    Rockwell Collins has successfully received and tracked a Galileo satellite signal using a prototype GNSS receiver designed for secure military use.

    In 2013, Rockwell Collins received a $2 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the GPS Directorate to develop and demonstrate a Secure Software Defined Radio (S-SDR) GNSS receiver capability. By using multiple available satellite signals, improved and more robust signal availability can be obtained, enabling a compatible GNSS receiver to deliver superior position determination that can improve navigation performance and signal availability.

    Hosted in a software-defined radio, the S-SDR program will develop the security architecture required for receiver equipment approvals and certifications. The arrival of modernized GPS signals and other global constellations is changing the way the U.S. military and its allies accomplish secure GNSS-based positioning, navigation and timing. The European Galileo constellation coming on line during 2015, including its open signals and secure Public Regulated Service, is expected to provide an opportunity for improved robustness in satellite based navigation, in both commercial and government applications.

    “This milestone reinforces our belief that Rockwell Collins is uniquely positioned to produce a navigation receiver that will meet global needs,” said John Borghese, vice president of the Advanced Technology Center for Rockwell Collins. “With decades of experience developing GPS systems and leading edge security architectures, our company continues to be a top innovator in this field.”

    More than 35 years ago, Rockwell Collins assisted the U.S. Air Force in developing GPS technology. That legacy continued when the company created the world’s first all-digital miniature GPS receiver under contract with DARPA. Over the years, Rockwell Collins has produced more than 50 GPS products and delivered more than 1 million GPS receivers for commercial avionics and government applications. The GNSS receiver technology being provided for the S-SDR program will continue this legacy of providing leading edge GNSS solutions.

  • Rx Networks Enables Fast GNSS Positioning in Recon Jet Smart Glasses

    Rx Networks Enables Fast GNSS Positioning in Recon Jet Smart Glasses

    RxNetworks-Jet-smartglasses-W
    Photo: Rx Networks, Inc

    Rx Networks, Inc., has licensed its GPStream PGPS GNSS assistance technology to Recon Instruments, a Canadian technology company that brings heads-up display products to the consumer market. GPStream PGPS will tightly integrate with the GPS chip inside of Recon’s upcoming Jet smart glasses, an advanced wearable computer planned for the first quarter of 2015.

    Through its location and GNSS assistance software and services, Rx Networks empowers fast positioning in more than a billion mobile devices every day, the company said. Its GPStream PGPS solution, licensed and deployed in more than 100 million smartphones and personal navigation devices, accurately predicts the future orbits of satellites for up to two weeks in advance. It then stands by, ready to deliver this assistance data into a GNSS chipset when it powers up. This not only speeds up initial time to first fix (TTFF) from 45 seconds down to less than 3 seconds, it also improves the receiver sensitivity and reduces power consumption. From a user perspective, this translates into longer battery life and faster initialization of apps that depend on location, even in difficult environments.

    According to IDC, the wearable devices market is expected to grow from 19.2M units in 2014 to 111.9M units in 2018. Most form factors today rely on the presence of a smartphone as a hub for core functions like Internet access or location. “We are seeing an exciting new trend in the mobile location market,” said Guylain Roy-MacHabée, CEO of Rx Networks Inc. “From smartwatches to smart glasses, we are helping OEMs optimally implement satellite navigation and other means of positioning directly in this new class of smart wearables devices.”

  • InnovateUK Makes Available £1.3M for Space and Satnav Tech

    Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) plan to jointly invest up to £1.3 million to establish new Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in or related to the space sector to help United Kingdom companies to grow in the expanding global space market.

    Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects are Europe’s leading program to help businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity through better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base, according to InnovateUK.

    The investments will provide support for 10 to 12 Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects of between six and 36 months, helping to translate the UK’s academic strengths in this area into commercial success.

    The competition opens September 15 and is open on a rolling basis for applications until noon on February 11, 2015.

    A briefing/launch event for potential applicants will be held at the National Space Centre, Leicester, on September 23, 2014.

    For more information about the space sector investments, visit this InnovateUK page.

  • Pratap Misra Honored with ION Kepler Award 

    Pratap Misra Honored with ION Kepler Award 

    Pratap Misra, 2014 Kepler Award recipient.
    Pratap Misra, 2014 Kepler Award recipient.

    The Institute of Navigation’s (ION) Satellite Division awarded Pratap Misra its Johannes Kepler Award on September 12 at the ION GNSS+ Conference in Tampa, Florida, for his contributions to satellite navigation education, the understanding of GLONASS, and receiver autonomous integrity monitoring.

