GPS World

Category: Mobile

  • LTE cellular steers UAV: Signals of opportunity work in challenged environments

    No GPS? No Problem!

    Long-term evolution (LTE) cellular signals can be exploited for accurate and resilient autonomous vehicle navigation in the absence of clear GNSS signals. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that GPS-like performance can be achieved in the absence of GPS signals when cellular pseudoranges aid an inertial navigation system.

    By Zaher M. Kassas, Joshua J. Morales, Kimia Shamaei, and Joe Khalife

    Navigation systems onboard today’s vehicles mainly rely on integrating global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers with an inertial navigation system (INS). As vehicles approach full autonomy, requirements on the accuracy and resiliency of the vehicle’s navigation system become ever more stringent.

    Besides the known limitations of GNSS indoors and in deep urban canyons, recent cyber attacks on GNSS signals (jamming and spoofing) are exposing an alarming vulnerability, necessitating alternative and complementary navigation systems when GNSS signals become unavailable or untrustworthy.

    When GNSS signals become unavailable, the errors of the INS’s navigation solution diverge, and the divergence rate is dependent on the quality of the inertial measurement unit (IMU). Such diverging errors compromise the required safe and efficient operation of autonomous vehicles (AVs).

    Two conflicting considerations arise in the design of an AV’s integrated navigation system: high accuracy and low size, weight, power and cost (SWaP- C). Current trends to supplement an autonomous vehicle’s navigation system in the inevitable event when GNSS signals become unusable are traditionally sensor-based, such as cameras and lasers.

    However, such sensors could violate SWaP-C constraints and may not function properly all the time, in all weather conditions. Recently, research in navigation via signals of opportunity (SOPs) has revealed their potential as an attractive source for navigation in GNSS-challenged environments. SOPs are ambient radio signals, which are not intended as positioning, navigation and timing sources: cellular, Wi-Fi, AM/FM, digital television, Iridium satellites and so on. SOPs are practically free to use and could alleviate the need for expensive and bulky aiding sensors.

    Among different SOPs, cellular signals are particularly attractive due to their inherent characteristics:

    • Abundance: Cellular signals base transceiver stations (BTSs) are plentiful.
    • Geometric diversity: The cellular system configuration by construction yields favorable BTS geometry, unlike certain terrestrial SOPs such as digital television, which tend to be co-located.
    • Large bandwidth: Cellular signals have a bandwidth up to 20 MHz, yielding accurate time-of-arrival (TOA) estimation.
    • High received power: The received carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N0) from nearby cellular BTSs is commonly tens of dBs higher when compared to GNSS signals.

    While cellular SOPs are lucrative to exploit for navigation purposes, a number of challenges must be first addressed, since such signals were never intended for navigation purposes. TABLE 1 compares GNSS space vehicles (SVs) and cellular BTSs with respect to relevant navigation attributes. Unlike GNSS SVs whose positions and clock errors are transmitted to the receiver in the navigation message, cellular BTSs do not transmit such information. Therefore, the receiver must either estimate these quantities in a stand-alone fashion or have access to a database (cloud-hosted) that is crowdsourcing this information from multiple nearby receivers.

    The first strategy is analogous to the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem in robotics, while the second strategy could be achieved by deploying multiple receivers, whether vehicle-mounted or affixed on dedicated stations.

    This article discusses relevant cellular code division multiple access (CDMA) and long-term evolution (LTE) signals that could be exploited for navigation. The article also presents a specialized software-defined receiver (SDR) called Multichannel Adaptive TRansceiver Information eXtractor (MATRIX), developed at the Autonomous Systems Perception, Intelligence, and Navigation (ASPIN) Laboratory at the University of California, Riverside. MATRIX is capable of producing pseudorange observables to cellular CDMA and LTE BTSs. We also present a radio SLAM approach for AV navigation via a tightly-coupled cellular-aided INS framework. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate ground vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) navigating with cellular signals in the absence of GNSS signals.

    CDMA SIGNALS

    CDMA is at the heart of third-generation (3G) wireless communication systems, which use orthogonal and maximal-length pseudorandom noise (PN) sequences to enable multiplexing over the same channel. The sequences transmitted on the forward link channel, from BTS to receiver, are known. By correlating the received cellular CDMA signal with a locally generated PN sequence, the receiver can estimate the TOA and produce a pseudorange measurement. In a cellular CDMA communication system, 64 logical channels are multiplexed on the forward link channel: a pilot channel, a sync channel, seven paging channels, and 55 traffic channels.

    The receiver uses the pilot signal to detect the presence of a CDMA signal and synchronize its locally-generated short code. The sync and paging channels are used to provide time and frame synchronization to enable the receiver to register in the network. All forward-link signals are spread at 1.2288 MHz by a 32,768-chip PN sequence called the short code. To distinguish the received data from different BTSs, each station uses a shifted version of the short code. This shift, known as the pilot offset, is unique for each sector of each BTS and is an integer multiple of 64 chips; hence, a total of 512 pilot offsets can be realized.

    The goal of a cellular CDMA navigation receiver is to acquire and track the signal parameters, namely the code phase and the carrier phase. To this end, such a receiver consists of three main stages: signal acquisition, signal tracking and message decoding. The pilot channel is used for signal acquisition and tracking. In fact, the pilot channel is dataless: only the short code is transmitted. This enables longer integration periods. A search in time and frequency in the acquisition stage obtains a coarse estimate of the TOA and the Doppler frequency.

    Next, these parameters are tracked and their estimates are refined via tracking loops. Similar to a GPS receiver, a phase-locked loop (PLL) and a carrier-aided delay-locked loop (DLL) are used to track the carrier and code phase, respectively. Finally, the sync and paging channels are decoded for timing and data association purposes. FIGURE 1 illustrates the three stages of the cellular CDMA module of the MATRIX SDR, implemented as LabVIEW virtual instruments (VIs), and the front panel corresponding to each stage.

    LTE SIGNALS

    LTE has become the prominent standard for fourth-generation (4G) communication systems. Its multiple-input, multiple-output capabilities allow higher data rates compared to previous wireless standards. The high bandwidth and ubiquity of LTE networks make LTE signals attractive for navigation. In LTE Release 9, a broadcast positioning reference signal (PRS) was introduced to enable network-based positioning capabilities within the LTE protocol.

