Miniature module eases GPS integration

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jun 20, 2008

Stand-alone GPS module combines an extensive array of features with flexible connectivity options in a miniature 12 x 16 x 2.4mm package.

u-blox has released a miniature GPS module designed for high volume, mass-market applications that require fast, accurate positioning at a low cost.

The NEO-5Q is a versatile, stand-alone GPS module that combines an extensive array of features with flexible connectivity options in a miniature 12 x 16 x 2.4mm package.

Its ROM-based architecture does not require a costly external Flash EPROM, making the NEO-5Q ideal for high-volume consumer products with strict cost and size constraints.

Based on u-blox' fifth generation positioning engine, u-blox 5, the module boasts an acquisition performance of one second and an engine with 50 channels and over one million correlators capable of simultaneously tracking GPS and Galileo signals.

According to u-blox CEO Thomas Seiler: "The NEO-5Q' compact and versatile architecture was specifically designed to fit the stringent requirements of handheld applications".

"It brings all the benefits of the u-blox 5 positioning engine to our smallest form factor, offering customers high performance at low cost, a dream combination for compact, battery-operated products".

The NEO-5Q GPS module features u-blox' new KickStart ultrafast weak-signal acquisition technology that boosts acquisition performance, ensuring fast positioning regardless of signal positions and antenna size.

"To keep product sizes small, consumer device manufacturers strive to integrate compact components, including the antenna".

"Small antennas, in turn, often result in deteriorated GPS performance, causing the slow, inaccurate positioning typical of many handheld consumer products operating in difficult signal environments such as busy urban areas".

"The NEO-5Q with KickStart enables device manufacturers to keep product sizes small without compromising on GPS performance", explains Thomas Nigg, Vice President Product Marketing at u-blox.

The module's Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) enables an external serial E2PROM to store unlimited start-up configuration settings, providing an innovative alternative to the traditional boot-time configuration pins.

Additionally, the module's ease of integration speeds time to market for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications.