STMicroelectronics - First Single-Chip Positioning Device for Multiple Global Navigation Systems

The ability of ST’s newest positioning devices to acquire the position, velocity and time data from all major global navigation systems greatly improves the user position accuracy and navigation in poor satellite visibility conditions, such as in urban canyons. The Teseo II chips also offer exceptionally short signal-acquisition times (Time To First Fix), leveraging ST’s own Self-Trained Assisted GPS™ technology, which improves the startup performance of a positioning device in difficult signal conditions.

ST’s newest positioning SoCs address a wide range of consumer and automotive applications, including Personal Navigation Devices, GNSS modules, marine equipment, fitness devices, in-car navigation, telematics, eCall and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. The Teseo II family comprises automotive-grade product versions, designed to meet the specific and rigorous demands of the automotive market. These are qualified to AEC-Q100, a critical stress-test qualification for automotive integrated circuits, and manufactured using ST’s rigorous automotive production flow methodology aimed at zero parts-per-million failure rate.

“Teseo II is the world’s first single-chip solution able to acquire and track signals from satellites of multiple global navigation systems, including GPS, GLONASS and QZSS that are operational today, as well as Europe’s upcoming GALILEO,“ said Fabio Marchio, Automotive Product Group Vice-President and General Manager of ST’s Automotive Infotainment Division. “The superior positioning accuracy, combined with powerful processing capabilities and open platform approach, makes ST’s Teseo II chips an ideal choice for next-generation navigation and telematics applications, where cost-effectiveness meets uncompromised performance.”

A stand-alone solution, the Teseo II positioning receiver integrates a powerful ARM9 core for on-chip data processing. Further increasing cost-effectiveness, the unique open-platform approach provides the ARM9 processing capability and a rich set of peripherals for flexible customer application designs. The peripherals include USB 2.0, CAN (Controller Area Network), A/D converter, I2C, MSP (Multi-channel Serial Port), UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) and general-purpose I/Os.

Samples of ST’s Teseo II receivers (STA8088EX) are available and volume production is scheduled for Q3 2011. Unit pricing of the STA8088EX is below $6 for volumes in the range of 500,000 pieces.