    However, PRS-based positioning suffers from a number of drawbacks:

    • The user’s privacy is compromised since the user’s location is revealed to the network.
    • Localization services are limited only to paying subscribers and from a particular cellular provider.
    • Ambient LTE signals transmitted by other cellular providers are not exploited.
    • Additional bandwidth is required to accommodate the PRS, which caused the majority of cellular providers to choose not to transmit the PRS in favor of dedicating more bandwidth for traffic channels.

    To circumvent these drawbacks, user equipment-(UE)-based positioning approaches, which exploit the existing reference signals in the transmitted LTE signals, have been explored.

    LTE Frame Structure. LTE uses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) to transmit signals. In OFDM, the transmitted symbols are first parallelized into groups of length Nr. Then, to provide a guard band, the resulting signal is zero-padded to a length Nc, which is set to be greater than Nr. Finally, an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) is taken, and the last Lcp elements are repeated at the beginning. TABLE 2 shows the possible values for Nr and Nc in an LTE system.

    The OFDM signals are arranged into blocks called frames. A frame is composed of 10 ms data, which is divided into either 20 slots or 10 subframes with duration of 0.5 ms or 1 ms, respectively. A slot can be decomposed into multiple resource grids and each resource grid has numerous resource blocks. Then, a resource block is broken down into the smallest elements of the frame, namely resource elements. The frequency and time indices of a resource element are called subcarrier and symbol, respectively.

    LTE Reference Signals

    There are three possible reference sequences in a received LTE signal that can be exploited for navigation.

    Primary synchronization signal (PSS). The PSS is transmitted in symbol 7 of slots 0 and 10 of each frame. This signal, which is transmitted on the middle 62 subcarriers, provides symbol timing to the UE. The PSS is expressible in only three different orthogonal sequences, each of which represents a BTS’s (also known as eNodeB) sector ID. This presents two main drawbacks: the received signal is highly affected by interference from neighboring eNodeBs with the same PSS sequences, and the UE can only simultaneously track a maximum of three eNodeBs, which is not desirable in an environment comprising more than three eNodeBs.

    Secondary synchronization signal (SSS). The SSS is transmitted in symbol 6 of slot 0 or 10 of each frame. This signal, which is transmitted on the middle 62 subcarriers, provides frame timing to the user equipment. The SSS is expressible in only 168 different sequences, each of which represents the cell group identifier; therefore, it does not suffer from the aforementioned drawbacks of the PSS. The transmission bandwidth of the SSS is 930 KHz, which is slightly less than the GPS C/A code bandwidth (1.023 MHz). Therefore, navigation with SSS provides comparable results to GPS: low-cost and relatively precise pseudorange information using conventional PLLs and DLLs in an environment without multipath, but low TOA accuracy in a multipath environment.

    Cell-specific reference signal (CRS). The CRS is mainly transmitted to estimate the channel between the eNodeB and the UE. Therefore, it is scattered in both frequency and time and is transmitted from all transmitting antennas. The CRS is known to provide better accuracy in estimating the TOA in a multipath environment due to its higher transmission bandwidth. Since the CRS is scattered across the LTE bandwidth, it is not possible to track the TOA from the CRS using conventional low-complexity DLLs. Several methods can be used to estimate the channel parameters, including the TOA: multiple signal classification (MUSIC), estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT) and space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) algorithms.

    LTE Receiver Structure

    The LTE navigation receiver exploits SSS, PSS and CRS, and consists of four stages.
    Acquisition. In this step, the received signal is correlated with the locally generated PSS and SSS signals to obtain the frame start time estimate, Doppler frequency estimate and the eNodeB’s cell ID.

    System information extraction. In LTE systems, the bandwidth can be assigned to different values. The actual value of the bandwidth is provided to the UE by the eNodeB in a block called master information block (MIB). When user equipment enters an LTE network, it starts receiving signals with the lowest possible bandwidth. After obtaining the frame start time, it is possible to convert the LTE signals into frame structure by executing the steps discussed in the LTE Frame Structure section in reverse order. Then, the UE decodes the MIB and obtains the actual bandwidth. The UE can then increase the sampling rate to as high as the signal bandwidth.

    Due to the near-far effect on the PSS signal, it is not possible to acquire all the available eNodeBs in the environment. Each eNodeB provides the list of its neighboring cell IDs to the UE in the system information block (SIB). After obtaining the frame start time and the actual transmission bandwidth, the UE can decode the SIB to obtain the neighboring cell IDs.

    Tracking. The receiver starts tracking the SSS using components of the tracking loop: a frequency-locked loop (FLL)-assisted PLL to track the carrier phase and a carrier-aided DLL to track the code phase.

    Timing information extraction. To overcome the error due to multipath in tracking the SSS, the CRS is used. For this purpose, by knowing the CRS sequence and the received signal, the channel frequency response is first estimated. Then, the channel impulse response is obtained by taking an IFFT of the channel frequency response. Finally, the first peak of the channel impulse response is detected, which represents the line-of-sight TOA.

    FIGURE 2 illustrates the block diagram of the LTE module of the MATRIX SDR and the corresponding LabVIEW VIs.

    CELLULAR-AIDED INERTIAL NAVIGATION

    To correct INS errors using cellular pseudoranges, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) framework similar to a traditional tightly coupled GNSS-aided INS integration strategy is adopted, with the added complexity that the cellular BTSs’ states (position and clock error states) are simultaneously estimated alongside the navigating vehicle’s states (position, velocity, attitude, IMU measurement error states and receiver clock error states). This framework is composed of two modes.

    Mapping Mode. The EKF produces estimates and associated estimation error covariances of both the navigating vehicle and the cellular BTSs’ states (augmented in x) using both GNSS SV and cellular BTS pseudoranges. Between aiding corrections, the EKF produces the state prediction x^– and prediction error covariance P– using INS model and receiver and cellular BTS clocks models. When an aiding source is available, either a GNSS SV or cellular BTS pseudorange, the EKF produces a state estimate update x^+ and associated estimation error covariance P+.

