Settop Survey is offering the Settop Repeater, which allows network RTK rover use in areas of low- or non-GSM coverage by receiving differential corrections via radio. A new firmware update allows connection via any external radio to connect the repeater to precision agriculture systems or machine control. Repeater field application versatility is managed by intuitive software using a touchscreen.
Category: Applications
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Settop Survey Offers Network RTK Repeater
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Underwater Inertial Navigation Features GPS and Sensors
The Sublocus underwater inertial navigation system by Advanced Navigation features high-accuracy north-seeking fiber-optic gyroscopes and accelerometers with a GPS receiver and pressure depth sensor, fused to deliver positional accuracy of 0.08 percent of distance traveled. The system also provides highly accurate roll, pitch, heading, heave, depth, and altitude.
Sublocus is also available with an integrated RDI Workhorse Navigator DVL for combined acoustic and inertial navigation in the one product. Both models are supplied with a subsea GPS antenna and are rated to 3,000 meters depth.
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Expert Advice: The Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator
Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Photo: Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) By Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Future breakthroughs in microtechnology for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) will likely rely on yet-to-be-exploited physics, new materials, highly specialized fabrication technologies, batch assembly techniques, selective wafer-level trimming and polishing, a combination of passive and active calibration techniques strategically implemented right on-chip, and introduction of innovative test technologies.
Such microtechnology advances for PNT are sought because reliance on satellite-based GPS for precision PNT information, which is critical to the conduct of many types of military operations and the performance of a wide range of military weapon systems, can mean dependence on a resource that may become inaccessible, whether as a result of some type of component or overall system malfunction or as a consequence of deliberate enemy action. The goal of the DARPA micro-PNT portfolio of programs is to develop micro-technology for self-contained, chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance that would effectively eliminate the dependence on GPS while enabling uncompromised navigation and guidance capabilities for advanced munitions and various military platforms, under a wide range of operation conditions.
In 2012, under the project name C-SCAN, DARPA solicited innovative research proposals in the area of co-integration of inertial sensors with dissimilar physics of operation in a single micro-scale inertial measurement unit (IMU). This solicitation is an integral part of DARPA’s microtechnology for positioning, navigation, and timing (micro-PNT) portfolio of programs. The overarching objective of the micro-PNT portfolio is to develop technologies for self-contained chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance that could effectively eliminate the dependence on GPS or any other external signals and enable uncompromised navigation and guidance capabilities for advanced munitions, mid- and long-range missiles, and various military platforms under a wide range of operating conditions. The micro-PNT program includes a number of important specific efforts that focus on development of precision timing devices, inertial sensors, and microsystems. C-SCAN leverages the results of these efforts and expands the scope of the micro-PNT program.
In this context, the program sought to address challenges associated with the long-term drift, dynamic range, and start-up time of chip-scale components for positioning, targeting, navigation, and guidance tasks. Specific interest lies in the development of a Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator (C-SCAN) that combines inertial sensors with dissimilar, but complementary, physics of operation into a single microsystem. The main objectives of the C-SCAN program are to:
- explore miniaturization and co-fabrication of atomic sensors with high-performance solid-state inertial sensors, and
- develop combinatorial algorithms and architectures that seamlessly co-integrate components with dissimilar physics in a single ensemble.
The deliverable is a miniature IMU that co-integrates atomic and solid-state inertial sensors in a single microsystem with a volume of no more than 20 cubic centimeters (20 cc) and power consumption of no more than 1 Watt (1 W). The performance of C-SCAN is expected to be above and beyond what is currently available, combining a high resolution of motion detection (10-4 deg/hour for rotation and 10-6 g for linear acceleration), exceptional long-term bias and scale-factor stability (1 ppm with respect to the full-scale of operation), and start-up time performance orders of magnitude better than available today (less than 10 seconds from cold start).
To meet these objectives, the C-SCAN program expects to develop a complete IMU comprised of combinatorial gyroscopes and accelerometers with the following characteristics: 10-4 deg/hour and 10-6 g bias stability, 5·10-4 deg/√hour angle random walk (ARW) and 5·10-4 m/sec/√hour Velocity Random Walk (VRW), 1 ppm bias and scale-factor drift characteristics of 40 Hz (or ~15,000 deg/sec), and 1,000 g range of operation, respectively.
