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Now, what’s tomorrow’s challenge?

APN-004 Rev 1 November 12, 1997

TECHNICAL BULLETIN

Loading GPS Software to the GPS Receiver

Introduction

This bulletin describes the procedure for updating the resident software on the NovAtel 12

channel OEM and PC GPS cards. Note that 10 channel OEM cards must be returned to the

NovAtel factory for software updates and model upgrades. The VERSION command will

identify the current model number and software version of any GPS card as shown:

This example response to the VERSION command indicates type of GPS card, model number,

serial number, hardware version, software version, and date of software build.

The memory on the PC GPS cards is volatile and is therefore wiped out every time the card is

powered down (i.e. whenever the host computer is turned off). As a result, the GPS software is

resident on the host computer’s disk drive in the form of a BTL file (a file with the extension

BTL). The PC card is booted by loading the contents of the BTL file into the on-board memory

of the card. As a result, it is only the BTL file that needs to be changed in order to update the

software of a PC card.

Conversely, the GPS software for an OEM card remains in the on-board memory of the card. In

order to modify this software, it is necessary to communicate directly with the card via a program

called LOADER. This program will erase the memory of the OEM card and program it with the

new software load that comes in the form of a binary file (usually with the extension BIN).

Both of these procedures are described in detail below. All released loads of GPS software for

both OEM and PC cards are available on the NovAtel FTP site: ftp.novatel.ca, or on the dial-up

bulletin board at (403) 295-4902. The software loads usually come packaged with the

appropriate loading software in a self-extracting archive file. Most of NovAtel’s archives are

password encrypted. Please contact NovAtel Customer Service for more information.

Both software updates and model upgrades require an authorization code to be obtained from

NovAtel Customer Service. Model upgrades usually involve a fee equal to the cost difference

between the desired model list price and original model list price. All software updates,

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however, are free of charge. The procedures described below apply to both model upgrades and

software updates. Appropriate authorization codes can be obtained by contacting Novatel.

PCCard

The BTL file that is loaded into the PC card memory every time the card is booted defines the

GPS software load. In order to update the version of software and/or upgrade the model, the old

BTL file needs to be replaced with a new one. By default the BTL file is found in the \GPS

directory on the host computer and is named MAIN.BTL. To operate correctly, the BTL file

needs to be stamped with an authorization code that is specific to the receiver in which it will be

loaded. As a result, every BTL file becomes unique to a particular PC card, and cannot be

interchanged with other files unless they are re-stamped with appropriate authorization codes.

The BTL files are easily stamped with the proper authorization code using a small DOS utility

called GPSAUTH.EXE. To authorize a file, the following is typed at the DOS command line:

c: gpsauth /fFILE /aAUTHCODE /sSERIAL [/cCARD] [/oOLDFILE]

Option Description

FILE BTL file name.

AUTHCODE

Authorization code (all characters are hexadecimal: 0-9, A-F).

Typical format: aaaa,bbbb,cccc,dddd,eeee,xxxxR

SERIAL GPS card serial number (found on the label attached to the card).

[CARD] (optional) Type of GPS card: PC

[OLDFILE] (optional)

Hardware serial number of the GPSCard can be extracted from a

previous BTL file as entered here and inserted automatically. This

option may be used instead of the SERIAL option.

OEMCard

The GPS software for OEM cards is resident in the on-board flash memory and is changed using

the utility LOADER.EXE. The program is usually packaged with software files but can also be

obtained seperatly from the NovAtel Internet page, FTP site or dial-up BBS.

Loader

The program, LOADER, is run from a DOS prompt by typing LOADER. Upon running the

program, the main menu will appear. Four options will be

available: • Program card starts the loading procedure,

• Setup sets the communication parameters,

• Terminal provides a simple interface to

communicate with the card.

• Quit terminates the program.

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Selecting the SETUP menu item will cause the program to

prompt the user for the following parameters:

First, the COM port selection option will appear. Select the

COM port on your PC to which the GPS receiver is connected.

Use the mouse or the arrow keys to select the appropriate option

followed by the ENTER key.

The next option is the baud rate at which the card will be

programmed. Normally the highest rate of 115200 is selected.

If communication errors occur or a modem is being used to load

the card, then a slower rate should be selected. LOADER will

temporarily configure the COM ports on the GPS receiver to

match whatever setting is specified here.

The TERMINAL baud rate will control the communication rate

used if the TERMINAL function is employed. This is normally

set to match the configured baud rate of the GPS receiver COM

ports (the default is 9600).

The settings are saved by pressing the ENTER key. This will

bring up the main menu again. Select PROGRAM CARD to

begin uploading the new software.

The LOADER software requires the

location of the software file to be

loaded (BIN file). The utility will

query the user for the drive letter on

which the file is saved and then open

up a browse window, as shown here, to conveniently

locate the file. Either the mouse or the arrow keys can be

used to move the selection bar around the screen followed

by the ENTER key to choose the file. After selecting the

software file, LOADER will request the authorization

code.

Again, only hexadecimal characters

will be accepted (1-9, A-F) and all

lower case letters will be converted

to upper case. The commas are

inserted automatically after every

four characters. Once the code has

been entered, LOADER will prompt

the user to turn the receiver off and

then press the ENTER key. After

pressing ENTER, the program will

require the GPS card to be turned on again within 10 seconds.

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The original software load is erased before the new one is injected. Once the load is complete,

the card is reset and the total download time is displayed.

$AUTH Command

If it is desired to change the model of the GPS card without changing the software version, an

authorization code can be issued to the card without using the LOADER program. The

command is $AUTH and can be issued from the WinSat or GPSolution command line or through

any dumb terminal program. The syntax is simply:

$auth aaaa,bbbb,cccc,dddd,eeee,xxxxR

This command will insert the new authorization code into the OEM card and change the model

appropriately.

It is often necessary to issue temporary authorization codes to provide a trial period for a

particular model of GPS card. Temporary codes have the same format as described above except

that an expiry date is added to the end of the code. How the receiver functions after the expiry

date passes is a function of how the new authorization code is loaded. If the $AUTH command

is used, the card will revert back to it’s original model when the expiry date passes. If LOADER

is used, however, the card will become inoperative until another valid code is inserted. As a

result, unless it’s necessary to change the software load, it’s usually best to insert temporary

authorization codes using the $AUTH command.

Please contact NovAtel Customer Service with any questions or concerns regarding this

procedure:

NovAtel, Inc.

1120 – 68

Avenue N.E.

Calgary, Alberta

Canada, T2E 8S5

Phone: (403) 295-4900

Fax: (403) 295-4901

Toll free: 1-800-NOVATEL (Canada and U.S. only)

Internet: www.novatel.ca