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NovAtel SPAN (INSPVA Format) (Roll-Pitch) - 03

Description

Interface Type

Driver supports both serial as well as network (UDP and TCP) communication.
For the network driver please select the driver name that starts with "Network (UDP)- NovAtel..." or "Network (TCP)- NovAtel..."

Configuring the device

In order to enable the correct messages, create a connection to the device on the used interface (f.i. with I/O tester). Each message type needs to be individually activated. The following example enables #INSPVA, #INSCOV and #TIME messages and saves the configuration. (Unwanted message types may be omitted):

unlogall
log inspvaa ontime 0.04
log inscova ontime 0.04
log timea ontime 1 
saveconfig 

Driver to decode a position (latitude, longitude and height), heading and attitude (roll and pitch, no heave) from a NovAtel SPAN-CPT GPS/INS receiver, outputting the so-called INSPVA log format.
Further, the INS status, three velocity direction fields and the SD values for position, heading and attiitude (roll and pitch, no heave) can be decoded as generic observations.

Driver Information

Driver

NovAtel SPAN

Interface Type

Serial or Network 

Driver Class Type

Terminated 

UTC Driver (question)

 Yes

Input / Output

Input 

Executable

DrvQPSTerminated.exe NOVATEL_INSPVA PPS
DrvQPSTerminatedUDP.exe NOVATEL_INSPVA PPS
DrvQPSTerminatedTCP.exe NOVATEL_INSPVA PPS  

Related Systems

Related Pages

NovAtel SPAN (INSPVA - HEAVEA Format) (With UTC) - 12
NovAtel SPAN (INSPVA - HEAVEA Format) (Heading) - 05

Decoding Notes

  • The GPS time fields from the header are decoded, converted to UTC, and used for time-stamping in case your template setup supports Time Synchronization. Therefore it is important to set the correct UTC to GPS correction in your template setup (16 sec. as of July 2012).

  • The CRC32-bit checksum is by default decoded and used to check the data integrity. If the checksum fails, no data will be decoded, unless you use command-line parameter 'NOCS' (advanced user only!).

  • The INS Status text (data field # 12) is decoded as number as defined in the Inertial Solution Status Table of the NovAtel manual:

Inertial Solution Status


Text

Value

Description

INS_INACTIVE

0

IMU logs are present, but the alignment routine has not started; INS is inactive.

INS_ALIGNING

1

INS is in alignment mode. When in this status, the user can move to initiate the kinematic alignment or send a SETINITAZIMUTH command. This status also shows if the IMU status is not valid. The IMU status is given in the RAWIMU and RAWIMUS logs.

INS_SOLUTION_NOT_GOOD

2

The INS solution is still being computed but the azimuth solution uncertainty has exceed 2 degrees. The solution is still valid but you should monitor the solution uncertainty in the INSCOV log. You may encounter this state during times when the GPS, used to aid the INS, is absent.

INS_SOLUTION_GOOD

3

The INS filter is in navigation mode and the INS solution is good.

INS_BAD_GPS_AGREEMENT

6

The INS filter is in navigation mode, and the GPS solution is suspected to be in error. This may be due to multipath or limited satellite visibility. The inertial filter has rejected the GPS position and is waiting for the solution quality to improve.

INS_ALIGNMENT_COMPLETE

7

The INS filter is in navigation mode, but not enough vehicle dynamics have been experienced for the system to be within specifications.



Text

Value

Description

INS_INACTIVE

0

IMU logs are present, but the alignment routine has not started; INS is inactive.

INS_ALIGNING

1

INS is in alignment mode. When in this status, the user can move to initiate the kinematic alignment or send a SETINITAZIMUTH command. This status also shows if the IMU status is not valid. The IMU status is given in the RAWIMU and RAWIMUS logs.

INS_SOLUTION_NOT_GOOD

2

The INS solution is still being computed but the azimuth solution uncertainty has exceed 2 degrees. The solution is still valid but you should monitor the solution uncertainty in the INSCOV log. You may encounter this state during times when the GPS, used to aid the INS, is absent.

