SBG Systems has announced a major firmware update for the Ellipse product line. New features have been added to version 1.7 to enhance performance of the sensor.
Automotive package. New features were developed to better answer needs of the autonomous testing and driving markets. These features include:
- CAN odometer. Users now have the choice to connect an external odometer (DMI) with pulses or use their car odometer with velocity information. During the installation, users can enter a rough “resolution.” Then, SBG’s inertial sensor refines the odometer installation parameters to automatically obtain the best performance.
- New outputs. Included are body velocity and slip angle, which calculates the “drift” angle between the vehicle assumed trajectory and its actual (deviated) trajectory.
Fixed lever-arms mode. For precision applications as well as low dynamics, and reduced warm-up time, the new Ellipse firmware allows users to run the Ellipse Kalman filter with no lever-arm estimation. This will ensure centimeter pass-to-pass accuracy for real-time kinematic (RTK) applications and allow operation in lower dynamics while reducing warm-up time.
To precisely calibrate the lever arms, the use of Qinertia Lite can be used to obtain centimeter precise lever arms. For general-purpose applications, the standard mode of operation that refines the lever arms in real time is still available.
Marine applications. The firmware update provides new features for advanced marine applications.
- DVL aiding support. This helps to reduce drifts from the inertial sensor underwater, providing an interesting opportunity for projects such as short subsea navigation with affordable inertial sensors.
- New output message (INDYN). INDYN brings support to performance sailing autopilots such as the B&G H5000.
Improved magnetic calibration (sbgCenter). The new sbgCenter embeds a new magnetic calibration algorithm that improves overall performance in challenging calibration while allowing even more difficult calibration conditions. This new calibration procedure also provides improved quality feedback.
The firmware download is protected by a password, the same credentials as for the last version. To request the password, e-mail support@sbg-systems.com.
Photo: SBG Systems