SPAN™ Technology
Precise Positioning Even in Difficult Navigation Environments
NovAtel's SPAN (Synchronized Position Attitude & Navigation) Technology combines GNSS and inertial functionality to provide continuous operation with accurate position and attitude measurements. The foundation of SPAN Technology is its tightly coupled design that affords exceptional GNSS performance in addition to superior bridging capability when GNSS reception is restricted. Tight integration means satellite data is utilized even when a GNSS position is unavailable.
Furthermore, SPAN Technology delivers dramatically faster GNSS signal reacquisition resulting in more GNSS measurements available to aid the inertial solution. This GNSS acquisition advantage results in enhanced RTK performance while maintaining precise inertial navigation during reduced satellite coverage.
SPAN Delivers Superior Positioning
Benefits
SPAN creates new opportunities to utilize positioning technology by providing a high-rate, accurate, full attitude navigation solution where GNSS-only systems fail. Improvements in productivity are made possible by preventing unnecessary reworking often required when operating in difficult GNSS conditions. SPAN delivers:
- 100/200 Hz position and attitude data depending on the IMU
- Stability through adverse GNSS reception conditions
- Continuous operation during short periods of GNSS signal loss
- Tight Integration
. GPS aiding with less than four satellites in view
. Faster satellite reacquisition and faster RTK initialization
. More GPS data for post processing
- Post processing accuracy improvements with Inertial Explorer software
Inertial Explorer - SPAN's Post Processing Software
SPAN data is post processed with Inertial Explorer software from NovAtel's Waypoint™ Products Group. This flexible and robust software automatically decodes SPAN data for easy processing. The dataset may include GNSS, IMU, and wheel sensor data that is processed in the forward and reverse directions, and then smoothed with an RTS smoother for optimal accuracy.
SPAN Configuration with NovAtel CDU
SPAN Technology is compatible with the standard format of NovAtel OEM family commands and logs. For ease of use, the NovAtel CDU software is provided to enable SPAN configuration with wizards for a quick system set-up as well as data logging. In addition, there are many intuitive graphical displays to confirm desired system set-up and operation. The NovAtel CDU software requires a PC using Windows 2000/XP, a recommended 215 MB RAM, and 128 MB free hard disk space. (Download NovAtel CDU)
Firmware Features
- Field-upgradeable to quickly expand from GNSS to GNSS + inertial capability
- Tight integration of GNSS/INS for optimal satellite data reception and solution
- Standard NovAtel format commands and logs as well as industry standard format data
GNSS/INS Filter Features
- 100/200 Hz output rate with selected IMUs
- 15 state Kalman filter with position, velocity, attitude, gyro drift, and accelerometer biases
- 6 supplemental states, including antenna to IMU offset
- 1 Hz error state update rate
- Zero Velocity Updates
- Position & time differenced carrier phase updates
- External wheel sensor updates
OEM SPAN
SPAN Technology may be provided as OEM equipment for the HG1700 SPAN and the LN200 SPAN products. This is essentially the same SPAN product, but without the IMU and receiver enclosures. The OEM SPAN product comprises the IMU, the OEMV™ card, the IMU interface card, and cable from the interface card to the IMU. The OEM customer provides all other cabling as described in the SPAN User Manual.
