LabSat 3 Extensions Software

Introduction

The LabSat 3 Extensions Software gives you the ability to display selected data directly from a LabSat 3 or LabSat 3 Wideband unit by using modules created for the Microsoft .Net framework.

The LabSat 3 Extensions Software has 3 modules:

A GNSS Monitor to display LabSat NMEA messages
A Video Sync to show a VBOX video closely aligned to the GNSS scenario replay
A Serial Proxy to control USB ports

Note: There are other extension modules available for LabSat units, such as the LabSat Turntable Simulator and the Turntable USB to CAN and Speed Pulse generator modules. Please contact your local LabSat distributor or Racelogic directly for further information about these modules.

GNSS Monitor

The GNSS Monitor displays the NMEA Output from the external GPS Receiver used alongside the LabSat unit.

Connect the USB Port on the U-Blox external receiver to a spare USB Port on the PC. The replayed GNSS data will be displayed on the GNSS Monitor as illustrated below.

When you configure the GNSS Monitor in the Settings tab, you must select External Serial for the GPS Monitor option.

Video Sync

The Video Sync is a powerful tool to replay a video recording of a live route in synchronisation with the LabSat scenario file.

Select the Video Sync tick box in the Settings tab.
This will make the Video Sync section appear in the Replay tab of the software.
Open the LabSat scenario file.
Click on the Browse... button in the Video Sync section.
Open the .VBO file located in the folder with the video recording file.
Wait for the file to load into the software and press the Play button.
The LabSat scenario file will now play in synchronisation with the Video VBOX video.
Make sure that the GNSS Monitor is enabled and is showing the live data from the LabSat scenario.

You can play the video in full-screen mode by double-clicking in the video window.

Serial Proxy

The Serial Proxy functionality gives you the ability to retransmit the NMEA data from the LabSat unit on a USB port of your choice.

You can also configure the output Baud Rate. You can set up and configure the Serial Proxy functionality in the Settings tab.

CAN Output

You can use the CAN Output feature to output data calculated by the LabSat unit's internal GPS engine over a CAN message you define.

You can configure the output CAN signal in the Signals table.

Click on the empty table to start the input. This will automatically populate the table with default channel configurations.

You will need to adjust these channels to your specific requirements.

You can add further output CAN channels by pressing the Return key with the last channel in the table highlighted. You can delete channels by pressing the Delete key.

Note: The start and length inputs are in bytes, rather than bits.

To correctly output this configured message, you must make sure that the USB device has been identified and that the baud rate has been determined.

The USB Device dropdown menu will display any CAN-enabled USB device connected to your PC with its own dedicated COM Port. If you cannot see the device you need, you can make the software re-scan for CAN devices by clicking on the Refresh button or check your connection by using the PC’s Device Manager.

You can configure the CAN communication baud rate (in kbit/s) by selecting an option from the dropdown menu.

You can select the following CAN Outputs from the dropdown list:

Speed – km/h
Heading – Degrees (°) due North
Altitude – Height above mean sea level
Latitude – Decimal degrees
Latitude_Hemisphere – Degrees, Minutes, Seconds
Longitude – Decimal degrees
Longitude_Hemisphere – Degrees, Minutes, Seconds
Time - UTC

Speed Pulse

You can use the Speed Pulse generator to configure an output pulse from an RLLSMIM01 device that corresponds to the calculated distance travelled by the LabSat unit.

Connect a RLCAB112 cable between the DATA2 port on the RLLSMIM01 module and a COM port on your PC.
Use the dropdown menu to select the specific Serial Port (COM port) assigned to the module.
Type in the required Pulses per metre output into the text box.

Turntable Module

Requires a LabSat Turntable Simulator.

To configure the turntable control system, you must first complete the connection of the turntable device.

Note: For Turntable connection and setup information see the Turntable user manual.
Run the LabSat software application.
The serial number of any USB-connected Turntable device should automatically appear in the Turntable dropdown menu.
Test the communication between the software and the turntable device by pressing the Test button.
The turntable should respond, performing a set manoeuvre.
If there is no response by the system, re-check all connections and restart the software.

Orientation

While it is not controlled by a scenario, the turntable should be released and be free to move. If the turntable is still held by the software, you can use the Reset button to ‘free’ it.

You can control and identify the current orientation of the turntable.

Click on the Home button to move the turntable to its due North position.

When you replay a particular scenario, you can control the starting orientation of the turntable via the 3 options for Orientation:

None - leave the turntable in its current orientation when the scenario starts.
Automatic* - orientate the turntable to the direction of the heading derived from the first captured heading sample of the replayed scenario.
Manual** - input a chosen heading angle that the turntable will orientate to once the scenario replay starts.

*This will occur instantly if you load a synchronously recorded Video VBOX .VBO file. If you replay the scenario on its own, it will take up until the time taken for the GNSS monitor to capture its first true (i.e. not static) heading sample.

**This orientation is determined by the turntable's home position (due North).

User-Configurable Turntable Limitations

During the scenario replay, you have 2 user-configurable turntable limitations:

Min Speed - use this to set a speed (in km/h) that the turntable will not respond to if the replayed scenario speed is under this value. The default speed value is 4 km/h.

Ramp Rate - use this to set the maximum acceleration and deceleration rate of the Turntable (°/s). The default value is 1000 °/s.