    SLAM Mode. The cellular-aided INS framework enters a SLAM mode when GNSS pseudoranges become unavailable. In this mode, INS errors are corrected using cellular BTS pseudoranges and the cellular BTSs’ state estimates provided from the mapping mode. As the autonomous vehicle navigates, it simultaneously continues to refine the BTSs’ state estimates. FIGURE 3 illustrates a high-level diagram of the cellular-aided INS framework.

    SIMULATION RESULTS

    To evaluate the performance of this cellular-aided INS framework presented, simulations were conducted of a UAV equipped with the MATRIX SDR, navigating in downtown Los Angeles, while exploiting ambient cellular signals. Two navigation systems were employed to estimate the trajectory of the UAV: a traditional tightly-coupled GPS-aided INS with a tactical-grade IMU; and the cellular-aided INS discussed here with a consumer-grade IMU.

    A simulator generated the true trajectory of the UAV and clock error states of the UAV-mounted receiver, the cellular BTSs’ clock error states, noise-corrupted IMU measurements of specific force and angular rates and noise-corrupted pseudoranges to multiple cellular BTSs and GPS SVs.

    The IMU signal generator models a triad gyroscope and a triad accelerometer, each with time-evolving biases that provided sampled data at 100 Hz. GPS L1 C/A pseudoranges were generated at 1 Hz using SV orbits produced from receiver independent exchange files downloaded Oct. 22, 2016, from a continuously operating reference station server. The GPS L1 C/A pseudoranges were set to be available for only the first 100 seconds of the 200-second simulation. Cellular pseudoranges were generated at 5 Hz to four BTS locations, which were surveyed from real tower positions in downtown Los Angeles.

    The UAV’s true trajectory included a straight segment followed by two banked orbits in the vicinity of the four cellular BTSs, shown in FIGURE 4(a). The resulting EKF estimation errors and corresponding three standard deviation bounds for the north and east position of the UAV are plotted in FIGURE 4(b). The navigation solution from using the cellular-aided INS and navigation solution from using only an INS during the 100 seconds GPS pseudoranges were unavailable appear in FIGURE 4(c). The final BTS estimated position and corresponding 95th percentile estimation uncertainty ellipse is shown in FIGURE 4(d).

    We can conclude that when GPS pseudoranges become unavailable at 100 seconds, the estimation errors associated with the traditional GPS-aided INS integration strategy begin to diverge, as expected, whereas the errors associated with the cellular-aided INS are bounded within this 100-second duration of GPS unavailability. Second, when GPS was still available during the first 100 seconds, the cellular-aided INS with a consumer-grade IMU almost always produced lower estimation error uncertainties when compared to the traditional GPS-aided INS integration strategy with a tactical-grade IMU.

    EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

    To evaluate the standalone LTE navigation performance, two field tests were conducted with real LTE signals in semi-urban and urban environments. In both tests, a ground vehicle was equipped with LTE and GPS antennas and universal software radio peripherals (USRPs). LTE signals were simultaneously downmixed and synchronously sampled via a dual-channel USRP driven by a GPS-disciplined oscillator. The GPS navigation solution served as ground truth. FIGURE 5(a) shows experimental results for a CRS-based and an SSS-based receiver in a semi-urban environment with moderate multipath. The table, FIGURE 5(b), demonstrates the importance of exploiting CRS to alleviate multipath effects. Figure 5(b) shows the experimental results for a CRS-based receiver in an urban environment with severe multipath.

    To evaluate the performance of cellular-aided inertial navigation, a field test was conducted with real cellular signals and an IMU-equipped UAV. The UAV was equipped with three antennas to acquire and track:

    • GPS signals
    • LTE signals from nearby eNodeBs
    • cellular CDMA signals from nearby BTSs.

    Samples of the received signals were stored for off-line post-processing. The LTE and CDMA signals were processed by the MATRIX SDR. FIGURE 6 depicts the experimental hardware setup.

    Experimental results are presented for two scenarios: the cellular-aided INS described in this article, and for comparative analysis, a traditional GPS-aided INS using the UAV’s IMU. The true trajectory traversed by the UAV is plotted in the opening figure (b)-(c), which consists of a GPS unavailability run of 50 seconds, starting at a location marked by the red arrow. The north-east root mean squared errors (RMSE) of the GPS-aided INS’s navigation solution after GPS became unavailable was more than 100 meters.

    The UAV also estimated its trajectory using the cellular-aided INS framework using signals from the two eNodeBs and three cellular BTSs illustrated in opening figure (a) to aid its onboard INSs. The north-east RMSEs of the UAV’s trajectory after GPS became unavailable was 4.68 meters with a final error of 4.92 meters.

    TABLE 3 summarizes the UAV’s RMSEs and final errors.

    CONCLUSION

    Cellular signals can be exploited to navigate in the absence of GNSS signals. Experimental results demonstrated a UAV navigating with a cellular-aided INS using two LTE eNodeBs and three cellular CDMA BTSs achieving GPS-like performance in the absence of GNSS signals. This article is based on IEEE/ION PLANS, ION GNSS+ and ION ITM papers by the authors; see online version.

    This work is supported by grants from the Office Naval Research (ONR) under Grant N00014-16-1-2305 and the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant 1566240.

    MANUFACTURERS

    Cellular antennas used were consumer-grade 800/1900-MHz cellular omnidirectional antennas. The UAV and GPS antenna used were DJI with the A3 flight controller. The cellular signals were simultaneously down-mixed and synchronously sampled via two Ettus E-312 USRPs tuned to 1955 MHz (AT&T) and 882.75 MHz (Verizon) carrier frequencies.

    JOSHUA J. MORALES is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Riverside and a member of the Autonomous Systems Perception, Intelligence, and Navigation (ASPIN) laboratory.

    KIMIA SHAMAEI is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Riverside and a member of the ASPIN Laboratory.

    JOE KHALIFE is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Riverside and a member of the ASPIN Laboratory.

