Integrated RTK measuring device

Abstract

The utility model relates to an integrated RTK measuring device which comprises a multi-channel antenna, a power supply, a processing module, a wireless transmitting module and a shielding shell, the power supply, the processing module and the wireless transmitting module are enclosed by the shielding shell, and the multi-channel antenna is physically connected to the shielding shell. The shielding shell is configured to isolate the multi-channel antenna from the power supply, the processing module and the wireless transmitting module, the multi-channel antenna is in communication connection with the processing module, the processing module is in communication connection with the wireless transmitting module, and the power supply is configured to supply power to the multi-channel antenna, the processing module and the wireless transmitting module. According to the RTK measuring device, the multi-channel antenna, various navigation / positioning systems, the processing unit, the wireless transmitting module, the battery and other components are integrated in a high-density mode, so that the components of the RTK measuring device are more miniature and more compact, and carrying of miniature carriers such as miniature / miniature unmanned aerial vehicles with the requirement for load is greatly facilitated.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of remote sensing, and in particular to an integrated real-time kinematic (RTK) measurement device. BACKGROUND

[0002] RTK has been widely used in navigation, surveying and mapping, etc. However, the existing RTK measurement equipment is generally large in size and heavy in weight. The bulky form and high power consumption make it difficult to be mounted on a carrier with limited mounting space and carrying weight, such as a miniature and light unmanned aerial vehicle. Moreover, the existing RTK measurement equipment can only be monitored by a terminal or software for data and status in a short distance. To obtain real-time measurement results at a long distance, additional equipment or devices are needed, which further increases the size and weight of the overall device.

[0003] Chinese patent application CN112313843A discloses an RTK measurement device which must be connected with a corresponding remote controller during operation. In other words, the RTK measurement device cannot be used alone. At the same time, this means that the RTK measurement device and the remote controller form a large whole during operation. It is quite laborious for the staff to move such a large device, which brings inconvenience to the application of the RTK measurement device. SUMMARY

[0004] In order to overcome the problems of the prior art, the present application provides an integrated RTK measurement device, which includes a multi-channel antenna, a power supply, a processing module, a wireless transmission module and a shielding shell. The power supply, the processing module and the wireless transmission module are shielded by the shielding shell. The multi-channel antenna is physically connected to the shielding shell. The shielding shell is configured to isolate the multi-channel antenna from the power supply, the processing module and the wireless transmission module. The multi-channel antenna is communicatively connected to the processing module. The processing module is communicatively connected to the wireless transmission module. The power supply is configured to supply power to the multi-channel antenna, the processing module and the wireless transmission module.

[0005] In one embodiment, the processing module comprises a receiving chip, a power management circuit, a micro control unit, and an expansion interface, wherein the receiving chip is configured to be communicatively connected to the multi-channel antenna and receive and decode signal data from the multi-channel antenna, the power management circuit is configured to be communicatively connected to the power supply and manage the charging / discharging state of the power supply, the micro control unit is configured to manage the storage and transmission of signal data, and the expansion interface is configured to access peripheral devices to expand the functions of the integrated RTK measurement device.

[0006] In another embodiment, the processing module further comprises a radio frequency filter circuit arranged between the multi-channel antenna and the receiving chip for filtering the signal data from the multi-channel antenna before decoding.

[0007] In still another embodiment, the wireless transmission module comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a cellular communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, and a plug-in SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card.

[0008] In still another embodiment, the wireless transmission module supports at least one of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), Ntrip (Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol), and MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) communication protocols.

[0009] In still another embodiment, the processing module further comprises at least one of a Micro SD (Secure Digital) card interface and a charging / debugging interface; and the wireless transmission module further comprises a plug-in SIM card interface.

[0010] In still another embodiment, the integrated RTK measurement device further comprises an interface dust cover, and the expansion interface, the Micro SD card interface, the plug-in SIM card interface, and the charging / debugging interface are exposed at the same specific position of the shielding shell, so that the interface dust cover covers the expansion interface, the Micro SD card interface, the plug-in SIM card interface, and the charging / debugging interface when the interface dust cover is attached to the shielding shell.

[0011] In still another embodiment, the shielding shell comprises a quick connection portion at a lower portion thereof, so that the integrated RTK measurement device is quickly and fixedly connected with an external device.

[0012] In still another embodiment, the multi-channel antenna has a radome with a thickness set to be no more than 0.8 mm.

