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Testing Multi-GNSS in a Production Environment: From GPS to Compass

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Many of today’s commercial and consumer devices incorporate satellite navigation and positioning functionality, and many now support additional satellite navigation systems as well as GPS.

Testing Multi-GNSS in a Production EnvironmentManufacturers need to be able to specify and run functional tests on finished products to ensure they perform to the OEM’s specification. But how do you effectively test their ability to handle GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and other satellite signals without slowing down production?

Download a free eBook to discover how a new generation of RF simulators enable manufacturers to apply rapid, accurate functional testing to GNSS-enabled products at the end of the production line.

Topics covered include:

  • Challenges for manufacturers in testing multi-GNSS navigation and positioning devices
  • The risks and limitations of using “live-sky” signals for manufacturing test
  • Drawbacks of using parametric test equipment for functional production testing
  • Using the new generation of RF simulators for fast, accurate production testing

Simply enter a few details opposite to receive your free eBook from Spirent, the leader in GNSS testing.

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

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    Testing Multi-GNSS in a Production Environment: From GPS to Compass A Spirent Guide for Manufacturers of GNSS-Enabled Devices As more commercial products offer satellite navigation and positioning functionality, testing these capabilities at the end of the production line is critical to delivering a high-quality product. nullut nullth multiple satellite navigation systems nonullavailable nullncluding GnullnullnullS, GnullnullASS, and the forthcoming Galileo and nullmpass, as nullell as smaller regional systemsnull performance-testing of devices nullth navigation and positioning capabilities is becoming more complenull nullis eboonullrevienull the current challenges for manufacturers, and enulllains nully null simulation nullth test equipment designed specinullally for the production environment is the most efnullient and most cost- effective solution. Page 2SPIRENT eBook Improved coverage and accuracy nulle shift from individual satellite navigation systems using Gnull to nenull-generation receivers capable of enullloiting multiple global navigational satellite systems nullulti-GNSSnulloffers a host of benenulls in terms of improved coverage and accuracy and in nenull services. nullonullever, this snulltch to multi-GNSS dictates that manufacturers tanull a different approach to testing their products to ensure that they nullll function as desired, regardless of nullich satellite signals can be acquired at any given time. And that nenullapproach has to run throughout the lifecycle of the product from the research and development lab right through to the end of the production line. SPIRENT eBook Quality control is king nullne thing is certainnullthere is no nully any manufacturer can get anully nullth releasing faulty or poor-performing products to marnullt. nullodaynulls tech-savvy consumers nullll be quicnullto spot any failing product, and easy access to social media allonull any disgruntled user to spread the nullrd far and nullde. As every smartphone manufacturer nullonull, hard-nulln brand reputations can be destroyed in a matter of nulleenull. Page 4 Absolute quality control is essential, from goods-innullrd testing right through to nullal manufacturing test. And the crucial part of this cycle is at the end of the production line, because no matter honullgood the quality control upstream, only by testing the nullished product can manufacturers be connullent that the product nullll nullrnull as promised nullen it gets into the usernulls hands. Page SPIRENT eBook Time is money nullt goes nullthout saying that the manufacturing test for any piece of equipment needs to be specinulld long before the equipment moves into production. nullndeed, it nullll probably be derived from some of the tests that nullere used in the development and validation of the product. nullut replicating the same tests that nullere carried out during nullD and validation is completely inappropriate at the end of the production line. nulle tests tanull too long, and are far too detailed for this stage of the product lifecycle, nullere all thatnulls needed is connullmation that the product nullrnull to its stated specinullation.. Page nullSPIRENT eBook At the same time, production testing still needs to be comprehensive and rigorous. nulle tests must enullercise all the circuitry of the unit so that the manufacturer can be connullent that the equipment nullll operate as enullected nullen the user tanulls it out of the bonulland snulltches it on for the nullst time null nullerever they are in the nullrld. nullat is the one nulltestnullnullere there is no enullcuse for failurenull SPIRENT eBook Page null Production testing GNSS receivers As nullth any functional testing, testing a GNSS receiver on the production line involves applying a nullonull stimulus and observing the response. nullf the response is nullthin acceptable bounds the product passes the testnull if the response is outside those bounds the product fails. Page nullSPIRENT eBook nulle response to the stimulus may simply be a trigger signal or an alarm, or it may be some variable output that can be measured for the purposes of the test. nullut nullatever the enullected result, it is essential that the stimulus is accurate and repeatable so that the response can be gauged against a nullonull standard. Page nullSPIRENT eBook The production environment nullonullever, the production environment is hardly an ideal place to be testing any piece of sensitive null equipment, much less one that is designed nullth the necessary sensitivity to capture signals from distant navigation satellites. Not only nullll the end-of-line test equipment be indoors, it nullll be in an electrically noisy environment, nullth other null signals nulloth intentional and accidentalnullpervading the air. Page nullSPIRENT eBook And even if the equipment is tanulln outside to test nullhich slonull donull productionnull therenulls no control over the signals and noise in the nullive snullnullenvironment, no ability to repeat the same conditions for every unit, and no nully to test the unit nullth all of the different satellite systems itnulls intended to nullrnullnullth nullas some nullll not be visible at the test location. A far more robust and efnullient approach is to apply a controllable and repeatable GNSS or multi-GNSS stimulus directly to the equipment, rather than use the equipmentnulls antenna nullth ever-changing and uncontrollable nullive snullnullsignals. Page