OXTS RT1003 User manual

Confidently. Accurately.
User Manual
RT1003
GNSS-aided inertial
navigation system

Oxford Technical Solutions
2
Legal notices
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© 2008–2018, Oxford Technical Solutions Ltd.
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The software also includes software in binary form from:
Xiph.Org Foundation at xiph.org.
Copyright © 2002, Xiph.org Foundation
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Copyright © 2002–2015, Texas Instruments Incorporated
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None of the names of the Xiph.org Foundation or Texas Instruments Incorporated, nor the
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Any redistribution of the software must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
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RT1003 Manual
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Disclaimer
Information furnished is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, Oxford Technical
Solutions Limited assumes no responsibility for the consequences of use of such information
nor for any infringement of patents or other rights of third parties which may result from its
use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any patent or patent rights of
Oxford Technical Solutions Limited. Specifications mentioned in this publication are subject
to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Oxford Technical
Solutions Limited. This publication supersedes and replaces all information previously
supplied. Oxford Technical Solutions Limited products are not authorised for use as critical
components in life support devices or systems without express written approval of Oxford
Technical Solutions Limited.
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Contact details
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web: http://www.oxts.com
Email: [email protected]
Oxford Technical Solutions Limited
77 Heyford Park
Upper Heyford
Oxfordshire
OX25 5HD
United Kingdom
Revision
Document Revision: 190628

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Warranty
Oxford Technical Solutions Limited warrants its products to be free of defects in materials
and workmanship, subject to the conditions set forth below, for a period of one year from the
Date of Sale.
'Date of Sale' shall mean the date of the Oxford Technical Solutions Limited invoice issued
on delivery of the product. The responsibility of Oxford Technical Solutions Limited in
respect of this warranty is limited solely to product replacement or product repair at an
authorised location only. Determination of replacement or repair will be made by Oxford
Technical Solutions Limited personnel or by personnel expressly authorised by Oxford
Technical Solutions Limited for this purpose.
In no event will Oxford Technical Solutions Limited be liable for any indirect, incidental,
special or consequential damages whether through tort, contract or otherwise. This warranty
is expressly in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, including without limitation
the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The foregoing
states the entire liability of Oxford Technical Solutions Limited with respect to the products
herein.

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Table of contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................7
Scope of delivery........................................................................................................................8
Accessory products.............................................................................................................8
Related documents ...................................................................................................................10
Conformance notices ...............................................................................................................11
Regulator testing standards ..............................................................................................11
Getting to know your product..................................................................................................12
Handling precautions........................................................................................................12
Connector panel layout.....................................................................................................12
LEDs .................................................................................................................................13
Inputs and outputs ....................................................................................................................14
1PPS output ......................................................................................................................14
Trigger 1 and 2..................................................................................................................15
Wheel speed input ............................................................................................................16
Co-ordinate frame conventions................................................................................................17
IMU frame ........................................................................................................................17
OxTS NED navigation frame...........................................................................................18
ISO 8855 ENU earth-fixed system ..................................................................................19
OxTS horizontal frame.....................................................................................................20
ISO 8855 intermediate system .........................................................................................21
OxTS vehicle frame..........................................................................................................22
ISO 8855 vehicle system..................................................................................................23
Local co-ordinates ............................................................................................................24
NAVsuite software ...................................................................................................................26
How to install....................................................................................................................26
System requirements ........................................................................................................26
Admin rights .....................................................................................................................26
To uninstall NAVsuite ......................................................................................................27
NAVsuite applications ......................................................................................................27
Documentation..................................................................................................................28
Communicating with the product ............................................................................................29
Ethernet.............................................................................................................................29
Serial RS232 .....................................................................................................................33
CAN bus ...........................................................................................................................33
Hardware installation ...............................................................................................................34
Antenna placement and orientation..................................................................................34
Configuring the RT1003 ..........................................................................................................36

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Overview.......................................................................................................................... 36
Language selection .......................................................................................................... 37
Product selection..............................................................................................................37
Read configuration .......................................................................................................... 38
GNSS selection................................................................................................................ 39
Orientation ....................................................................................................................... 40
Primary antenna ............................................................................................................... 44
Secondary antenna........................................................................................................... 45
Advanced slip ..................................................................................................................47
Options............................................................................................................................. 49
Committing the configuration ......................................................................................... 72
Saving the configuration and finishing ........................................................................... 73
Setting up the base station....................................................................................................... 75
Initialisation............................................................................................................................. 76
Dynamic initialisation...................................................................................................... 76
Static initialisation ........................................................................................................... 77
Real-time output during initialisation ............................................................................. 78
Warm-up .................................................................................................................................. 79
Post-processing data ........................................................................................................ 83
CAN messages and signals ..................................................................................................... 84
CAN-DB file....................................................................................................................84
CAN bus messages .......................................................................................................... 84
Table heading definitions................................................................................................. 86
Signals.............................................................................................................................. 86
Specifications .......................................................................................................................... 98
Appendix A: Troubleshooting............................................................................................... 100
Accelerometer test procedure........................................................................................ 100
Gyro test procedure ....................................................................................................... 100
Testing the internal GNSS and other circuitry .............................................................. 101
Index ...................................................................................................................................... 103