    Misra is credited with tracking GLONASS satellites using the AF Deep Space Tracking Network to determine their orbits in the coordinate frame used by GPS, while the satellites broadcast their positions in the Soviet coordinate frame. Misra is recognized for his ground-breaking work on navigation with combination of GPS and GLONASS signals and is the western world’s leading expert on what’s now the Russian satellite navigation system. He was a technical advisor to the Federal Aviation Administration for many of the bilateral and multi-lateral committees that worked on the development of GPS/GLONASS spectrum sharing and avionics.

    Additionally, Misra has worked on receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM), and contributed a novel approach that does not require the simplifying assumption of Gaussian errors. He was also the first to provide a RAIM algorithm that leveraged the receiver clock to put a bound on the vertical position error. These algorithms are expected to play a significant role in the upcoming multi-constellation environment.

    Misra is a research associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University, and is well known for the textbook that he co-authored with Professor Per Enge of Stanford University, Global Positioning System: Signals, Measurements and Performance. Misra is a past chair of the ION Satellite Division and has held numerous volunteer positions within ION, most recently focusing on the support of student programs. He is both an ION Fellow (2003) and IEEE Fellow (2007).

    The Kepler Award recognizes and honors an individual for sustained and significant contributions to the development of satellite navigation. It is the highest honor bestowed by the ION’s Satellite Division.

  • GSA, EuroControl Sign Agreement on GNSS for Aviation

    In the presence of the European Commission, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and EuroControl have signed a new cooperation agreement to jointly contribute to the implementation of European Union GNSS policies as they apply to the field of aviation.

    As Europe’s skies and major airports become increasingly congested, there is need for Air Traffic Management (ATM) technologies to evolve from ground-based infrastructures to more advanced systems based on new technologies. EuroControl and the GSA have a shared objective in developing and exploiting European GNSS technology to improve accessibility, efficiency and safety to European operators, pilots and airports.

    To accomplish this objective, the agreement focuses on a range of activities, including:

    • Definition of aviation user requirements for EGNOS and Galileo
    • Introduction of European GNSS services for aviation within the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) area
    • Coordination in aviation research and development
    • Aviation-specific GNSS performance monitoring
    • Promotion of European GNSS aviation activities at the international level

    “This is another example of European Commission support of the aviation sector,” said Daniel Calleja Crespo, director general of DG Enterprise and Industry at the European Commission. “I am confident that a strong cooperation between the GSA and EuroControl will benefit aviation, the European GNSS Programs and indeed European citizens.”

    “The full deployment of GNSS offers unprecedented opportunities to further improve air traffic management safety and capacity, while reducing costs at pan-European level,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “EuroControl’s activities in this field will complement those of the GSA to ensure that the development and implementation of satellite-based navigation provides an optimal solution for European airspace users.”

    “EuroControl and the GSA share a common objective — the secure and safe implementation of European satellite navigation policies in the aviation sector. The enhanced cooperation between our two organizations means that EuroControl will now bring its unequaled capacity to understand, coordinate and represent the needs of the civil and military airspace users to the promotion and development of GNSS,” said Frank Brenner, director general of EuroControl.

    EGNOS is Europe’s first venture into satellite navigation and has been providing a certified safety service for aviation users since 2010. EGNOS is owned by the European Union and, since January 1, 2014, the GSA is responsible for its exploitation, ensuring service provision, operations, maintenance and evolution.

  • Parsec Introduces PTA1.5M-9 Active GPS/GNSS Antenna

    Parsec Technologies, Inc., global provider of wireless positioning antennas and amplifier integrated circuits for the consumer, automotive and defense markets, introduced its GPS/GNSS L1 high-radiated efficiency active antenna at CTIA Super Mobility Week September 10.

    The PTA1.5M-9, sized 9 x 9.175 x 1.3 mm, integrates easily with GNSS/GPS 3D-SIPs and system-on-chip (SoC) receivers with only a single direct connection typically required, and is compatible with any GNSS receiver operating from 1560 to 1610 MHz.

    The Parsec PTA 1.5M-9 is a wideband antenna ideal for embedded LBS receivers requiring good user experience to operate within 5 to 7 mm of the human body, indoors in the presence of multi-path, and in applications with obstructed views of orbiting satellites.

