CellGuide has announced a chip aimed at helping device-makers implement GPS in smartphones and other handhelds at “breakthrough cost.” Called the ACLYS, it's said to minimize dedicated GPS silicon requirements by leveraging existing components in a mobile device.

(Click here for slightly larger view of the ACLYS GPS receiver)

The ACLYS GPS receiver chip is claimed to provide -160 dBm sensitivity and utilize proprietary navigation algorithms, resulting in accurate navigation even in the most demanding urban environments. It comes in a 5 x 5 x 0.9 mm surface-mount (QFN-32) package, which CellGuide says makes it “an ideal solution for mobile devices.” Power management reduces power consumption to less than 10 mW in tracking mode, according to the company.

Besides its small size and low power consumption, CellGuide's ACLYS-based GPS architecture spares chip-count — and hence cost — by offloading its processing requirements to the “host” device's applications processor. According to product manager Fred Pulver, “the small ACLYS chip together with its associated software (which runs on the host ACPU or DSP) is a complete GPS receiver that outputs its current position (NMEA) to the host.”

Pulver explained that the ACLYS can operate either in a completely autonomous GPS mode, or in “assisted GPS” (AGPS) mode, in which case it downloads assistance data over a cellular network. AGPS can provide faster cold starts than autonomous GPS. It also uses “long-term ephemeris” technology, storing satellite information to ensure fast startups even when no cellular network is available.

The ACLYS's applications processor-based software can run on embedded Linux, according to Pulver, who said the company “…welcome[s] makers of Linux-powered devices to contact us.”

Although the company did not state specific applications processor compatibility, it has in the past integrated its chips and associated control software into a broad range of third-party ARM/DSP based processors including those made by Freescale (MX series), Marvell (PXA series), NEC (MP series), Samsung (S3C24xx), and TI (OMAP).

ACLYS production is scheduled to begin in Q4 of this year, Pulver said. He declined to release pricing details, but stressed that “unit price in volume is far less than what is common today for single-chip GPS solutions.”

 
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