RMI increases partner alliance of its low cost GPS implementations for recently announced media-enabled PND reference solution at IBC 2008

SiGe Semiconductor and CSR selected for RMI’s highly-integrated GPS application solution reducing overall GPS cost to personal navigation developers

Amsterdam, Netherlands, Cambridge, UK and Ottawa, Canada, RMI Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance processors for communication and media, has increased its partner alliance members to include CSR and SiGe Semiconductor. These new partners were selected to work with RMI to deliver a low cost GPS implementation in RMI’s mPND reference solution, recently announced at IBC 2008 in Amsterdam.

RMI’s mPND reference design is based on its Alchemy™ Au1250™ and Au1210™ media processors making it well positioned to enable the fast, easy design of new feature-rich portable media products. Already in high-volume production and shipping into multi-function, media-capable navigation devices, these innovative RMI Alchemy Processors enable playback of video at full-frame-rate speeds and deliver DVD-quality video and dynamic audio without the need to transcode.

Lowest cost GPS implementation
The mPND reference design from RMI implements the lowest cost alternatives to replace expensive GPS modules. The Au1250 media processor provides ample processing headroom to perform the complex baseband function in software, removing the need for external hardware. RMI works closely with its newest partners - leading GPS suppliers - to extend the spectrum of cost-optimised choices for the mPND designer.

* CSR provides a highly optimised software GPS (E5000) application, where the baseband function is implemented in software.
* SiGe Semiconductor provides the GPS radio solution to accompany the Au1250 processor in the software GPS implementation.

For its mPND reference design, RMI selected the E5000 software solution from CSR, a leader in software GPS technology. The CSR implementation enables the low cost GPS design by elimination of hardware GPS logic and leverages the processing capability of the RMI Alchemy processor.

“We are excited to be working with RMI on this important solution which we believe will accelerate the adoption of GPS in media-based products,” said Stuart Strickland, VP of CSR’s Location Based Services Business Unit. "We chose to partner with RMI for the performance achieved by the Au1210/Au1250 Processors and because of the breadth of new features and video capability it enables in portable consumer products.”

RMI also selected to partner with SiGe Semiconductor, a leader in innovative radio frequency (RF) solutions for next-generation wireless applications including voice, data, and video. The SiGe 4120 is used to enable its Alchemy-Based™ Media Portable Navigation Device (mPND™) solution.

“The SiGe Semiconductor SE4120 is an integral component of our new mPND reference design,” said Mike Wodopian, vice president and general manager, RMI. “The SE4120 provides the optimum features/cost balance for implementing a software-based GPS solution.” Besides its low cost and high performance, RMI also considered SiGe’s proven track record in the PND market, including its long-standing relationship and interoperability with software-based E5000 GPS engines from CSR. “We are happy to be working in collaboration with both SiGe and CSR to drive lower GPS pricing and to provide our joint customers with the solutions necessary to be successful,” Wodopian said.

Specifically designed for GPS applications, the SiGe SE4120 receiver IC integrates a low-noise amplifier (LNA), a low IF receiver, linear automatic gain control (AGC), IF filter, image reject mixer and an advanced multi-bit I/Q analog to digital converter (ADC). Built to speed time to market, the SE4120 receiver provides serialised data output to facilitate software signal processing.

“The mPND market shows great promise, and we are pleased to team with RMI, a clear market leader, to bring a low-cost solution to this cost-sensitive consumer market,” said Alistair Manley, vice president marketing. “We designed the SiGe SE4120 IC to provide the lowest cost implementation for the GPS function in the PND market, without compromising on performance.”

Combining mobile TV, navigation, and other multimedia functions, mPNDs are an emerging new market for mobile TV content and navigation services. RMI, a leader in the mPND space, has defined the lowest cost solution by integrating the CSR E5000 GPS software and the SiGe SE4120 GPS receiver IC, for its new reference design.