INS_SOLUTION_GOOD

3

The INS filter is in navigation mode and the INS solution is good.

INS_BAD_GPS_AGREEMENT

6

The INS filter is in navigation mode, and the GPS solution is suspected to be in error. This may be due to multipath or limited satellite visibility. The inertial filter has rejected the GPS position and is waiting for the solution quality to improve.

INS_ALIGNMENT_COMPLETE

7

The INS filter is in navigation mode, but not enough vehicle dynamics have been experienced for the system to be within specifications.


#INSCOVA

Format Description

#INSCOVA , 9 HEADER FIELDS ; 5 DATA FIELDS * CHECKSUM [CR][LF]

  • A message always starts with prefix #INSCOVA

  • All fields are comma-separated. The header is separated from the data by semi-colon ';'.

  • The checksum field is separated by asterix '*'.

  • The message is terminated by carriage return and linefeed character. 

Format Description

#

Field Type

Description

Format

Comment

1-10

Log Header

Prefix + 9 header fields, terminated by ';'


The time-stamp of the message is decoded from this header

1

Week

GPS Week

Ulong

Not used.
Value already decoded form the header

2

Seconds

Seconds from week start

Double

Not used.
Value already decoded form the header

3

Position Covariance

Position covariance matrix in local level frame (meters squared)

list of 9 Doubles

Decoded as position SD

4

Attitude Covariance

Attitude covariance matrix in local level frame. (degrees squared - rotation around the given axis)

list of 9 Doubles

Decoded as attitude SD

5

Velocity Covariance

Velocity covariance matrix in local level frame. (meters per second squared)

list of 9 Doubles

Not used.


*xxxxxxxx

32-bit CRC

Hex

Decoded


[CR][LF]

Terminator (Carriage return, Linefeed)




