Conexant Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT), Thursday announced a new high-performance global positioning system (GPS) satellite receiver solution, designed to help manufacturers add low-cost GPS capability to personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptops and other mobile computing devices.
Conexant's highly integrated solution -- complete with a GPS receiver, antenna and optional plastic casing -- provides customers with a flexible GPS offering for devices with either serial port (RS232) or universal serial bus (USB) interfaces.
"Customers who do not have the resources to develop and build custom GPS sensors for this growing market can use Conexant's new TU70 family to help quickly bring serial cable or USB products to market," said Lars Boeryd, GPS product line manager for Conexant's Wireless Communications Division.
Recognized as the world's premier navigation satellite system, GPS is a 24-satellite constellation that allows users to pinpoint their exact location anywhere on the planet in real time. Originally developed for military applications, GPS applications are becoming more mainstream, moving into consumer applications.
"Consumer GPS applications are hot -- being used for automobile navigation purposes and outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, running and golfing, to help consumers track where they are and how to get where they are going," said Ray Jodoin, group manager of wireless technology for Cahners In-Stat Group. "We expect to see more than a 10-fold increase in wireless location products by 2004."
Building on its 30-year history in the GPS market, Conexant's robust, high-performance TU70 family is available in three versions that make it easier to design GPS capability into OEM solutions, or to add complete plug-and-play GPS capability to PCs and other serial-based applications.
The serial and USB solutions, noted below, make it possible to add GPS to a PC or laptop via a single cable that provides power as well as a data interface.
-- GPS Satellite Receiver Board (TU70-D100-041): Module-level
"smart" antenna (electronics plus antenna) product includes a
simple board with GPS components and a CMOS data signal
interface.
-- GPS Satellite Receiver Solution for Serial Cable Products
(TU70-D200-001): Full-assembly product for serial cable
interface devices comes complete with GPS components, "smart"
antenna and plastic housing. The RS232 serial cable and
connector includes a "y" connection to the PC PS2 port that
provides power to the receiver solution.
-- GPS Satellite Receiver Solution for USB Products
(TU70-D20-011): Full-assembly product for USB interface
devices comes complete with GPS components, "smart" antenna
and plastic housing. The included cable and connector also
supplies power for the GPS solution from the PC USB port.
A hardware accelerator option is also available for the TU700-D200 products. This option, which improves GPS performance and maximizes battery life, enables search times of less than 10 seconds --providing the fastest satellite acquisition in the industry.
Samples of Conexant's TU70 GPS family will be available in November with volume production slated for January 2001. In quantities of 5,000, the TU70-D100-041 is priced at $62.90, the TU70-D200-001 at $85.90 and the TU70-D20-011 at $96.90.
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