    ZAHER (ZAK) M. KASSAS is an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside and director of the ASPIN Laboratory. He received a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

  • TRAK Microwave becomes Smiths Interconnect as part of brand transition

    Smiths Interconnect, a division of Smiths Group plc, is unifying its technology brands, including TRAK Microwave, maker of GPS clocks, GPS antennas and network time protocol (NTP) servers.

    Other brands pulled under the Smiths Interconnect umbrella include EMC Technology, Hypertac, IDI, Lorch, Millitech, RF Labs, Sabritec and TECOM.

    TRAK_SmithsAccording to Smiths Group, the brand transition supports a recent strategic reorganization focused on creating a more agile structure that can better anticipate and respond to customers’ evolving needs.

    Individually, the technology brands represent state-of-the-art solutions across the connectors, microwave components and microwave subsystems markets. Providing a strong umbrella brand that supports the breadth of these products and technologies will make Smiths Interconnect a more comprehensive solutions provider, improving the customer experience by streamlining access and interactions across multiple applications.

    “Over time, interactions among our brands have increased across many of our markets,” said Roland Carter, president of Smiths Interconnect. “Aligning all this activity under the Smiths Interconnect name will make us a more streamlined partner, enhancing our customers’ access to the combined strength of our products, expertise and application knowledge.”

    8835 GPS Clock by TRAK Microwave.
    8835 GPS Clock by TRAK Microwave.

    The individual technology brands will continue to be visible in association with the Smiths Interconnect brand during the transition period.

    Smiths Interconnect is a provider of technically differentiated electronic components, subsystems, microwave and radio frequency products that connect, protect and control critical applications in the commercial aviation, defense, space, medical, rail, semiconductor test, wireless telecommunications and industrial markets. It is part of Smiths Group, a global advanced technology company for markets in threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications and engineered components. Smiths Group employs 22,000 people in more than 50 countries.

  • Bill seeks to crack down on warrantless government tracking

    As government agencies expand their use of cell-site simulators or “stingrays” and other digital tracking technology, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., introduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act (known as the GPS act) to create clear rules for when agencies can access and track an individual’s geolocation information.

    Chaffetz introduced the House version of the bill on March 6, with four Republican and three Democratic cosponsors. Wyden introduced the Senate bill Feb. 15.

    Courts have issued conflicting opinions about whether the government needs a warrant to track Americans through their cell phones and other GPS devices. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in 2012’s U.S. vs. Jones case that attaching a GPS tracking device to a vehicle requires a warrant, but it did not address other digital location tracking, including through cell phones, OnStar systems and consumer electronics devices.

    The GPS Act applies to all domestic law enforcement acquisitions of the geolocation information of individual Americans without their knowledge, including acquisitions from private companies and direct acquisitions through the use of cell-site technology. It would also combat high-tech stalking by creating criminal penalties for surreptitiously using an electronic device to track a person’s movements, and it would prohibit commercial service providers from sharing customers’ geolocation information with outside entities without customer consent.

    Wyden and Chaffitiz have now introduced versions of the GPS Act four times since 2011. Though hearings have been held, the Act has yet to make it out of committee for a vote.

    “Outdated laws shouldn’t be an excuse for open season on tracking Americans, and owning a smartphone or fitness tracker shouldn’t give the government a blank check to track your movements,” Wyden said. “Law enforcement should be able to use GPS data, but they need to get a warrant. This bill sets out clear rules to make sure our laws keep up with the times.”

    “Congress has an obligation to act quickly to protect Americans from violations of their privacy made possible by emerging technologies,” Chaffetz said. “As we welcome innovative technologies that help fight crime, we must be mindful of the potential for abuse. This bill will build a framework governing the use of geolocation and cell site simulator technologies.”

    “We must enact the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act to require the government to obtain a warrant based on probable cause to compel companies such as cell phone service providers to disclose the geolocation information of their customers,” said Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13). “Geolocation tracking, whether information about where we have been or where we are going, strikes at the heart of personal privacy interests. The pattern of our movements reveals much about ourselves. When individuals are tracked in this way, the government is able to generate a profile of a person’s public movements that includes details about a person’s familial, political, professional, religious, and other intimate associations. That is why we need this legislation to provide a strong and clear legal standard to protect this information.”

    Support for the Act

    Technology and civil rights organizations praised the bill’s introduction.

    Neema Singh Guliani, legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union: “In today’s world, most Americans use cell phones or other electronic devices that are capable of tracking their every move, including visits to a mosque, doctor’s office, domestic violence shelter, or political rally. This information that the government should not be able to get without a warrant – yet law enforcement routinely fails to meet this standard. Congress should swiftly pass the GPS Act to protect this sensitive information.”

    Gabe Rottman, deputy director of the Freedom, Technology & Security Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology: “As we move into the world of connected devices, and as the sheer number of these devices grow, location tracking becomes more accurate, and more revealing. Basic notions of American privacy necessitate passage of this important reform to require a warrant for location tracking.”

    Amie Stepanovich, U.S. policy manager at Access Now: “Computer scientists have proven that even a few location points can be used to reveal incredibly broad and personal information about an individual. At the same time, ever more devices are collecting our location data. Law enforcement agencies are using an increasingly sophisticated array of technology to obtain that information without proper legal protections. What you don’t know can hurt you. Access Now applauds the GPS Act for protecting this sensitive information and mandating a warrant requirement for law enforcement access.”

    Lee Tien, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation: “Geolocation data paints a detailed portrait of our daily lives that reveals sensitive information about us and our families — whether a visit to a children’s cancer specialist or to a church, synagogue or mosque. The government shouldn’t be able to track us without a warrant just because we use cellphones. The GPS Act ensures all Americans have strong legal protections for their geolocation data.”

  • Telit offers new series of smart GNSS antenna modules

    Telit offers new series of smart GNSS antenna modules

    SE868K7-Ax_dynamicTelit, a global enabler of the Internet of Things (IoT), has introduced advanced positioning modules in the SE868xx-Ax family featuring multi-constellation GNSS receivers with 9 square millimeter patch antennas.