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Introduction
Thank you for choosing Oxford Technical Solutions.
The RT1003 is a small and lightweight GNSS-aided inertial navigation system for use in
automotive applications where space and payload are restricted. It is designed to measure
position, velocity and orientation with high-accuracy and output those measurements in real-
time as well as logging them internally.
Utilising dual antennas, DGPS corrections, tight-coupling and advanced gx/ix ™ processing
technology, the RT1003 delivers up to 2 cm position and 0.1° heading accuracy (2 m antenna
separation) with up to 250 Hz output for all measurements.
This manual covers the installation, configuration and basic operation of the RT1003.
Separate manuals are provided for the post-processing and graphing software installed with
NAVsuite. We suggest reading the entire manual in order to become thoroughly familiar with
the product before use. It is beyond the scope of this manual to provide details on service or
repair. Contact OxTS support or your local representative for any customer service related
inquiries.

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Scope of delivery
With the exception of a computer running Microsoft Windows, everything you need to utilise
your RT1003 should be included with the delivery. Please check carefully that everything
shown on the delivery note is present. The following tables list the standard and any optional
components delivered with your product.
You may wish to make a note of your product’s IP address (shown on the delivery note) as it
will be useful to refer back to.
Date of purchase: ____________________________
Product's serial number: _______________________
Product’s IP address: _________________________
Accessory products
A number of accessory products are also compatible with your product. These are listed in
Table 2. For more information on specific accessories, please see our website or speak to your
OxTS representative.
Table 1. Summary of standard components supplied with an RT1000
Qty. Description
1 Mounting kit with screws
2G5Ant-2AMNS1 GNSS antenna with 5 m cable
1 RT1003 system unit
1RT1003 user manual
1 USB memory stick (software)
1User cable
Table 2. Compatible accessories
Product Description
GPS-Base The GPS-Base is a small, portable GPS Base Station suitable for transmitting
Differential corrections (DGPS) to our INS products or other products that use GPS.
The position accuracy of differential and RTK capable receivers is improved when
using the GPS-Base
RT-ANA The RT-ANA is an interface converter that accepts CAN messages from the RT1003,
RT2000, RT3000 or RT4000 and converts them to analogue voltages. The RT-ANA
outputs up to 16 analogue output channels with a range of ±10 V

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RT-Backpack The RT-Backpack is an additional component for the RT-Range systems where car-to-
pedestrian tracking is required. It provides a wearable, self-contained and fully powered
INS mounting platform
RT-Base S The RT-Base S is a portable all-weather GNSS base station suitable for transmitting and
logging differential corrections (DGNSS). The position accuracy of differential and
RTK capable receivers is improved when using the RT-Base S
RT-Strut Designed to quickly and securely provide a mounting location inside a land-based
vehicle
RT-UPS An uninterruptible power supply capable of powering the INS for up to one minute after
power is lost. Input 9–48 volts
RT-XLAN The RT-XLAN is a high performance WLAN radio unit capable of providing a highly
reliable >1 km vehicle-to-vehicle data communication link between multiple vehicles
Table 2. Compatible accessories (Continued)
Product Description