Figure 1. C-SCAN conceptual implementation. Photo: Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) The C-SCAN module will have three axes of rotation, as well as three axes of acceleration sensitivity. The misalignment between the axes of sensitivity in C-SCAN is not to exceed 10-4 radians when operating in a harsh military environment. The operational environments of interest are:
- in-operation exposure to temperatures varying from -55ºC to +85ºC,
- in-operation exposure to mechanical vibrations from 5 Hz to 5 kHz with an average amplitude 5 g, and
- device survivability and subsequent normal operation after exposure to
- 15,000 g shock exerted in less than 1 second,
- a peak acceleration amplitude on the level of 20 g through the frequency range for random vibrations from 5 Hz to 5 kHz, and
- a 100º C temperature difference thermal shock with transfer time not exceeding 10 seconds.
Current state-of-the-art microscale inertial instruments can provide the required level of precision for missions of only 30 seconds or less in duration. The micro-PNT program is developing chip-scale, small SWaP+C (Size, Weight and Power, plus Cost) inertial sensors for a variety of operational scenarios, missions ranging from minutes to hours, and for reliable operation under environmental conditions varying from moderate to severe. Ongoing work includes development of a broad range of chip-scale precision timing devices and inertial sensors, including chip-scale atomic clocks, chip-scale primary atomic clocks, solid-state oscillators, silicon accelerometers, and various gyroscopes: vibratory rate, rate-integrating, electrostatically levitated spinning-mass, micro-nuclear magnetic resonance, and cold-atom interferometric.
While recent results in the micro-PNT program have shown considerable progress toward development of small-scale inertial instruments approaching navigation-grade performance, the overall challenge remains: how to simultaneously meet all the stringent PNT requirements imposed by U.S. Department of Defense missions in a small SWaP+C package. Specific requirements include, but are not limited to, accuracy, resolution, scale-factor, bias stability (both in-run and long-term), extended dynamic range, fast warm-up time, and short integration time. These challenges are significant, and it is unlikely that all the requirements can be achieved in a single type of device.
Overall, more than 98 percent of the missiles currently in the U.S. arsenal have mission durations of less than 20 minutes, and today, almost all of these missions are critically dependent on GPS for achieving the required level of delivery accuracy. A preferable solution is to completely eliminate dependence on GPS or any other external signals during the mission and rely solely on self-contained solutions such as inertial navigation, which is immune to jamming, spoofing, and other intentional or unintentional modification of position, orientation, and time information. Achieving 20 minutes of free inertial guidance is a major technological challenge faced by small SWaP+C inertial instruments. Solving this problem is of great strategic importance.
Several recent developments in micro-technology, inertial instruments, and atomic devices may present an opportunity for solving the problem of extended inertial guidance and navigation, potentially offering a new breed of chip-scale navigators exhibiting favorable characteristics when combined in a single hybrid micro-system ensemble.
Andrei M. Shkel received a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a program manager in the Microsystems Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).
This column builds on material presented in a September 2011 GPS World article, “Microtechnology Comes of Age.”
That article, also by Andrei Shkel, described:
- two then-current efforts involving the development of clocks: Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) and Integrated Micro Primary Atomic Clock Technology (IMPACT), and
- three efforts involving the development of inertial sensors and systems: Navigation-Grade Integrated Micro Gyroscopes (NGIMG), Micro Inertial Navigation Technology (MINT), and Information Tethered Micro Automated Rotary Stages (IT-MARS).
The 2011 article continued to explore four complementary new developments:
- Microscale Rate Integrating Gyroscopes (MRIG),
- Chip-Scale Timing and Inertial Measurement Unit (TIMU),
- Primary and Secondary Calibration on Active Layer (PASCAL),
- Platform for Acquisition, Logging, and Analysis of Devices for Inertial Navigation & Timing (PALADIN&T).
