GPS World

Author: GPS World Staff

  • InvenSense to Acquire Sensor Nav Companies Trusted Positioning and Movea

    InvenSense, Inc., a provider of intelligent sensor solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Trusted Positioning, Inc. (TPI), a privately held indoor/outdoor tracking company with the vision to provide “Positioning Everywhere.” InvenSense is also acquiring context analysis software company Movea.

    TPI’s location tracking technology improves accuracy both indoors and outside by augmenting GNSS and Wi-Fi based location infrastructure. Using inertial sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, and pressure sensors in mobile and wearable devices, TPI’s software platform provides continuous and accurate positioning and also solves the difficult problem of alignment between the user and the mobile device. The TPI platform provides complete inertial navigation software solutions for a variety of industries including smartphones, tablets, wearables, in-vehicle navigation, personnel tracking, and machine guidance and control.

    “InvenSense shares our passion for ‘positioning everywhere,’ and they have been a strong supporter of the Trusted Positioning team, technology and vision,” said Chris Goodall, Trusted Positioning’s chief executive officer. “We are pleased to be joining the InvenSense family with the goal of making indoor/outdoor positioning ubiquitous. Together with InvenSense we will now have the required resources and investment to mainstream this technology.”

    InvenSense has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire Movea, a privately held company that provides software for ultra-low power location, activity tracking, and context sensing. Movea’s products, technology, and IP cover a broad range of signal-processing and data-fusion technology applied to consumer mobile (smartphones and tablets), TV interaction, and wearable sports and fitness applications.

    Movea is dedicated to context analysis using both motion and audio sensors to determine, for example, a person’s state/activity, their energy expenditure, their location, and an athlete’s speed and cadence. Movea’s algorithm and software framework expertise is expected to further scale InvenSense’s leadership in motion software and accelerate InvenSense’s “AlwaysOn” low-power solutions for mobile and the Internet of Things.

    “With the addition of Movea and TPI, InvenSense achieves a significant milestone as it transitions to a leading provider of intelligent sensor System on Chips (SoC) for the fast growing mobile market. ‘AlwaysOn’ location and activity tracking are essential to enabling contextually aware products and services,” said Behrooz Abdi, president and chief executive officer, InvenSense. “The tight integration of our low-power, high performance, motion and sound sensors, along with TPI’s advanced location tracking software and Movea’s data fusion algorithms, will position us to deliver on this ‘AlwaysOn’ promise.”

    In connection with the acquisition of both companies, InvenSense expects to pay approximately $81 million, net of cash assumed, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity rights of Movea and Trusted Positioning, Inc. The purchase price will be paid with $6M of InvenSense common stock and the remainder in cash, except that portion attributable to unvested employee stock options will be paid in stock options exercisable for shares of InvenSense’s common stock.

    A portion of the cash consideration payable to the stockholders will be placed into escrow pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement. The estimated financial impact of the acquisitions upon the future operating results of InvenSense, which is not expected to be significant, will be discussed during the next regularly scheduled quarterly investors analyst conference call planned for July 29.

    The boards of directors of InvenSense and the two companies have approved the mergers. The transactions are expected to close by the end of InvenSense’s second quarter, September 30, and remains subject to the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions.

  • NovAtel Offers Promotion for CORRECT Customers

    NovAtel, Inc., is offering a promotion for existing customers, on the company’s recently launched NovAtel CORRECT with TerraStar PPP subscription service. The promotion will run until September 30, 2014.

    Promotion Details

    Customers using NovAtel legacy equipment (OEMV generation receivers or earlier) or NovAtel’s current OEM6 technology, qualify for the following offers:

    • Trade in legacy NovAtel hardware for a FlexPak6, antenna and one-year TerraStar subscription for $4995.
    • Buy a minimum one-year TerraStar subscription for any OEM6 receiver and get a NovAtel CORRECT PPP receiver firmware upgrade for free.

    Customers who want to learn more or take advantage of this promotion can call 1-800-668-2835 or email: [email protected].

