
Free eBook: A lot has changed in the GNSS world over the past 25 years. Back in 1987, GPS was in its infancy and almost entirely restricted to US military use. Today, a plethora of satellite constellations fill the sky, delivering positioning data for a huge range of military, civilian and consumer applications.
Throughout the entire quarter-century, Spirent has been at the forefront of the industry, providing robust and comprehensive test solutions for public and private sector organisations developing new GNSS-based navigation and positioning equipment.
Download this free eBook to discover:
- How the GNSS industry is changing, as new constellations and applications emerge
- Why rigorous, repeatable testing of receivers and devices is more important than ever
- Why Spirent is the best choice when it comes to GNSS and hybrid testing solutions
Simply enter a few details opposite to receive your free eBook—and happy reading!
About Spirent
Spirent has been the global leader in GNSS testing for near 30 years. Spirent delivers navigation and positioning test equipment and services to governmental agencies, major manufacturers, integrators, test facilities and space agencies worldwide.
25 Years of GNSS Testing
with Spirent
A Spirent eBook
Introduction
25 Years of GNSS Testing with Spirent
A lot has changed in the GNSS world over the past 25 years. Back
in 1987, Gnull was in its innullncy and alnullst entirely restricted to null
nulllitary nulle. nulloday, a plethora onullsatellite constellations nulll the sky,
delivering positioning data nullr a hnulle range onullnulllitary, civilian and
consnuller applications, nullonullspace nullght and aircranull navigation to
precision agricnulltnulle and digital inullge geotagging.
nullronullhonull the entire nullarternullentnully, Spirent has nullen at the
nullrenullont onullthe indnulltry, providing ronullst and conullrehensive test
solnullions nullr pnulllic and private sector organisations developing new
GNSSnullased navigation and positioning enullipnullnt.
Page 2SPIRENT eBook
As the indnulltry has evolved, so have onull solnullions. nulloday we onullnullr
the nulloadest range onulltest enullipnullnt availanulle anywherenullnullonullnull
sinulllators nullr nullltinullNSS testing to sinulllator nullits nullr nullinulli, sensornull
nullsed and hynullid positioning solnullions. nullnullyonullhave a satellite or
hynullid positioning device that yonullneed to test, we have the right
solnullion nullr yonull
nullis enullok provides an introdnulltion to GNSS testing with Spirent,
and an overview onullthe dinullnullrent nullrket sectors that we work in.
nullt looks at how the advent onullnew constellations and hynullid
positioning technologies is changing the indnulltry, and how Spirent
is nulleting the evolving needs that resnullt. nullinally it provides an
introdnulltory gnullde to the nullll range onullSpirent testing prodnullts and
links to nullenulll resonullces where yonullcan nulld onull nullre anullnull GNSS
testing with Spirent.
SPIRENT eBook
The Current GNSS Landscape
nulle GNSS landscape is evolving nullst. nullere once Gnull was the only
ganull in town, recent years have seen the arrival onullthe nullnullsian
GnullnullASS constellation and the nullginnings onullthe nullnullopean Galileo
systenull nullinanulls nullnullassnulleidonullconstellation is dnull to achieve glonulll
coverage nully 2nullnull and then there are regional anullnullntation systenull
inclnulling nullapannulls nullSS, nullndianulls nullNSS and nullrancenulls nullnullS systenull
As the signals have nullltiplied, so have the endnullse applications.
GNSS positioning and navigation is now a key nullatnulle in a hnulle array
onullnulllitary, civilian and consnuller technologies, nullonullnullssile gnulldance
systenull and enullrgency distress nullacons to agricnulltnullal
nullchinery, sports enullipnullnt, innullehicle satnav,
snullrtphones and digital canullras.
Page 4SPIRENT eBook
nullcationnullased services, snullh as shops onullnullring deals to shoppers
whose snullrtphones indicate they are nearnully, are in their innullncy, nullt
are starting to nullel a nullonullin new applications onullGNSS positioning
technology. New services that rely on pinpointing people and devices
indoors and in nullnulln canyons where GNSS signals are weak, are
driving a large glonulll nullrket nullr hynullid positioning devices that
anullnullnt GNSS with cellnullar, nullinulli and sensornullased data.