    Key benefits include:

    • Micro miniature size: 9mm x 9.175mm x 1.3mm (L x W x H)
    • 50 MHz bandwidth: covers GNSS systems from 1560 – 1610 MHz
    • Highest rated efficiency in class: 50% at 1575.42 MHz
    • Antenna gain: Ga=0.8 dBi @ Fc = 1575.42 MHz, linear polarization
    • Ideal for M2M GPS/GNSS requirements

    Plano, Texas-based Parsec is displaying their products for M2M devices, showcasing their GPS and GNSS product line of active and passive antennas as well as introducing their new ultra-thin dual band cellular antenna at CTIA 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada – Booth #6221 in the M2M Zone.

  • Topcon and MAVinci Announce Sirius Pro for Use with RTK Base Stations or NTRIP

    Topcon Positioning Group and MAVinci GmbH have released the latest version of the Sirius Pro surveying UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) program, designed to be compatible with existing RTK (real-time kinematic) base stations or NTRIP (network transport of RTCM data over IP).

    “By connecting an external base station, Sirius Pro will receive the RTCM correction signals and deliver 2-5 centimeter accuracy without using ground control points,” said Eduardo Falcon, executive vice president and general manager for the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. “When you have mobile Internet on your site, you can achieve the same accuracy even without a local base station using NTRIP.”

    Sirius Pro is designed to deliver orthofotos and three-dimensional elevation models with a high absolute accuracy of 2-5 centimeters without using ground control points. “Combining MAVinci‘s precision timing technology with Topcon sub-centimeter grade L1/L2 GPS/GLONASS RTK receivers, this robust system stands up with a clever solution that helps in the realizing of projects in a better and faster way,” said Johanna Claussen, CEO at MAVinci.

    For users who do not have an RTK base station, an internal base station add-on for the Sirius Pro is available. “It upgrades the Sirius Pro to its full functionality: Use of an internal or external base station depending on your needs,” Claussen said. “This add-on is available anytime via Internet without changing your hardware.”

    Sirius Basic is an entry-level solution for UAS surveying, and delivers orthofotos and 3-D elevation models. The system is designed to offer high-accuracy when using ground control points. “Sirius Basic offers you full flexibility,” said Falcon. “It can be upgraded to Sirius Pro via an Internet update later on — no hardware change is necessary.”

    The system will be available at the Intergeo trade show for geodesy in October and thereon.  The Topcon and MAVinci UAS was first introduced at Intergeo 2013 for the European market and was recently made available in the North American market.

  • Unicore Announces BeiDou/GPS+MEMS GNSS Module, High-Precision Heading Board at ION GNSS+

    UM220-INS BDS/GPS+MEMS dual-system inertial navigation module.
    UM220-INS
    BDS/GPS+MEMS dual-system inertial navigation module. Photo: Unicore

    Unicore Communications, Inc., is showcasing two new products at ION GNSS+, being held September 10-12 in Tampa, Florida.

    The UM220-INS is a BeiDou/GPS+MEMS dual-system inertial navigation module for in-dash automotive navigation and high-end navigation. Besides dual-system (BeiDou+GPS) GNSS navigation, the UM220-INS features a built in six-axis MEMS and can output a GNSS+MEMS inertial positioning result, making it suitable for applications requiring high accuracy, high reliability, and high continuity positioning.

    The second product is the UB280, a BeiDou/GPS dual-system dual-antenna high-precision heading board for precise RTK position and heading. According to Unicore, UB280 is based on Unicore’s mature BeiDou compatible multi-system GNSS system-on-chip (SoC), features low-power design and dual-antenna input, can offer millimeter-level carrier phase observation value and centimeter-level RTK positioning accuracy, and supports multi-path mitigation. Its advanced technology of instant and long-distance RTK is designed for high-precision positioning, navigation, and heading applications in static and dynamic environments.

    Features of the UM220-INS include:

    • Built-in six-axis MEMS. UM220-INS has a built-in MEMS with a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer. The solution fusing GNSS and inertial MEMS enables car-navigation devices to provide a continuous and stable position under complicated environments such as basement parking and tunnels, regardless of satellite visibility.
    • High-Sensitivity Design. With Unicore’s Ultra-Sense high-sensitivity design, UM220-INS can provide excellent acquisition and tracking sensitivity under weak signal conditions, maintaining the position continuity and reliability of the receiver.
    • High-Integrated Design. Different from traditional GPS navigation products, built-in MEMS devices support the odometer / speed pulse, the reversing signal input, and more integrated, simplified overall unit manufacturers’ design.
    • DGNSS and AGNSS Supprt. UM220-INS has extended support for differential GNSS and assisted GNSS positioning functions, and supports RTCM2.3/3.0.
    • Backward Compatibility with UM220. The UM220-III N module is backward-compatible with the UM220 in size and interface, which makes upgrades easy.
    UB280 BDS/GPS dual-system dual-antenna high -precision heading board. Photo: Unicore
    UB280 BDS/GPS dual-system dual-antenna high -precision heading board. Photo: Unicore