    Telit’s SE868Kx-Ax series offers high performance for space-constrained applications such as wearables, tracking, telematics and security. The new integrated antenna modules include advanced features that significantly increase RF sensitivity, allowing for a much simpler integration without external components.

    The SE868K3-A/AL is a multi-constellation GNSS variant with flash memory and a GNSS core.

    The SE868K7-A/AL is a GPS variant with ROM memory and a GPS core.

    The new module variants are designed with the same, ultra-compact 11 square millimeter cavity PCB package as the other modules in the series, with the bonus of a second low noise amplifier (LNA) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. Footprint compatible with other modules in the family, the SE868Kx-Ax series includes variants with multiple interfaces and a combination of features including:

    • Ultra-compact 11 x 11 mm “cavity” PCB package
    • Standard variant with integrated 9 millimeter by 9 millimeter by 4 millimeter SMT antenna
    • Low-profile variant with 9 millimeter by 9 millimeter by 2 millimeter antenna
    • Additional LNA and SAW filter
    • Real time clock (RTC) and temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO)
    • Jamming rejection
    • Pin-to-pin compatibility with other modules in the series
    • Ephemeris file injection (A-GPS)
    • Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) compliant

    With the different options available in the SE868Kx-Ax series, customers can design once and interchangeably mount the solution most appropriate for the environment, Telit said. This enables developers to select the right technology for their use case without having to redesign the entire application when it comes time to transition.

    “The SE868Kx-Ax series is an exciting enhancement to our positioning product portfolio,” said Felix Marchal, EVP GNSS and short range, Telit. “Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the years of experience releasing breakthrough positioning modules and solutions. This latest release specifically addresses the integration challenges that IoT developers face today. Leveraging the low-profile and SMT mounting options that do not compromise the host PCB, developers can take advantage of the most important and advanced features available in positioning technology tangibly booting the efficiency of global design efforts, schedules and budgets.”

    The Telit IoT Know How program assists customers to accelerate the deployment of cost-effective and future-proof solutions integrated with GNSS from idea to market, the company said.

    The variants will be available in the second quarter of 2017. Telit is exhibiting them at Embedded World 2017, Nuremberg, Germany, March 14-16, located at hall 3, booth 3-518.

  • Bluesky granted funding for mobile phone mapping project

    Bluesky granted funding for mobile phone mapping project

    Geographic data specialist Bluesky has secured funding from the United Kingdom’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to investigate the potential of mobile phones for capturing accurate 3D spatial information.

    Designed to reduce the costs of monitoring and managing essential infrastructure, such as overhead electricity cables, and mitigate the effects of potentially damaging vegetation, the Bluesky-led study will assess the feasibility of extracting 3D measurements from standard smartphone video footage.

    Using specialist software and specially developed photogrammetric algorithms, it is possible to compute depth values for individual pixels within overlapping images taken from video to create dense 3D point clouds of an object or scene, Bluesky said.

    Working in partnership with ADAS, an environmental consultancy, Bluesky will provide experience gained through previous data capture and management projects with electricity distribution network operator (DNO) companies in the UK and overseas.

    The initial application of this innovative use of mainstream technology would be the accurate measurement of vegetation encroachment in the field for maintenance purposes. The company will also explore other applications of the solution in sectors such as forensics, insurance and emergency response.

    World Market

    DNO companies spend millions monitoring and maintaining clearance between trees and power lines, with the market potential in Europe alone estimated at £10 million per annum.

    By using readily available mobile phone technology, Bluesky hopes to reduce this cost of overhead networks, both power and telecommunications, across the world, and provide managers with an easy-to-use and easy-to-update efficient audit trail.

  • Dragonfly narrowband IoT unveiled with GNSS option

    CEVA Inc., licensor of signal processing IP forconnected devices, and Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) have introduced Dragonfly NB1, a comprehensive cost- and power-optimized NB-IoT solution aimed at streamlining the development of LTE IoT devices.

    Dragonfly NB1 leverages CEVA’s heritage of low-power DSPs and modem design and ASTRI’s experience in RF and IC Design technologies. Together, the companies have collaborated to produce a complete machine-to-machine (M2M) endpoint solution that offers best-in-class performance and power consumption, that is easily integrated into a system on chip (SoC).

    GMV Add-On for GNSS. CEVA and ASTRI have teamed up with GMV, a navigation system and solutions company, to offer an integrated GNSS solution for smart devices with location tracking of logistics, assets, wearables and more. The GNSS IP is available as an add-on software that runs on the CEVA-X1 together with NB-IoT and leverages ASTRI’s GNSS RF IP that is embedded into the solution.

    GMV’s software IP supports all four GNSS constellations: GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS and Galileo. The flexibility enabled by running the GNSS constellations fully in software on Dragonfly NB1 allows seamless switching between constellations when required or to run multiple constellations concurrently in order to improve resolution further and offer a truly global asset tracking solution.

    “Dragonfly NB1 with its multi-mode RF and dedicated IoT processor is a perfect match with GMV’s software GNSS product,” said Miguel Manuel Romay Merino, executive director of GNSS at GMV. “It provides full flexibility in using multiple constellations, either separately or concurrently to serve the various requirements specific to asset trackers, wearables and other IoT endpoint devices.”

    Dragonfly Features

    Dragonfly NB1 not only reduces the time taken to get NB-IoT products certified, but also provides low-power wide-area (LPWA) SoC designers with a flexible, software-upgradeable platform with key benefits in terms of die size and power consumption:

    • The Dragonfly NB1 solution is enabled by a single CEVA-X1 IoT processor, capable of running the complete PHY and protocol stack software for NB-IoT in addition to other associated workloads such as GNSS and sensing. It eliminates the need for additional processors and hardware accelerators in the SoC and allows in-the-field upgrades to Release 14 eNB-IoT and other future releases.
    • The CEVA-X1 IoT processor architecture includes specialized NB-IoT instructions and mechanisms to speed up PHY, MAC and encryption execution, further reducing clock speed and power consumption. It can also support other LPWA standards and workloads such as Cat-M1, LoRa, SigFox and voice.
    • The Dragonfly NB1 solution incorporates highly power-efficient multi-standard RF with embedded PA, LNA, DC-DC and DCXO technology for NB-IoT and GNSS (GPS and BeiDou), shortening development time and reducing the overall module bill of materials.

