Atmel and u-blox Introduce Single-chip GPS Receiver with Highest Sensitivity and Low Power Consumption

Heilbronn, Germany and Thalwil, Switzerland (ots/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 their latest weak-signal tracking
GPS technology in an ultra-small form factor. The new single-chip
ATR0635 measures just 7 x 10 mm, and integrates a complete ANTARIS 4
GPS receiver including ROM-based SuperSense(TM) software in a 96-pin
BGA package. The small size plus the extremely low power consumption
(62 mW in continuous power mode) make the ROM-based ATR0635 an
excellent fit for handheld and mobile applications such as mobile
phones, PDAs, smartphones, after-market navigational products, and
recreational consumer products. Other products such as GPS "plug-in"
accessories for PCs, small GPS mice, Bluetooth(R) GPS devices, and
other accessories equipped with GPS functionality will also enjoy the
single chip's advantages in terms of small size, reduced power needs,
and built-in features such as the ANTARIS(TM) 4 USB port. Its high
tracking sensitivity of -158 dBm allows for weak-signal tracking in
urban canyons and even indoors.

The 96-pin, ball-grid-array single chip has an excellent
cost-performance ratio due to needing only a few external components.
The ATR0635 also brings benefits such as simplified chipset
integration which accelerates design projects for ANTARIS 4-based
products. A shorter bill of materials translates into lower design
risks. Lower PCB costs are achieved thanks to a 45% reduction in
footprint and a simplified board layout, but also by reducing costs
in purchasing, stocking and mounting due to the low number of
components. Like all ANTARIS 4 chipsets, the ATR0635 supports serial
EEPROM memory, which is a cost- and space-efficient alternative to
Flash EPROMs for storing custom configuration settings. The on-chip
USB connectivity eliminates the need for an expensive serial-to-USB
converter, which makes ANTARIS 4 products plug-and-play devices for
any PC environment by emulating a standard COM port to the operating
system.

"Combining indoor GPS capability with a low-power, single-chip GPS
receiver perfectly fits the needs of our customers and enables them
to address new, fast-growing market segments like PDAs and
smartphones," said Atmel's GPS Product Line Manager, Frank Gruson.

"The ATR0635 opens exciting new avenues for OEMs looking for
high-performance GPS receivers to use in mass market applications
with low power and small size requirements. SuperSense indoor GPS
functionality means it can be used inside buildings, cars and in
other difficult signal conditions without tracking interruptions,
making the ATR0635 ideal for personal navigation devices, for
instance," commented Georg zur Bonsen, Product Manager at u-blox.

The single-chip device is based on the 16-channel ANTARIS 4
product generation, which comes with full WAAS/EGNOS support and
provides state-of- the-art functionality such as Assisted GPS (A-GPS)
with a TTFF as low as four seconds. The ATR0635 operates on 62 mW,
but its power saving modes, together with built-in power management
capabilities, can bring power down to as low as 5 microamps,
enabling power critical applications such as mobile devices to
operate longer without having to compromise functionality.

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 and enables cost-effective antenna
designs.

ATR0635 samples in 7 x 10-mm 96-pin BGA packages are available
now. Atmel and u-blox offer a complete evaluation kit including
ultra-small footprint example design which helps to dramatically
shorten development cycle times.

Footnote
A-GPS = Assisted GPS
EGNOS = European Geostationary Navigational Overlay System
GPSS = Global Positioning System
PDA = Personal Digital Assistant
TTFF = Time to First Fix
USB = Universal Serial Bus
WAAS = Wide Area Augmentation System

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile 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).

(C) 2006 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R) and
others are registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation
or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks
of others.

Information

Atmel's GPS ATR0635 product information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3932

Atmel Press Contacts
Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive
Products
Phone: +49-7131-67-2081, Email: susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific
Phone: +1-408-487-2963, Email: hperlegos@atmel.com
Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
Phone: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Fax: +49-7131-67-2423, Email
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

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/.

u-blox Press Contacts
Georg zur Bonsen, Product Management
Phone: +41-44-722-74-44, e-mail: georg.zurbonsen@u-blox.com
Alicia Montoya, Marketing Communications
Phone: +41-44-722-74-86, e-mail: alicia.montoya@u-blox.com
Web site: http://www.atmel.com

ots Originaltext: Atmel Corporation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive
Products, +49-7131-67-2081 or susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com, Helen
Perlegos, Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific, +1-408-487-2963 or
hperlegos@atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications
Manager - Europe, +33-1-30-60-70-68, Fax: +49-7131-67-2423, or
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, all of Atmel; or Georg zur Bonsen,
Product Management, +41-44-722-74-44 or georg.zurbonsen@u-blox.com,
or Alicia Montoya, Marketing Communications, +41-44-722-74-86 or
alicia.montoya@u-blox.com, both of u-blox