  • Business Aviation Agrees to Promote EGNOS Use at European Airports

    The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the wide use of EGNOS — precision-based navigation (PBN) — at regional airports in Europe, following discussions at the European Space Solutions Conference in Prague in June.

    Maintaining all-weather access at secondary and tertiary airports is becoming more and more important for the air transport community with ever-increasing difficulties when it comes to access at major hubs, according to the EBAA. Business aviation is now in a position to optimize access at more of these regional airports which are often characterized by limited investment or technical innovation on the ground. By improving penetration of EGNOS, the entire air transport value chain will be enhanced, the EBAA said.

    “The aviation community stands to benefit greatly from EGNOS because it means safe access to small- and medium-sized airports without the need for expensive ground equipment,” said Fabio Gamba, EBAA CEO. “Approach procedures have been published for around 100 airports, which is still a far cry from where we should be. A move towards this technology is well overdue, and this is evident if you compare Europe to the U.S. We are proud to have signed this MoU with GSA and together we are committed to having many more procedures published in the near future.”

    “The business aviation segment is a pioneer in the use of EGNOS and most new business aircraft are already equipped. This means that operators can start using published LPV procedures immediately, without making any upgrades, just by obtaining the operational approval from the authority where the aircraft is registered,” said Carlo des Dorides, GSA executive director.

    “EGNOS increases accessibility and enables safer approaches to underserved airports also in poor weather conditions,” said Gian Gherardo Calini, GSA head of market development. “We are committed to working with business operators to enable opening new routes that best serve their specific needs.”

  • u-blox Launches Online Shop for GPS/GNSS Modules, Tools

    u-blox Launches Online Shop for GPS/GNSS Modules, Tools

    Swiss u-blox, a provider of cellular, short-range radio and GPS/GNSS semiconductor components, has launched a new online shop in the U.S. and Canada, with expanded features and reduced prices.

    u-blox’ Online Shop is a fast and secure way to obtain module samples and pre-production quantities of the company’s comprehensive line of cellular modem and GPS/GNSS positioning modules, u-blox said. Support tools such as evaluation kits and wireless module adapters can also be ordered.

    All module products and support tools are typically shipped within 24 hours directly from the u-blox U.S.-based warehouse in Reston, Virginia, near the Washington Dulles International Airport. Technical support for all products are provided from one of u-blox America’s three technical support centers in Virginia, Minnesota, and California.

    For convenience and improved production planning, customers can also request a specific delivery date at no extra cost. Customers with an established line of credit with u-blox America can order against invoice. Credit card and pre-payment options are available.

  • Slideshow: 2014 Esri User Conference

    GPS World is at the 2014 Esri User Conference, being held July 14-18 in San Diego. Check out our slideshow for key photos from the first day of the conference. Follow tweets from GPS World and Geospatial Solutions for live updates from the conference.

     

  • PenBay Solutions Launches InVision 1.5 for Facilities Management

    PenBay Solutions Launches InVision 1.5 for Facilities Management

     

    Photo: PenBay Solutions

    PenBay Solutions, a developer of GIS-based facility management and public safety software, is introducing InVision 1.5 in booth #F116 at the Esri User Conference in San Diego, July 14-17. The new technology will also be featured at the InVision Special Interest Group Lunch in room 28B at 12 p.m. on July 16 at the conference.

    InVision software is built on the Esri ArcGIS platform to help users visualize, analyze and interpret data in ways that reach beyond individual buildings and site maps. InVision bridges the gap between managing exterior and interior built environments by aggregating all facility and infrastructure data from various sources into a single, comprehensive, visual system for portfolio management, operations, and safety and security.

    The 1.5 release of InVision software introduces several new features and enhancements with an emphasis on mobile capabilities. InVision 1.5 introduces mobile viewers for:

    • Space Management: view space types, uses and assignments while in the field to more easily find and understand space use and classification.
    • Asset Management: remotely view utility and asset types, statuses and conditions to more quickly locate and evaluate assets.
    • Campus Viewing: provide information about campus points of interest so employees, residents and visitors can easily find what they are looking for.
    • Security Planning: view security plans – including both indoor and outdoor environments – and share that security information via mobile devices with outside public safety agencies and response personnel.
    • Security Operations: view critical building, floor, space and security asset information in the field to better understand the location and status of security assets in real time.

