Spirent Unveils New Automation Software for GPS/GNSS Receiver Validation

Published: 24 Jan 2017

Spirent Communications plc, a provider of GPS/GNSS testing solutions, has introduced ‘PT TestBench’ – software to help technology, system and application developers build more accurate positioning functions more quickly. The testing, analysis and reporting package automates testing of GPS and other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, so higher quality systems can be brought to market faster and more reliably.

Until now, there have been no standards for GNSS receiver performance assessment, leaving developers to create test plans themselves from scratch. PT TestBench embodies more than 30 years of Spirent GNSS testing expertise, enabling all users to setup, run, iterate and interpret time-consuming tests with a single mouse click.

“PT TestBench will transform GPS/GNSS receiver testing, and will help developers to focus on delivering better end-user experience,” said Romain Zimmermann, Spirent Product Manager.”It can also assess receiver designs against real-world GPS jamming and spoofing signals”.

PT TestBench works with existing Spirent equipment including 6300M, 6700, 7000 and 9000 simulators. It enables users to:

• Select the right GNSS tests: Pick from test suites covering fundamental GNSS tests and real-world vulnerabilities and threats
• Automatically run and repeat tests: Define test repeatability for faster testing and statistically meaningful results
• Save time on setup and interpretation: GNSS scenarios and test cases are built in, with pass/fail analytics based on user-defined or default standards
• Test for the latest GNSS challenges – Access our constantly-updated library of observed, real-world signal interference and threats, including solar weather, scintillation and spoofing.

By adding the GNSS Vulnerabilities and Threats test suite, PT TestBench users gain 12 months’ access to PT Cloud – a continuously updated cloud library of real-world GNSS threats. It offers multiple instances of captured “real-world” intentional interference waverforms, GNSS segment errors and receiver transitions, as well as jamming and spoofing events, plus the latest observed space weather and scintillation. Together, these instances provide an excellent means to build robust testing into a user’s GNSS simulations.

To complement PT TestBench, Spirent Professional Services are available to integrate devices under test in PT TestBench, and if a user’s particular application requires modified test cases, they can tailor solutions to match a specific need.

For more information on how to create a GPS/GNSS test plan, Spirent offers a free guide for engineers integrating positioning, navigation or timing features into new devices. For more information on PT TestBench, visit www.spirent.com/Products/PT-TestBench.

Posted by Mike Ball Mike is our resident technical editor here at Unmanned Systems Technology. Combining his passions for teaching, advanced engineering and all things unmanned, Mike keeps a watchful eye over everything related to the unmanned technical sector. With over 10 years’ experience in the unmanned field and a degree in engineering, Mike’s been heading up our technical team here for the last 8 years.

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