This column goes yet further, announcing the start of development of the Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator (C-SCAN) — the subject of a 2012 Broad Agency Announcement and request for proposals.
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Automatic Threat Assessment: Tracking System Tells Friend from Foe
INTRUSION SENSORS strive to have a high detection rate and low false alarm rate. By Eric Olson and Steven Pisciotta
Ongoing threats from terrorist activities at critical facilities require early detection before the threats can reach their target and complete their mission. This has produced the need for advanced security systems to effectively detect terrorist activity, while reducing alarms caused by normal friendly activity. Automatic Threat Assessment, also referred to as Identify Friend or Foe (IFF), is the ability to automatically acknowledge alarms created by friendly assets. It can be achieved with a security system that uses GPS and geospatial data to go beyond the typical intrusion-sensor-only configuration.
The addition of a tracking system associated with friendly vehicles and personnel can provide the missing information necessary to tighten security and reduce the need to take action on alarms caused by friendly targets, and reduce the material and personnel cost of threat assessment. Tracking systems and intrusion sensors can worktogether to automatically classify an actual intruder with high confidence and without operator intervention.
The Verification Problem
Typical intrusion sensors include intelligent fences, ground proximity sensors, radar, LIDAR, and video analytics. The role of the intrusion sensor is to identify a breach and notify security personnel so they may perform verification. Table 1 shows the formal alarm types received from intrusion sensors, which strive for a high detection rate and a low false-alarm rate. For this reason, the nuisance alarm can be problematic as it reflects a real event for the intrusion sensor, but often a non-event for the security operator.
These typical sensors only provide a “suspected intruder” list. The follow-on task is to decide whether or not to reclassify a suspected intruder as an actual intruder. This process is typically a manual task and can be difficult, confusing, and time-consuming.
For instance, a landscape crew will trigger alarms. Even for very accurate systems that can uniquely track the object over a long period, it is highly likely that over the period of time the landscapers are in the area, the track will be lost, causing the system to re-alarm on the same person or vehicle, as it represents a potential intrusion.
If the landscaping crew needs to open a gate, and that gate is integrated into the facility’s access control system via a dry contact or beam breaker device, it may continuously alarm while left open, or at a minimum, in the case of the beam, each time one of the workers or the vehicle passes through the entrance. In these situations, security will either need to validate each alarm by verifying it on a camera or having an officer follow the landscaping crew throughout their route.
The existence of a friendly alarm event that needs continual validation can lead to compacency of security personnel, either not verifying it, or not verifying it in a timely manner.
Table 1. Alarm types. Combined Detection, Location
A GPS tracking system combined with the intrusion sensors can help identify friends. Tracking systems consist of two main types of locating devices: GPS-enabled devices and wireless transponders.
Modern, low-cost GPS receivers can achieve an accuracy rating of less than 3 meters, provide an update once per second, and do not require visibility to the open sky. Wireless communication transmits the GPS data to the C2 system. A typical data set includes time, date, latitude, longitude, altitude, heading, speed, and quality of GPS signal.
The combination of intrusion sensors and tracking systems can produce automatic threat assessment. Routine situations requiring significant security involvement, such as the landscaping scenario, can be automatically managed by the system. The command and control system has the ability to know friendly targets and their location.
Further, the system can perform a check before actually alarming. In the case of a perimeter alarm, it now has the intelligence to understand, within a level of confidence, that the object detected by the intrusion sensors is the same friendly item being tracking by the tracking system. If the system determines the targets to be the same object, the alarm can be suppressed, eliminating the need for security to verify the event.
THE COMBINATION of intrusion sensors and a tracking system allows for Automatic Threat Detection. Common Operating Picture
The integration of these types of systems is not complex in terms of how to coordinate data. Interface documents exist for these types of integration and are done on a regular basis. Typical position and target information is communicated over XML in a standard format. However, to gain these benefits, the tracking systems and intrusion sensors must all work within a common geospatial operating picture.
