WinFrog Integrated Navigation System

WinFrog Software is produced by:

Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific), Inc.

WinFrog Applications

The WinFrog integrated navigation and data management software is suitable for a wide variety of applications in marine, land, and air environments and is now being used for numerous applications on over 400 vehicles worldwide:

Though these are some of the more common applications, the potential use of WinFrog in any environment is unlimited. The WinFrog suite of programs continues to evolve and develop as users find new applications for the system and as new computer, data acquisition, and data processing systems come onto the market.

Win Frog Features

The Win Frog integrated navigation software consists of a "core" package with several add-on modules that allow the choice of a final system configuration best suited to the particular positioning and processing requirements. The core WinFrog package contains features that are beneficial to all uses; while the features provided in additional modules typically apply to specific applications.

Core Package

Graphics

Separate windows are provided for graphics, vehicle control, device control, track following, and quality control. Multiple windows may be opened and controlled independently. It is also possible to have multiple instances of the same window for use on different workstations. WinFrog supports the display of vector and raster data, i.e. shorelines, hazards, and navigation charts. Vector data can be imported in a variety of formats including DXF, DWG and DGN files or electronic charts, while raster data is imported in a number of common graphics formats or as electronic charts and can be used to provide a level of visual detail not obtainable with vector charts

alone. Several different layers of chart and graphics can be displayed simultaneously in the Graphics window and can be toggled on and off with a button click. The chart, like the vector display, can be scaled, panned, and rotated. In some cases, the chart color scheme can be changed to provide optimal contrast between the chart and the vector display or to enhance visibility at night.

Devices

WinFrog supports over 300 different peripheral devices, with the capability to simultaneously use over 30 devices, including multiple copies of the same device. Device data can be received in either industry-standard NMEA or customized formats. Alphanumeric windows display the raw data for each device configured in WinFrog. WinFrog serves as a data management system by collecting and distributing data for an entire project. Raw data for each device can be logged for future calculations, processing, and playback.

Vehicles

WinFrog supports the configuration of multiple vehicles, each using different peripheral devices. The calculation of each vehicle's position can be independently defined. Each vehicle can have its own shape and offsets, track its own waypoints, and line track. Events can be generated by anyone of the multiple vehicles and raw device data for each vehicle can be logged for future use. Alphanumeric windows for each vehicle are user-configurable to display various parameters, such as position, speed, heading, course of advance, waypoint and line track, and cross track error.

Extension Modules

In addition to the Core WinFrog package, there are several extension modules to augment WinFrog's capabilities.

GPS Calculations Extension Module (GPS Calcs)

The GPS Calculations Extension Module of Win Frog provides multiple reference station DGPS positioning by combining raw pseudoranges and RTCM differential corrections in a weighted position solution. Kalman filtering and user-defined DOP gates can be selected to smooth data and reject spikes inherent in the GPS measurement system.

Extensive quality assurance of the DGPS position is achieved through the use of UKOOA standard statistical testing. The Calculations window can be used as a real-time display of various statistical testing and GPS calculation results, including vessel position, statistical position error and residuals, satellites used with their elevations, signal to noise ratio, differential corrections, age of differential corrections, and dilution of precision values.

WinFrog has the capability to perform visual quality control checks on some of its functions. In the Calculations window, which was designed for QNQC purposes, you have the ability to view time series plots for all input and output data types and to monitor the data quality. The type of data viewed in a window, the scale of the data being displayed, and the width of the display window are all user-definable.

Multiple Vehicle Positioning and Telemetry Extension Module (MVP& T)

The WinFrog integrated navigation system supports a sophisticated, wireless, inter-vehicle telemetry network that enables position information from remote vehicles to be transmitted to other vehicles in the network. This ability is available in the Multiple Vehicle Positioning and Telemetry Extension Module. Each vehicle has the capability to transmit its own position as well as receive and display the positions of other vehicles in the network, all in real-time. Position information for each vehicle can be recorded at anyone vehicle or at all of the other vehicles. Vehicle positions can also be monitored by transmitting observed raw pseudorange data to another vehicle. The remote WinFrog system will then calculate that vessel's position from the pseudorange data and available RTCM information. In addition to transmitting position information, files and RTCM corrections can be transmitted between vehicles in the network.

Controlled Remote, lBl Acoustics, and Cable Management

WinFrog supports the use of one site controlling the operation of a remote site. The WinFrog Controlled Remote Tug Telemetry Extension Module enables one central WinFrog system to control a series of remote WinFrog systems. This is useful for a project utilizing a barge with several anchor handling tugs.

WinFrog supports the use of long baseline (LBL) acoustic technology. The Win Frog LBL Acoustics Extension Module provides the ability to calibrate and utilize LBL systems to enable accurate real-time positioning of a vehicle far below the ocean surface.

The Win Frog Cable Management Extension Module, in conjunction with the Cable Route Design Database, enables modeling and monitoring of submarine cables during cable lay operations. This software assists cable lay personnel with decisions regarding ship speed, cable tension, and cable payout speed to reach design goals.

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Created July 2002
Last Updated 14 July 2002
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