[0013] In still another embodiment, the multi-channel antenna supports at least one of a Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), and a Galileo satellite navigation system (GALILEO).

[0014] The present application integrates the multi-channel antenna, various navigation / positioning systems, processing units, wireless transmission modules, batteries, and the like into a high-density assembly, so that each component of the RTK measurement device is more miniaturized and more compact with each other, and the total weight of the integrated RTK measurement device can be as low as 60 g and the total volume can be as low as φ50 mm*50 mm or less, greatly facilitating the loading of small carriers such as micro / small unmanned aerial vehicles that have requirements for load. At the same time, compared with the prior art, the integrated RTK measurement device can operate (i.e., measure) independently, rather than having to be connected with an external device (such as the remote controller disclosed in CN112313843A) to operate, which further improves the portability of the integrated RTK measurement device that is operating, and reduces the influence of the application environment and peripheral devices on a single integrated RTK measurement device. Moreover, the integrated RTK measurement device stores raw satellite observation data while remotely transmitting real-time measurement data, ensuring that users can obtain measurement results and working status in real time, which is conducive to improving measurement efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiment description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0016] Figure 1 An exploded view of an integrated RTK measurement device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the integrated RTK measurement device is shown. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the integrated RTK measurement device is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 A front view of an integrated RTK measurement device according to another embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0019] List of reference signs:

[0020] 1 - shielded housing; 2 - antenna cover; 3 - multi-channel antenna; 4 - processing unit; 5 - wireless transmission module; 6 - power supply; 7 - interface dust cover; 8 - cellular communication antenna; 9 - quick connection part; 10 - Bluetooth antenna; 11 - charging / debugging interface; 12 - MicroSD card interface; 13 - mechanical toggle switch; 14 - plug-in SIM card interface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0022] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "X-axis", "Y-axis", "Z-axis", "vertical", "parallel", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited by "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0023] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless specifically defined and limited otherwise, the terms "mounting", "connected", "connection" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrally connected; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intermediate medium, or internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] With reference to Figures 1-2 The integrated RTK measurement device according to the embodiments of the present application is shown in the exploded view and the cross-sectional view in the assembled state, respectively. The integrated RTK measurement device according to the embodiments of the present application includes a multi-channel antenna 3, a power supply 6, a processing module 4, a wireless transmission module 5, and a shielded housing 1. The power supply 6, the processing module 4, and the wireless transmission module 5 are shielded by the shielded housing 1, that is, the power supply 6, the processing module 4, and the wireless transmission module 5 are all encapsulated in the shielded housing 1. The multi-channel antenna 3 is physically connected to the shielded housing 1, for example, arranged at the top of the shielded housing 1. The shielded housing 1 is made of magnesium-aluminum alloy material. In the case of equal volume, magnesium-aluminum alloy is about 30% lighter in mass than, for example, aluminum alloy, and at the same time, the wall thickness of the shielded housing 1 can be controlled to be within the range of 0.7-1mm, so as to further reduce the weight. The shielded housing 1 is used to isolate the multi-channel antenna 3 from the power supply 6, the processing module 4, and the wireless transmission module 5, that is, to completely isolate the electronic components inside the shielded housing 1 from the multi-channel antenna 3 by using the good electrical conductivity inherent to the material of the shielded housing 1, so as to prevent the multi-channel antenna 3 from being interfered by the listed electronic components.

[0025] The multi-channel antenna 3 supports at least one of BDS, GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO. The above-mentioned various navigation systems are typical global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), that is, the multi-channel antenna 3 is used to receive GNSS signals. The main body of the multi-channel antenna 3 is made of soft material of flexible circuit board (FPC) type, which can achieve the optimal balance between the weight and the signal quality. The multi-channel antenna 3 is communicatively connected to the processing module 4, for example, through an IPEX radio frequency connector.

[0026] The multi-channel antenna 3 can also be configured with a radome 2 that is transparent to GNSS signals, which radome 2 wraps the multi-channel antenna 3. The radome 2 can be made of nylon material with good wave-transparent performance, and preferably, can also be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) material with better wave-transparent performance. The wall thickness of the radome 2 is set to be not greater than 0.8 mm, further ensuring that the GNSS signals can be well penetrated while pursuing the lightweight of the radome 2.