    “Mobility is critically important to our customers,” said Stu Rich, Chief Technology Officer at PenBay Solutions. “These new InVision Mobile Viewers are just the beginning. We’re in the process of developing mobile applications designed for data collection, data editing and inspection workflows as well. Watch for announcements around those exciting new applications in the coming months.”

    The InVision Secure Event Management Solution supports a range of activities and users throughout event planning, coordination, and operations. With InVision Secure, users can coordinate plan creation, manage the review and approval process, and securely share information that is relevant to the safety and security of events. The solution helped make Super Bowl XLVIII a safe and successful event, according to PenBay Solutions.

    “PenBay Solutions was instrumental in helping us with all the agencies we worked with to gather data, and for implementing a public safety system that met our needs for the Super Bowl,” said Captain Steven Pollackov of FDNY’s GIS Unit. “As we move forward, we will be utilizing this platform more and more.”

  • CompassCom Previews On-the-Fly Geofencing at Esri User Conference

    CompassCom will offer Esri User Conference attendees a sneak peek at advanced asset tracking capabilities in the upcoming version of its CompassTrac software powered by Esri ArcGIS technology. Scheduled for release in late summer, CompassTrac 6 provides Esri users with custom digitizing tools for geofencing applications and map optimization for any electronic device.

    CompassCom will demonstrate the new CompassTrac 6 capabilities in booth #2307 at the Esri User Conference, being held July 14-18 in San Diego.

    “The newest version of CompassTrac will enable Esri GIS users to keep track of their vehicles and high-value assets with greater ease than ever before whether they are in the office or out in the field,” said CompassCom CEO W. Brant Howard. “On-the-fly geofence alerts increase fleet efficiency and improve crew safety.”

    CompassTrac is the software tool that enables Esri ArcGIS users to view the locations and statuses of vehicles and other high-value assets on their GIS map in real time. Leveraging existing Esri architecture and GIS data files, CompassTrac locates addresses and displays vehicle positions, speeds, and heading on the fly using selected ArcGIS data layers as the map background, including satellite and aerial imagery, the company said.

    Over the past 16 years, CompassTrac has provided field service management services for thousands of vehicles operated by organizations involved in public safety, public works, utilities, road maintenance, delivery and transportation.

    The premier upgrade to CompassTrac version 6 is a set of digitizing tools that allows the user to draw a geofence polygon around any feature or area — a street, neighborhood or town — on the GIS map. If any vehicle or asset being tracked by the system crosses the geofence boundary, CompassTrac will automatically send a text or email alert to select users and highlight the vehicle in question on the map display. These geofence alerts occur instantly and on the fly in real time, providing enhanced tracking of mobile resources to help operators manage their mobile work force.

    Now with version 6, CompassTrac is also hardware agnostic. The software will automatically scale, or optimize, its map view to fit on the screens of desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, giving Esri users the ability to track assets from any location where they have Internet.

    Visitors to CompassCom’s booth #2307 at the Esri User Conference will also view demonstrations of the new CompassLDE Connector, which provides plug-and-play capabilities to link AVL and mobile resource management tracking to the Esri ArcGIS GeoEvent Processor.

  • Rockwell Collins’ Avionics Enable Successful European Union Flight Demonstrations

    Rockwell Collins’ flight management system (FMS) and GNSS receiver successfully enabled the first demonstrations of advanced arrival and departure flight operations for the European Union’s airspace-enhancing project FilGAPP (“Filling the Gap” in GNSS Advanced Procedures and Operations).

    The goal of FilGAPP is to create new, more efficient methods of navigating airspace using satellite-based navigation and advanced FMS functions.