Advantages of geospatial or geo-referenced systems systems include the ability to easily display and control data in a map-based format, allowing tracking systems and intrusion sensors to synergistically perform automatic verification. This combined knowledge of the target’s track also allows the fusing of the GPS data and the intrusion sensor data into a single object and path, aiding security by reducing target and track clutter on his command and control or PSIM (perimeter security information system).
Take for example a guard enabled with a tracking device, performing a tour around a fence protected by video analytics enabled cameras. On a typical PSIM, a normal guard tour would result in two icons on the display, one friendly from the tracking system and one unknown from the video analytics. This scenario would also result in two similar object tracks. Security would need to review the situation and understand that this symbology represents a single target and a single track.
Integrating the tracking system with the video analytics system allows for a fusing of this data, and the resulting command-and-control symbology is a single target and a single track.
Other considerations when combining a tracking system with intrusion sensors include update rate, time and location accuracies, and overlapping coverage.
Ideally, all sensors would be synchronized when it comes to timing aspects, but this is typically not the case. Different timing between data updates and time inaccuracies can result in the inability for the systems to confidently conclude that two tracks were created by the same target. Transport delay, the transmission of the GPS data through the satellite, can also be an issue. For tracking devices, it’s vital for the data to be received by the C2 system with a repeatable transport delay. Variability in the transport delay also decreases the ability to automatically verify the threat.
Geographic accuracy of both the GPS tracker and the intrusion sensor is another important factor in data fusion. Typical GPS trackers have an accuracy rating of 3–10 meters. Actual accuracy varies based upon the visible GPS satellites, tall buildings, body worn, and RF interference. Intrusion sensors also possess an inherent accuracy. Radar surveillance may have a resolution of 1 x 1 meter at close range, but it expands at far range to 1 x 20 meters.
Intelligent fence sensors and video analytic systems can have resolutions that vary from 1 to 25 meters, based on the type of sensor and the terrain. These geographic inaccuracies can be handled to some degree by considering other factors, including heading, speed, and previous track, but it’s important to understand where these inaccuracies can occur.
Overlapping coverage of surveillance sensors also affects data fusion. In the case of track fusion, this ability is only available is areas where both a geospatial intrusion sensor exists and a tracking system is operational. If there are gaps in overlapping coverage, or areas that do not include geospatial- based intrusion sensors, then fusion is not possible in those regions.
Eric Olson is vice president of Marketing at PureTech Systems.
Steven Pisciotta is president of Remote Tracking Systems.
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Trimble Offers Software Data Integration for Construction Project Management
Trimble is offering data integration capabilities between a variety of its planning, estimating and management software applications. The new capabilities are designed to boost the ease, accuracy and transparency of conceptual or detailed time- and cost-modeling estimates for general contractors and capital construction project owners.
At their core, the five new software versions within the Trimble Buildings’ Design-Build-Operate (DBO) portfolio provide a synchronized way to plan, track, and capture cost and work parameters before, during and after construction projects.
The new software versions include:
WinEst 15.0: database-driven software that uses a highly flexible spreadsheet for creating, adjusting and presenting cost estimates.
Modelogix 3.2: software for collecting and analyzing past-project data and generating comprehensive cost models for future projects.
Prolog 9.6.1: project-management and cost-control software for general contractors (GCs) and construction managers, streamlining project workflows and providing access to information from anywhere.
Proliance 5.5: Office Application Pack – Microsoft Office extensions for Proliance software, combining capital planning and program and project management capabilities.
Vico Office 4.2: virtual construction software, augmenting 3D models with constructability analysis and coordination, location-based quantity takeoff, 4D (time) scheduling and production control, and 5D (cost) estimating.“With cost and productivity pressures facing the construction industry today, the ability to generate accurate estimates is vital — as is the need to integrate 3D models to time and cost,” said Mark Sawyer, general manager of Trimble Buildings’ General Contractor Division. “The updates to a variety of the core solutions in our DBO portfolio can help keep projects on track, on schedule, and within budget.”