Format Example
CODE
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,93.0,FINESTEERING,1759,303333.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303332.000000000,0.9514159217384957,0.2426566051783968,0.0559788157811317,0.2426566051783968,1.7519979249112287,-0.3027535437644834,0.0559788157811317,-0.3027535437644834,
2.1841668365196694,0.0003209537759111,-0.0000629073819189,0.0000078413800201,-0.0000629073819189,0.0004156955044751,0.0000354000390746,0.0000078413800201,0.0000354000390746,0.0186711641695660,0.0001351592316136,0.0000003978889804,-0.0000047708173766,
0.0000003978889804,0.0001347477947649,-0.0000013139503898,-0.0000047708173766,-0.0000013139503898,0.0001627579675195*8db48187
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,93.0,FINESTEERING,1759,303334.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303333.000000000,0.9523158818717720,0.2426566545111556,0.0559788218339834,0.2426566545111556,1.7528979873742808,-0.3027535486724926,0.0559788218339834,-0.3027535486724928,
2.1850669966666603,0.0003209375449550,-0.0000628990788237,0.0000078208946540,-0.0000628990788237,0.0004156741777818,0.0000354156379851,0.0000078208946540,0.0000354156379851,0.0186738380748709,0.0001351637891301,0.0000003978728817,-0.0000047705355639,
0.0000003978728817,0.0001347525095535,-0.0000013136154832,-0.0000047705355639,-0.0000013136154832,0.0001627574112599*4deb78f6
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,93.0,FINESTEERING,1759,303335.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303334.000000000,0.9532158600620278,0.2426567081066481,0.0559788290311303,0.2426567081066481,1.7537980748581987,-0.3027535535892016,0.0559788290311303,-0.3027535535892019,
2.1859671731372829,0.0003209209170908,-0.0000628920898767,0.0000078006934660,-0.0000628920898767,0.0004156541032268,0.0000354408924664,0.0000078006934660,0.0000354408924664,0.0186765115475763,0.0001351699040608,0.0000003972635740,-0.0000047697720194,
0.0000003972635740,0.0001347577768813,-0.0000013137018257,-0.0000047697720194,-0.0000013137018257,0.0001627593090991*c0fd1a67
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,92.5,FINESTEERING,1759,303336.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303335.000000000,0.9541158574875908,0.2426567665031987,0.0559788371336304,0.2426567665031987,1.7546981883748964,-0.3027535581050536,0.0559788371336304,-0.3027535581050538,
2.1868673624049499,0.0003209022815362,-0.0000628861486751,0.0000077704560495,-0.0000628861486751,0.0004156332133313,0.0000354834988206,0.0000077704560495,0.0000354834988206,0.0186791900390688,0.0001351717775653,0.0000003965627550,-0.0000047711281266,
0.0000003965627550,0.0001347596326658,-0.0000013124698458,-0.0000047711281266,-0.0000013124698458,0.0001627536876356*07cdccf5
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,92.5,FINESTEERING,1759,303337.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303336.000000000,0.9550158668455431,0.2426568271326385,0.0559788463135037,0.2426568271326385,1.7555983186337727,-0.3027535626118562,0.0559788463135037,-0.3027535626118562,
2.1877675603640103,0.0003208864964954,-0.0000628839316208,0.0000077781907325,-0.0000628839316208,0.0004156203995709,0.0000355286030565,0.0000077781907325,0.0000355286030565,0.0186818468559776,0.0001351685482890,0.0000003954744060,-0.0000047707267884,
0.0000003954744060,0.0001347552222299,-0.0000013106049948,-0.0000047707267884,-0.0000013106049948,0.0001627420866226*12829557
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,93.5,FINESTEERING,1759,303338.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303337.000000000,0.9559158879558113,0.2426568890071794,0.0559788564067072,0.2426568890071794,1.7564984622615237,-0.3027535671087690,0.0559788564067072,-0.3027535671087688,
2.1886677625536448,0.0003208727600363,-0.0000628821525708,0.0000077787976698,-0.0000628821525708,0.0004156098913810,0.0000355705918618,0.0000077787976698,0.0000355705918618,0.0186777249914527,0.0001351707753560,0.0000003937494131,-0.0000047691543079,
0.0000003937494131,0.0001347547670588,-0.0000013102596548,-0.0000047691543079,-0.0000013102596548,0.0001627404046726*72b217de
#INSCOVA,ICOM2,0,93.5,FINESTEERING,1759,303339.000,00000000,0000,470;1759,303338.000000000,0.9568159227618214,0.2426569530504998,0.0559788672771508,0.2426569530504998,1.7573986216770736,-0.3027535711573023,0.0559788672771508,-0.3027535711573020,
2.1895679669774939,0.0003208566410070,-0.0000628798102942,0.0000077766628923,-0.0000628798102942,0.0004155956225476,0.0000356160713554,0.0000077766628923,0.0000356160713554,0.0186803872684065,0.0001351706605939,0.0000003920928584,-0.0000047695203951,
0.0000003920928584,0.0001347526991486,-0.0000013092582737,-0.0000047695203951,-0.0000013092582737,0.0001627347299750*e6a24822#INSPVAA,COM2,0,48.0,FINESTEERING,1519,581349.006,00000000,5615,3632;1519,581349.006454953,29.813590308,-95.668534708,6.143695218,0.005053866,0.006789975,-0.003175977,-2.128522012,5.056931581,346.864745761,INS_SOLUTION_NOT_GOOD*cd125649

#TIMEA

Format Description

#TIMEA , 9 HEADER FIELDS ; 11 DATA FIELDS * CHECKSUM [CR][LF]

  • A message always starts with prefix #TIMEA

  • All fields are comma-separated. The header is separated from the data by semi-colon ';'.

  • The checksum field is separated by asterix '*'.

  • The message is terminated by carriage return and linefeed character. 

Format Description

#

Field Type

Description

Format

Comment

1-10

Log Header

Prefix + 9 header fields, terminated by ';'


The time-stamp of the message is decoded from this header

1

Clock status

Clock model status

Ulong

Not used.