    “FilGAPP highlights the opportunity that exists for air carriers and corporate operators to increase operating capacity and to save time and fuel through more efficient terminal procedures at European airports,” said Claude Alber, vice president and managing director, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EuMEA) for Rockwell Collins.

    The most recent demonstration, performed in Germany in collaboration with key FilGAPP operational partners, took place on a Hawker 750 aircraft equipped with Rockwell Collins’ FMS and GNSS receiver. It was the first time that a high precision and high integrity missed approach/departure was performed in Europe.

    The flights also validated technical and operational independence from the closely spaced air traffic control systems of two nearby airports, which enabled increased operational capacity for each airport.

    Similar advanced departure/arrival demonstrations as part of project FilGAPP were performed earlier in the year with Air Nostrum (Iberia Regional) in Spain on Bombardier CRJ-1000 aircraft equipped with Rockwell Collins systems. The trials took advantage of the radius-to-fix functionality connected to European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS)-enabled localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches.

    FilGAPP is a project of the European Commission’s 7th Framework Program managed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and coordinated by the Spanish transport consultancy, INECO, with industry and national air navigation service provider partners, including Rockwell Collins.

  • Chemring Develops Miniaturized GPS/Galileo Anti-Jamming Technology

    2014-gincan

    Chemring Technology Solutions has developed miniaturized GPS anti-jamming technology it has dubbed GINCAN. GINCAN is designed to combat illegal GPS jammers and is based on the adaptive antenna concept used by military systems. GINCAN has a chip footprint of six millimeters squared.

    GINCAN’s reduced size and weight will significantly cut power usage and cost, the company said, making it ideal for combatting the widespread problem of low-powered GPS jamming. GINCAN can be integrated into a range of applications, including in-vehicle satellite navigation systems and cellular technology, and can be used for the protection of the critical infrastructures which rely on GPS to provide positioning and timing.

    GPS jammers have already been developed to interfere with the European Union’s Galileo system, which will provide European satellite navigation independently from the Russian, USA and Chinese systems by 2019. Chemring Technology Solutions, based in Romsey, England, has anticipated this problem and its GPS anti-jamming technology will also support systems using Galileo.

    Once the preserve of the military, there is now an increasing demand for GPS protection in the civilian market as illegal GPS jamming equipment becomes widely available on the Internet. The £1.5 million government-funded Sentinel project, designed to measure GPS jamming on UK roads, recorded more than 60 individual jamming incidents across six months at a single location. Such attacks could seriously impact industries, including maritime, aerospace, the emergency services and even stock market trading.

    “Many years of developing GPS protection technology for the military has enabled our research and development team to miniaturize anti-jamming technology,” said Martin Ward, product manager, Chemring Technology Solutions. “GINCAN can now be easily integrated in to a range of applications to provide effective protection against jamming devices.

    “As we become increasingly reliant on GPS technology, and low-cost jammers are proliferating, so a potential time bomb is being created. Chemring Technology Solutions is now able to offer the answer to this problem with jammer protection at a reduced size, weight, power and cost footprint.”

    GINCAN is an export controlled product and subject to UK export restrictions.

  • Altus Introduces RTK Receiver for Esri Community

    At the 2014 Esri User Conference, Altus Positioning Systems is unveiling a new GNSS RTK receiver designed and developed specifically for the Esri user community.

    According to Altus CEO Neil Vancans, the new Altus APS-NR2 provides a new combination of performance and features that make it ideal for Esri users:

    • Light weight – At 1.5 lbs., the APS-NR2 weighs the same as a dozen glazed doughnuts.
    • Dual-cellular antennae – With automatic switchover, users will minimize downtime due to signal loss.
    • Unlimited flexibility – It works on virtually all RTK networks.
    • Built-in Wi-Fi – Users can configure and monitor the unit and stream data directly to their own tablets.
    • Supercharged – It runs all day on hot-swappable batteries and recharges from any USB port.
    • Esri Compatible – It communicates seamlessly with Esri cloud-based platforms.
    • Open architecture – Users can choose their own data collector software or interface directly with Esri ArcGIS Online.

