Integrate PNT technology with GNSS disciplined oscillator modules

Aerospace and defence applications rely on Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technology for mission-critical accuracy and reliability. However, integrating it into a design needs extensive domain knowledge in this area. To fast-track the development process, Microchip Technology has announced its portfolio of GNSS Disciplined Oscillator (GNSSDO) Modules that integrate the company's renowned embedded atomic clock and oscillator technologies, including the Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC), Miniature Atomic Clock (MAC) and Oven-Controlled Quartz Crystal Oscillators (OCXOs).

The GNSSDO modules process reference signals from GNSS or an alternative clock source and discipline the onboard oscillator to the reference signal, enabling precise timing, stability and holdover performance based on end application requirements. These GNSSDOs are employed in military and defence applications, such as radar, SATCOM, mounted and dismounted radios, vehicle platforms, and other critical PNT applications, including those in GNSS-denied environments.

A GNSSDO module acts as a PNT subsystem within a larger system design or as a stand-alone system, supplying precise timing that is critical to any high-performance system. The local oscillators used in the GNSSDO modules are engineered and manufactured by the company, ensuring customers have a product that they can trust. Other components on the module include 32-bit MCUs and SmartFusion 2 FPGAs.

The company's newly released GNSSDO modules include:

• The MD-013 ULTRA CLEAN is the company's highest performance standard GNSSDO module that can support multiple GNSS constellations, including GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and NavIC or an external reference input. This module is designed around a high-performance OCXO that enables outputs with ultra-low phase noise and short-term frequency stability characteristics. The respective specifications for phase noise performance are −119dBc/Hz at a 1Hz offset and noise floor of −165dBc/Hz. Short-term frequency stability, measured by Allan Deviation (ADEV), is 3E-13 at 1s tau, 6E-13 at 10s tau and 9E-13 at 100s tau.
  This module can generate 1 PPS TTL, 10MHz sine wave and 10MHz square wave outputs that are disciplined to an embedded 72-channel single-band GNSS receiver, with the option to upgrade to a configurable L1/L2 or L1/L5 dual-band, multi-GNSS receiver.
• The MD-300 is the company's GNSSDO module for harsh environments, available in a small 1.5" × 2.5" footprint. It features an embedded MEMS OCXO or TCXO as the local oscillator, providing low g-sensitivity, high shock and vibration tolerance, and low thermal transient response. Due to its SWaP performance, the MD-300 is ideal for applications like drones and manpacks. The module can be connected to an embedded GNSS receiver or external reference and output high-performance 10MHz and 1PPS signals.
• The LM-010 is a PPS disciplined module that provides precise timing for LEO applications that demand radiation tolerance coupled with stability and holdover capability. As a standard platform module, the LM-010 provides both 1PPS TTL and 10MHz sinewave outputs that are disciplined to an external reference input. Internal to the module is the company's digitally corrected OCXO or low-power CSAC SA.45.

"Microchip's expertise in PNT systems is instrumental in helping our customers seamlessly integrate these GNSSDO modules into their designs," said Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip's frequency and time systems business unit. "Our products can be adjusted to meet the specific requirements of each application, whether it is through a custom solution or incremental changes to the standard product. We provide an end-to-end solution to streamline the development process."

The company's GNSSDO modules utilise a common serial communication protocol and GUI for command and control of the unit. A variety of parameters can be configured through the software, including inputs, outputs, auto switching, holdover parameters, GNSS tracking and observables, as well as reporting messages coming off the serial interface.

The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of high-reliability solutions designed for aerospace and defence, including RT and RH MCUs, FPGAs, and Ethernet PHYs, as well as power devices, RF products, timing solutions, and discrete components, ranging from bare die to system modules. Also, it offers a wide range of components on the QPL to serve its customers better.

The GNSSDO portfolio is supported by the company's VDOM3 software and GUI to help developers adjust performance parameters of the GNSSDO modules and quickly test and integrate these products into their systems. The MD-01X Evaluation Kit is also available to connect and monitor the MD-01 series of GNSSDOs easily.