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Related documents
In addition to this hardware manual, documentation describing the software applications and
protocols used in conjunction with this product are available. These manuals are copied to
your PC as part of the NAVsuite installation, but more up-to-date versions may be available
from our website. The table below lists the documents that may be of interest and where to
find them.
Note: For online content, enter “www.oxts.com” into your web browser and then append the online path shown.
Table 3. Supplementary documentation and software
Manual Description
NAVdisplay NAVdisplay can be used to view INS measurements on a PC in real-time or by
replaying existing data files. It provides a useful method of checking the status of your
INS.
Local path: C:\Program Files (x86)\OxTS\Manuals\NAVdisplayman.pdf
Online: /Downloads/Support/Manuals/NAVdisplayman.pdf
RT Post-process RT Post-process can download data from an INS and process it using a number
different technologies to extract the best possible accuracy. DGNSS corrections can
also be applied.
Local path: C:\Program Files (x86)\OxTS\Manuals\rtppman.pdf
Online: /Downloads/Support/Manuals/rtppman.pdf
NAVgraph NAVgraph is used to plot, analyse and export measurement data once processed.
Local path: C:\Program Files (x86)\OxTS\Manuals\NAVgraphman.pdf
Online: /Downloads/Support/Manuals/NAVgraphman.pdf
NCOM NCOM is a propriety format developed by OxTS that is used in our products.The
NCOM manual provides information about decoding and using the NCOM format.
Local path: C:\Program Files (x86)\OxTS\Manuals\ncomman.pdf
Online: /Downloads/Support/NCOM Manual and Code Drivers/ncomman.pdf
NCOM C Code
Drivers
This ZIP file contains a collection of C functions that can be used to decode the binary
protocols from the RT1003.
Online: /Downloads/Support/NCOM Manual and Code Drivers/ncomrx.zip
NMEA 0183
Description
NMEA description manual for the NMEA outputs found on our INS products.
Online: /Downloads/Support/NMEA/nmeaman.pdf
RT-Base S Explains how to set-up and use the RT-Base S base station to achieve RTK integer
operation mode.
Local path: C:\Program Files (x86)\OxTS\Manuals\RT-BaseSManual.pdf
Online: /Downloads/Support/Manuals/rtbasesman.pdf

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Conformance notices
The RT1003 complies with the radiated emission limits for 47CFR15.109:2010 class A of
Part 15 sub-part B of the FCC rules, and with the emission and immunity limits for class A of
EN 55022. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in business, commercial and industrial uses.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver
The RT1003 incorporates a GNSS receiver. No GNSS receiver can track satellites in the
presence of strong RF radiations within 70 MHz of the GNSS frequencies.
The RT1003 conforms to the requirements for CE.
Any use or misuse of the RT1003 in a manner not intended may impair the protection
provided. OxTS is not liable for any damages caused by the misuse of the equipment.
Regulator testing standards
• 47CFR15.109:2010 class A (radiated emissions)
• EN 300 440-1 v1.6.1, test methods 8.3.4 (radiated emissions)
• EN 55022:2010
• EN 55024:2010
• EN 61326-2-1:2006 according to the requirements of EN 61326-1:2006
• EN 61326-1-1:2013 according to the requirements of EN 61326-1:2013
• EN 301 489-3 v1.4.1 according to the requirements of EN 301 489-1 v1.9.2
• IEC 61010-1:2010 3rd Ed. (safety)

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Getting to know your product
This section covers some basic information required for the operation of the RT1003. Before
operating an RT1003 for the first time, we recommend thoroughly reading all of the
documentation provided.
Handling precautions
The RT1003 is a precision instrument. While designed to operate and survive real-world use,
care should be taken to avoid excessive impact, extreme temperature and water.
The product housing is designed to dissipate heat, and after periods of extended operation it
may be hot. The product should be allowed to cool before handling and care should be taken.
If the product is used in high-temperature environments, forced convection may be required.
Connector panel layout
The layout of the RT1003’s connector panel is shown below and the function of each
connector is described.
Figure 1. Connector panel of the RT1003
1) GNSS LED 2) STATUS LED 3) PWR LED 4) User cable main connector 5) Secondary antenna connector
6) Primary antenna connector

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LEDs
The LEDs on the connector panel provide information about the current system state, but it is
not possible for the LEDs to communicate everything the product is capable of measuring.
Instead, they provide a snapshot of the current status and are useful for at-a-glance checks
without the need for a portable PC. The tables below describe the behaviour of each LED.
Table 4. GNSS LED states
Colour Description
Off GNSS receiver fault (valid only after start-up)
Red flash GNSS receiver is active, but has been unable to determine heading
Red The GNSS has a differential heading lock
Orange The GNSS receiver has a floating (poor) calibrated heading lock
Green The GNSS receiver has an integer (good) calibrated heading lock
Table 5. Status LED states
Colour Description
Off The operating system has not yet booted and the program is not yet running. This
occurs at start-up
Red-green flash The RT1003 is asleep. Contact OxTS support for further information
Red flash The operating system has booted and the program is running. The GNSS receiver has
not yet output a valid time, position, or velocity
Red The GNSS receiver has locked-on to satellites and has adjusted its clock to valid time
(the 1PPS output will now be valid). The strapdown navigator is ready to initialise. If
the vehicle is travelling faster than the value set for “Initialisation speed” during
configuration then the strapdown navigator will initialise and the system will become
active. On dual antenna systems the system will initialise once the GNSS receiver has
determined heading, even if the vehicle is stationary or moving slowly
Orange The strapdown navigator has initialised and data is being output, but the system is not
real-time yet. It takes 10 seconds for the system to become real-time after start up
Green The strapdown navigator is running and the system is real-timea
a. In the current versions of the software the strapdown navigator will not leave green and return to
any other state. This may change in future releases.
Table 6. Power (PWR) LED states
Colour Description
Off There is no power to the system or the system power supply has failed
Green Power is applied to the system
Orange The system is powered and Ethernet traffic is present