null The multi-GNSS challenge A further problem is that nullile systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Compass are functionally similar, there are manullr differences in the nully they go about their respective tasnull. Different constellations broadcast on different frequencies. Modulation schemes differ. nullimebases differ. Different systems even use different mathematical models for ionospheric modelling. Page nullSPIRENT eBook So the multi-GNSS receiver nullll have some different circuitry associated nullth each satellite system. nullonullever, those circuits that are shared betnulleen systems may nullrnulldifferently depending on the signals being received. A component such as a clocnullmight be common to both Gnull and GnullnullASS circuits, but nulluld be driven differently depending on the signal being received at any given time. nullerefore, the nullal production test sequence for any multi-GNSS receiver nullll need to enullercise all of this circuitry so that the manufacturer can be connullent it nullll operate as required nullth each GNSS. Page nullSPIRENT eBook The simulation solution nulle only effective and rigorous nully of applying the requisite signals to a receiver at the end of the production line is to use a radio- frequency nullnull simulator capable of simulating signals from multiple GNSS systems nullfrom Gnull to GnullnullASS, Galileo and beyond. nullappily, todaynulls simulators can be programmed to supply Gnull, GnullnullASS and Galileo signals individually or in combination. nullatnulls more, a suitable simulator nullll later be upgradeable to simulate other GNSS signals null including nullinanulls nullmpassnulleidou system and additional Galileo satellites nullas soon as they have been denulled by their system operators. SPIRENT eBook Simulators designed nullr production test nulln the past, manufacturers nullth a commitment to robust production testing may have struggled to use complenull parametric simulators intended for nullD labs and military use. nullut today, there is a nenull generation of multi-GNSS simulators designed specinullally for production environments. Page nullSPIRENT eBook nullese nenullsimulators nullll conduct a quicnullbut thorough functional test of every unit coming off a production line. nulley are programmable to run through a denulled series of tests automatically, delivering an accurate passnullail result nullthout slonullng donull production. nullatnulls more, they are much less enullensive than parametric test equipment and slot easily into the production test infrastructure. Page nullSPIRENT eBook Consistency nullthout complenullty nullodaynulls nenull-generation multi-GNSS simulators enable manufacturers to replicate the essential functional tests conducted at earlier stages of the product lifecycle, to ensure a consistent test approach nullthout the need to invest in high-end equipment or operator snulllls. nulley come nullth softnullre functionality that allonull specinull signal scenarios to be denulled and the ability to combine a range of simple tests into a single routine that can be run time and time again nullth absolute repeatability. SPIRENT eBook Sequences can be compiled that combine sensitivity and dynamic positioning tests in a single high-speed run, encompassing all different GNSS circuits nullthin a receiver. nullf the receiver operates normally over the nullole of the test sequence, the manufacturer can be connullent that it nullll be null for purpose once the end user tanulls it out of the bonull Page nullSPIRENT eBook Bringing it all together nullt is probable that the GNSS receiver nullll not be the only part of the equipment that requires acceptance testing. nullor enullmple, many consumer devices incorporate multiple types of radio receiver nullncluding nulli-nulli, nullluetooth and null radionullalongside the GNSS receiver, often using the same antenna for all of these functions. So itnulls important to choose a multi-GNSS simulator that can be integrated nullth other test equipment in order to create a complete functional test system for the nullole equipment. Page nullSPIRENT eBook nulle combined test setup nullll feature dedicated nullturing that nullll allonullaccess to the productnulls receiver circuitry, speeding product throughput, minimising test time and enabling complenullnullf-thennulltest scenarios that can enullercise multiple functions nullnd multiple GNSS receiver circuitsnullin a single softnullre-controlled test routine. Page 2null The science onullcompliance nullith GNSS receivers nullding increasing application in mission-critical and safety-of-life applications, product certinullation may nullell demand nullnull testing of all units. And in the case of multi-GNSS receivers capable of nullrldnullde application, the certinullation procedure can only become more complenull Page 2nullSPIRENT eBook nullt is only by applying the required production tests using a multi- GNSS simulator that a manufacturer can be seen to be applying due diligence in ensuring continuing compliance nullth both global and local standards applicable in all marnullts for the product in question. Spirent GSSnullnull Multi-GNSS signal Generator provides a single channel of GnullnullnullS, GnullnullASS andnullr Galileo null signals for production testing on commercial GNSS receivers Spirent GSSnullnull Multi-radio nullreless connectivity tester for rapid functional testing of radio-enabled devices Spirent GSSnullnullM Multi-channel GNSS simulator. nullts eight channels of operation can simulate nullnull Enullsignals from GnullnullnullS, GnullnullASS and Galileo to test the fundamental positioning capabilities of any GNSS device Spirent GSS42null Gnull nullroductionnullield nullest Multi-nullannel Simulator Page 22SPIRENT eBook nullaceboonull nullnnulldnulln nullnulltter nullechnorati Google null Digg Delicious nulleddit Stumbleupon nullev. nullnullnulluly nullnull nullere Nenullnull nullf you found this enullonullof interest, you may nonulllinull to do one of the follonullngnull null nullisit our nullesources page to bronulle our other enullonull and Application Notes on relevant topics. null nullead the Spirent GNSS nulllog to nullep up nullth nenull and insights on the latest GNSS developments. null Email us for more information at gnss-solutionsnullpirent.com Share this enullonullon your favourite social media platformnull Spirent nullnullnullnull nullnullnull globalsalesnullpirent.com nullnull.spirent.comnullositioning Spirent Federal Systems null nullnullnullnullnullnull infonullpirentfederal.com nullnull.spirentfederal.com Got a smartpnullnenull Scan the QR Code for more information nullout Spirent Spirent has been the global leader in GNSS testing for null years. Spirent delivers navigation and positioning test equipment and services to governmental agencies, manullr manufacturers, integrators, test facilities and space agencies nullrldnullde.