Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Blaupunkt, a leading supplier of automotive systems, has signed a “frame” agreement with u-blox to supply GPS and Galileo receiver technology for navigation, driver-assistance, and related in-vehicle systems.
By Glen Gibbons
Two new GPS modules based on the award-winning u-blox 5 engine and the NEO form factor — the NEO5D and NEO5G — have been announced by the Thalwil, Switzerland–based company.
By Glen Gibbons
After nearly a year of silence, Magellan has returned to the OEM GNSS space with the MB 500 GPS/GLONASS/SBAS dual-frequency board — reportedly the first of a series of new products by the long-standing brand.
By Glen Gibbons
Trimble has announced its new GNSS reference receiver — the Trimble NetR8 — for precise scientific and network infrastructure applications. The NetR8 reference receiver has 76 channels and supports GPS L1, L2, L2C and L5 signals as well as GLONASS L1/L2 signals.
Four additional channels are dedicated to tracking space-based augmentation systems
(SBAS), including Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in North
America, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) in
Europe, Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) in Japan,
Omnistar services and others.
u-blox Holding AG has announced that Microsoft Corporation selected its latest positioning engine, u-blox 5, for a new “GPS Locator” USB stick.
The “GPS Locator” USB stick will be bundled with the next release of MapPoint 2009, Microsoft’s business travel and map software package, expected to be on the shelves in August 2008.
By Glen Gibbons
IEC TruTrak Evolution GPS Receiver
L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC), based in Anaheim, California, has announced its latest miniaturized GPS receiver, the TruTrak Evolution.
A single-board, L1/L2 24-channel secure GPS receiver, the TruTrak Evolution consists of a security module, radio frequency down converter and I/O logic. The receiver employs IEC’s latest key data processor (KDP II) SAASM chipset in the XFACTOR module to provide enhanced GPS security.
By Glen Gibbons
Continuum soaks up the rays in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.A sleek-looking solar car built by a University of Michigan team was first across the finish line early in the afternoon of July 22 after a long, hot 10-day 2,400-mile (4,000 km) race from Plano, Texas to Calgary, Alberta. And once again GPS and satellite-based differential corrections play a key role.
This year, 15 solar-powered cars built by students from universities in the U.S., Canada, and Germany completed the 2008 North American Solar challenge.
Michigan has won five out of nine NASC races, held every other year since 1990.
By Inside GNSS
Neo FreeRunner (GPS chip, lower left, #3)Okay, they’re really serious about open source.
Mobile device manufacturer Openmoko has announced that it will publish the schematics for the company’s Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones, further opening its mobile platform to the development community.
u-blox AG, Switzerland, maker of the GPS chip — the u- ANTARIS 4 ATR0635 — used in the Neo FreeRunner, endorsed Openmokos publishing the complete schematics for the GPS chip in the Neo FreeRunner phones.
By Glen Gibbons
LV100 Compass
Hemisphere GPS recently introduced two new products: the LV100 GPS Compass Board, an OEM format based on the company’s Crescent Vector technology, and the Air IntelliFlow Dual Rate controller for aerial applications.
NavAsic Microelectronics, Inc., a relatively new startup based in Shanghai, China, has announced its first products — a GPS baseband processor, NAV1802, and an RFIC, the NAV1801.
By Glen Gibbons
NEO-5Qu-blox AG has announced the launch of 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 stand-alone GPS module in a 12 x 16 x 2.4–millimeter package. Its ROM-based architecture does not require an external Flash EPROM.
By Glen Gibbons
SkyTraq’s Venus634LPTaiwanese fabless GNSS manufacturer SkyTraq Technology, Inc., has announced a one-square-centimeter GPS OEM receiver, the Venus634LP.
The L1 GPS C/A-code, receiver includes 51 acquisition channels and 14 tracking channels and is also capable of processing satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) signals. Measuring 10 x 10 x 1.2 millimeters, the Venus634LP integrates LNA, SAW filter, RF front-end, GPS baseband, 0.5ppm TCXO, RTC crystal, LDO regulator, and passive components in an LGA44 package with 0.8 pitch.
By Glen Gibbons
Fastrax Software GPS stackFinland’s Fastrax oy, which introduced a new generation of OEM GPS receivers earlier this year, has added a software receiver to its line-up.
Based on the Fastrax’s iSuite3 embedded software architecture used in the company’s iTrax03, and iTrax130) series of GPS receivers, the software receiver is designed for easy porting to a portable device’s central processing unit (CPU).
By Glen Gibbons