Page 5SPIRENT eBook
The Need to Test
nullatever segnullnt yonullnullre operating in, and whatever yonull nulle onull
GNSS and hynullid systenull, rigoronull testing is vital. nulln sonull systenull
and applications, the pernullrnullnce onullthe GNSS receiver nully literally
nullke the dinullnullrence nulltween linull and death. nulln others, GNSS receiver
pernullrnullnce nully null an inullortant point onullconulletitive dinullnullrentiation.
nulln all cases, yonullwant to null snulle that yonull receiver, nullard or device
pernullrnull as pronullsed in every conceivanulle condition.
nullat nullans thoronullh testing onullthe technology in a wide array onull
conditions and scenarios nullnullny onullwhich are dinullcnullt, inullossinulle
or prohinulltively enullensive to achieve in the real world. nullatnulls why
sinulllation has enullrged as the indnulltry standard
approach to GNSS pernullrnullnce testing
over the past 25 years.
Page 6SPIRENT eBook
Why Simunulltionnull
Sinulllation provides nullny inullortant nullnenulls and enullciencies over
nullive skynulltesting with real signals, inclnullingnull
1. GNSS sinulllators generate data nullr nullltiple scenarios and
locations, conullared to live sky testing, which is a singlenullcenario,
singlenullocation solnullion. nullor enullnullle, a sinulllator with 1nullscenarios
and sinulllocations is enullivalent to null individnulll live sky tests.
2. A GNSS sinulllator can repeat enullctly the sanull scenario tinullnullnullernull
tinull, enanulling test resnullts to null accnullately conullared dnulling the
developnullnt process.
null nullepeatanulle GNSS test scenarios can null created to inclnulle nullilnulle
conditions, which nully only occnull sporadically or randonully in the
real world and are inullossinulle to captnulle with live sky.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
null nullnly GNSS sinulllators can test GNSS constellations which are
partially deployed or not yet deployed null.g. Galileonulland nulltnulle signals
snullh as null and nullnullon Gnull.
5. nullndnullting the nulllk onullyonull testing nulling sinulllators nullsing live
sky testing as a nullal verinullation onullreal world pernullrnullncenullsaves
nullney and tinull nullessential when yonullneed to nulling highnullernullrnullnce
technologies to nullrket nullickly.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Why Spirentnull
nuller the past 25 years, Spirent has worked closely with every indnulltry
that relies on satellite and hynullid positioning.
nulloday, we onullnullr onullnullthenullhelnulland nullspoke testing solnullions, inclnulling
hardware, sonullware, consnulltancy services and predenulled test cases
and scenarios, nullr a nulload range onullindnulltriesnull
nullinulltary and nullefencenull Spirent continnullnullly adds capanulllities and
nullatnulles to snullport nulllitary GNSS sinulllation solnullions. nullether
yonullnullre involved in testing, classinulld signals nullnclnulling Gnull nullcodenull
evalnullting GnullnullNSS receiver pernullrnullnce, testing a new release
or connullnullng pernullrnullnce nullets design specinullation, or nulling test
systenull in the nullld to verinull the pernullrnullnce onullsystenull nullnullre
deploynullnt, Spirent can help. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions
nullr nullilitary and nullenullnce.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Transportnull GNSS satellite navigation is nullconullng an essential elenullnt
onullnullny transport pronullcts, nullonullinnullehicle navigation thronullh to road
tolling and telenulltics applications. nullany pronullcts in this sector are
conulllenullwith sanullty and conullercial onullectives to satisnull with nullw
standard approaches to pernullrnullnce denullition or test approaches.
Spirent has wide enullerience onullhelping conullanies in this sector
nullderstand their test issnulls and the nullst approach to testing.
nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr nullransport.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nullutomotinullenull nulle nulle onullsinulllators nullr GNSS telenulltics applications
is increasing rapidly, with nullch nullcnull on enullssions rednulltion, sanullty
and intelligent transport systenull nullnullSnull nullne onullthe nullst inullortant
nullctors is integrity, or trnullt in the position innullrnulltion nullder a range
onullconditions.
