M2M modules add GPS to cellular functions

Modules combine GSM/GPRS technology with GPS functionality to significantly reduce integration efforts and costs.

Telit Communications has launched a new generation of GSM/GPRS/GPS modules at CeBIT 2006.

The key element of the GE863-GPS and GM862-GPS modules is a high-sensivity SiRFstarIII 20-channel single-chip GPS receiver.

It was developed by SiRF Technology, the leading supplier of GPS semiconductor and software platforms for location technology.

The combination of GSM/GPRS technology with GPS functionality in one module significantly reduces integration efforts and costs.

This makes the modules very attractive for cost-sensitive applications.

As one of the first providers, Telit offers modules combining GSM/GPRS and the GPS technology with an ultracompact size.

Using the Telit solution, applications that so far needed to access several modules are now able to retrieve all functionalities with one module.

This saves costs and time when integrating the module and producing end devices.

Therefore, GPS technology becomes attractive for high-volume, specialised applications e.g for the consumer market.

During recent years, GPS location technology emerged as a trend.

In car-navigation systems various plug-and play solutions are offered to end users.

In the meantime a substantial market developed for industrial and consumer oriented solutions, which records the position of people, devices or other mobiles using GPS.

Among others this includes mail tracking at parcel services and shippers.

Moreover, the GSM/GPRS/GPS technology is employed at highway toll systems.

Positioning data are collected using GPS and forwarded to a central registration office via GSM/GPRS.

With its modules, Telit enables cost-effective, easy to use devices in pocket size and thus takes this trend further to the price-sensitive end user market.

With GE863-GPS and GM862-GPS Telit offers two modules enabling the development of cost-optimised applications through the combination of GSM, GPRS and GPS - an important precondition for device manufacturers to offer cost-efficient products.

Beyond end user applications, the connection of GSM/ GPRS and GPS contains potential for a number of other markets and application areas.

For example, Telit modules can be used in all occasions where information on the current position of devices, on people as well as on trucks and cars is needed.

This includes logistics, security and fleet management.

For example, shippers continuously receive the current route of their trucks via GPS.

This enables them to plan tours more efficiently.

A further application area for combined GSM/ GPRS and GSM include applications for movable goods such as cars or boats: In case of theft, the GSM/GPRS module raises an alarm at a security company.

With the help of GPS they can immediately track the vehicle or boat.

Yet another growing market for solutions combining GSM/GPRS and GPS is the health sector.

Mobile devices constantly monitor bodily functions of patients and transmit the data via GSM/GPRS to the doctor.

In case of irregularities he can react immediately.

For example, if a dysfunction of the heart rate occurs, the patient can be localised directly and he can be medically treated right away.

The range of Telit modules is tailored to different solutions and application areas.

For solutions with small lot sizes that especially focus on achieving low integration costs, Telit offers the modem version GM862-GPS.

It contains industrial connectors as well as a SIM-card reader and can easily be integrated.

For high-volume applications, which are focusing on a compact size and cost-efficient assembly concept rather than on integration costs, Telit offers the GE863-GPS embedded module with the innovative BGA (ball grid array) assembly concept.

It enables a direct connection between the module and the PCB of the end device.

The absence of connectors and cables results in additional cost savings.

Furthermore, a fast installation using a pick-and-place process as with standard SMD components is possible.

Users benefit from the stable board-to-board connection.

As both modules are quad-band compatible they can be used in M2M solutions worldwide.

With the integrated SiRFstarIII 20-channel single-chip Telit modules dispose of a latest generation GPS receiver.

SiRF combines a complete A-GPS digital baseband processor with a RF front end in a single chip.

With its small size of 7 x 10mm the chip was easy to integrate into the compact Telit modules.

The SiRFstarIII 20-channel GPS receiver features the shortest TTFF (time to first fix) and is able to track more than 20 satellites at once.

Thus, the SiRFstarIII architecture achieves TTFF of only one second in outdoor GSM environments.

As it acquires signals down to -159dBm, real-time navigation is also possible in challenging environments such as urban canyons and dense foliage.

Even in closed rooms the receiver yields amazing results.

Unlike the lengthy sequential search process of traditional GPS architectures, the SiRFstarIII architecture, with the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators, enables fast and deep GPS signal search capabilities, resulting in significant improvement over today's architectures that contain a few hundred to a few thousand correlators.

"The SiRF technology is the most innovative and powerful solution available at the market".

"Moreover it is very well compatible with the GSM/GPRS chipsets contained in the Telit modules", comments Dominikus Hierl, Managing Director of the Telit Wireless Solutions Business Unit.

"The co-operation with Telit developers was very productive".

"SiRF and Telit pursue the same objectives".

"We intend to provide exceptional sensitivity GPS signal detection while ensuring reliability even under challenging conditions", explains Kanwar Chadha, founder and Vice President of Marketing for SiRF.

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