Freescale Adds First Geomagnetic Sensor to Xtrinsic Sensor Portfolio

Providing directional accuracy for location-based applications on smart mobile devices with a new 3-axis geomagnetic sensor

April 12, 2011, Seoul – Freescale Semiconductor has expanded its Xtrinsic intelligent sensor solution line with the launch of its first magnetometer sensor, the MAG3110. The Xtrinsic MAG3110 is a small, low-power 3-axis digital magnetometer sensor that provides advanced digital electronic compass (eCompass) capabilities for location-based services (LBS), such as navigation, dead-reckoning, and location tracking for smart mobile devices or other electronic products.

Connecting the Xtrinsic MAG3110 with an accelerometer and GPS enables the implementation of a more comprehensive navigation system by providing end users with precise directional and location information. The Xtrinsic MAG3110 also serves as a backup system that provides directional information by detecting the Earth's magnetic field when mobile phone and GPS signals cannot be detected.

The Xtrinsic MAG3110 was designed to meet the surging consumer demand for devices equipped with location-based services capabilities. Location-based services have led consumers to adopt applications for smart mobile devices such as Foursquare, Facebook Places, and Google Goggles. Juniper Research predicts that global revenue from location-based services will surge from US$3 billion in 2009 to US$12.7 billion in 2014. As this type of functionality becomes more widespread, end users are expected to demand seamless navigation connectivity and more accurate location identification, features that can only be implemented by applying magnetic field sensor technology designs such as the Xtrinsic MAG3110.

Demetre Kondylis, Vice President and General Manager of the Sensor and Actuator Solutions business unit at Freescale, stated, "As consumers continue to seek out and adopt location-based entertainment and augmented shopping experiences, location-based service capabilities for smart mobile devices are becoming increasingly important. To meet this demand, designers of next-generation smart mobile devices must increasingly adopt advanced sensor technologies to deliver higher accuracy, performance, and functionality. The Xtrinsic MAG3110 is Freescale's first geomagnetic-based sensor product designed to address these opportunities. Consumer device manufacturers can build innovative yet cost-effective devices through such high-tech affordability."

The Xtrinsic MAG 3110 geomagnet, a low-noise, high-resolution device, meets minimal averaging requirements to reduce latency and provide highly accurate readings, and features a wide dynamic range that enables operation even in environments with magnetic interference. The Xtrinsic MAG 3110 geomagnet is designed to provide extremely accurate orientation detection and readings by measuring the local magnetic field components, taking into account distortion, in addition to the sum of the Earth's magnetic field and the magnetic fields generated by the components of the circuit board.

The complete Xtrinsic MAG3110 product includes a magnetic field sensor element, an interface integrated circuit providing signal conditioning, and communication and embedded functions. Magnetic field data can be easily transmitted to the system's computational engine via the I2C interface. A key feature is an interrupt signal indicating when measured magnetic field strength data is available, which simplifies data synchronization. This feature improves the power efficiency of smart mobile devices, resulting in extended battery life.

Freescale, a leader in sensor technology, has launched the Xtrinsic MAG3110 geomagnetic sensor, complementing existing MEMS-based sensor products to establish a comprehensive platform for generating accurate electronic compass orientation information. Combining the Freescale solution with the high-precision Xtrinsic MMA845x or MMA9550 accelerometer families enables the provision of tilt-corrected eCompass for smart mobile devices. Utilizing hard-iron and soft-iron calibration and correction algorithms, highly comprehensive and accurate solutions can be provided for location-based applications.