Spirentnulls test solnullions are nulling nulled in nullny developnullnt pronullcts
and we can provide help and advice to help yonullwith yonull pronullct
denullition, testing and overall snullcess. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent
solnullions nullr Anullonulltive.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nulload Tonullingnull nulle nulle onullGnullnullNSS nullr road charging schenulls is
nulling considered nully nullny governnullnt and transport anullhorities
worldwide to help rednulle tranullc volnulles and congestion. nullotential
systenull need to null evalnullted and their respective strengths and
weaknesses conullared and nullderstood. Spirentnulls solnullions provide the
necessary repeatanulllity and rigonull to nullke an enullnullctive decision.
nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr road tolling.
nullinull nullany rail operators are investigating how GnullnullNSS systenull
conulld null nulled to rednulle innullastrnulltnulle costs and inullrove pernullrnullnce
over traditional approaches. nulln a sector where there are little or no
standards availanulle that denulle how and what to test in a GNSS
systenull Spirent can help. nullnull enullerience in helping cnulltonullrs with
GNSS systenull and applications can assist yonullto nullke the right
decisions. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr nullil
nully downloading the Application Note.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Cinullnullnullnullationnull nullvil aviation navigation and positioning systenull have
specialised renullirenullnts nullr integrity and availanulllity, and thoronullh
testing and certinullation is essential. Spirent is widely recognised as
the prenuller snullplier onullpositioning and navigation sinulllation test
systenull to the civil aviation indnulltry and is regnullarly nulled nully leading
aviation anullhorities and systenulldevelopers worldwide.
nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirentnulls solnullions nullr nullvil Aviation.
Spacenull nullany space progranull have conull to rely on Gnull as a key
navigation systenullconullonent nullr accnullate positioning in space
and nullr attitnulle deternullnation. Spirent has estanullished its high
pernullrnullnce test systenull as the prodnullt onullchoice nullr nullny onullthe
worldnulls leading space agencies and space related conullanies when
sinulllating the pernullrnullnce onullspace nullsed Gnull, GnullnullASS and
Galileo systenull. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr Space
nullsed applications.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nullonullnull nullenullcesnull Gnull, GnullnullASS, Sensors and nullinulli nullositioning are
conullining to nullke locationnullware technology in nullnullle devices a
nullstnullave nullatnulle. Spirent is the leading provider onulltest systenull nullr
characterisation and evalnulltion onullpernullrnullnce in nullnullle devices,
at every stage in the valnull chain nullnullonullinitial nullnullthronullh to
prodnulltion testing. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent
solnullions nullr nullnullle devices.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Wornullnullnullss Testing Throughout the Product nullanulle Chain
nullnull
As the GNSS environnullnt nullconulls nullre conulllenull developing new
positioning enullipnullnt is nullconullng increasingly challenging. nullonull
need to know that yonull receiver or antenna will work as desired
in every scenario, whether it relies on Gnull, GnullnullASS, Galileo or
nullnullass signals, regional anullnullntation systenull, onnulloard sensors,
nullinulli or cellnullar trilateration, or a conullination onullthese.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nulle conulllenullty onulltodaynulls signal environnullnt nullans that live sky
testing is sinullly no longer an option. nullonullneed sinulllators to create
nullnd nullre inullortantly, recreatenullall onullthe possinulle conullinations onull
signals, errors and internullrence that will innullence the pernullrnullnce onull
yonull prodnullt.
Spirent is the leading vendor onullnull sinulllation enullipnullnt to nullnull
lanull in the acadenullc, pnulllic and conullercial sectors. nullith Spirentnulls
solnullions yonullcan develop test cases and scenarios, nulldel enullsting
signals and signals that have not yet conull onnulltreanull and ensnulle
conulllete repeatanulllity nullr every test yonullnulldertake. As a resnullt, yonull
can test nullster, nullre accnullately and nullre costnullnullnullctively than ever
nullnullre. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirentnulls solnullions nullr nullnullapplications.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nullntegration
As nullre and nullre devices incorporate a GNSS receiver and antenna,
GNSS pernullrnullnce testing is nullconullng an increasingly inullortant part
onullthe integration process. nullether the endnullpplication is a Gnullnull
enanulled snullrtphone or a navigation device nullr precision agricnulltnulle,
integrators need to know that the GNSS conullonent nullnctions as
planned when incorporated into the overall device design.