[0027] The processing module 4 includes a receiving chip, a power management circuit, a microcontroller unit, and an expansion interface. Specifically, the receiving chip is configured to be communicatively connected to the multi-channel antenna 3 and to receive and decode signal data from the multi-channel antenna 3. The power management circuit is configured to be communicatively connected to the power supply 6 and to manage the charging / discharging working state of the power supply 6. The microcontroller unit (MCU) is configured to manage the storage and transmission of signal data, in other words, almost all electronic components in the integrated RTK measurement device are manipulated by the MCU. The expansion interface is configured to access peripheral devices to expand the functions of the integrated RTK measurement device. Preferably, the processing module 4 further includes a radio frequency filtering circuit, which is arranged between the multi-channel antenna 3 and the receiving chip, for filtering the signal data from the multi-channel antenna 3 before decoding. Further, the processing module 4 further includes at least one of a Micro SD card interface 12 and a charging / debugging interface 11. The Micro SD card interface 12 allows the user to insert a Micro SD memory card into the integrated RTK measurement device to expand the data storage space of the integrated RTK measurement device. The charging / debugging interface 11 can be in the form of a Type-C interface for communicatively connecting with external devices to configure debugging, and at the same time, the Type-C interface form can also be used to supply power to the outside / obtain charging from the outside. The above-mentioned electronic components can be integrated in a micro PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which is used for the automatic measurement and data management of the integrated RTK measurement device as a whole.

[0028] The wireless transmitting module 5 and the processing module 4 are physically and communicatively connected to each other, for example by means of a board-to-board connector. The wireless transmitting module 5 comprises at least one of a cellular communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, and a pluggable SIM card. It is obvious that when the wireless transmitting module 5 comprises a pluggable SIM card, a corresponding pluggable SIM card interface 14 is necessarily provided. In addition, the cellular communication module can support 4G / 5G communication. The cellular communication module is connected to a cellular communication antenna 8, which can be in the form of a high-gain FPC diversity antenna, the outer surface of which is covered with a wave-transparent material and then embedded in the grooves on both sides of the bottom of the integrated RTK measuring device. The Bluetooth communication module can be used for local wireless direct connection, which can greatly facilitate the user to operate the unmanned equipment for measurement operation. The Bluetooth communication module is connected to a Bluetooth antenna 10, which can be in the form of an FPC flexible antenna, similar to the cellular communication antenna 8, the outer surface of which is covered with a wave-transparent material and then embedded in the bottom of the integrated RTK measuring device. The wireless transmitting module 5 supports at least one of TCP, Ntrip, and MQTT communication protocols. When the integrated RTK measuring device acts as a rover station, the wireless transmitting module 5 can receive differential correction data provided by a differential reference station or a network differential service; while acting as a reference station, the wireless transmitting module 5 can provide continuous differential correction data for other RTK devices. That is, whether operating in reference station mode or rover station mode, the integrated RTK measuring device will report real-time measurement data of the device and working state information of the device to the customer server through MQTT after starting, while receiving the server's issued instructions for configuration or control of the device.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3 The above-mentioned expansion interface, Micro SD card interface 12, pluggable SIM card interface 14, and charging / debugging interface 11 are all exposed at the same specific position of the shielding shell 1. On the other hand, the integrated RTK measuring device further comprises an interface dust cover 7, based on the layout that the above-mentioned various interfaces are all exposed at the same specific position, the interface dust cover 7 can cover them at the same time when the above-mentioned various interfaces do not need to be externally connected to external devices, providing waterproof and dustproof sealing protection for the inside of the shielding shell 1. Preferably, the interface dust cover 7 can be made of soft rubber material.

[0030] The power supply 6 is used to supply power to the multi-channel antenna 3, the processing module 4, and the wireless transmitting module 5. The power supply 6 can select a lithium polymer battery with high energy density, and is integrated with an external protection circuit and a charging and discharging circuit to ensure the safe charging and discharging of the battery. The power supply 6 supplies power to the outside / obtains charging from the outside through the charging / debugging interface 11 in the form of the above-mentioned Type-C interface.

