Abstract: An add-on device configured to reduce the power level of reflected paths of GNSS signals reaching a GNSS receiver's antenna, the associated GNSS receiver set, some equipment embedding the add-on device, and the associated method to reduce the power level of reflected GNSS signals are provided. The GNSS signals are transmitted according to a first polarization, and the add-on device comprises a material configured to be transparent to the first polarization and to reflect GNSS signals polarized according to a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

Abstract: A GNSS receiver, and an associated method are presented for calculating a position from positioning signals transmitted by a plurality of GNSS transmitters. For example the receiver compsises a first and a second signal acquisition elements having different polarizations, the receiver being configured to process the signals received on the first signal acquisition element to calculate first pseudo range measurements, and the signals received on the second signal acquisition element to calculate second pseudo range measurements and associated quality indicators. The receiver further comprises a calculation circuit configured to select at least one of the second pseudo range measurements depending on the quality indicators, and compare it with the corresponding first pseudo range measurement, and select at least three first pseudo range measurements based on the comparison results to calculate a position.

Abstract: The invention discloses an antenna assembly comprising one or more sensors, possibly a fish-eye camera which produces images of the sky above the antenna, said images being processed to identify open sky and occulted sky areas, said identification being used to generate an antenna gain pattern shape wherein null zones are placed on the occulted sky areas, so as to eliminate the GNSS signals which are affected by multipath reflection. The antenna assembly of the invention may be used with any GNSS receiver of the prior art. No specific data on the location of the receiver or its orientation is needed to perform the method of the invention, while in some embodiments, it may be useful to send some information on the number of satellites in view in the open sky.

Abstract: The invention discloses a constellation of relay vehicles comprising a receiver of navigation signals and a transmitter of positioning signals to an area of service where a number of rovers manoeuver, wherein the position of the relay vehicle may be adjusted to optimize one or more of an SNR or a DOP index of the positioning signals. In some embodiments, the optimal configuration of the constellation of relay vehicles may be further defined based on priority indexes allocated to the rovers. The invention is applicable to terrestrial or underwater rovers, respectively serviced by aerial or nautical relay vehicles.

Abstract: Receiver and method for receiving one or more RF signals, the RF signals comprising a component relative to a direct propagation path and, depending on a propagation environment, one or more additional components relative to reflected propagation paths, the receiver comprising a calculation circuit configured to: compute at least a first correlation function (310) between the received signal and at least a replica of a RF signal generated at the receiver, and for at least an output of said first correlation function: perform a cepstrum transform (410), search for one or more reflected propagation paths from the output of the cepstrum transform (411), and when reflected propagation paths are detected, determine the associated propagation characteristics (412), and remove the contribution of the detected reflected propagation paths from one of the received signal or the output of the first correlation function.

Abstract: A device for handling multipath of a G.N.S.S. signal, is configured to: determine a spatial position, a clock time and measured multipath parameters comprising a relative delay and relative amplitude; communicate to a remote server the spatial position, clock time and multipath parameters; and receive processed multipath parameters as determined by the remote server. Systems comprising a plurality of such devices and their variants are described. Further aspects are described, in particular the exclusion of one or more satellites, the use of threshold schemes, pull/push modes, configurable refresh rates, quantization of positions, activation of additional sensors, filtering options, determination of merit factors for example as a function of the number of satellites in view and/or of signal-to-noise ratio, peer-to-peer schemes, as well as graphical display, audible sound or haptic feedbacks.

Abstract: A GNSS receiver comprising a circuit configured to receive a positioning signal comprising a carrier modulated by a subcarrier and a PRN code; a subcarrier and code tracking loop, comprising a first discrimination circuit, configured to calculate a first pseudo range from said received positioning signal and a first reference signal; a code tracking loop, comprising a second discrimination circuit, configured to calculate a second pseudo range from said received positioning signal and a second reference signal; and a calculation circuit configured to evaluate a difference between said first pseudo range and said second pseudo range, and to modify the output of the first discrimination circuit accordingly. The invention further addresses a method for calculating a pseudo-range in such a GNSS receiver.