2

Offset

Receiver clock offset in sec from GPS time

Double

Not used.

3

Offset std

Receiver clock offset standard deviation

Double

Not used.


4

UTC offset

Offset of GPS time from UTC time

Double

Not used.

5

UTC year


Ulong 



UTC month


Ulong



UTC day


Uchar



UTC hour


Uchar



UTC minute


Uchar



UTC millisecond


Ulong



UTC status


Enum

Decoded and used to verify if the clock values are valid


*xxxxxxxx

32-bit CRC

Hex

Decoded


[CR][LF]

Terminator (Carriage return, Linefeed)



Format Example
CODE
#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,92.4,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.100,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.209978866e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32100,VALID*49984f85
	#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,92.4,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.200,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.208147799e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32200,VALID*9a8f0726
	#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,92.4,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.300,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.205369831e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32299,VALID*d0c05ae5
	#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,90.5,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.400,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.202186887e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32400,VALID*72abb255
	#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,90.5,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.500,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.199880891e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32500,VALID*1bef0db1
	#TIMEA,ICOM2,0,90.5,FINESTEERING,1759,475248.600,00000000,0,470;VALID,-1.197474162e-08,0.000000155,-16.00000000000,2013,9,27,12,0,32600,VALID*37db15b1

Database Setup

  • In order to decode Time Synchronization from the TIMEA message, add a Time Synchronization system to your template and select the driver NovAtel SPAN-CPT (#INSPVA Telegram)

  • In order to decode the position from the INSPVA message, add a Position Navigation System to your template and select the driver "NovAtel SPAN-CPT (#INSPVA Telegram) (With UTC)".
    It is important to select for the Horizontal and Vertical datum on the second wizard page 'WGS84' datum.

  • In order to decode a heading from the INSPVA message (Azimuth field), add a Gyro and Compass System to your template and select the driver "NovAtel SPAN-CPT (INSPVA Telegram) (Heading)".
    Select the same I/O parameters as for the defined Position Navigation System above.

  • In order to decode the attitude from the INSPVA message (no heave!), add a Pitch, Roll and Heave Sensor System to your template and select the driver "NovAtel SPAN-CPT (INSPVA Telegram) (Roll-Pitch)".
    Select the same I/O parameters as for the defined Position Navigation System above.

  • In order to decode separately the INS Status, Velocity and/or SD fields for monitoring these values, add a Miscellaneous System to your template, and select the driver "NovAtel SPAN-CPT (#INSPVA Telegram) (Status Velocity & SD)".
    Select the same I/O parameters as for the defined Position Navigation System above.

    On the 2nd wizard page, the observations can be added:

    INSSTATUS
    Add a generic observation. Name it e.g. 'Ins Status', and enter for Slot 1: ' INSSTATUS '.

    Velocity
    For the Velocity fields, add three more Generic Observations and name these e.g. 'Velocity North', 'Velocity East' and 'Velocity Up'. Enter for the Slot 1 Id's: ' VELO_NORTH ', ' VELO_EAST ' and ' VELO_UP '.

    SD
    For the SD fields, add six more Generic Observations and name these e.g. 'SD position X', 'SD position Y', 'SD position Z', 'SD roll', 'SD pitch', and 'SD heading'. For the slot ID's use respectively SD_POS_X, SD_POS_Y, SD_POS_Z, SD_ROLL, SD_PITCH and SD_HEADING 



    It is important that all Slot Id's are entered in capitals.

Online

For a Position Navigation System you can monitor the INS Status as Solution mode in a Position System Display, as RAW DATA Positioning item Solution Mode in a Generic Display, or as Raw Alert 'Solution Mode outside limit' in the Alert Display.

For a heading and/or roll and pitch observation you can monitor this value as Quality indicator in an Observation Physics Display, or as Raw Alert 'Quality indicator outside limit' in the Alert Display.




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