    Memory is a critical consideration for NB-IoT, as it directly influences the cost, silicon area and overall form factor of the module. Dragonfly NB1 is specifically designed to operate with embedded flash by incorporating an optimized low latency memory subsystem with a dedicated cache controller. The solution also includes a specialized security unit for a fully-trusted system.

    “In the coming years, NB-IoT will become the dominant technology for low power wide area connectivity. For most companies, understanding how to develop this technology is a daunting task,” said Michael Boukaya, Vice President and General Manager, Wireless Business Unit at CEVA. “To overcome this, we have worked relentlessly with ASTRI to develop a complete solution from the ground up, that removes the design burden and allows SoC designers to add NB-IoT connectivity to their product designs. We’re extremely excited to announce this solution and demonstrate our leadership in IP for NB-IoT.”

    “We’re pleased to partner with CEVA to address the cellular IoT market opportunity,” said Frank Tong, CEO at ASTRI. “Our joint development efforts have resulted in a highly-integrated modem solution with integrated RF that delivers outstanding performance and is power-optimized for the most rigorous NB-IoT use cases. We look forward to continuing our collaboration as we help our mutual customers get to market.”

    Reference silicon of the complete modem design — including embedded CMOS RF transceiver, advanced digital front-end, physical layer software and third-party protocol stack (MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC and NAS) — will be available this June.

  • u-blox and Digicom partner on narrowband IoT products

    u-blox and Digicom partner on narrowband IoT products

    Chip-maker u-blox is parntering with Digicom, a company that offers a wide range of hardware and software with cellular connectivity, to develop narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) products and solutions. Both companies have carried out a series of innovative and successful field trials of the new NB-IoT technology.

    The announcement reflects u-blox’s and Digicom’s eagerness to meet pent-up demand for Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) connectivity, as delivered by NB-IoT technology, standardized by 3GPP in June 2016.

    Digicom's narrowband IoT GPS tracker has u-blox inside.
    Digicom’s narrowband IoT GPS tracker has u-blox inside. Photo: u-box

    The benefits of NB-IoT over other cellular radio technologies include lower device complexity, ultra‑low power operation and support for > 50 k devices per single cellular cell. As NB-IoT operates on networks within the licensed spectrum, it also offers greater security and freedom from interference.

    It is therefore suitable for IoT and M2M applications requiring extremely low power consumption and better coverage even in shielded areas.

    The collaboration is driven by a complementary business relationship between the two companies. Digicom offers innovative solutions for the industrial markets using NB-IoT, with a particular focus on connectivity solutions for Smart Cities, Smart Buildings, Industry 4.0 in general and the Automotive industry. Digicom platforms are designed for the protection of vehicles, people and pets, offer ultra low power consumption and several years operation in battery mode.

    Embedded in Digicom’s products and solutions is for instance the u-blox SARA‑N2 NB-IoT module, which was announced in June 2016 as a cellular radio module compliant with 3GPP Release 13. Release 13 defined the NB-IoT cellular air interface standard, specifically targeting devices that need to communicate small amounts of data over long periods of time in hard-to-reach places.

    “We have collaborated with u-blox for a long time and the quality and innovation of their modules enable us to develop cutting-edge products and solutions,” said Stefano Galzignato, business line manager at Digicom.

    “We are excited to be part of this partnership, which showcases u‑blox as a global leader in developing NB‑IoT solutions for IoT applications,” said Stefano Moioli, u‑blox director of product management, cellular.

    The partnership is expected to grow steadily alongside a rising demand for Digicom solutions for IoT markets.

  • GNSS plays prominent role at Mobile World Congress

    Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology found its way into products ranging from autonomous vehicles to wearables at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

    One company says it is tailoring a GNSS receiver chip to meet the demands of mobile devices that require high levels of speed and position accuracy. Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox said its new low-power UBX-M8230-CT GNSS receiver chip can not only be used for smartwatch development, but for tracking people, animals and assets.

    “The highlight of the chip is that it has much better balance, while maintaining the accuracy of a traditional, full-power receiver,” said Florian Bousquet, u-blox market development manager. “It can work in the most difficult urban canyon environments. It works well in sports watches, smartwatches, activity trackers and other wearables — and just about anything portable that has a battery.”

    Bousquet said the chip, in what the company calls a Super-E mode, uses GPS with either GLONASS or BeiDou. This mode allows batching location data on the chip, which reduces power consumption, he said.

    Bousquet said the chip is available now, in an evaluation kit, for around $120. He said the chip will be manufactured in volume this summer.

    It took u-blox a year-and-a-half to develop the GNSS chip, Bousquet said. “It took time for our development team to optimize the system and field test the infrastructure to make sure the product performed in different scenarios and environments.”

    Another company, Racelogic, exhibited its LabSat 3 Wideband GNSS simulator, which is used by u-blox and others to help test and develop products. Some applications include drones, autonomous vehicles, survey equipment, personal monitoring devices, aerospace and end-of-the-line product testing, the company said.

    The newer L2C, L5 and L1C signals give companies the opportunity to develop products that are compatible with new receivers as they come to market, said Mark Sampson, LabSat product/sales manager.

    The company also showed off its SatGen v3 simulator software that allows users to create a data file to be replayed on the LabSat GNSS simulator. The software allows companies to define a complicated route, and then import it into the software.

    Company tests eCall and ERA-GLONASS modules

    Both the European Union (EU) and Russian Federation are requiring governments to have intelligent telematics-based safety systems. In case of a serious accident, these systems automatically call for local medical services.

    Technology to meet the requirements of eCall and ERA-GLONASS include an antenna, GNSS receiver, crash sensors and other components.

    To reproduce end-to-end and standard-compliant testing of the eCall and ERA-GLONASS modules, Rohde & Schwarz offers two products. One is the CMW-KA094 eCall application software. The other is the CMW-KA095 extension for ERA-GLONASS to simulate a public safety answering point (PSAP) to emulate a cellular network in a lab.

