Product category:
Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: Atmel Corporation | Subject: ATR0635
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 15 June 2006
Single-chip receiver tracks weak GPS
signals
Single-chip device integrates a complete Antaris 4 GPS receiver including ROM-based SuperSense software in a 96-pin BGA package.
Atmel Corporation and u-blox have released their latest weak-signal tracking GPS technology in an ultrasmall form factor The new single-chip ATR0635 measures just 7 x 10mm, and integrates a complete Antaris 4 GPS receiver including ROM-based SuperSense software in a 96-pin BGA package
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 18 Nov 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The small size plus the extremely low power consumption (62mW in continuous power mode) make the ROM-based ATR0635 an excellent fit for handheld and mobile applications such as mobile phones, PDAs, smartphones, after-market navigational products, and recreational consumer products.
Other products such as GPS "plug-in" accessories for PCs, small GPS mice, Bluetooth GPS devices, and other accessories equipped with GPS functionality will also enjoy the single chip's advantages in terms of small size, reduced power needs, and built-in features such as the Antaris 4 USB port.
Its high tracking sensitivity of -158dBm allows for weak-signal tracking in urban canyons and even indoors.
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The 96-pin, ball-grid-array single chip has an excellent cost-performance ratio due to needing only a few external components.
The ATR0635 also brings benefits such as simplified chipset integration which accelerates design projects for Antaris 4-based products.
A shorter bill of materials translates into lower design risks.
Lower PCB costs are achieved thanks to a 45% reduction in footprint and a simplified board layout, but also by reducing costs in purchasing, stocking and mounting due to the low number of components.
Like all Antaris 4 chipsets, the ATR0635 supports serial EEPROM memory, which is a cost- and space-efficient alternative to Flash EPROMs for storing custom configuration settings.
The on-chip USB connectivity eliminates the need for an expensive serial-to-USB convertor, which makes Antaris 4 products plug-and-play devices for any PC environment by emulating a standard COM port to the operating system.
"Combining indoor GPS capability with a low-power single-chip GPS receiver perfectly fits the needs of our customers and enables them to address new, fast-growing market segments like PDAs and smartphones", said Atmel's GPS Product Line Manager, Frank Gruson.
"The ATR0635 opens exciting new avenues for OEMs looking for high-performance GPS receivers to use in mass market applications with low power and small size requirements".
"SuperSense indoor GPS functionality means it can be used inside buildings, cars and in other difficult signal conditions without tracking interruptions, making the ATR0635 ideal for personal navigation devices, for instance", commented Georg zur Bonsen, Product Manager at u-blox.
The single-chip device is based on the 16-channel Antaris 4 product generation, which comes with full WAAS/EGNOS support and provides state-of-the-art functionality such as Assisted GPS (A-GPS) with a TTFF as low as 4s.
The ATR0635 operates on 62mW, but its power saving modes, together with built-in power management capabilities, can bring power down to as low as 5uA, enabling power critical applications such as mobile devices to operate longer without having to compromise functionality.
As an optional extension to the Antaris 4 chipset, the ATR0610, a fully integrated, low-noise amplifier manufactured using Atmel's innovative silicon-germanium (SiGe) process, is available for use in challenging reception environments and enables cost-effective antenna designs.
ATR0635 samples in 7 x 10mm 96-pin BGA packages are available now.
Atmel and u-blox offer a complete evaluation kit including ultra-small-footprint example design which helps to dramatically shorten development cycle times.
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