The SE4150L is designed to address the three primary challenges associated with embedded GPS applications: small size, low power, and low price, all while raising performance.
 
Housed in a low profile 4x4 mm package, the SE4150L features a multi-bit output, which improves sensitivity and interference resistance for GPS products. The GPS receiver performance includes a system noise figure of 1.0 dB and input third-order intercept performance (IIP3) of better than 0 dBm.

The SE4150L builds on the SE4120L and SE4110L, and offers additional features to facilitate the implementation of an internal or external antenna architecture. It operates over a supply range of 2.7 to 3.6 V and features a low standby current of <10µA.  The device's digital I/Os and supplies have been designed to operate from 1.6 to 3.6 V to interface with smaller geometry baseband integrated circuits (ICs) and SoCs.
 
It simplifies dual-antenna system design because it integrates antenna sensing, switching, and a high-performance low noise amplifier (LNA). "Because the LNA, switching functions and the IF filter are on-chip, we have lowered the system noise figure and increased the input IP3 performance, which results in improved sensitivity and interference resistance when compared to existing products," said Stefan Fulga, director of strategic marketing.
 
Previously, manufacturers and designers had to use either an expensive switched coaxial socket or numerous discrete components to sense when an external antenna was connected. By using a single SE4150L, designers can save valuable PC board space and significantly reduce the materials cost. The SE4150L automatically responds to the connection of an external antenna and interfaces directly to the GPS baseband processor to provide a complete GPS radio receiver system.
 
SiGe Semiconductor expects the global personal navigation device (PND) market to grow from 35 million units in 2007 to more than 100 million in 2010. While the manufacturer is primarily targeting this market with the new SE4150L GPS receiver IC, it will also serve other applications where high performance and low power consumption combined with internal and external antenna capabilities are required.
 
"As part of our long-term strategy, we are partnering with leading companies to develop best-in-class receiver solutions," said Fulga. "For the SE4150L GPS receiver IC, we worked closely with SiRF Technology to ensure that the SE4150L would interface seamlessly with the integrated GPS baseband of the SiRFatlas and SiRFprima SoC family.
 
David Wang, senior director of marketing at SiRF Technology, said, "The SE4150L combined with the SiRFprima SoC offers superior performance and high resistance to jamming and co-located interference in challenging environments, such as mobile internet devices, connected PNDs and other GPS enhanced multifunction systems on which the SiRFprima SoC excels." 
 
The SE4150L will be available for sampling from July 2008. It is supplied in a 4mm x 4mm QFN package, and is priced at less than US $1.50 for quantities of 10,000. To support design-in activity, SiGe offers the SE4150L-EK1 evaluation board and user guide and can provide on-site applications assistance to customers for the design and integration of a complete GPS system.