[0031] In order to manipulate the operation of the integrated RTK measurement device, the integrated RTK measurement device is also provided with a mechanical toggle switch 13 for operating the start and stop of the device. In addition, although the integrated RTK measurement device does not necessarily need to be connected with an external device to operate during operation, in some application scenarios, the integrated RTK measurement device is configured to be connected with an external device to cooperate, which can expand the application range of the device. Therefore, considering that the integrated RTK measurement device can still be connected with an external device, the shielding shell 1 includes a quick connection part 9 at the lower part thereof, for example, a plurality of pins embedded in the shielding shell 1, so that the fixing rope is wound thereon, or the pins are buckled on the card seat of the external device, so that the integrated RTK measurement device is quickly and fixedly connected with the external device. In the embodiment, the number of pins is 4, of course, in other embodiments, other numbers of pins, or even other forms of quick connection part 9 are also feasible.

[0032] After the integrated RTK measurement device is started, it can be configured locally through the charging / debugging interface 11 or the Bluetooth antenna 10, or configured remotely by a customer server, and the default configuration is saved as needed, and the default configuration is automatically executed when powered on next time.

[0033] The device can be flexibly switched between the flow station mode and the reference station mode. Two or more devices in the flow station mode and the reference station mode establish a communication link with a remote customer server through a unified account ID by means of Ntrip or TCP protocol, and it should be noted that only one of them is configured in the reference station mode. The server realizes the transmission of data between two or more devices in the two modes, that is, the RTK measurement device in the reference station mode sends the differential correction data to the RTK measurement device in the flow station mode, and the RTK measurement device in the flow station mode realizes high-precision position solution after receiving the differential correction data, and sends the solution position result to the RTK measurement device in the reference station mode together with the working state information of the device itself. The user only needs to access the RTK measurement device in the reference station mode through the charging / debugging interface 11 or the Bluetooth antenna 10 to obtain the high-precision position of the RTK measurement device in the flow station mode and the detailed working state information such as temperature and voltage of the corresponding device. At the same time, whether in the flow station mode or in the reference station mode, the corresponding device is provided with an MQTT client to push the positioning and working state information to the customer server at a frame rate of 1 Hz, and the customer can remotely obtain the related data by accessing the server.

[0034] It should be understood that the above-described figures and specific embodiments described in the specific embodiments are only exemplary embodiments of the present application, and not exhaustive of possible embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described specific embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present application.

Claims

1. An integrated RTK measurement device, characterized in that, The device includes a multi-channel antenna, a power supply, a processing module, a wireless transmission module, and a shielding housing. The power supply, the processing module, and the wireless transmission module are enclosed by the shielding housing. The multi-channel antenna is physically connected to the shielding housing. The shielding housing is configured to isolate the multi-channel antenna from the power supply, the processing module, and the wireless transmission module. The multi-channel antenna is communicatively connected to the processing module, and the processing module is communicatively connected to the wireless transmission module. The power supply is configured to provide power to the multi-channel antenna, the processing module, and the wireless transmission module.

2. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing module includes a receiver chip, a power management circuit, a microcontroller unit, and an expansion interface. The receiver chip is configured to communicatively connect to the multi-channel antenna, receive signal data from the multi-channel antenna, and decode it. The power management circuit is configured to communicatively connect to the power supply and manage the charging / discharging operation of the power supply. The microcontroller unit is configured to manage the storage and transmission of signal data. The expansion interface is configured to connect to peripheral devices to expand the functionality of the integrated RTK measurement device.

3. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The processing module further includes an RF filtering circuit, which is disposed between the multi-channel antenna and the receiving chip, and is used to filter the signal data from the multi-channel antenna before decoding it.

4. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wireless transmission module includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: a cellular communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, and a removable SIM card.

5. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wireless transmission module supports at least one of the following communication protocols: TCP, Ntrip, and MQTT.

6. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The processing module also includes at least one of a MicroSD card interface and a charging / debugging interface; the wireless transmission module also includes a pluggable SIM card interface.

7. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an interface dust cover, wherein the expansion interface, the Micro SD card interface, the pluggable SIM card interface, and the charging / debugging interface are all exposed at the same specific location on the shielding housing, so that when the interface dust cover is attached to the shielding housing, it covers the expansion interface, the Micro SD card interface, the pluggable SIM card interface, and the charging / debugging interface.

8. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shielding housing includes a quick-connect section at its lower part to allow the integrated RTK measurement device to be quickly and securely connected to external equipment.

9. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-channel antenna has an antenna cover with a thickness of no more than 0.8 mm.

10. The integrated RTK measurement device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The multi-channel antenna supports at least one of the following: BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, Global Positioning System, Global Navigation Satellite System, and Galileo Navigation Satellite System.

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