VBOX Indoor Positioning System User Guide • 01 - VBOX IPS Introduction • 02 - VBOX IPS Hardware Installation • 03 - VBOX IPS Rover Connection to VBOX 3i • 04 - VBOX IPS Site Configuration • 05 - VBOX IPS Using with a VBOX 3i/Standalone • 06 - VBOX IPS Troubleshooting • 07 - VBOX IPS Technical Properties • VBOX IPS - PIN OUTS • VBOX IPS - Technical Specification • VBOX IPS - Upgrading Firmware • VBOX IPS - Regulatory Information 1
01 - VBOX IPS Introduction Overview VBOX Indoor Positioning System uses a network of fixed beacons in set locations that communicate with a receiver mounted on the roof of a vehicle using Ultra Wideband (UWB), to measure position and speed where you cannot use GNSS signals. A minimum of eight beacons are required and a site survey must be carried out as part of the installation, to ensure the optimum accuracy.
Connectors https://racelogic.
02 - VBOX IPS Hardware Installation Beacon (VIPS-B-V1) Installation When first considering a VIPS installation or demonstration, it is important to understand the shape and size of the test area and thus the minimum number of beacons that will be required. The VBOX IPS will need at least 6 beacons in view at any one time to compute a solution. For a simple installation, Racelogic recommend placing the beacons in a ‘Square’ formation with spacing between the beacons of around 25–30 m, as below.
the vehicle is always within a 60 m radius of at least 6 beacons. For greater accuracy, it is recommended that the beacons are placed between 3 – 5 m above ground (i.e. above the roof of the test vehicle) and that each beacon varies in height by at least 300 mm to the nearest beacons, alternating in a high-low pattern. When mounting the VIPS beacons, there are a couple of considerations that need to be made.
✗ Side by side with large height difference ✗ Tops together ✗ Tops to base ✗ Base to base ✗ Side to base ✗ Side by side with large height difference, tops away from each other https://racelogic.
Rover (VIPS-R-V2) Installation The VIPS Rover looks similar to the Beacon, however the rover contains an internal IMU and so care should be taken to ensure that the Rover is mounted on a section of the roof that has the least vibration. This is usually towards the rear of the vehicle, just in front of the rear windshield. The rover should also be mounted in a way such that it has a clear view to the beacons and away from any objects that may block that view (Roof bars, radio antennas etc).
03 - VBOX IPS Rover Connection to VBOX 3i The Rover unit can connect to a standard VBOX 3i and switches seamlessly between GPS and the indoor positioning system, allowing you to use your original hardware for both outdoor and indoor testing. As the VIPS is designed to be used with IMU integration enabled, the same IMU Initialisation Process should be performed as normal. For indoor only use, it is important that the VBOX 3i does not have a GPS antenna connected.
Using Internal IMU Connection between the Rover and VBOX 3i is via the supplied RLCAB153 cable. • Insert the 7 way Lemo connector in to the right hand connector on the Rover. • Connect the 25 way connector to the A IN port on the VBOX 3i. • Connect the 5 way Lemo connector to the SER port on the VBOX 3i. https://racelogic.
Using External IMU Connection between the Rover and VBOX 3i is via the supplied RLCAB153 cable. • Insert the 7 way Lemo connector in to the right hand connector on the Rover. • Connect the 25 way connector to the A IN port on the VBOX 3i. • Connect the 5 way Lemo connector to the SER port on the VBOX 3i. • Insert the 6 way Lemo connector in to the left hand connector on the Rover. • Insert the other end of the cable in to the CAN / KF port on the IMU04. https://racelogic.
04 - VBOX IPS Site Configuration For the VBOX IPS to work correctly, the rover needs to know the expected site configuration. This configuration informs the rover of the expected Beacon IDs it will be using and their locations. This information needs to be manually entered by the user using the VIPS Site Configuration Software. Getting Started On opening, the user is presented with the option to load a previously saved site configuration (.JSON file) or create a new configuration.
