Atmel and u-blox Launch Low-power GPS Baseband IC with SuperSense(R) Weak-signal Tracking Software

Atmel and u-blox Launch Low-power GPS Baseband IC with SuperSense(R) Weak-signal Tracking Software

May 24, 2006

    HEILBRONN, Germany and THALWIL, Switzerland, May 24
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML),
a global leader in the development and fabrication of
advanced semiconductor solutions, and u-blox AG, a leading
provider of innovative GPS receiver technology, announced
today the availability of the ATR0625, a baseband IC with
SuperSense(R) GPS weak-signal tracking software included in
its ROM. ATR0625 is based on the ANTARIS(R) 4 platform which
is a low-power, 16-channel GPS technology developed for
automotive, handheld and mobile applications such as OEM
car navigation, mobile phones, PDAs, smartphones, personal
navigation devices, and recreational consumer products.

    Thanks to the integration of the well-proven SuperSense
software on masked ROM, an external Flash memory becomes
unnecessary. This significantly increases the benefits of
the ANTARIS 4 technology -- low power consumption and small
size. SuperSense, awarded with Frost & Sullivan's Award
for Technology Innovation in 2005, uses a combination of
coherent and incoherent tracking combined with variable
integration times for the individual satellites. A
leading-edge tracking sensitivity of -158 dBm is achieved
with a power consumption that remains low at a low signal
level.

    The ATR0625 is packaged in a low-cost QFN56 package and
is pin-compatible with the ATR0622 ANTARIS 4 baseband IC
with standard ROM software. This makes it easy for
customers to enable their existing products with
weak-signal tracking technology. Like all ANTARIS 4
chipsets, the ATR0625 comes with full WAAS/EGNOS support
and incorporates state-of-the-art Assisted GPS (A-GPS) with
a TTFF as low as four seconds. Further ANTARIS 4 benefits
include a significant chipset footprint reduction and
unparalleled low power needs. The chip operates at 62 mW,
but its power saving modes, together with built-in power
management capabilities, can bring power consumption down
to as low as 5 microamps, enabling power-critical
applications like mobile devices to operate longer without
having to compromise on functionality. The on-chip USB
connectivity eliminates the need for an expensive
serial-to-RS232 or serial-to-USB converter and makes
ANTARIS 4 products plug-and-play devices for any PC. The
ATR0625 supports serial EEPROM memory, which is a cost- and
space-efficient alternative to Flash EPROMs for storage of
custom configuration settings. Using a QFN package rather
than a BGA results in a cost advantage for the IC itself
and the customer's manufacturing process, as additional
steps needed in PCB assembly like X-raying become
unnecessary.

    "The ATR0625 perfectly addresses the market demand
of portable devices where smaller products lead to smaller
antennas which have inherently lower performance,"
said Frank Gruson, Atmel's GPS Product Line Manager.
"End customers will enjoy excellent tracking accuracy
even in after market car applications with shielded
windows, for example, which has not been possible up to
now."

    "u-blox' award-winning SuperSense weak-signal
tracking software on the chip level brings indoor
functionality to our low-power, small-sized ANTARIS 4
positioning engine. This makes the ATR0625 ideal for
GPS-enabled mass-market applications that perform reliably
and accurately, regardless of whether the user is outdoors,
indoors or in difficult signal environments such as urban
canyons," commented Georg zur Bonsen, Product Manager
at u-blox.

    The ATR0625 works seamlessly together with ATR0601, a
highly integrated, low-power GPS radio in a 4 x 4 mm QFN
package. As an optional extension to the ANTARIS 4 chipset,
the ATR0610, a fully integrated low-noise amplifier
manufactured using Atmel's innovative Silicon-Germanium
(SiGe) process, is available for use in challenging
reception environments, enabling cost-effective antenna
designs.

    ATR0625 samples in 8 x 8 mm 56-pin QFN packages are
available now. Example designs for a small-form factor
module and a high-performance smart antenna are available
including design guides, detailed bill of materials,
schematics and Gerber files to dramatically shorten
development cycle times.

    A photograph can be downloaded from 
http://www.u-blox.com/news/atr0625.jpg

    About u-blox

    u-blox is an international company headquartered in
Switzerland, with sales organizations in the Americas,
Europe and Asia. Founded in 1997, u-blox develops leading
positioning technology and products based on the Global
Positioning System (GPS) for the automotive and mobile
communications markets. For more information, please visit
http://www.u-blox.com .

    About Atmel

    Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and
manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic,
mixed-signal, non-volatile memory and radio frequency (RF)
components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest
intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is
able to provide the electronics industry with complete
system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial,
security, communications, computing and automotive markets,
Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(R).

    For more information, please contact:

    u-blox contacts

     Georg zur Bonsen, 
     Product Management
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Alicia Montoya, 
     Marketing Communications
     Tel:   [phone],
     Email: [e-mail]

    Atmel contacts

     Dr. Susanne van Clewe,
     Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive Products
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Helen Perlegos, 
     Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Veronique Sablereau, 
     Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
     Tel:   [phone] 
     Fax:   [phone] 
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  u-blox AG