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Inputs and outputs
The RT1003 is capable of transmitting and monitoring a number of digital signals for the
purpose of synchronisation and event marking. The following section describes the inputs
and outputs available on the RT1003.
1PPS output
Figure 2. 1PPS waveform
The 1PPS (J5-1) output is a pulse generated by the GNSS receiver. On RT1003 products, the
output is active even when the GNSS receiver has no valid position measurement. The falling
edge of the pulse is the exact transition from one second to the next in GPS time. The pulse is
low for 1 ms, then high for 999 ms and repeats every second.
The output is a low-voltage CMOS output, with 0.8 V or less representing a low and 2.4 V or
more representing a high. No more than 10 mA should be drawn from this output.
Table 7. User cable digital I/O connector J5
Pin# Name (function) Description
J5-1 Digital 1 (1PPS output) Pulsed output from primary GNSS receiver, synchronised with
the transition of GPS seconds
J5-2 Digital 2 (Trigger 1) User-selectable I/O (input/distance output/IMU sync output)
J5-3 Digital 3 (Wheel speed 1A) Input for Hall-effect wheel speed sensor. When connecting a
quadrature sensor, this input is the A-channel
J5-4 Digital 4 (Trigger 2) User-selectable I/O (input/distance output/IMU sync output)
J5-5 Digital 5 (Wheel speed 1B) When connecting a quadrature wheel speed sensor, this input is
for the B-channel
J5-6 Digital ground
J5-7 Digital ground
J5-8 Digital ground
J5-9 Digital ground

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Trigger 1 and 2
Trigger 1 (J5-2) and Trigger 2 (J5-4) can be used to generate events within the RT1003 for
purposes of identifying external events, or to output a time/distance based signal for the
purpose of driving external events. Both Triggers are independently configurable in the
Options page of NAVconfig.
In input mode , the trigger waits for a signal from an external device such as a camera or
switch. When a signal is detected, a time-stamped measurement is generated by the INS in
addition to the normal measurements being generated. The trigger inputs have a pull-up
resistor so they can be used with a switch or as a CMOS input.
Input signal characteristics:
• 0 V and 5 V input
• low < 0.6 V
• high > 2.6 V
The default maximum detection rate for input signals is 1 Hz for 100 Hz products and 4 Hz
for 250 Hz products. The detection rate for both products increases to 50 Hz by when
Output on falling edge of trigger or Output on rising edge of trigger is selected in the
Ethernet Output window in NAVconfig
Trigger information is contained within status message 24 and 43 (output over NCOM and
CAN) for the low-rate triggers (1 Hz). The fast trigger information (50 Hz) can only be
output over NCOM.
In output mode , the trigger generates pulses based on distance or in synchronisation with the
IMU clock rate. The pulse width of the distance-based signal is 1 ms, whereas the IMU sync
signal has a duty cycle of approximately 50%.
Output signal characteristics:
• 0 V and 5 V output
• low <= 0.8 V
• high >= 2.4 V
Camera mode is a software condition that is automatically entered when the PPM distance
output is configured as less than 1 PPM. It exists in order to generate time-stamped INS
measurements synchronised with distance-based output triggers. The output is called camera
mode as it’s often used to trigger image recording equipment, which can then be matched to

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the position measurements at the precise moment of the trigger. Camera mode provides a
method of achieving this.
To enter camera mode, configure a trigger as an output, and set the distance to less than one
pulse per metre. A signal will be generated according to the specifications above at the
distance interval defined by the PPM settings. At the same moment the trigger signal is
output, a position measurement will be internally generated and logged alongside the regular
measurement data. To generate a real-time message in relation to the camera trigger, it is
necessary to select the Output on camera trigger option on the Ethernet configuration
window.
Wheel speed input
The wheel speed 1A input (J5-3) accepts TTL pulses from an encoder on a single wheel. An
encoder from a gearbox should not be used, and simulated TTL pulses (e.g. converted from
the CAN bus) should not be used either. The timing of the wheel speed input pulses is critical
and nothing should cause any delay to them.
The RT1003 also accepts signals from quadrature wheel speed sensors. When using
quadrature sensors, connect one channel from the quadrature sensor to wheel speed 1A, and
the other to wheel speed 1B input (J5-5). The odometer input should be configured as per a
normal wheel speed sensor—the RT1003 will automatically detect the use of the quadrature
sensor.
The wheel speed input requires less than 0.8 V for a low pulse and more than 2.4 V for a high
pulse. Limited protection is provided on this port, however the input voltage should not
exceed 12 V.
Wheel speed input signal characteristics:
• 0 V to 12 V
• low < 0.8 V
• high > 2.4 V
The wheel that is used should not steer the vehicle. The RT1003 will assume the wheel travels
straight.