By selecting New, or a previously saved configuration file, you are then presented with options necessary for correct VIPS operation. Site Settings The first page the user is presented with is the Site Settings tab. Here you can configure how the Rover is expected to operate and also change the Radio Settings. Note: The radio settings are for Racelogic development purposes only.
Origin For indoor/outdoor use, it is important that the origin of the VBOX IPS matches a global coordinate system to ensure there is a smooth transition between GPS and VBOX IPS position. The enter value of the origin should be a georeferenced location that is the 0,0 point from which all VBOX IPS beacon measurements are taken from. Rotation Angle As well as a georeferenced origin, it is also important that the VBOX IPS x/y measurements are rotated correctly into a ‘North up’ frame.
Load The Load Button allows you to load the settings from previously surveyed installation. Add The Add Button allows you to add a new beacon into the system. Adding a new beacon will automatically increment the ‘Friendly ID’ by 1. Delete The Delete Button allows you to remove the selected beacon from the installation. Note: There will be no negative effects of having beacons in the configuration that will not actually be present in the physical installation.
Beacon ID The Beacon ID is a unique identifier that is hard coded into the beacon, similar to a serial number. This ID number can be changed to match the Friendly ID as needed, allowing for replacement beacons to be easily swapped in and out. Offset The Offset is the distance between the beacon and the nominated origin location, with East, North and Up being positive values, West, South and Down being negative values (assuming a rotation angle of 0).
Upload to Beacon Once the site configuration has been entered correctly, the information is needed to be uploaded to the Rover. This can be done via Bluetooth, however for the initial release it is recommended to use the supplied configuration cable. To upload the configuration, a COM port will first need to be selected from the drop down list of available COM ports. If the required COM port is not displayed, pressing the Refresh button will refresh the COM port list. https://racelogic.
When uploading to a Rover once a COM port is selected, the user will need to Enter LPC mode. This is only required once per power cycle. Once in ‘LPC Mode’ the user can then press the Upload button to upload the configuration to the beacon. The software will then inform the user whether the upload has been successful or not. When uploading to a Beacon there is no need to first enter LPC mode, the configuration can be uploaded directly. https://racelogic.
05 - VBOX IPS Using with a VBOX 3i/Standalone Using VBOX IPS with a VBOX 3i When set to VB3i connected within the VIPS Site Configuration Software and the correct Site Configuration uploaded to the Rover unit, it is now possible to start testing using a VB3i and VBOX IPS. The VBOX 3i will function the same as when using GPS in terms of CAN In/Out, data logging (analogue, etc.) and VBOX Test Suite use.
Site Origin of 0 VBOX IPS normally outputs locations in degrees latitude and longitude, if however an origin of 0,0 is given, then the conversion to latitude/longitude is skipped and the VBOX IPS rover will output in meters X,Y. When operating with a VB3i, an origin is always needed, when operating in standalone mode, this is optional. https://racelogic.
06 - VBOX IPS Troubleshooting Upload Timeout When uploading the VBOX IPS configuration, the process may time out. If this occurs, there are a number of things that can be changed to solve the issue, other than repeated attempts. 1. The first is to increase the Timeout number within the VIPS Site Configuration Software. Increasing this number will increase the amount of time that passes before communication times out. 2.
07 - VBOX IPS Technical Properties VBOX IPS - PIN OUTS Connector pin information VBOX IPS - Technical Specification Beacon/rover specification and size information VBOX IPS - Upgrading Firmware How to update the VPRS beacon and rover Firmware. Occasionally Racelogic will release new versions of firmware (internal code) for the VPRS units, often to introduce new features VBOX IPS - Regulatory Information USA, Canada and Radiation Exposure regulatory information https://racelogic.
VBOX IPS - PIN OUTS Beacon Beacon front view https://racelogic.