At the earliest planning stage, when an owner proposes a new project and asks for a feasibility budget, the GC can use Modelogix to create a new project, and then push the cost model from Modelogix to WinEst to create a detailed estimate. Once the GC has been awarded the project, the WinEst estimate can be moved to Prolog as the official project budget for tracking and reconciliation of costs throughout the project lifecycle. At the project’s close, the reconciled budget can be sent back to Modelogix so that completed project data can be used to generate accurate parameter-driven cost models for future projects of similar scope. This “integrated cycle” can repeat with increasing accuracy over time and across projects as more types of estimates and budgets are created.
For building owners, the new Office Application Pack in Proliance software delivers similar benefits. Integration enables owners to develop detailed budget estimates directly from WinEst or conceptual budget estimates from Modelogix. Proliance also provides a new contingency-analysis tool, which uses statistical methods for recommending contingency amounts, based on the project risk profile represented in the Modelogix cost model. This structure provides a powerful way for project and building owners to build a library of detailed and conceptual estimates across a broad project portfolio.
For GCs and construction management firms working on building information modeling (BIM) projects, new integration between Vico Office 4.2 and Tekla Structures BIM software also improves project accuracy, with Vico Office 4.2 able to address the unique requirements of models generated in Tekla Structures.
With an increasing number of GCs using their own labor force to work with concrete or steel, the new Tekla model activation options in Vico Office 4.2 offer precisely tuned, location-based quantity takeoffs to improve the accuracy of scheduling and estimating created from today’s increasingly large and complex models. Tekla Structures users can also take advantage of Tekla’s Model Organizer to label model content so it is seamlessly registered as an element type (e.g., walls, slabs, beam profiles, rectangular columns, stairs, etc.) within Vico Office. These element types have specific quantity-calculation parameters, which help drive more precise quantity takeoffs.
“Tekla Structures provides enormous benefits as a modeling platform for GCs and Engineers. Our goal with the new publisher in Vico Office is to harness modeling specificity for construction-caliber quantity takeoffs, which in turn power estimates and schedules,” said Jon Fingland, business unit director of Trimble Buildings’ General Contractor Division. “This improved workflow from Trimble Buildings is yet one more way we are delivering critical project data when and where our customers need it.”
The new versions of WinEst, Modelogix, Prolog, Proliance and Vico Office are available now. Additional information on WinEst, Modelogix, Prolog, Proliance are available at www.meridiansystems.com. Information on Vico Office can be found at www.vicosoftware.com.
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SeeControl Announces ThingTracr GPS Tracking Tool
Source: SeeControl SeeControl is announcing the roll out of ThingTracr, a hosted SaaS GPS tool for monitoring anything that needs to be tracked. The simple-to-use solution offers precise location tracking and historical analytics reporting for things of interest using a small and attachable GPS unit that requires no tools or wiring. The tracking service can be up and running in less than five minutes.
Using web browsers or mobile devices, a user can easily monitor the status of the tracked asset. It can be used for cars, trucks, trailers, packages, site equipment or anything else.
“There are several unique features that set ThingTracr apart from other tracking services,” said Bryan Kester, CEO of SeeControl. “One is a modifiable modern dashboard that allows users to personalize how they view the tracking information in the most convenient way for them. Another is the ability to upgrade and expand to new GPS trackers globally as they come on the market.”
Other features of ThingTracr include:
- 90-day location history
- User customizable dashboards
- Low battery alarms
- Satellite / hybrid map views
- Multiple reports
- Data export – CSV/ PDF
- Trip Reports
- Range of pre-certified hardware
- Trip replays on maps
ThingTracr uses various battery-powered GPS devices, which can also notify users of several alarms including motion detected, speeding, and information regarding battery life.
The ThingTracr GPS tracking tool is just one of many vertical solutions available from SeeControl M2M ( Machine 2 Machine ) cloud platform. The ThingTracr solution is available through SeeControl partners including M2M distributors, Network Operators and Systems Integrators.
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Google Disappoints with Mobile Ad Revenue, Apple Shines
Janice Partyka It has been a busy month. Apple is getting help turning around its embarrassing mapping debacle with an acquisition of HopStop and Locationary. Latitude, which enables location sharing and check-ins, is being sunsetted by Google, as it adds that functionality to Google Plus. Twitter acquired Spindle to enable real-time location recommendations. Nokia, leading the charge in augmented reality, added LiveSight sight recognition into apps. And mobile advertising, the life blood of many location apps, is exceeding expectations for social media, but is disappointing with mobile search.
