TRENI - Train REceiver for Navigation and Integrity

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are already widely used for non-safety relevant applications in Rail. Yet, since a few years, safety-relevant applications based on GNSS have also emerged. GNSS-based solutions can indeed offer safety at a lower cost.  However, Rail is a highly regulated domain in which the introduction of new technologies can take time. Nevertheless, in the coming years, safety-relevant applications (signalling and train control) based on GNSS will be increasingly developed, complementing and replacing traditional systems.

Taking on the challenge of the Rail scenario -  which represents a dynamic vehicle scenario moving in different environments from rural to urban, with different visibility conditions of the GNSS signals and with different and varying Radio Frequency (RF) environment conditions – the TRENI project was conceived.
TRENI Project, that stands for Train Receiver for Navigation & Integrity, has as objective the development of a railway GNSS receiver and antenna (TRL7) for use within a safe train positioning platform suitable for railway safety related applications.The TRENI project targets the development of a railway GNSS receiver and antenna for use within a safe train positioning platform suitable for railway safety-related applications. 

The GNSS receiver resulting from the frame of the project will either be used directly or integrated in a multi-sensor positioning platform in order to fulfil the requirements of specific safety-related railway applications. Nevertheless, to achieve maximum benefit from GNSS in such difficult environments as the railways, the solution is based on a multi-frequency and multi-constellation capable receiver.

Challenge and technical solution

To achieve maximum benefit from GNSS in such difficult environments as the railways, the TRENI solution is deemed to be based on a multi-frequency (L1/E1 + L5/E5a) and multi-constellation (GPS and Galileo) capable receiver. Implementation of SBAS corrections and Galileo signals jointly with interference detection and mitigation, as well as anti-spoofing techniques, will bring improved performance and robustness. Furthermore, the product specifically targets harsh and challenging environments thanks to its null-steering-capable antenna.