Robust tracking during shocks and vibrations

Robust positioning

LOCK+technology is a solution aimed at achieving stable tracking of signals in rapidly changing environments, particularly suitable for signal fluctuations caused by mechanical vibrations, shocks, earthquakes, or ionospheric scintillation. Traditional GNSS receivers often require a certain amount of time to respond to changes in GNSS signals. Taking an earthquake as an example, if the antenna position changes rapidly after the earthquake, traditional receivers need some time to recognize this change and update the position information. However, Lock+technology ensures that the receiver accurately reports the latest true position in real time, greatly improving the accuracy and real-time performance of position information.

Handling heavy machinery

In the application scenarios of handling heavy machinery, large construction machinery such as excavators face many challenges due to their rapid movement on tracks, rugged terrain, and strong impacts and severe vibrations generated by heavy engines. Especially during these mechanical operations, the GNSS antenna on the excavator arm is often bumped, causing a sharp change in signal in a short period of time. However, not all GNSS receivers can effectively cope with such high-frequency and large signal fluctuations. However, The Septentrio receiver is specifically designed to address the challenges posed by mechanical vibration by implementing LOCK+technology at its hardware and software levels. Lock+technology ensures that accurate and reliable positioning calculations can continue even under extreme vibration conditions, providing stable and accurate position information for heavy machinery.

①LOCK+ significantly decreases the latency and overshoot effects. The next figure shows the results of the same test performed with a Septentrio receiver. The measured position now accurately follows the true position.

②The following figure shows the change of latitude reported during strong antenna vibration in the north-south direction. Without LOCK+ (in green) the receiver has difficulties following the rapid changes and the position eventually diverges due to cycle slips. LOCK+ (blue) allows continuous and accurate tracking.

l LOCK+ considerably helps under high dynamics, but this is at the price of slightly increasing the noise in the position. To avoid adding noise when not necessary, Septentrio receivers automatically detect the type of motion the antenna is subject to and enable LOCK+ only when needed, keeping the noise as low as possible during smooth motion or when the receiver is static.