Connector 1 - POWER (Lemo 2 PIN) PIN I/O Function 1 I +12 V Power 2 I Ground PIN I/O Function 1 N/A N/C 2 N/A N/C 3 O VIPS Tx 4 I VIPS Rx 5 N/A N/C Connector 2 (Lemo 7 PIN) https://racelogic.
PIN I/O Function 6 I +12 V Power 7 I Ground Chassis I Shield Rover Rover front view Connector 1 (Lemo 6 PIN) https://racelogic.
PIN I/O Function 1 N/A Do not use 2 N/A Do not use 3 I/O CAN High 4 I/O CAN Low 5 I +12 V Power 6 I/O PPS Chassis I Ground PIN I/O Function 1 I IMU Rx 2 O IMU Tx 3 O VIPS Tx 4 I VIPS Rx 5 I/O PPS 6 I +12 V Power 7 I Ground Connector 2 (Lemo 7 PIN) https://racelogic.
PIN I/O Function Chassis I Shield https://racelogic.
VBOX IPS - Technical Specification Rover Specifications Velocity Accuracy 0.1 km/h (averaged over 4 samples) Update rate 100 Hz Maximum velocity 300 km/h Minimum velocity 0.1 km/h Resolution 0.1 km/h Latency 60 ms Relative Positioning Horizontal accuracy <10 cm (95 % CEP*) Update rate 100 Hz Height accuracy 1 m (95% CEP*) Absolute position <10 cm (95% CEP*)^ https://racelogic.
Distance Accuracy 0.05% (<50 cm per km) Update rate 100 Hz Resolution 1 cm Acceleration Accuracy 0.5 % Maximum 20 g Resolution 0.01 g Update rate 100 Hz Heading Resolution 0.01° Update rate 100 Hz Time Resolution 0.01 s Accuracy 30 ns https://racelogic.
Brake Stop Accuracy (Trigger activated) Accuracy 5 cm** Definitions * Circle of Error Probable (CEP): 95 % of the time the position readings will fall within a circle of the stated diameter ** Based on <50 m brake stop distance ^ Subject to accurate site survey and installation UWB Radio Frequency 4.0 – 5.0 GHz or 6.0 – 7.0 GHz Transmit power (peak / average) 0 dBm / -41.
Digital Output Signal levels 5 V DC Output type 1 PPS* Beacon RS232 Output RS232 Port 1 Configuration only Inputs Rover Unit Power Input voltage range 6.5 – 30 V DC Power consumption 2W Digital Input Input Function 1 PPS* https://racelogic.
Beacon Unit Power Input voltage range 6.5 – 30 V DC Power consumption 2W Rover IMU Specifications Gyroscopes (Angular rate sensors) Accelerometers Dynamic range ±450°/s ± 20 g Nonlinearity 0.01 % of full scale 0.1 % of full scale Resolution 16-bit ADC (0.014°/s) 16-bit ADC (0.15 mg) Bandwidth 50 Hz 50 Hz Noise density 0.01°/s/√Hz 60 µg/√Hz Bias stability 0.003°/s 15 µg Bias repeatability (1 year) 0.2°/s 0.
Beacon/Rover Dimensions Measured in mm. https://racelogic.
VBOX IPS - Upgrading Firmware Firmware refers to the operating software inside the beacons and rover. Firmware is already installed within the VIPS units when purchased, however as more features are added in the future, the units may require updating from time to time. The latest firmware will always be available in the firmware section of the VBOX Automotive website. To upgrade the VIPS firmware: 1.
VBOX IPS - Regulatory Information For customers in the United States This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules: Operation is subject to the following conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, Including interference that may cause undesired operation. Changes and Modifications not expressly approved by RACELOGIC can void your authority to operate this equipment under Federal Communications Commissions rules.
Radiation Exposure Statement The device has been found to be compliant to the requirements set forth in CFR 47 Sections 2.1091 and Industry Canada RSS-102 for an uncontrolled environment. The antenna(s) used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. Le dispositif a été jugé conforme aux exigences énoncées dans les articles 47 CFR 2.
