Charisma: Trimble's Modernized Differential GPS Reference Station and Integrity Monitor Software

Around 2002, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) identified a need to re-capitalize their Reference Station (RS) and Integrity Monitor (IM) equipment used in the Nationwide Differential Global Position System (NDGPS). Commercially available off-the-shelf differential RS and IM equipment lacked the open architecture required to support long-term goals that include future system improvements such as use of new civil frequencies on L2 and L5 and realization of a higher rate NDGPS beacon data channel intended to support RTK. The first step in preparing for this future NDGPS was to port current RTCM SC-104 compatible RS and IM functionality onto an open architecture PC-based platform. Trimble's product Charisma is a PC-based RS and IM software designed to meet these USCG goals. In fact USCG engineers provided key designs and design insights throughout the development. We cannot overstate the contribution of the USCG engineers. Fundamental requirements for this effort were that it be sufficiently flexible in hardware and software design to support fluid growth and exploitation of new signals and technologies as they become available, yet remain backward compatible with legacy user receivers and existing site hardware and system architecture. These fundamental goals placed an implicit adaptability requirement on the design of the replacement RS and IM. Additionally, project engineers were to remain focused on sustaining the high level of differential GPS service that 1.5 million legacy users have come to depend on. This paper will present new hardware and software (i.e., Trimble's Charisma software) architecture for the next generation NDGPS RS and IM. This innovative approach to engineering on an open architecture PC-based platform allows the system to continue to fulfill legacy NDGPS system requirements and allows the USCG and others to pursue a scalable hardware re-capitalization strategy. We will use the USCG's recapitalization project to explain the essential role of the Charisma software.