u-blox 6 GPS platform upgraded with future-proof features

Thalwil, Switzerland – July 12, 2011 – u-blox announces the upgrade of its latest GPS receiver platform u-blox 6. The upgrade gives customers access to many new features and benefits such as improved sensitivity, significantly lower power consumption, improved anti-jamming performance, jamming detection and shorter Time To First Fix (TTFF). Together with many other innovative features, u-blox 6 sets the pace as one of the most advanced GPS receiver technologies available.

Most importantly the new firmware delivers an improved tracking sensitivity down to -162 dBm with enhanced acquisition and re-acquisition sensitivity making u-blox 6 one of the most sensitive receivers on the market. GPS can now deliver positioning information in deep indoor situations as never before.

Other new features include AssistNow Autonomous, a free feature similar to Assisted-GPS without the need for a host or external network connection. The concept reduces time-to-first-fix by capitalizing on the periodic nature of GPS satellites, allowing the GPS receiver to autonomously predict satellite positions based on previously captured ephemeris.

An innovative and intelligent power management technique has also been implemented allowing the receiver to independently power-down unnecessary circuitry when not needed while maintaining GPS performance levels. The result is an unprecedented power savings of more than 50% in weak signal environment compared to previous firmware.

Not only has u-blox’ industry leading anti-jamming technology been improved, another very interesting feature “Jamming Detection” has been introduced. This feature gives the GPS receiver the ability to detect the possible presence of GPS jammers. This can add a significant level of security and robustness, for example when dealing with vehicle theft. Security systems can use this feature to activate an alarm or alert signal, or initiates a backup positioning system such as one based on GSM cellular positioning.

Another new feature is the support of the RTCM protocol (“Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services”), allowing receivers to increase positional accuracy in maritime applications using differential correctional data received by RTCM beacons.

For more information, download the u-blox 6 Firmware 7 release notes.