•  
• EDN Europe MAGAZINE
•  
• Free SUBSCRIPTION
• Subscription Renewal
• View Media Kit

• EDN
• EDN Australia
• EDN Asia
• EDN China
• EDN Japan

GPS location processor with built-in CPU

CSR has introduced the SiRFstarIV GSD4e GPS location processor. Building upon the SiRFstarIV architecture’s micro-power capabilities, the processor adds a built-in CPU and SiRFGeoRecov technology, which are optimised to ensure continuous location awareness in new digital cameras, portable game consoles, wearable platforms and other consumer devices, without loading the host processor. The processor’s adaptive accuracy and SiRFGeoRecov technologies make it possible to instantly geo-tag images or videos with a camera or camcorder and improve the accuracy as better GPS information becomes available. The processor’s advanced motion-sensing algorithms ensure improved power management and stable, accurate positioning, even when standing still. The processor can navigate to -160dBm and track to -163dBm, and for smartphone customers the processor offers 7.5dB 3GPP pass margin and high E911 sensitivity. It also offers a fully certified A-GPS protocol stack with quick drop-in to multiple smartphone operating systems. The processor consumes 8mW in 1Hz TricklePower mode, and can maintain hot-start conditions continuously in SiRFaware mode while drawing 50 to 400μA.

The processor’s enhanced SiRFNavPlus navigation engine ensures seamless car and pedestrian navigation in tough urban canyon and dense foliage environments. Available in both ROM and flash supported versions, the processor comes with patented SiRFInstantFix synthetic ephemeris technology as a standard feature. On-chip active jammer removal eliminates electrical noise commonly associated with the motors and LCD screens, and also pinpoints for designers earlier in the development process the precise strength and source of these interfering signals, enabling them to be contained in the design phase rather than in later test phases. The processor also supports a full range of satellite-based augmentation systems, including WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS and GAGAN. The procesor has built-in circuitry and temperature adaptive software that allows it to replace a TCXO (temperature compensated crystal oscillator) with a low-cost crystal, thus reducing BOM cost. The processor’s integrated eFuse technology helps customers take system configuration to the next level by electronically setting custom configurations at system boot-up instead of the time consuming manual software changes.