U-Blox LEA-4A low cost GPS Chip
Another tiny low cost, highly sensitive GPS chip is hitting the market. As more and more of these hit the market, expect GPS devices to drop in cost, size and more GPS enabled products will come to market.
The LEA-4A, a mere 17 x 22 mm in size, is u-blox' new low-cost GPS module, featuring the recently released 16-channel ANTARIS 4 receiver technology developed jointly by Atmel and u-blox. The LEA-4A module provides high performance using 40% less power than its predecessor (the LEA-LA) and includes a USB port for flexible connectivity, high data rates and combined power and data transmission over one link.
The LEA-4A keeps power usage at exceptionally low levels thanks to the absence of a Flash EPROM, which also keeps the price tag down. Moreover, its small size makes LEA-4A modules perfectly suited for compact, battery-operated, mass market consumer products such as PDAs, smart phones, GPS mice and other portable devices where size, power consumption levels and cost are of critical importance.
"The LEA-4A provides OEMs with a low power, low cost, high sensitivity GPS receiver that ideally fits the needs of mass market products", said Andreas Thiel, VP Research and Development, GNSS Hardware. "Its small form factor and SMT pads allow for fully automatic assembly processes with standard pick-and-place equipment and reflow soldering, enabling cost-efficient, high-volume production."
Inside the module, the ANTARIS 4 GPS engine provides outstanding navigation performance in the most challenging conditions, a 4 Hz position update rate, DGPS and full SBAS (WAAS and EGNOS) support, as well as supporting active and passive antennas and offering antenna supervision that detects short circuits.
All ANTARIS 4 GPS receivers are also endowed with Assisted GPS (A-GPS) functionality, which provides instant positioning upon request, reducing Time To First Fix to as low as four seconds, and thus enabling instant signal acquisition in difficult conditions. Uses include car navigation, asset tracking and safety devices, as well as enabling access to immediate location information in difficult signal environments.
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Posted by Scott Martin at January 12, 2006 7:05 PM
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