In a week when Facebook’ mobile advertising revenue far exceeded analyst expectations and garnered 41 percent of the company’s revenue, Google’s advertising woes are particularly interesting. Second-quarter revenue results from Google indicate that mobile devices are depressing its online advertising prices at a rate greater than expected. Search-ad prices have been declining since late 2011, but Google’s numbers are still surprising low. The average cost-per-click rate, the price Google gets paid by advertisers, is down 6 percent from a year ago. This was double the drop expected by analysts. The decline is due in part from the lower cost-per-click on sites that are accessed from mobile devices than those seen from PCs.
Earlier this year, I wrote about Google’s move to accelerate advertisers’ shift to mobile. The company overhauled its AdWords platform in February in an attempt to reach consumers across all device screens. This required advertisers to pay for mobile ads, even if they only wish to reach consumers via the desktop. Google saw this as a way to more revenue and insisted that an integrated platform would also benefit advertisers. The results have been disappointing and the switch to a mobile world may not be entirely good for Google.
Whatever it Takes. Apple is hard at work overhauling its mapping. Apple has confirmed its acquisition of Locationary and HopStop. Locationary solves the problem of out-of-date points of interest and business data with a platform that collects and verifies crowd-sourced and other data. It also checks the actual physical location of businesses and other places. HopStop offers a door-to-door navigation app that includes transit, walking, biking, and taxi directions in more than 500 cities worldwide.
Tweeting Spindle. Twitter has acquired Spindle, whose mobile search application leverages the social graph to deliver real-time local recommendations. The app harvests social media activity, including location and time of day, and identifies nearby restaurants, retail and other places in the vicinity. In March, Spindle added push notifications based on user preferences. Twitter has closed down the Spindle offering and is certain to repurpose it.
Airport Trip Timing. Traffic is only one of the delays that can be encountered on a trip. Not knowing the expected wait time at airport security frustrates travelers. TripAdvisor has acquired GateGuru to provide security-time estimates, gate locations, and real-time flight status. The company collects information from a mix of user-generated content and data from airports. The offering also includes weather forecasts, detailed maps, and information on terminal amenities.
Augmented Reality at Nokia. Augmented reality (AR) is a leap forward for mapping and is beginning to leave the realm of emerging technology and entering mainstream. Adding AR to maps creates an innate experience in which one can “see” a place with text or a superimposed image. Nokia, a leader in augmented reality, has added LiveSight, an integrated sight recognition technology into the Here suite of apps for some Window phones. Users can enter LiveSight mode, which will scan the surrounding area and pull up relevant information about nearby locations, like addresses, phone numbers, and ratings.Virtual signs are attached to buildings as viewed through the camera display. This can all be accessed off-line.
Augmented Job Searching. One novel app is Nokia’s JobLens, which adds augmented reality to job hunting. Users can visually see jobs around them through the phone’s camera lens. A number of search filters help narrow down jobs, including filtering jobs that have a connection with one’s social networks. JobLens is integrated with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Windows Live. Data is provided by partners that include LinkedIn, Indeed, Salary.com and Zillow. When a user finds a job that she wants to apply for, the application will then walk her through the application process and keep track of her progress. Will the job pay in fictitious currency?
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SBG Systems Offers Dual-Antenna GNSS Inertial System
The Ekinox-D. Photo: SBG Systems SBG Systems has added a new inertial system to its Ekinox Series. With integrated Dual Antenna GPS + GLONASS receiver, the Ekinox-D is a ready-to-use survey-grade inertial navigation system that provides consistent true heading (0.05°), SBG Systems said.
The Ekinox-D is a high-performance inertial navigation system that embeds a dual-antenna L1/L2 GNSS receiver to deliver more robust heading and position, while increasing satellite reception availability. Ekinox-D is an integrated system: GNSS data and inertial information are fused by an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to improve data integrity. This computation allows the system to achieve 0.05° roll, pitch, and true heading; 5-cm heave; and 2-cm RTK GNSS position.