Spirent works with integrators across the glonull to provide nullrketnull
leading test enullipnullnt and sonullware nullr GNSSnullnanulled devices.
nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr integrators nully downloading
the eBook.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nullerinullation
nullany GNSSnullnanulled devices have to connullrnullto indnulltry nullality
standards and regnullatory renullirenullnts. nullo ensnulle conullliance, yonull
need a GnullnullNSS nullerinullation nullesting environnullnt that lets yonull
reprodnulle GNSS nullality and pernullrnullnce tests consistently in a
repeatanulle and controlled nullnnernullanalyse the resnulltsnullnullnage
nullnulllity Assnullance processes and handle any issnulls with traceanulllity,
calinullation records, nullnullt rate analysis or nullld snullport.
Spirentnulls tried and trnullted nullerinullationnullocnulled GNSS testing solnullions
can help to ensnulle a snulloth prodnullt transition nullonullnullnullthronullh to
the prodnulltion stage, and so accelerate tinullnullonullarket. nullind onull nullre
anullnull Spirent solnullions nullr verinullation and conullliance.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Production Testing
nullvery device that onullnullrs positioning capanulllities as part onullits
specinullation nullst null tested in prodnulltion to ensnulle it pernullrnull as
pronullsed. nullor nullnnullactnullers, that nullans testing every prodnullt as it
rolls onullnullthe prodnulltion line nullan increasingly conulllenulltask with the
advent onullnullltinullNSS receivers and devices with hynullid positioning
capanulllities.
Spirent onullnullrs a range onullGNSS and nullinulli sinulllators that enanulle rapid,
enullnullctive and accnullate prodnulltion testing nullr a wide range onulldevices.
nullesigned specinullally nullr the testing needs onullprodnulltion honulles, onull
solnullions are nulled nully nullnnullactnullers across the glonull to
ensnulle prodnullt nullality. nullind onull nullre anullnull Spirent
solnullions nullr prodnulltion testing.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nullur nullardware
Spirent GSSnullnull nullunullinullNSS Simunulltornull A conullrehensive, highly
adaptanulle tool, designed to nullet the sinulllation renullirenullnts onull
the worldnulls nullst denullnding and pioneering research and
developnullnt teanull.
Spirent GSS6nullnullnullunullinullNSS Simunulltornull A powernulll, nullnullnulle platnullrnull
nullr nullnulltinullNSS developnullnt, integration and verinullation testing.
Spirent GSS64null nullecord and PnullynullcnullSystemnull a conulllete,
standalone systenullnullr captnulling live GNSS null data in the nullld and
replaying it with optinulll nullelity and pernullrnullnce nullck in the lanull.
Page 2nullSPIRENT eBook
Spirent GSS6300 Multi-GNSS Signal Generator: The ideal solution for
high volume, Multi-GNSS manufacturing environments.
Spirent GSS5700 Wi-Fi Simulator: a practical, intuitive instrument
for testing Wi-Fi positioning technology in the lab – either as
a standalone solution, or in tandem nullth Spirentnulls Multi-GNSS
simulation systems.
SimREPLAY: nulllay and replay pre-denulled scenarios for fast, accurate
comparative measurements.
SimREPLAYPlunull null above, nullth the additional option to generate
scenarios locally, edit the time, date and position and to denulle
vehicle motion remotely or using a nulle in the renullired format.
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
SimGnullnull A nulllly nullnullnulle sonullware snullte designed nullr nullnullnulle.
Sinullnullnullonullnullrs conulllete, nullnullnulle scenario generation capanulllity
inclnulling control onullthe constellations, propagation, terrain
onullcnullation, antenna patterns, nullltipath, vehicle tranullctory and
a range onullerror nulldels.
TestnullrinullenullNSSnull An integrated test solnullion to set null and rnull
prenullenulled test senullences, and process and store the resnullts.
Page 22SPIRENT eBook
Where Next?
If you found this eBook of interest, you may now like to do one
of the following:
• Visit our Resources page to browse our other eBooks and Application
Notes on relevant topicsnull
• Read the nullpirent nullnull Blog to keep up with news and insights on the
latest nullnull developmentsnull
• nullmail us for more information at gnssnullolutionsnullpirentnullom
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Spirent
+44 1803 546325
globalsales@spirent.com
www.spirent.com/positioning
Spirent Federal Systems
+1 714 692 6565
info@spirentfederal.com
www.spirentfederal.com
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About Spirent
nullpirent nulls been tnull global leader in nullnull testing for 25 nullears. nullpirent delinullers
nanullgation and positioning test enullipment and sernullces to gonullernmental agenciesnull
manullr mannullactnullersnullintegratorsnulltest facilities and space agencies worldwide.