August 18, 2014 – CSR ( http://www.csr.com ), a global provider of innovative semiconductor ICs and software solutions for location awareness, multimedia and cloud connectivity, and Maestro Wireless Solutions, a leading manufacturer of satellite receivers, today announced the launch of the A5100-A module.

The A5100-A is a next-generation SiRFstarV™ GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) satellite receiver module that implements high-performance GPS and GLLONASS satellite receiver technology in a compact 10 x 15 mm package. The module is designed for a wide range of applications, including wearable devices, cameras, and automotive trackers.

The A5100-A, the first in Maestro Wireless Solutions' (hereafter referred to as 'Maestro') GNSS receiver family, delivers unprecedented accuracy with quad-constellation support via CSR's TricklePower™ and Push-to-Fix (PtF) mode, up to 30% faster Time to First Fix (TTFF) and up to 20% lower power consumption than existing solutions.

Additionally, the module can accelerate time to market and reduce development risk by integrating multiple components, including a TCXO, SAW filter, RTC, antenna control mechanism, and flash memory to support future new features and upgrades. Additionally, it maintains pin compatibility with Maestro's existing SiRFstar4 generation modules, enabling drop-in replacement. The castellated edge form factor not only facilitates easier manufacturing but also reduces assembly costs.

“Maestro and CSR have worked closely together for many years to design and commercialize highly accurate, reliable positioning products,” said Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President, Business Group, CSR. “Today, product performance alone is no longer enough to win in the highly competitive consumer electronics market. That’s why CSR has partnered with Maestro to develop a highly integrated solution that not only delivers exceptional measurement accuracy, but also offers the compact form factor essential for ultra-small devices and enables rapid time to market.”

The new A5100-A module supports all currently deployed GNSS, enabling positioning and tracking of all visible GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, and SBAS satellites. This simultaneous multi-GNSS support allows the A5100-A to select the most appropriate satellite from different constellations and deliver optimal position information. This allows the module to expand its coverage area, improve reliability, maintain accuracy even in challenging environments such as urban areas, and offer high resilience to multipath and noisy signals. This allows consumers to maintain a consistent position fix even in crowded city centers or remote rural areas.

“The A5100-A is the perfect module for customers designing highly integrated products,” said Olivier Bernard, EVP of Sales at Maestro. “These products can deliver outstanding performance while enabling rapid time-to-market even with limited development resources,” he said. “The new A5100-A module, which combines high receiver sensitivity, suppression of noise signals, simultaneous operation for multiple GNSS systems, and low power consumption, and supports drop-in upgrades for the A2200-A, brings the latest GNSS to the market and quickly meets market demands.”

The new A5100-A module features direct battery connection, enabling direct connection to 1.8V-3.6V lithium rechargeable batteries, reducing system costs and improving power efficiency. It also features CSR's leading PtF technology for optimized power consumption. PtF technology provides rapid positioning, supports long-term low-power states, and automatically switches between power modes based on operating conditions and requirements. State-of-the-art algorithms and a powerful on-chip DSP processor ensure high accuracy (QoS) while supporting the lowest possible power levels for a given environment and operating requirements. The A5100-A module independently predicts orbital information for three days, minimizing the Time to First Fix (TTFF) for cameras and wearables without internet connectivity, and can be extended to up to 31 days when connected to a network that supports SiRFInstantFix™ Server-Supported Ephemeris (SGEE).