The Ekinox-D is an all-in-one Solution for demanding applications. Instead of mounting separate GNSS receiver and inertial systems on a boat, car, or plane, the Ekinox-D can be installed and connect it to a camera, SONAR, or LiDAR system. With its 8-GB datalogger and its high output rate (200 Hz), Ekinox-D joins simplicity and performance for applications where robust heading is required such as surveying and hydrographic applications, unmanned system navigation, and auto testing.
The IP68 Ekinox Series brings robust, maintenance free, and cost-effective MEMS to the next level thanks to a drastic selection of high-end MEMS sensors, an advanced calibration procedure, and powerful algorithm design, SBG Systems said, adding that compromise is no longer required between high accuracy and cost.
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Satelles Announces Patent and Technology License Agreement with Boeing
Satelles, a division of iKare Corporation, has entered into a patent and technology license agreement with The Boeing Company. This license allows Satelles to provide timing and location solutions to commercial markets delivered over the Iridium constellation of 66 low-Earth-orbiting satellites.
The timing and location signals are available anywhere on Earth, without the need for local infrastructure, making the system perfect for augmenting GPS and other location-based technologies, Satelles said. Unlike standard GPS, the high-power signals can reach into many building structures. The signal-in-space provides a location-specific signature that can reliably prove (or authenticate) the location of a mobile device or other equipment, while being virtually impervious to spoofing and other attacks, Satelles said.
Gregory Gutt, CEO of iKare Corporation, stated, “After working closely with Boeing for years to create a global indoor-positioning solution, we are thrilled to be entering this license agreement, which includes over 30 issued and pending patents.”
Michael O’Connor, CEO of the Satelles business, agreed. “We see tremendous dual use potential for the technology going forward. Indoor location is an exciting area, and we are seeing keen commercial interest in a solution that delivers trusted location for secure network communication or network transaction security.”
Satelles is headquartered in Silicon Valley, in Redwood City, California, with an office in Ashburn, Virginia.
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GPS Source Receives USAF GPS Directorate Approval for GLI-FLO
GPS Source’s GLI-FLO. GPS Source announced today that GLI-FLO has been granted security approval by the U.S. Air Force Global Positioning Systems Directorate. The GPS Directorate security approval provides GPS Source with the opportunity to supply military end-users and prime contractors with a DAGR Distributed Device (D3) that meets the mandate for reliability and security, GPS Source said.
GLI-FLO is a secure (ICD-GPS-153 compliant) GPS position, navigation, and timing (PNT) distribution device. One GLI-FLO has the same capability as four DAGRs operating in a platform mounted application (eight DAGRs with custom cabling). GLI-FLO serves ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communication or weapon systems that require GPS information. It routes PNT data while secured in the bracket now used by the DAGR, utilizing standard DAGR accessory cables. When GLI-FLO is connected to one DAGR (or as alternative option, interfaces with an internal secure GPS receiver), secure PNT data can be distributed without the integration of GB-GRAM cards to multiple devices.
GLI-FLO meets the stringent requirements for reliability and security by integrating a GPS Directorate-approved SAASM receiver (Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module). SAASM is the security architecture selected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to provide current security functions for GPS-authorized military users.
“We understand the importance of reliable GPS/PNT data for synchronizing military operations and the need to protect against jamming and/or spoofing,” said Robert Horton, CEO of GPS Source. “We further realize the importance of protecting our national assets by designing products that fully comply with all GPS Directorate security requirements. This security approval makes it possible for our GLI-FLO to be deployed by military forces without reservation.”
In addition to the SAASM compliance, other GLI-FLO features include the ability to serve ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communications or weapon systems that require secure GPS information. It is a significant step for GPS Source toward compliance in GPS Signal Distribution (Single PNT Distribution Point). With zero impact to subscriber application software/hardware, it removes the need to rely on multiple, expensive GB-GRAMS found in military platforms.