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TestDrive GNSS

For thorough, professional GNSS receiver testing, RF simulation is the only option. But manually setting up, running and reporting on tests can take time.

TestDrive GNSSDownload the Application Note and discover how Spirent’s TestDrive GNSS accelerates receiver performance testing, with powerful automation and reporting features built on our unrivalled industry experience.

You’ll also learn how to create, run and log your first tests with our practical quick-start guide.

Topics include:

  • The importance of RF simulation in GNSS receiver testing
  • Saving time and money with TestDrive GNSS
  • Getting started with TestDrive GNSS—a practical guide

Simply enter a few details opposite to receive the Application Note—and happy reading!

About Spirent

Spirent has been the global leader in connectivity testing for near 30 years, and is trusted by organisations in the military, aerospace, networking, and electronics sectors to deliver detailed, accurate and reliable GNSS test results for all devices and conditions.

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    TestDrive-GNSS An automation and reporting tool to unlock the power of Spirent GNSS Simulation Systems by speeding up and simplifying GNSS testing A Spirent Application Note for Designers, Integrators and Manufacturers of GNSS Devices APPLICATION NOTE Spirent Communications nullC nullaignton, Devon, nullnull nullnull nullngland nullebnull httpnullnullwwnullpirentnullomnullositioning nullelnull nullnullnullnull nullnullnull nullanull nullnullnullnull nullnullnull Copyright nullnullnull Spirentnull All nullghts nulleservednull All of the company names andnullr brand names andnullr product names referred to in this document, in particular, the name nullpirentnulland its logo device, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Spirent plc and its subsidiaries, pending registration in accordance with relevant national lawsnullAll other registered trademarks or trademarks are the property of their respective ownersnull nulle information contained in this document is subnullct to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Spirentnull nulle information in this document is believed to be accurate and reliablenull however, Spirent assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in the documentnull Page 2SPIRENT Application Note Contents Scope null Introduction null null Simulation null nullestDrivenullNSS null nulleatures null nullING nullestDrivenullNSS null Generating a test suite null nullditing test parameters null Connulluring nullser nullnullipment null nullnullecuting a nullest null Generate a nullest nulleport null Archive nullest nullesults null nullurther information null Page 3SPIRENT Application Note Scope nullis Application Note enulllains how to use Spirentnulls nullestDrive GNSS receiver characterisation toolnull It is written for designers, developers, integrators and manufacturers of GNSS receivers, who need to ensure that their products perform in the intended environmentnull Spirent recommends you have a basic understanding of satellite navigation principlesnullnullaving an awareness of null simulation as a test method is also desirablenull Introduction nullere is a steady growth in the use of GNSS in new and enullsting marketsnull Consenullently, there is an increasing reliance on GNSS technologynull ith this in mind, it is important for designers, manufacturers and consumers of these products to understand what to enullect from such systemsnullnullis includes formulating an understanding of the limitations and problems of GNSS technologiesnull nullorough testing of GNSS receivers is a timenullonsuming process which usually renullires a number of repeat measurements to be taken nullee DANnull nullundamental GNSS receiver characteristicsnull nullypically, the operator will be present during this process and the device will be renullonnullured for each measurementnullnullnce the measurement has been collected it may also be necessary to record the result manuallynull nullis application note outlines the need for null simulation and introduces nullestDrive GNSS, a means of managing the receiver performance characterisation processnull Page 4SPIRENT Application Note RnullSinullnulltion An null Constellation Simulator reproduces the environment that a GNSS receiver will enullerience by modelling vehicle and satellite motion, signal characteristics, atmospheric and other effectsnullnullen connected to the null simulator the receiver will navigate according to the parameters of the test scenarionull nulligure nullshows the concept of GNSS simulation using a Spirent GSSnullnull simulatornullnully its very nature, simulation is a representation of the real worldnull Simulation cannot reproduce the full richness of real world conditionsnull A common misconception is that there is the need to enullctly replicate real world conditions for a GNSS test to be validnull Application of representative effects via simulation is proven nullver some null years of testingnullto enullercise receivers and adenullately identify their limitationsnullMore importantly, it gives complete repeatability, control and