Product category:
Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: SiRF Technology
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 12 February 2007
SiRF Skyhook combine positioning systems
SiRF Technology Holdings, a provider of GPS silicon and location software, has licensed Skyhook Wireless's Wi-Fi Positioning System to create a single positioning system for wireless carriers.
SiRF Technology Holdings, a provider of GPS-enabled silicon and location software, has licensed Skyhook Wireless's Wi-Fi Positioning System to create a single positioning system for wireless carriers that combines the best of both GPS and Wi-Fi technologies This system, which is scheduled for release as part of Sirf's Multimode Location Platform later this year, promises to boost the availability and adoption of location-based services
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 May 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The two companies will present a demonstration of the new hybrid GPS-WiFi location technology at the 3GSM World Congress 2007 being held between the 12th and 15th of February in Barcelona, Spain.
The technology will be applied to special client software from Sirf for mobile handsets that synthesises GPS and Wi-Fi measurements as well as to SiRF's Sirfloc Server to enable it to establish precise positioning from these measurements.
As handset makers roll out a new generation of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones to enhance both data and voice communications, the SiRF-Skyhook hybrid technology will exploit this hardware to provide greatly enhanced positioning availability and accuracy for location-based services.
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Using this new technology, carriers can boost their revenues by offering enhanced location-based services that are easier to use, handset makers can better differentiate their products, and application developers can create new services that work anywhere, even when GPS signals are not present.
The system will benefit consumers by enabling them to more quickly and reliably perform tasks such as planning a trip, finding friends nearby or locating the closest ATM machine.
"Our strategy is to enhance consumer experience with location-enabled content and services by combining multiple sensors and signals to provide accurate location information everywhere", says Kanwar Chadha, cofounder and Vice President of Marketing for SiRF.
"This is the first time a single positioning system has combined both GPS and Wi-Fi location data to get us a step closer to achieving 100% availability of accurate positioning".
"By complementing our industry leading GPS performance with Skyhook's Wi-Fi positioning in our Multimode Location Platform, SiRF is continuing to broaden its product line and pursue its mission to bring the benefits of location awareness to mainstream consumers".
SiRF will be offering the new technology to mobile handset makers using SiRF's SiRFstarIII and GSCi-5000 chips sets, as well as to wireless carriers using its Sirfloc Server, a carrier-class, standards-compliant, multimode Assisted-GPS location server that incorporates Sirf's patented multimode technology.
Any Sirf-based mobile handset with a Wi-Fi radio subsystem built in will be able to take advantage of this new technology by including the client software.
"This partnership creates an availability breakthrough for location-based services, offering handset makers and carriers a new hybrid GPS-WiFi technology for anytime, anywhere location reliability", saysTed Morgan, founder and CEO of Skyhook Wireless.
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