Abstract: The invention discloses a recovery assistance device for helping in rescuing victims of avalanches, earthquakes or boat capsizes. The device is capable of calculating a position from combinations of a previous position and distances to other devices. Different configurations are possible, with a basic configuration consisting of a smart phone having waveform generation capabilities, processing and GNSS receiving capabilities. The device is programmed to be used in a defined mission by an application. The device can also receive a number of add-ons as a battery add-on, a modem add-on, a sound wave generation add-on, antennas, and protection, possibly waterproof, if adequate. Devices of the same type can be carried by people to be rescued and rescuers. The device is therefore quite versatile and can increase significantly the efficiency of rescue teams in different use case scenarios.

Abstract: A navigation system using Visible Light Communications (VLC), the associated transmitters and receivers, the navigation system comprising a plurality of VLC transmitters (201 to 207) and one or more GNSS receiver (430), each of the VLC transmitters being configured to transmit a positioning signal comprising a navigation message including time information, where the time information is a transmission time of a specific part of said navigation message derived from a GNSS reference time. The receivers (221) according to the invention are configured to calculate a position from either VLC pseudo ranges, GNSS pseudo ranges, or a combination thereof. The associated methods for transmitting positioning signals in a navigation system according to the invention, and for determining a position from a plurality of positioning signals transmitted by said navigation system.

Abstract: The invention discloses an improved GNSS receiver which determines a location of the receiver by combining a first location determined either from the standard PVT of a multi-frequency receiver and/or from a positioning aid like a map matching algorithm, inertial navigation system, WiFi localization system or other, and a second location determined by integrating the velocity from the standard PVT. The combination is based on a duty cycle or a combination of the duty cycle with a weighting of the error budgets of the first position and the second location. The improved receiver is preferably based on a standard receiver with an add-on software module which receives and processes data transmitted from the standard receiver by, for example, NMEA messages. The improved receiver allows a determination of a more precise and smoother trajectory in a simple way.

Abstract: A receiver, and associated process, for tracking a GNSS positioning signal comprising a carrier modulated by a subcarrier and a spreading code, the receiver comprising: at least one tracking loop configured to calculate a first pseudo range from said GNSS positioning signal, a first discrimination circuit (521) configured to calculate an ambiguous discriminator value from the subcarrier and the spreading code of said GNSS positioning signal, a calculation circuit (522) configured to calculate a value representative of a tracking error of said tracking loop, a second discrimination circuit (530) configured to select one of said ambiguous discriminator value and said value calculated by the calculation circuit, and to generate a first non-ambiguous discriminator value, an amplitude of which is based on an amplitude of the selected value, and a sign of which is a sign of said value calculated by the calculation circuit.

Abstract: The invention discloses a constellation of relay vehicles comprising a receiver of navigation signals and a transmitter of positioning signals to an area of service where a number of rovers manoeuver, wherein the position of the relay vehicle may be adjusted to optimize one or more of an SNR or a DOP index of the positioning signals. In some embodiments, the optimal configuration of the constellation of relay vehicles may be further defined based on priority indexes allocated to the rovers. The invention is applicable to terrestrial or underwater rovers, respectively serviced by aerial or nautical relay vehicles.

Abstract: The invention discloses an antenna assembly that may be connected to a standard GNSS receiver. The antenna assembly comprises antenna elements that are configured to shape a radiating pattern which is directional in a direction of movement of the GNSS receiver and which has a FOV above the receiver that may be limited. The signals received in LOS will then have a much better C/N0 than the Non-LOS signals. In some embodiments, the FOV may be twisted leftwards or rightwards depending on a configuration of a vehicle carrying the receiver. In some embodiments, the antenna assembly is capable of operating in a plurality of modes that will differ notably by the FOV of the radiating pattern above the receiver. Switching between modes may be triggered manually or automatically and may be based on a determination of the prevalence and/or type of multipath reflections in the area where the rover moves.