    “It all adds up to the world’s most versatile RTK rover that provides more productivity and less downtime in the field,” said Vancans. “The APS-NR2 raises the bar and sets a new standard for the state-of-the-art in high-precision surveying and geolocation, leveraging the power and convenience of mobile tablet platforms.”

    The APS-NR2 will be commercially available by September, according to Vancans.

    In addition to the APS-NR2, Altus will show the APS GeoPod, a compact GNSS module that adds high-precision RTK positioning to any USB-compatible tablet PC. “This unique product gives users the convenience of adding RTK precision to any on-board application on their own mobile devices,” said Vancans.

    Altus is showcasing the APS-NR2 and APS GeoPod, along with the full range of Altus products, in Booth 1218 at the 2014 Esri Users Conference, July 14-18, in the San Diego Convention Center.

  • INTERGEO 2014


    20 Years of INTERGEO

    The world’s leading conference trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management celebrates its 20th anniversary in the German capital, October 7-9.

  • Boeing, Northrop Grumman Enter GPS III Bid

    Northrop Grumman and Boeing have responded to a U.S. Air Force call for contractors interested in building a follow-on set of GPS III satellites, according to a report in Space News.

    Lockheed Martin is under contract to deliver the first eight GPS III satellites, but the award for up to 22 further IIIs remains open. Difficulties with the payload for the first batch of satellites mean that although the Lockheed has three space vehicles ready, it has no signal payload to put aboard them. Subcontractor Exelis is at work on that. Delivery delays have prompted the Air Force to look about for alternatives.

    Lockheed Martin itself began investigating options for its supply line last year.

    Air Force “Sources Sought” Call

    The U.S. Air Force issued an official “Sources sought” notice in June on a production-ready GPS space vehicle, equipped with an alternate payload, for consideration alongside the Lockheed Martin-built GPS III vehicle. The first phase of the contract would include two firm-fixed price contracts worth $100–$200 million to demonstrate a competitor to GPS III.

    Key requirements are that the satellite must offer a payload alternative to that built by Exelis; the satellite must be ready to launch by 2023; and the production line must turn out two to three new satellites per year.

    The second phase features a competition between Lockheed Martin and one or more other companies for as many as 22 satellites. A final contract award would be made in 2017 or 2018.

    Current GPS III contractor Lockheed Martin reportedly sent an engineering team to help Exelis expedite a resolution of payload holdups, while simultaneously investigating a switch to other suppliers, beginning with the ninth satellite in the GPS 3 series. Lockheed Martin says five companies responded to its solicitation last year.

    Air Force Gives Free Hand. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, head of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), told the national Space Symposium in Colorado in June, “Obviously we want a GPS III that does what its supposed to do, delivered on time, and it’s up to Lockheed to manage its subcontractors. My view is if Lockheed is not happy with their subcontractors nav payload, and they believe that they can get a lower risk approach to delivering a nav payload by seeking a secondary source for that, then that’s clearly a decision for them to make.

    “They [Lockheed ] know we are disappointed at the delays that we have seen, the technical issues that their subcontractor has had, and probably they are considering whether an alternative source could provide them a better opportunity.“

    Lockheed Martin spokesman Chip Eschenfelder issued a statement: “Exelis has made good progress on the first GPS III space vehicle, SV01 navigation payload. All GPS III SV01 navigation payload components have successfully completed unit acceptance and environmental testing, with the exception of one component, the mission data unit.

    “To date, significant MDU hardware testing indicates signal cross talk issues are resolved. The SV01 navigation payload forecast delivery to Lockheed Martin is fall 2014.”

    Boeing built the platform and major payload components for the GPS IIF satellites and is one of three companies that received contracts in January 2013 to study how to improve the accuracy, coverage, and efficiency of GPS using smaller satellites.

    Northrop Grumman Aerospace of Redondo Beach, California, has already delivered deployable antenna sets to Lockheed Martin for the first six GPS III satellites. The division has delivered more than 1,000 antennas for previous generations of GPS spacecraft, Northrop Grumman said.