Alpha Micro Components has added Taoglas’ smallest GPS Patch Antenna to its portfolio of embedded technologies. The AP10 antenna patch, designed for use in smartphones, PDAs, personal tracking, navigation devices and mobiles phones, is one of the most compactly designed GPS receivers available.

Originally developed for use in a touch-screen Smartphone device, this compact GPS antennae needed to be small, efficient and specifically tuned to the embedded GPS receiver, enabling location-based services and navigation capabilities to be added to the handset. Taoglas has designed this miniature antenna and ensured compatibility with GPS receivers on the market by making the patch available in two formats: high-gain 2 stage LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) and low-gain 1 stage LNA.

The GPS patch antenna is available with a cable and connector which can be used for direct connection to a module or an onboard connector. Users requiring on-board integration, have the chance to opt for the Surface Mountable (SMT) format; the only active GPS antenna solution in this format, available on the market.

Taoglas has expertise working with ceramic materials allowing the company to produce these antennas equipped with high dielectric constants. This expertise equips the specialist with the capacity to miniaturise its products without performance compromise. Taoglas also has the ability to fine tune the antennae and align the centre frequency at the exact GPS bandwidth required for accurate and consistent operation.

Excellent GPS signal quality has led to its widespread use within the automotive and consumer electronics markets within products such as navigation and vehicle tracking devices for machine to machine (M2M) communication.

More information: http://www.alphamicro.net/