enullct knowledge nulldown to bit level nullof the signal which is stimulating the receivernull nullis is not possible when using real GNSS signals for test purposesnullnulle should therefore look upon simulator testing as representing the real world, rather than replicating itnull nulligure nullnullnullmple null Simulation nulllow Page nullSPIRENT Application Note TestDrive-GNSS nulle Spirent nullestDrive GNSS nullest System provides SimGnullnull SimnullnullAnull plus and SimnullnullAnull customers with an integrated test solution that enables performance characterisation of GNSS nullser nullnullipment nullnullnullnullestDrive GNSS automates the testing process by connulluring the instruments in the system, stepping through the test senullences, and processing and storing the resultsnullnully removing much of the burden of manual test setup and connulluration, nullestDrive GNSS solves the following testing issuesnull null nullriting software to automate test senullencesnull nullnullgging test resultsnull nullnulleplication of test conditionsnull nulle nullestDrive GNSS System resides on the Spirent Customer Service Centre nullSCnull website and it is accessed by logging into your account and following the nullnullestDrive GNSSnulllink on the left side of the pagenull See nulligure null nulleatures nullith nullestDrivenullNSS you cannull null Control both the GNSS null Simulator and the null simultaneously null Manage suites of tests null Archive sets of results null Generate summary reports in a number of common formats Page nullSPIRENT Application Note nullING TestDrive-GNSS Generating a test suite nulle most simple test suite contains a single test casenullnullch line in a test suite can be one of several different test typesnull Different tests are used to measure different performance criterianull A uninulle set of parameters applies to each test typenullnullefer to the user manual for a detailed description of all supported test typesnull nullirstly, create a new suite from the nullinull null NenullnullSuite menunull nulligure nullCreating a new suite Page null SPIRENT Application Note nullo select a test type when adding a new testnull null Click on a blank cell in the Test Name column of the suite windownull null nullghtnulllick on the cell to display the Insert Test menunull null Select the desired test from the menusnull nulligure nullillustrates an enullmple of adding a new null Acnullisition Sensitivity nullest to a test suitenull nullis test suite can now be savednull nulligure null Adding a test to a test suite Page null SPIRENT Application Note Editing test paranullters nullch test supported by nullestDrivenullNSS includes a number of customisable test parameters that you can modifynull est parameters can be numerical values nullnullnull ‘Number of Measurements’null tenull values nullnullnull ‘Test Description’null or a list of selectable values nullnullnull ‘Pause Between Measurements’null nullo change the value of a particular test parameternull null Click a specific line in the Tests pane to select the testnull null Select the parameter subnullroup in the tree view on the left side of the Test Parameters panenull null Click the parameter you want to edit and type or select a new valuenull nulligure nullshows an enullmple of selecting ‘Pause Between Measurements’ from the General Parameters subnullroup of a test casenull nullefore running a nullest Suite, it should be validated to help avoid test enullecution errorsnullnullestDrive GNSS can analyse an entire suite for test setup and parameter value problems before enullecutionnullnullalidation checks test conditions against the current system connulluration and alerts you if the system does not contain sufnullient hardware to perform certain testsnullAlthough this does not guarantee nullwless enullecution, it signinullantly reduces the risk of problems during enullecution by detecting them beforehandnull nullo validate the nullest Suite click the nullanulldate Suite icon from the nulloolbar or select Enullecute nullnullanulldatenull nulligure null Selecting ‘Pause between measurements’ from the ‘General Parameters’ Page nullSPIRENT Application Note nulligure null Connulluring the user enullipment Connulluring nullser Enullipnullnt nullefore enullecuting a test suite it is necessary to connullure the user enullipmentnullnullpen a new user enullipment nulle by selecting the nullinull nullNenullnullnullser Enullipnullnt option from the menusnull Choose settings which represent the receiver connection to your computernull An enullmple of such a connulluration is displayed in nulligure null Page nullSPIRENT Application Note nulle following list of commands is an enullmple of how to populate the user enullipment nullommand Settingsnull editor to control a GSDnull Sinull capable Gnull receivernull nullopulate the user enullipment nulluenullnulle with commands which denulle your receiver connulluration and connection settingsnull nullnce a connection has been made, the nullesponsenull window will be populated with the latest responses from the user enullipmentnullnulle cursor can be positioned on the latest response by doublenulllicking in the response windownullNote that it may be necessary to