    “It’s pretty important testing because of the safety of life. We have set up implementation of it in our labs,” said Christian Hof, Rohde & Schwarz senior product manager for mobile radio testers.

    CMW_ERA-Glonass_eCall_T
    CMW500 simulator by Rohde & Schwarz. Photo: Rohde & Schwarz

    During testing, governments and companies can use the CMW500 platform, which identifies Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile communications devices’ IP connection security issues, Hof said.

    The company believes, since many IoT platforms are proprietary as standardization is still in progress, security gaps are frequently reported.

    Spirent rolls out new simulator

    Spirent Communications displayed its Elevate IoT Device Test Solution, a new cellular test designed to support IoT applications. These applications include end-to-end cloud server connectivity, security-vulnerability assessment and battery-life measurement.

    The new unit is available through the company’s Spirent Elevate platform, which addresses areas affected when designing 3G, LTE and new narrowband wireless technologies for IoT devices.

    Overall, Spirent is finding many use cases and applications in the IoT and mobile industry.

    “We are finding that smaller companies developing software and services want to test GNSS, but don’t have the capabilities to do so. These could include small projects such as people and pet trackers,” said Simon Loe, Spirent’s head of marketing solutions and services. “We are trying to democratize the technology. Another trend we are seeing is growing importance on GNSS in network timing.”

    Not everything is about drab simulation. Far from it. Spirent last year teamed with Aston Martin Racing to evaluate automotive technologies on the 2016 V8 Vantage GTE race cars.

    This includes the accuracy and performance of GPS receivers and interference monitoring, said Julian Kemp, Spirent product manager, custom solutions.

    Antenna market for IoT, autonomous vehicles robust

    Taoglas is offering GNSS antennas that support IoT products, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and future autonomous vehicles, said Ronan Quinlan, company co-founder.

    The company is offering lightweight antennas for mass-market unmanned UAVs, which had a growing presence at Mobile World Congress this year.

    The future markets for Taoglas will be in connected and autonomous vehicles, Quinlan said. “We found out years ago that we missed out on the rise of 2G, but we did not miss the rise of 4G. The advent of 5G and GNSS will lead to the development of the autonomous vehicle,” he said.

    Antenna costs associated with the rise of autonomous vehicles will have to be reduced, Quinlan said. “Some antennas that were $100 solutions have to go down to $20 solutions once they get into a car,” he said.

    In other Mobile World Congress news:

    • Fraunhofer IIS displayed its Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) communication protocol designed specifically for voice over LTE (VoLTE) services.
    • Telit said it is expanding its relationship with Tele2 on Pan-European long-term evolution (LTE) IoT connectivity services. Telit and Tele2 now offer custom data plans with predictable pricing, no hidden fees or roaming charges for high bandwidth IoT applications, the company said. Services include video monitoring, digital signage or real-time asset tracking.
  • Udee backpack could answer protection needs for mobile workers

    Udee backpack could answer protection needs for mobile workers

    The Udee backpack was designed to be comfortable as well as utilitarian.
    The Udee backpack was designed to be comfortable as well as utilitarian. Photo: Udee

    A new backpack could be the perfect answer for field workers, remote workers and people who travel with expensive equipment.

    The Udee backpack has 19 features, and was made possible through an IndieGoGo Kickstarter campaign. The versatile and user-friendly design is equipped with 19 features designed specifically for serious travelers and outdoor workers who need to stay connected and protect valuable equipment while belongings remain readily accessible.

    The designers of the Udee backpack integrated functions that make it adaptable to any situation. Functions include a portable cooler, a USB port for charging electronic devices, and an earphone pocket that allows users to keep their earphones in their backpack while listening to audio.

    Udee also has an anti-theft feature, important for anyone with a laptop or GNSS receiver. It has a port for a battery pack as well.

    The backpack, introduced this month, has already received an award from Forbes, and one from PC Advisor, which named it one of the top 14 laptop bags.

    The backpack is made of high-end padding and waterproof fabric, and has sturdy, roomy compartments. This reporter was able to carry inside her DSLR camera and 13-inch Macbook Pro (on which this review was written), as well as plenty of other material.

    The inside of the Udee backpack has padded sections to protect a laptop, camera, smartphone and other electronics.
    The inside of the Udee backpack has padded sections to protect a laptop, camera, smartphone and other electronics.

    Here is the full list of 19 features:

    1. Charging port
    2. Earphone port
    3. Lightweight build
    4. Anti-theft combination lock
    5. Safety LED light
    6. Portable cooler
    7. Photography bag
    8. Waterproof material
    9. Phone pocket
    10. Power bank pocket
    11. Notebook pocket
    12. Pen pocket
    13. Passport/cards holder
    14. Carabiner
    15. Safety reflective stripes
    16. Security pocket
    17. Luggage belt
    18. Large volume, 25-liter capacity
    19. Expandable volume

    To learn more about the backpack or place an order, visit the Udee backpack page.

  • Spirent’s new wireless test solution optimized for IoT devices

    Spirent Communications is now offering the Elevate IoT Device Test Solution, a new cellular test solution designed to support a wide range of testing areas applicable to Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including end-to-end cloud server connectivity, security vulnerability assessment and battery-life measurement.

    The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress, which is taking place Feb. 27 to March 2 in Barcelona, Spain.

    The compact and flexible device test solution, available via the Spirent Elevate platform, addresses critical areas that are affected when designing 3G, LTE, and upcoming narrowband wireless technologies into IoT devices.

    Innovative IoT developers are emerging worldwide with many of their applications reliant on communicating via a cellular network. Cellular deployment has several benefits including higher guaranteed service quality, more robust air interface security, and broader coverage availability. Yet designing IoT devices can present a myriad of complex challenges, especially when cellular connectivity enters the equation.

    Testing on a live network has several limitations: data traffic is not visible between the device and cloud server; the appropriate live network may not be deployed where the development takes place; and there is no ability to control network settings such as power levels.

    Spirent Elevate provides easy access to a controllable, lab-based testing environment, allowing developers to explore the special challenges a cellular network presents in a repeatable manner.

