Researchers at the university of Colorado have successfully used radio frequency record-and-playback systems (RPS) have gathered importance commercially because it offers the best way to test hardware receivers. RPS constitutes a stark contrast to more traditional signal simulators that use pre-defined trajectories and mathematical models to determine appropriate RF output. Positioning performance of a satellite navigation receiver under test (RUT) is coupled with its RF front-end system and local oscillator quality. The required equipment and connections are minimal when performing RPS drive testing, as no RUTs are included. It overcomes the fidelity limits of simulator-based testing, especially when considering the difficult-to-model urban environment. During receiver development, it requires only a single drive test for each location, as sampled RF data can be replayed from disk.
Validerad; 2010; 20100524 (andbra)