run the simulator at this point in order to generate responses from the user enullipmentnull nullestDrive GNSS can control user enullipment using the ubinullitous NMnull ASCII command set or alternatively using the Sinull binary protocolnullAdditionally, it is possible to specify your own protocol by creating a driver for use with nullestDrive GNSSnullMore information on this can be found in the user manual supplied with the productnull nulle following list of commands is an enullmple of how to populate the user enullipment nullommand Settingsnull editor to control a Sinull GSDnull Gnull receivernull nulleset null set,nullarnulleset,yes nullnable the Gnull constellation set,nullarnullosnullpsnullat,on nullnable the GnullnullASS constellation set,nullarnullosnulllonullat,on Disable all NMnull messages on serial port A dm,nullevnullernull nullnable NMnull GGA messages on serial port A at nullnullrate em,nullevnullernull,nullsgnullmeanullGAnull nullnull Mask nullalue to null set,nullarnullosnulldop,nullnull Switch to Sinull binary protocol nullSnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull Navigation Initialisation Anullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull nullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull Set nullnull to null AnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullCnullnull Switch off DGnull mode AnullnullnullnullAnullnullnullnullnullnull Set elevation mask to nulldegrees Anullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull Static Navigation nulllag nullff Anullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull Set binary serial port nullnullnullbpsnull Anullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull Page nullSPIRENT Application Note Enullecuting a Test nullnce the null settings have been connullured and saved you may run the nullest Suite by selecting Enullecute nullRunnull nulle Execute Automatic Test dialog bonullis displayed, allowing you to set several run specinull optionsnullnulligure nullgives an enullmple of the Execute Automatic Test dialog bonull nullen the test has completed the results will be stored in a nulle called nullablenulliewnullsv which is located in the folder specinulld in nulligure null nullis nulle can be used for further analysisnull NotenullIf the user is employing user enullipment which responds with NMnull statements then the monitoring algorithm will determine that a measurement is successful by enullmining the NMnull GGA nulllobal nullositioning System nullinullDatanull position null nullg in addition to the plan and spherical position error metrics specinulld in the testnullIf the user is employing user enullipment which responds with the Sinull binary protocol then message null nulleodetic Navigation Datanullwill be enullmined to establish whether a null has occurred in addition to the plan and spherical position error metrics specinulld in the testnullIf you are denulling your own protocol then you should specify the protocol message you wish to monitor and the criteria for achieving a successful test outcome in your driver softwarenull Generate a Test Report nullest nulleports can be generated from the current set of test results loaded in application memory by selecting Enullecute nullGenerate Report from the menunull nullou can print or save reports in a variety of standard nulle formats including Adobe Acrobat nullnullDnull null Microsoft nullnullcel null nullSnull null and Microsoft nullord nullnullOC null nullo review reports after saving them, load the report documents with the appropriate associated applicationnull Arcnullve Test Resunulls nullo archive a set of test results select nullinull null nullip Active Resunullsnull nulligure null nullnullecute Automatic test dialog bonull Page nullSPIRENT Application Note nullor nullore Innullrnulltion nulllease visit our websitenull httpnullnullwwnullpirentnull comnullositioning and do not hesitate to contact your nearest Spirent representative for more detailed informationnullnullo nulld the appropriate contact details please visit the nullontact nullsnull page on the website and select your location and applicationnull Page nullSPIRENT Application Note CONTACT null Got a snullrtpnullnenull If you hanull a smartphone nullwnloanull a null nullnull reanullr annullthen point your phone camera at the null nullnull to reanullthe nullaphicnull Spirent Conullunications nullnullnullnull nullnullnull globalsalesnullpirentnullom wwwnullpirentnullomnullositioning Spirent nullederanullSnulltenull null nullnullnullnullnullnull infonullpirentfederalnullom wwwnullpirentfederalnullom nullnullnot snullre tnulls docunullntnull DANnullnullISSnull nullnull nullevnullnullnullMar nullnull nulle are adding nenullcontent to our nullenullite on a regunullr nullsisnull nullonullarnulltnulls nullnnull wwwnullpirentnullomnullositioning nullisit tnull Spirent GNSS nullognulltnullre are currentnull over null posts nulltnull2 to 3 nenullposts added eacnullnulleenull Catcnullup on nullatnulls nenullnull wwwnullpirentnullomnulllognullositioningnullspnull Need nullre innullrnulltionnull gnssnullolutionsnullpirentnullom nullacebook nullnkedIn nullwitter nullechnorati Google nullunull Digg Delicious nulleddit Stumbleupon