Antenna and GPS module unite in reference design

Sarantel and u-blox have collaborated on a new 'smart antenna' reference design that will shorten time to market and reduce the risk of GPS integration for products ranging from personal navigators to multimedia players with built-in navigation functions. The new design uses Sarantel's GeoHelix-P2 GPS antenna and the high sensitivity LEA-4S GPS module from u-blox. Based on the Antaris 4 chipset, the LEA-4S GPS module combines unrivaled sensitivity with low power consumption in a package that measures just 17 x 22mm.

u-blox's award-winning SuperSense software extends positioning coverage to weak signal areas such as indoor car parks or dense urban canyons, offering -158dBm tracking sensitivity without raising power consumption at low signal levels.

The LEA-4S module supports DGPS, WAAS/EGNOS, and is AssistNow-ready, enabling instant positioning on demand, even in weak signal environments.

Leveraging the LEA-4S module's innovative features, the GeoHelix-P2 GPS antenna from Sarantel, offers a broad, omni-directional reception pattern combined with immunity to proximity detuning - great for mobile terminals and portable navigation devices.

The GeoHelix-P2 is designed to be an embedded antenna, with a slim profile well suited to thin consumer portables.

Sarantel and u-blox optimised the reference design to take advantage of the GeoHelix antenna's excellent filtering properties, maximising the performance of the combination of antenna and receiver.

'This new reference design brings out the best that u-blox and Sarantel have to offer', said Thomas Nigg, u-blox Technical Support Manager.

'Consumers are becoming ever more sophisticated in their use of navigation devices, demanding better performance, more power efficiency, faster fix times, and greater accuracy'.

'Engineers can treat this combination of the LEA-4S module and GeoHelix antenna as a single component'.

'This system design will provide great customer satisfaction by significantly speeding up the design cycle'.

Ben Sandford, VP Sales of Sarantel, added: 'We also see greater demands on the performance, battery life, ease of use and form factor for new navigation devices'.

'The GeoHelix-P2 antenna allows designers to slim down their products'.

'The u-blox LEA-4S receiver module ensures great performance with ease of design - it's a winning combination for our customers'.