Abstract: The invention refers to a GNSS receiver, and associated method, for calculating a position from positioning signals transmitted by a plurality of GNSS transmitters, said receiver comprising a first and a second signal acquisition elements (301) having different polarizations, the receiver being configured to process the signals received on said first signal acquisition element to calculate first pseudo range measurements (203), and the signals received on said second signal acquisition element to calculate second pseudo range measurements (303) and associated quality indicators (304), said receiver comprising a calculation circuit (306) configured to: select at least one of the second pseudo range measurements depending on the quality indicators, and compare it with the corresponding first pseudo range measurement, and select at least three first pseudo range measurements based on the comparison results to calculate a position (204).

Abstract: The invention relates to an access point for transmitting non-GNSS signals using a wireless RF communication standard, the access point being further configured to transmit GNSS-like signals in at least one communication channel dedicated to the transmission of non-GNSS signals; an access point infrastructure comprising at least one of said access points; and a receiver for receiving GNSS and non-GNSS wireless signals, the receiver being further configured to receive at least one GNSS-like signal in a communication channel dedicated to said non-GNSS wireless signal, and to use said GNSS-like signal to determine its position. The invention further relates to a positioning system comprising at least one receiver in said access point architecture and an associated method for determining a position.

Abstract: The invention discloses a positioning device configured to acquire its own GNSS position, the GNSS positions of rovers in an area around the positioning device and the relative positions of the positioning device to the rovers. The positioning device is configured to calculate a best-fit position based on this data and their confidence indexes. The positioning devices may communicate directly or through a navigation assistance centre. The best-fit position may be provided with indexes of confidence, availability and integrity. In some embodiments, the positioning device of the invention may be robust enough to generate commands to the driving controls of an autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Receiver and method for receiving one or more RF signals, the RF signals comprising a component relative to a direct propagation path and, depending on a propagation environment, one or more additional components relative to reflected propagation paths, the receiver comprising a calculation circuit configured to: compute at least a first correlation function (310) between the received signal and at least a replica of a RF signal generated at the receiver, and for at least an output of said first correlation function: perform a cepstrum transform (410), search for one or more reflected propagation paths from the output of the cepstrum transform (411), and when reflected propagation paths are detected, determine the associated propagation characteristics (412), and remove the contribution of the detected reflected propagation paths from one of the received signal or the output of the first correlation function.

Abstract: The invention discloses an authentication system of objects, physical or virtual, comprising an authentication mark and, as an option, an authentication message, generated by an authentication device and controlled by a verification/decoding device in combination with an authentication server managed by an authenticating authority. The authentication mark in the tag/message may comprise GNSS RF raw signals and/or GNSS raw data. The authentication mark comprises data and may be formatted, for example, in a bitstream, a data stream, a QRCode, an RFID tag or an NFC tag. The authentication server is configured to cause a GNSS signals simulator to reproduce the GNSS RF raw signals and/or GNSS raw data at the location and time interval of production of the object and to compare the results of the simulation to the authentication mark comprising data received directly from the authentication device or received from a verification device and issue a validation, a denial or a doubt from the comparison.

Abstract: The invention discloses an antenna assembly comprising one or more sensors, possibly a fish-eye camera which produces images of the sky above the antenna, said images being processed to identify open sky and occulted sky areas, said identification being used to generate an antenna gain pattern shape wherein null zones are placed on the occulted sky areas, so as to eliminate the GNSS signals which are affected by multi-path reflection. The antenna assembly of the invention may be used with any GNSS receiver of the prior art. No specific data on the location of the receiver or its orientation is needed to perform the method of the invention, while in some embodiments, it may be useful to send some information on the number of satellites in view in the open sky.

Abstract: The invention discloses a recovery assistance device for helping in rescuing victims of avalanches, earthquakes or boat capsizes. The device is capable of calculating a position from combinations of a previous position and distances to other devices. Different configurations are possible, with a basic configuration consisting of a smart phone having waveform generation capabilities, processing and GNSS receiving capabilities. The device is programmed to be used in a defined mission by an application. The device can also receive a number of add-ons as a battery add-on, a modem add-on, a sound wave generation add-on, antennas, and protection, possibly waterproof, if adequate. Devices of the same type can be carried by people to be rescued and rescuers. The device is therefore quite versatile and can increase significantly the efficiency of rescue teams in different use case scenarios.