Golfer247 - The latest news and products from the world of golf
Main Menu | News By Date | News By Supplier | News By Category | About Us
 

NEW ALL-INCLUSIVE GPS RECEIVER IN TINY PACKAGE
15 March 2002 - Sarantel Limited

Sarantel and SyChip will use the CTIA Wireless 2002 show to preview the first in the range of Dios(tm) all-in-one Global Positioning System receivers, which combine an omni-directional GPS antenna with SyChip's GPS2020 GPS receiver. The Dios Tracker 2020(tm), which measures only 50 x 18 mm and weighs 28g, simply presents any system with an RS232 serial data stream containing SiRF binary or NEMA standard navigational information.

It can easily be integrated into a variety of applications such as PDAs, notebook PCs, asset and vehicle tracking, in-car navigation and mobile computing platforms to provide fast accurate geographical fixes without significant size or battery life impact, key considerations for these applications.

The Dios Tracker 2020's small size and fast operation is due to a combination of Sarantel's PowerHelix(tm) antenna technology and SyChip's GPS2020 receiver. The antenna results in particularly good omni-directional performance and high immunity to proximity interference from people, equipment and buildings.

The core of the design is SyChip's award winning GPS2020 GPS module which measures only 15mm x 13mm x 3.75mm and weighs just 1g. The module is designed with a stacked architecture containing SiRF's SiRFStar(tm) IIe GPS chip set and 8Mbit FLASH. The RF section includes the RF IC, LNA, GPS crystal, SAW filter and all the necessary passive components. Sychip's chip-on-chip technology and RF expertise are used to make this miniature product, demonstrating true system-level integration.

The Dios Tracker 2020 does not require a ground plane and therefore suits applications where size, weight and security are key requirements.

The mounting arrangements are flexible; serial data input, output and 5V and ground are the only connections needed, and all are made via one flying lead which exits through the base of the shielded metal case housing the circuitry.

The Dios Tracker 2020 antenna, which operates on the GPS L1-band (1575.42MHz), uses Sarantel's patented PowerHelix(tm) design in which copper tracks, deposited on to a small ceramic cylinder, are individually and automatically laser-trimmed for optimum frequency response. This construction brings several key benefits, the Dios Tracker 2020 can be mounted side-by-side in combined applications such as Bluetooth and GPS without loss of performance. Dios Tracker 2020 also has a very broad beamwidth (3dB contour up to 120degrees typical) making it highly effective at picking up GPS signals regardless of orientation or movement and allowing it to track low-elevation satellites thereby improving overall GPS performance and speed of response.

"No GPS product realises quite so much performance in a package so small," said Tod Urquhart, Sarantel's sales & marketing director, "we are all excited about this development - it really provides the best from both technologies, an efficient, reliable GPS engine and a particularly robust and tolerant antenna. In an environment of ever decreasing development cycles, and in applications where GPS is fast becoming a must-have option, Dios Tracker 2020 is a very attractive solution."

"We are excited to partner with Sarantel for this development" said Moses Asom, Co-Founder and senior VP of marketing and business development of SyChip, Inc. "The use of our award winning GPS2020 module together with Sarantel's unique antenna design once again presents the market with true plug and play functionality and industry leading time to market advantages. With this solution, GPS functionality can now be designed in as a menu option without the headache of design expertise that it once commanded."

http://www.sarantel.com

About: Sarantel Limited
Sarantel is a world-class manufacturer of miniature antennas based on its revolutionary PowerHelix™ filtering antenna technology. From humble beginnings, the company has grown significantly. Founded in 2000 as a VC-funded technology spin-off headquartered in a garage, the company now employs over 100 in locations across the globe. In 2004 the European Tech Tour identified Sarantel as one of the Top 25 high growth technology companies in the UK. In March 2005, Sarantel floated on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market, and in August 2005 Sarantel shipped its one-millionth antenna.


More News:
  • For March 2002
  • From Sarantel Limited
  • For Telephones - mobile

 

©2009 Industrial Networking and Open Control