    Features of the UB280 incude:

    • Design standard. This board is totally compatible with mainstream OEM boards in dimensions and electrical standards for the convenience of user’s further development. Apart from this, more hardware interfaces are available.
    • Rapid RTK Integer Ambiguity Resolution. With super strong RTK algorithms, it ensures more rapid initializing speed and can make a GNSS-RTK solution on multi-constellation, thus ensuring users take the lead in the interoperability era.
    • Web Interface. The UB280 supports an Ethernet interface, so users can configure the board through Ethernet, managing, upgrading, and restarting the device remotely.
    • Instant Heading Technology. With an innovative RTK algorithm, Unicore has developed the real-time dynamic heading technology on variable baseline length for a moving base station. High-quality carrier observation and perfect RTK algorithm can provide a 0.2° heading accuracy on a 1-meter baseline.
    • Graphical Interface. Based on the graphical Control and Display Tool (CDT), the state, SNR and elevating angle of the satellites of all the constellations could be displayed on the screen, which is convenient for application development.

    Unicore Communications is located in Booth 118 in the ION GNSS+ exhibit hall.

  • Exelis GPS Threat Detection Offers Improved Capabilities

     

     

    The Signal Sentry 1000.
    The Signal Sentry 1000.

    Based on customer use and feedback, Exelis has improved its Signal Sentry 1000 product to include enhanced, user-friendly analytics and alerts. Signal Sentry technology detects and locates sources of intentional and unintentional interference to GPS signals and provides users with actionable intelligence.

    Exelis is showcasing Signal Sentry 1000 in Booth 619/621 at the ION GNSS+ conference September 10-12 in Tampa, Florida.

    Enriched features of Signal Sentry 1000 include superior sensors that increase detection accuracy to better pinpoint the jamming source, enhanced analytics to recognize patterns of jamming, and easy-to-use history functionality to comprehend where interference happened and to follow its path. Instant reporting of jamming events via text or email so that appropriate resources may be deployed to an incident is also a new feature of Signal Sentry.

    “Signal Sentry was developed by Exelis to protect critical infrastructure and to deliver intelligence to police agencies. Since Signal Sentry has been used by law enforcement, we have been able to enhance the products investigative and intelligent-led policing capabilities,” said Carl Slutsky, product line manager for Signal Sentry at Exelis. “Now, users can see patterns such as what happened and when and where it happened to better allocate their investigative resources. Additionally, we added an alert feature to Signal Sentry that provides real-time notice of a GPS jamming event, so law enforcement can dispatch a patrol unit to the precise location of the jamming event.”

    Because of the broad availability of low-cost GPS jamming devices on the Internet, the risk associated with signal disruption has increased significantly. GPS jammers are often used by criminals to conceal stolen cars and by commercial drivers whose intent is merely to hide their location from their employer. Truckers who used personal-privacy GPS jammers near shipping ports have caused interference with the signal also used to navigate large ships, which severely compromised safety and the efficient operation of the port.

    Signal Sentry leverages GNSS signal domain knowledge and is based upon patented technology developed through the company’s history of designing and fielding electronic intelligence systems. Exelis navigation payloads and components have been on board every U.S. GPS satellite ever launched and have more than 700 years of accumulated on-orbit success.

  • Septentrio Consolidates Sales for Americas in Altus Subsidiary

    Altus Positioning Systems, a subsidiary of Septentrio Satellite Navigation NV, has assumed responsibility for Septentrio products in North and South America.

    Septentrio — a manufacturer of high-end GNSS receivers for demanding professional navigation, positioning and timing applications — is consolidating its sales, service and customer support functions for the Americas in Altus’ facility located in Torrance, California.

    “This decision to base Septentrio’s sales and support functions for the Americas with Altus marks the next logical step in our evolving business relationship and professional collaboration with our parent company Septentrio,” said Neil Vancans, president of Altus. “We look forward to leveraging the strengths of both our organizations to grow the market for Altus and Septentrio products across a wide range of market sectors.”

    Altus has added industry veteran Mo Kapila as OEM sales manager for Septentrio products. Kapila is based in Altus’ office in Torrance, California. Before joining Altus, he was vice president of sales for Qualinetics, a pioneer in vehicle telematics.

    Kapila previously held senior sales management and business development roles at B&B Electronics and Quatech, as well as OEM product management positions at DENSO and Clarion Corporation. He is a graduate from the University of Michigan with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering.