Low Energy Optimised Positioning and Receiver Devices

Last Updated: 12/07/2023 13:11     Created at: 12/07/2023 13:11

Final Presentation of NAVISP Project EL1 0019 now available:

On Monday, July 10th, 2023, GMV NSL Ltd presented the results of the NAVISP EL1-019 project "Ultra-Low Power Device Positioning Concepts". Over 40 people from industry and research followed the interesting presentation and the subsequent interactive Q&A session.

The number of Internet of Things (IoT) applications is increasing, and terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks are evolving to meet the demands of the IoT market. A growing market trend is the "install and forget" device concept, which requires low-energy and low-cost devices. Asset tracking, for example, relies on such devices with positioning capabilities. GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensors are commonly used for positioning due to their coverage, performance, and availability. As GNSS chipsets consume a lot of power, vendors are developing low-powered GNSS chipsets that rely on duty-cycled snapshot positioning. However, optimal performance may require combining multiple PNT technologies. In addition, large LEO constellations are being considered to complement GNSS systems for low-power applications.

In this context, the objective of this activity was to explore the concept and develop and assess the performance of innovative ultra-low energy positioning devices, intended for multi-year operation with minimal power usage and low cost. More specifically, GMV has investigated novel and innovative concepts to enable ultra-low energy positioning devices (ULEPD) based on space PNT systems. The focus of this study has been on the potential advantages that Low Earth Orbit (LEO) PNT systems could offer to the growing number of low-power Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Within the project, a review of cutting-edge low-power positioning technologies was conducted, encompassing satellite and terrestrial positioning technologies, receiver components, networking, and relevant sensors. This led to the identification and evaluation of a preliminary set of innovative concepts to be used as reference for the trade-off analysis. The study then focused on selecting specific use cases and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the benefits of the studied concepts compared to GPS, the designated reference PNT system. Among others, the project explored innovative PNT techniques utilizing Doppler measurements and other novel techniques. It has been found that LEO GNSS offers the potential to enable ultra-low consumption, low-power devices due to their higher Power on Ground (PoG), which can enable high accuracy fixes using fewer receiver computational operations, resulting in less energy consumption. Moreover, the usage of LEO enables Doppler-supported positioning techniques, which, when combined with other methods, can further decrease the energy required for computing a position fix.

Overall, the activity presented advantages across various KPIs, with a specific focus on the number of operations, energy consumption, and achievable accuracy. Additionally, the study highlighted the impact of communication components on energy savings, suggesting the need for further optimization of communication protocols or the adoption of protocols that can facilitate greater energy efficiency.

The project was carried out in the scope of NAVISP Element 1, which is dedicated to technology innovation of the European industry in the wide PNT sector.

More detailed information can be found in the slides of the Final Presentation.