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Co-ordinate frame conventions
An inertial navigation system is capable of making very precise measurements, but without
context those measurements are just meaningless numbers. In order to make sense of the
world, and to output measurements in way that describes position, orientation and velocity, an
INS such as the RT1003 uses a number of different reference frames and co-ordinate systems.
This section describes those frames and co-ordinate systems.
IMU frame
Figure 3. IMU frame
The arrows indicate the positive direction, and the direction of positive rotation about each axis. The origin of the
IMU frame is marked on the casing of each product or described in the technical drawings at the end of the user
manual.
All of our inertial navigation systems share a common IMU reference frame. The orientation
of that frame is popular among navigation systems. The positive direction of each axis, and
the direction of positive rotation about those axes is shown in Figure 3.
When looking at the connector panel of your product, the positive X-axis points forward, the
positive Y-axis points right and the positive Z-axis points down. The exact origin of the IMU
frame is marked on the product casing and is also described in the technical drawings at the
end of the product manual.
During the configuration process, you will need to enter several measurements in order for
the INS to know where it is mounted in relation to other components or objects. When
making those measurements, always measure between the IMU frame origin and the point of
interest.

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OxTS NED navigation frame
Figure 4. OxTS navigation frame
The OxTS navigation frame is attached to the IMU frame origin but does not rotate with it. The down axis is
always aligned to the gravity vector and north always points north.
The OxTS navigation frame uses an earth-fixed, earth-centred reference frame, and employs
a NED (north, east, down) orientation. It is shown in Figure 4. The down axis is always
aligned to the gravity vector, while the north axis always points north. As long as the
displaced output function in NAVconfig is not enabled, the OxTS navigation frame is centred
on the IMU frame origin.
Table 8. OxTS navigation frame definition
Axis Description
North The north axis (N) is perpendicular to the gravity vector and in the direction of the north
pole along the earth's surface
East The east axis (E) is perpendicular to gravity, perpendicular to the north axis and is in the
east direction
Down The down axis (D) is along the gravity vector

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ISO 8855 ENU earth-fixed system
Figure 5. ISO 8855 earth-fixed system
The ISO earth-fixed system is attached to the IMU frame origin but does not rotate with it. The north and east
axes are perpendicular to the gravity vector and north always points north.
The ISO 8855 earth-fixed system uses an earth-fixed, earth-centred reference frame, and
employs an ENU (east, north, up) orientation. It is shown in Figure 5. The east and north axes
are always perpendicular to the gravity vector. As long as the displaced output function in
NAVconfig is not enabled, the ISO 8855 earth-fixed system is centred to the IMU frame
origin.
Table 9. ISO 8855 earth-fixed system definition
Axis Description
East The east axis (E) is perpendicular to gravity, perpendicular to the north axis and is in the
east direction
North The north axis (N) is perpendicular to the gravity vector and in the direction of the north
pole along the earth's surface
Up The up axis (U) is co-axial with the gravity vector, and positive in the up direction

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OxTS horizontal frame
Figure 6. OxTS horizontal frame
The OxTS horizontal frame is attached to the vehicle. The longitudinal and lateral axes remain parallel to a
horizontal plane. The longitudinal axis is also parallel to the vehicle's heading when viewed from above.
The OxTS horizontal frame (historically called the level frame) is attached to the vehicle but
does not rotate with the roll and pitch of the vehicle. Instead, it only rotates with the heading
of the vehicle. The definition of the OxTS horizontal frame is listed in Table 10 and shown in
Figure 6.
Table 10. OxTS horizontal frame definition
Axis Description
Longitudinal This is the longitudinal (forward in NCOM) direction of the vehicle, projected in to the
horizontal plane
Lateral This is the lateral direction of the vehicle, pointing to the right, projected in to the
horizontal plane
Vertical This is the vertical (down) direction of the vehicle, along the gravity vector