GPS World

Tag: ION GNSS+ 2018

  • Rohde & Schwarz adds GPS L5 and Galileo E5 to SMW200A GNSS simulator

    Rohde & Schwarz adds GPS L5 and Galileo E5 to SMW200A GNSS simulator

    Rohde & Schwarz has added GPS L5 and Galileo E5 simulation capabilities to its R&S SMW200A GNSS simulator.

    The R&S SMW200A GNSS simulator is designed for efficient test and characterization of multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS receivers. With its additional simulation capabilities for GPS L5 and Galileo E5, the R&S SMW200A enables generation of complex and highly realistic test scenarios with up to 144 channels in the GNSS frequency bands L1, L2 and L5, the company said.

    In addition to GPS (L1/L2/L5), GLONASS (L1/L2), Galileo (E1/E5) and BeiDou (L1/L2), the R&S SMW200A also supports signal generation for QZSS and SBAS on L1. The available channels can be routed to up to four RF outputs, so that even multi-antenna systems can be tested.

    Apart from its new GNSS simulation capabilities, the R&S SMW200A can generate complex coexistence and interference scenarios with multiple interferers. GNSS signals, noise and all interference signals are generated directly in the instrument. Additional signal sources for external generation of interference signals are not required, resulting in small, compact and simple test setups.

    Launched in 2017, the R&S SMW200A can be turned into a high-end GNSS simulator and is able to internally simulate complex interference environments in parallel with GNSS signals.

    An increasing number of GNSS receivers are capable of receiving signals on multiple different frequencies, such as L1, L2 and L5. Although this multi-frequency capability, as well as having to process signals from diverse navigation systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or BeiDou, make the receiver design more complex, they ensure a better quality of service for the end user.

    According to the company, multi-frequency and multi-constellation processing not only improves positioning accuracy, service availability and robustness, it also makes the positioning process less vulnerable to interference, jamming or spoofing attacks.

    The R&S SMW200A with its new GNSS simulation capabilities will be showcased at the ION GNSS+ 2018 trade show in Miami.

  • Enhanced navigation, robustness, safety for autonomous vehicles

    By Sam Pullen, Stanford University; Jim Kilfeather, Jim Goddard, Tom Nowitzky, Brinda Shah, Wen Doong, David Kagan, and Kerry Greer, Globalstar. To be presented at ION-GNSS+ 2018.

    Globalstar is developing a connected car program for continuous, worldwide service to vehicles via satellite and terrestrial communications links.

    This combines PPP corrections provided globally by the second-generation Globalstar low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation with local-area corrections via LTE cellular signals in urban areas for connectivity anytime, anywhere. Both signals are broadcast at 2.4 GHz and include pilot channels used for ranging, augmenting GNSS ranging and providing robustness against jamming and spoofing.

    The program provides enhanced navigation via continuous augmentation of GNSS with data derived from ground-based reference networks for sub-meter accuracy and integrity bounds on navigation errors to probabilities as low as 10-9 per operation. When this is combined with other on-board sensors and data such as lidar, radar, optics and IMUs, it will be possible to operate autonomously under almost all conditions with a very high degree of safety.

    The key is combined use of PPP corrections globally and local-area CDGNSS/RTK corrections in high-density urban regions where it is economically beneficial. Both sets of augmentations are made available to vehicles. The global approach on the left side of the figure is primary, given its near-worldwide coverage based on the LEO satellite network broadcasting corrections within its licensed communications spectrum at 2.4 GHz. The P/N-modulated pilot component of the Globalstar satellite signals will be used for ranging to augment GNSS and provide additional robustness to RF interference or spoofing at GNSS frequencies.

    The paper will be given at ION GNSS+ 2018 and later be available here.

    For more ION GNSS+ news, see our page here.