Built-In Status Tests

The Built-In Status Test monitors system performance and status to ensure the receiver is operating within specifications. The test detects an exceptional condition and informs the user through one or more indicators. The receiver status system is used to configure and monitor the indicators:

  1. Receiver status word (included in the header of every message)

  2. ERROR strobe signal

  3. RXSTATUSEVENT log

  4. RXSTATUS log

  5. Status LED

In normal operation, the error strobe is driven low and the status LED on the receiver flashes green once every second. When an unusual and non-fatal event occurs (for example, there is no valid position solution), a bit is set in the receiver status word. Receiver operation continues normally, the error strobe remains off and the LED continues to flash green. When the event ends (for example, when there is a valid position solution), the bit in the receiver status word is cleared.

When a fatal event occurs (for example, a receiver hardware failure), a bit is set in the receiver error word, part of the RXSTATUS log, to indicate the cause of the problem. Bit 0 is set in the receiver status word to show that an error occurred, the error strobe is driven high and the status LED flashes red and yellow showing an error code. An RXSTATUSEVENT log is generated on all ports to show the cause of the error. Receiver tracking is disabled but command and log processing continues to allow error diagnosis. Even if the source of the error is corrected, the receiver must be reset to resume normal operation.

These two scenarios describe factory default behavior. These behaviors can be customized to better suit an individual application. RXSTATUSEVENT logs can be disabled completely with the UNLOG command. RXSTATUSEVENT logs can be generated when a receiver status bit is set or cleared with the STATUSCONFIG SET and STATUSCONFIG CLEAR commands. Bits in the receiver status word can also be promoted to act like error bits with the STATUSCONFIG PRIORITY command.