Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Garmin Integrates New GPS Chipset from STMicroelectronics
Geneva, August 23, 2007 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a world leader in automotive semiconductors, today announced it has launched volume production of its Teseo GPS engine designed for use in certain Garmin Portable Navigation Devices (PNDs) and handheld GPS receivers.
"We are proud to announce that our state-of-the-art GPS technology has been selected for Garmin's new range of portable and handheld devices," said Domenico Rossi, General Manager of ST's Car Radio and Multimedia Division. "ST is one of the few players in this market that can offer high-performance and cost-effective GPS solutions, based on robust silicon technology, experience in the automotive market, and know-how developed in collaboration with leading navigation manufacturers."
ST's Teseo platform is a turn-key solution that combines reliability and cost-effectiveness with enhanced performance and extended functionality.
Superior tracking sensitivity is vital for Portable Navigation Devices that have the antenna inside and their satellite visibility is further deteriorated by the "shield effect" of the car front window. The integration of ST's newest GPS solution improves tracking in poor satellite visibility conditions and shortens GPS signal acquisition times.
ST Teseo's TTFF (Time To First Fix) values, the time it takes a GPS receiver to find satellites, rank among the fastest in the industry. A "warm start" - the acquisition of accurate time, satellite positioning and velocity (ephemeris) data that have been lost during the switch-off - takes less than 34 seconds.
ST's new GPS chipsets support satellite-based augmentation systems such as WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) that provide additional accuracy and reliability. Teseo's GPS accuracy expressed in circular error probability (the radius of a circle that represents a 50% probability of a position lying in that circle) is as low as 2 meters. ST's Teseo devices are ready for compliance with Galileo, the upcoming European navigation system complementary to GPS.
ST's Teseo solution integrates a high-sensitivity single-chip baseband (STA2058) with embedded flash and an RF front-end (STA5620), complemented with full software libraries. The product is available both in a single-package form (STA8058) and as a dual-chip offering. ST designers are currently working on a System-on-Chip solution that integrates the Teseo GPS engine and an ARM9 core for GPS navigation processing.
The embedded flash memory enables the equipment manufacturer to load the entire GPS software. The TESEO GPS baseband IC integrates a rich set of peripherals, including a CAN 2.0 B active interface, a four-channel 12-bit A/D, I2C (Inter-IC), UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output), and USB.
ST's Teseo platform addresses a wide range of applications, including Personal Navigation Devices and handheld GPS receivers, in-car navigation, telematics and electronic toll collection.
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2006, the Company's net revenues were $9.85 billion and net earnings were $782 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
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STMicroelectronics, Inc.
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Carol Brown
STMicroelectronics
US Media Relations
603 465 9213
