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Technologies: Positioning Infrastructure
Overview
A variety of methods have evolved to determine geographic positions on the earth for navigation, orientation, and control systems. Many different surveying tools and devices have emerged to make measurements in real-time using lasers, radio waves, optical devices, etc. Perhaps the most significant positioning technology of our time is based on the Global Positioning System, or GPS. The combination of GPS satellites and ground-based, solid state receiver electronics enable accurate, real-time measurements virtually anywhere on earth. GPS has proven to be a valuable and cost-effective asset for anyone needing geographic position information.
View-of-Sky: A Requirement for GPS
Although GPS has proven to be an indispensable utility for determining positions on the earth's surface, the system design has its limitations, especially in areas with obstructed views of the sky, such as forested areas, open-pit mines, inside buildings, and areas with overhead obstructions such as bridges, cranes, etc. Numerous technologies have been devised to aid, or augment, GPS to work around these limitations. Inertial systems, cellular network assisted GPS, LAN-based positioning, laser augmented GPS, and other integrated systems are emerging to combat the line-of-site limitations of GPS satellites.
Novariant's Solution
Novariant solves the GPS view-of-sky limitation problem with its new Terralite XPS technology to form a "positioning infrastructure." Based on a wealth of experience with pseudolites in precision aircraft landing systems, Novariant has adapted this technology to be deployed for high-value, precision-enabled operations in surface (or "open pit") mines, urban canyons or indoor environments such as warehouses. By establishing their own positioning infrastructure, owners can enhance the efficiency and productivity of their operations by having direct control of position coverage, 24/7. In addition, this technology is compatible with the 7D positioning and Logic7D machine control system software.
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