    A number of recent events, including widespread Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, has illustrated the very real exposure of IoT device security, highlighting the immediate need for developers to ensure devices are protected from known baseline vulnerabilities.

    The Elevate IoT test solution facilitates access to Spirent SecurityLabs services, including dedicated teams of experienced security professionals offering comprehensive scanning, penetration testing and monitoring services for embedded devices.

    Many IoT devices require operation in hard-to-reach places for extremely long periods of time while in potentially unforgiving environments, making it imperative that batteries perform as expected under variable conditions. The Elevate IoT Device Test Solution allows developers to accurately determine predictable battery life in real-world conditions with actual usage profiles.

    “The Internet of Things is here to stay — it represents a cultural and technology revolution, and has serious implications for security,” said Jeff Wilson, research director and advisor, cybersecurity technology, at analyst firm IHS. “The post-IoT threat landscape is complicated, and the consequences of attacks are increasingly severe. If a device is compromised, it can either fail to work itself, or introduce threats into a wider network, or both; the Mirai and LizardStresser IoT botnets used to launch DDoS attacks were just the tip of an enormous iceberg. Successfully managing connectivity, technology and risk will be vital to IoT implementations from this point forward.”

    Spirent’s IoT Device Test Solution is an integrated suite of tools centered in a compact network emulator that brings a repeatable cellular test bed into any hardware or software lab, providing the ability to replicate service providers’ wireless networks in a portable desktop system.

    When used as part of an expanded Spirent solution that can simulate multiple types and levels of security attacks, the system allows users to accurately understand how a device will hold up against each one and what factors may be impacted.

    Emulating as many conditions as possible helps developers understand exactly how devices, including factors such as battery life, may be impacted in the real world.

    “For IoT developers, many of them new to cellular technology, it can be dauntingly complex to navigate new technologies, manage power performance challenges, and care for imminent cybersecurity threats,” said Saul Einbinder, vice president of new venture development at Spirent Communications. “Our aspiration is to help developers, operators, and service providers optimize their IoT solutions and get to market faster, while also staying considerate of the budget constraints of IoT device realization.”

  • CalAmp’s fleet management devices aimed at connected vehicle market

    calamp-logo-WCalAmp, a provider of wireless products, services and solutions, is offering two new high-end telematics devices designed for connected vehicle applications anywhere in the world.

    The new devices address growing global market demand in Europe and Latin America for more connected vehicle technology options and enable a broad range of applications such as fleet management, usage-based insurance, crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery, vehicle finance and auto rental.

    New products include:

    • LMU-2640 – Designed for sophisticated fleet management applications, the LMU-2640 incorporates the flexibility of GSM/GPRS wireless communication along with highly sensitive GPS, a powerful processing engine and a triple-axis accelerometer that detects and communicates driver behavior. The LMU-2640 supports CalAmp’s Instant Crash Notification (ICN) services suite, delivered via email, SMS (text) or through an Application Programming Interface (API).
    • LMU-200 – Ideal for track-and-trace applications, the LMU-200 provides reliable, economical connectivity through GPRS wireless communication. The LMU-200 features highly sensitive GPS, motion detection, remote starter disable and built-in antennas that lower overall deployment cost and simplify installation. Built on CalAmp’s scalable hardware and device management platform suite, each product employs the company’s PEG on-board alert engine and processing environment as well as PULS over-the-air device management and maintenance application. These pioneering systems allow customers to leverage one platform to manage their entire portfolio including remote firmware updates regardless of the vehicle type or use case.

    “The introduction of these two new devices represents our ongoing, strategic investment in solutions that enable the connected vehicle ecosystem in key markets such as Europe and Latin America,” said Justin Schmid, senior vice president and general manager of the Telematics Systems business at CalAmp. “With CalAmp as a leading IoT enablement solutions provider with new technology and a growing product portfolio, customers in these regions now have more options to choose from whether they’re looking for a simple vehicle tracking option or a full solution to support complex mixed fleet applications.”

    CalAmp’s newest products are on display at booth #8.1B71 (Hall 8.1/Upper Level) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 27–March 2.

  • Panasonic showcases connected airport at Mobile World Congress

    Panasonic showcases connected airport at Mobile World Congress

    Panasonic Business introduced its connected airport concept at Mobile World Congress, which is taking place this week in Barcelona, Spain, and is showcasing a suite of intelligent technology solutions for the first time in Europe.

    Panasonic LinkRay.
    Panasonic LinkRay. Photo: Panasonic

    High-tech airports

    A key technology on display is LinkRay, a one-to-one customer engagement tool for public spaces. With LinkRay, dozens of people can simultaneously get native language information from display panels and LED lighting to their smartphone, so that display panels in an airport can contain links to transport information in multiple languages.

    Also on display is HD Beacon technology, which can assist localized mapping and wayfinding within the terminal buildings at an airport. So, for instance, airport staff or people with limited mobility could use their mobile device to find the nearest electric cart to get them quickly to their gate.

    At MWC, Panasonic is displaying at the 120m2 booth (Hall 6, Booth H31) with technology for retail, car rental, communications, security, logistics and ground handling.

    Car rentals

    In the car rental area of the booth, Ficosa, who has had a business alliance with Panasonic since 2015, will introduce the latest technologies in connected cars. These solutions will transform the in-vehicle experience, providing innovative vehicle services, enabling more autonomous driving with higher levels of safety and efficiency.

    Within the airport logistics hub area, Panasonic’s Parcel Picking Director uses barcode technology to project key parcel information onto parcels themselves, making it viewable by workers at a distance.

    Panasonic Media Track allows organizations to track and optimize the deployment of mobile assets such as baggage containers, trolleys and wagons, perfect for ground handling operations. While Intelligent Warehouse Software (iWS) use CCTV cameras and software to find lost parcels or luggage in minutes rather than hours spent manually searching through security footage.

    “We know that our connected, intelligent technology solutions are well matched for the transportation market,” said Tony O’Brien, managing director of Panasonic System Solutions in Europe. “Our research tells us that improving the passenger journey through better connectivity and information sharing is an important driver in this space and Mobile World Congress gives us the opportunity to showcase what Panasonic can do to innovate within transportation.”