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Motorola Unveils Latest in Family of Single
Chip GPS Devices
New Device Based on IBM
Leading Edge Silicon-Germanium Technology
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – 24 September 2002 --
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), working with IBM Microelectronics, today announced a
breakthrough technology for adding accurate location sensing to virtually any
portable electronics product.
The new
technology, called Motorola Instant GPS, is a self-contained, single-chip,
assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) receiver small enough to fit into a
wristwatch. Because it is the first truly single-chip GPS solution, it is
expected to lead to a new generation of portable electronic products such as
cameras that time- and location-stamp photos, PDAs with maps and real time
navigation and E-911 compliant cellular phones that can find friends, family
members, restaurants and nearby shops with goods on
sale.
Motorola Instant GPS is the first truly
single-chip GPS solution in the world, combining Motorola's GPS design with
IBM's leading-edge silicon germanium (SiGe) chip-making technology. The
companies worked together to integrate IBM's technology to optimize the design.
IBM plans to manufacture the new GPS chips for Motorola; samples are available
immediately for OEM suppliers of portable electronic
devices.
"Location awareness is a fundamental
human need," said Tim McCarthy, director of positioning systems for Motorola
Telematics. "By their very nature, portable consumer electronic devices are
always on the move. Knowing your precise location at any instant
allows your device to offer a whole range of new
applications that will lead to an explosion of growth for location- based
services. With this combination of Motorola and IBM technology, portable
electronic product designers can now add location awareness as easily as they
can add a real time clock."
"IBM's technology
enabled Motorola to reach its performance goal of detecting GPS signals so faint
they'd be comparable to those received in Chicago from a light bulb burning in
Korea," said Walt Lange, associate director for foundry services, IBM
Microelectronics. "Our silicon germanium technology can be used to combine the
function of many chips into one, helping reduce size and power consumption,
while improving performance. Our work with Motorola is another example of our
commitment to making advanced technologies available to our foundry customers."
"By utilizing our single-chip solution,
manufacturers of portable electronic products are able to minimize risk and time
to market, without reengineering current product designs" added Dave
Huntingford, Motorola GPS Marketing Manager. "The Instant GPS chip is a
single-chip solution as opposed to alternatives that use two or three chips or
require extensive overhead added to the portable's host microprocessor. It's
smaller, consumes less power and is much easier to integrate into portable
electronic products."
About the Technology
Continuing Motorola's tradition of high quality reliable
Oncore™ GPS solutions, Instant GPS sets the
standard for innovation and ease of use. Other features include:
Simple Integration
The interface between the Instant GPS chip and the host
processor is kept simple, allowing customers to separate the microprocessor and
GPS designs. This eliminates demanding interrupt structures found in embedded
GPS receivers, allowing a faster time to market.
Highly Compatible
Instant GPS can be used with industry standard
mobile-centric assist messages for compatibility with almost any cellular
network. By not completing its position calculation in the network, the device
eliminates network overhead and potential issues associated with network centric
GPS systems.
Low Power Consumption
Instant GPS consumes a small amount of power, which can
be further reduced with an extensive array of power management modes such as
position-on-demand. Utilizing the customer configurable software power
management tools, Instant GPS can be placed in standby, further reducing power
consumption.
Single Mixed Mode
Device
Fabricated in IBM's leading 0.25-micron SiGe process,
the Instant GPS breaks new ground by integrating both the 1.5GHz RF front end
and the digital baseband processing into a single die. Measuring 7mm x 7mm with
minimal external components required, Instant GPS leads the market for smaller,
low cost, high performance A-GPS.
Low IF Architecture with
Fractional Synthesizer
Designed with a Low Intermediate Frequency (IF) RF
architecture to improve jamming immunity, Instant GPS enables easier co-location
with transmitters such as GSM and Bluetooth™
wireless technology. An onboard fractional synthesizer allows existing 12 to
26MHz reference oscillators within the target product to be reused. In
addition, a separate reference oscillator is not required for functionality,
allowing for substantial cost and space saving benefits.
Future Compatible
Instant GPS is able to withstand the demands of
increasing miniaturization and reductions in operating voltage. Able to support
1.8v to 3.3v interfaces, Instant GPS allows flexibility in processor selection
and requires no redesign demands in the event of a die shrink in the host
processor.
Instant GPS also can be easily added
to many consumer electronics products enabling a wide range of consumer mobile
information products to have positioning capability. This technology makes a
new generation of products possible, such as cameras that time- and
location-stamp photos, PDAs with maps and real-time navigation, E-911 compliant
cellular phones with emergency assistance that can find friends, family members,
restaurants and nearby stores with goods on sale.
Motorola Automotive
Located in Farmington Hills, Mich., Motorola Automotive
is a leading, global supplier of automotive electronics, telematics,
communications, and software systems. Motorola Automotive is a division of
Motorola Integrated Electronic Systems Sector (IESS), a leading provider of
advanced electronic products and systems for customers integrating electronics
into their products. With annual sales of
approximately $30 billion, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) is a global leader in
providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. More
information can be found at
www.motorola.com/automotive.
For more information on Motorola's GPS products,
please visit
www.motorola.com/gps.
About IBM
IBM Microelectronics is a key contributor to IBM's role
as the world's premier information technology supplier. IBM Microelectronics
develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art semiconductor and
interconnect technologies, products and services. IBM makes chips for a wide
range of devices from the world's most powerful computers to the smallest cell
phones. Its superior integrated solutions can be found in many of the world's
best-known electronic brands. More information about IBM Microelectronics can
be found at:
www.ibm.com/chips. #
# # Media
Contacts:Motorola Kim
Hurley-Young 1-248-324-9513 Kim.Hurley-Young@motorola.comEisbrenner
Public Relations Keena
Toth 1-248-641-1446 ktoth@eisbrenner.comMOTOROLA
and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.
All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
The Bluetooth trademarks are owned by their proprietor and used by Motorola,
Inc. under license. |