Mobile Connectivity Segment
The mobile connectivity segment primarily manufactures and distributes a comprehensive
family of mobile satellite antenna products and services that provide access
to television, the Internet and voice services while on the move.
In the global maritime market, we believe that there is significant demand for
mobile access to television, the Internet, voice services, entertainment content,
and operational services such as safety training, navigation chart updates,
weather services, and voyage optimization. For both maritime and onshore customers
that want to access live television while on the move, we offer a comprehensive
family of mobile satellite antenna products marketed under the TracVision brand.
For access to the Internet and voice services while on the move, which we refer
to collectively as our airtime services, we offer a family of mobile satellite
antenna products and communication services marketed under the brands TracPhone
and mini-VSAT Broadband. The network infrastructure that we have developed to
support our airtime services also supports the delivery of other value-added
services over our IP-MobileCast content delivery service for both entertainment
and operational needs.
Our mobile satellite antenna products use sophisticated robotics, stabilization
and control software, sensing technologies, transceiver integration, and advanced
antenna designs to automatically search for, identify and point directly at
the selected television and communications satellite while the vehicle or vessel
is in motion. Our antennas use gyros and inclinometers to measure the pitch,
roll and yaw of an antenna platform in relation to the earth. Microprocessors
and our proprietary stabilization and control software use that data to compute
the antenna movement necessary for the antenna’s motors to point the antenna
properly and maintain contact with the satellite. If an obstruction temporarily
blocks the satellite signal, our products continue to track the satellite’s
location according to the movement of the antenna platform in order to carry
out automatic, rapid reacquisition of the signal when a direct line of sight
to the satellite is restored.
Our Certified Support Network offers our TracVision and TracPhone customers
an international network of skilled technical dealers and support centers in
many locations where our customers are likely to travel. We have selected technical
dealers based on their technical expertise, professionalism, and commitment
to quality, and regularly provide them with extensive training in the sale,
installation and support of our products.
Maritime
In the marine market, we offer a range of mobile satellite TV, internet access,
and communications products.
Satellite TV. Our TracVision TV-series satellite TV antennas, are designed with
the full spectrum of vessel sizes in mind, ranging from recreational vessels
as small as 20 to 25 feet to large commercial vessels. The TV-series incorporate
an Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled control unit to allow access to system information
from any Wi-Fi device. Our family of marine TracVision products includes the
32-cm diameter TracVision TV1, 37-cm diameter TracVision TV3, 45-cm diameter
TracVision TV5, 60-cm diameter TracVision TV6, and 81-cm TracVision TV8. These
products are compatible with Ku-band HDTV programming as well as high-powered
regional satellite TV services around the globe, based on available signal strength
and antenna size requirements.
Our TracVision HD-series satellite TV antennas are designed to offer a high
definition TV experience comparable to that available to a home DIRECTV HDTV
subscriber. Our TracVision HD7 uses a 61-cm diameter satellite TV antenna to
receive signals from two DIRECTV Ka-band satellites and one DIRECTV Ku-band
satellite simultaneously. It includes an IP-enabled antenna control unit as
well as an optional antenna control unit via a free TracVision application for
use on an Apple iPhone or iPad. We believe the TracVision HD7 was the first
marine antenna to offer this combination of capabilities. Our TracVision HD11
offers a worldwide satellite TV capability through the use of a 1-meter diameter
antenna and a global low noise block (LNB) designed for use with the majority
of direct-to-home satellite TV services. As a result, it is able to receive
all Ku-band and DIRECTV Ka-band satellite television signals without changing
out hardware elements. The Ku-band also works with modern satellite television
services currently available throughout the world. The Ka-band receives DIRECTV
HDTV. Like the TracVision HD7, it features an optional application for the Apple
iPhone or iPad to provide easy control of the system.
Inertial Navigation Segment
We offer a portfolio of digital compass and fiber optic gyro (FOG)-based systems
that address the rigorous requirements of military and commercial customers.
Our systems provide reliable, easy-to-use and continuously available navigation
and pointing data. Our guidance and stabilization products include our FOG-based
inertial measurement units (IMUs) for precision guidance, FOGs for tactical
navigation as well as pointing and stabilization systems, and digital compasses
that provide accurate heading information for demanding applications.
Guidance and Stabilization
Our high-performance digital signal processing (DSP)-based FOG products use
an all-fiber design that has no moving parts, resulting in an affordable combination
of precision, accuracy, and durability. Our FOG products support a broad range
of military applications, including stabilization of remote weapons stations,
antennas, radar, optical devices, or turrets; image stabilization and synchronization
for shoulder-or tripod-mounted weapon simulators; precision tactical navigation
systems for military vehicles, and guidance for weapons and unmanned autonomous
vehicles. Our FOG products are also used in numerous commercial products, such
as navigation and positioning systems for various applications including precision
mapping, dynamic surveying, autonomous vehicles, train location control and
track geometry measurement systems, industrial robotics, and optical stabilization.
The CG-5100, our first commercial-grade IMU, is suitable for a wide range of
applications such as 3D augmented reality, mobile mapping, platform navigation,
and GPS augmentation for unmanned vehicle programs, precise mapping, and imagery.
Our CNS-5000 continuous navigation system is a self-contained navigation system
that combines our FOG-based inertial measurement technology with GPS technology
from NovAtel. This navigation solution provides precise position and orientation
of a host platform on a continuous basis, even during periods where GPS signals
are blocked by natural or man-made obstructions or conditions. The CNS-5000
is designed for demanding commercial applications, such as dynamic surveying,
mobile mapping, precision agriculture, container terminal management, and autonomous
vehicle navigation, where the ability to determine the precise position and
orientation of a piece of equipment or a mobile platform is critical. The CNS-5000
is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) product consisting of a FOG-based inertial
measurement unit tightly integrated with GPS within a single enclosure. This
design reduces the operational complexities for customers whose products cross
international boundaries.