The u-blox PointPerfect Library (PPL) is a truly wonderful piece of code.
If you feed the PPL with PointPerfect SPARTN / PMP atmospheric correction data, from a L-Band or an IP source, and also feed it with your approximate position (GPGGA) and GNSS ephemeris data (UBX-SFRBX or RTCM), it will generate RTCM correction data for your location, which your GNSS can use to achieve RTK FIXED solutions.
This is a very big deal.
Because the PPL outputs standard-format RTCM correction data, it allows non-u-blox (non-SPARTN) GNSS receivers to achieve RTK FIXED solutions too. So long as you have a valid u-blox Thingstream PointPerfect L-Band or L-Band + IP subscription, and have access to the current SPARTN encryption key, you can use your PointPerfect corrections on any RTK-capable receiver.
If you think about what the PPL is doing, you will appreciate just how sophisticated it is. Based on the GNSS ephemeris data and the SPARTN / PMP atmospheric correction data, it generates RTCM corrections as if they were coming from a virual RTK Base close to your actual location. Essentially, it is doing the exact same thing internally as your u-blox SPARTN-capable RTK GNSS receiver. But by outputting the corrections as RTCM, you can use them on non-SPARTN receivers.
The u-blox PPL is normally distributed under a Non-Disclosure Agreement - see LICENSE.md for more details. However, we requested and were very kindly given permission to publish the ESP32 version of the PPL compiled binary (Support Request #6030).
We are using the PPL in the new SparkFun RTK Facet mosaic (Tri-Band, L1/L2/L5/L-Band) based on the Septentrio mosaic-X5 and using its built-in L-Band receiver. It will come with a 12 month subscription to PointPerfect, like our existing Facet L-Band. The decryption key will be delivered seamlessly via One Touch Provisioning.
We are also using the PPL in the new SparkFun RTK Torch (Tri-Band) based around the Unicore UM980. Here SPARTN data could be delivered by MQTT over WiFi, or via Bluetooth with your phone providing the data connection to Thingstream.
- /examples - Example sketches which demonstrate how to use the PPL on different hardware. The hardware and connections are described in each example
- /src - PPL header files and pre-compiled ESP32 binary - by kind permission of u-blox
- keywords.txt - Keywords from the binary that will be highlighted in the Arduino IDE
- library.properties - Library properties for the Arduino package manager
This library is not open source. The PPL header files and pre-compiled ESP32 binary are reproduced by kind permission of u-blox.
Please see LICENSE.md for details.
- Your friends at SparkFun