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INDUSTRY | LBS | GPS | GIS | REMOTE SENSING | GALILEO UPDATE

Skyworks ramps GPS/GNSS Solutions for Samsung

Skyworks Solutions, Inc, an innovator of high reliability analog and mixed signal semiconductors enabling a broad range of end markets, has announced that it is ramping GPS and GNSS solutions for Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., one of the world’s leading smart phone providers. The Company’s newest devices, which integrate a low-noise amplifier with filtering specifically designed for GPS/GNSS receiver applications, deliver industry-leading performance and are the smallest solutions in the market requiring no external components, allowing manufacturers an easy “plug and play” option.

www.skyworksinc.com

u-blox launches universal UMTS/HSPA+ wireless module

u-blox has introduced the world’s first multi-standard “one size fits all” UMTS module. The ultra compact LISA-U2 SMT modem series supports all global UMTS standards, enabling high-speed voice and Internet access for wireless terminals designed for use anywhere in the world. The modem is targeted at machine-to machine solutions like security systems, fixed wireless terminals and metering, as well as automotive applications such as in-car infotainment, connected navigation, emergency call, fleet management, and anti-theft systems. Other applications include mobile Internet terminals, tablet computers and personal tracking devices.

www.u-blox.com

Personal tracking to be the next billion dollar GPS market

GPS personal tracking devices and applications are forecast to grow with a CAGR of 40%, with both markets breaking $1 billion in 2017. Senior analyst Patrick Connolly says, “The hardware market remained below 100,000 units in 2011. However, it is forecast to reach 2.5 million units in 2017, with significant growth in elderly, health, and lone worker markets. Dedicated devices can offer significant benefits, with insurance and liability increasingly encouraging the use of approved equipment.”

There is an addressable market of over 120 million people across these markets alone, with over two million US elderly using non-GPS Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS). However, awareness, battery life, economic conditions, and high subscription fees remain significant barriers. There is also a fear that smartphone applications will cannibalize the market.

The application market is already booming, with Life360 reaching 10 million downloads for its family locator application. Long term, these solutions will become part of much bigger security and health markets, growing to over 200 million downloads in 2017, as well as the majority of total tracking market revenue.
ABI Research’s new report, “Personal Location Devices and Applications Market,” identifies the key growth markets for GPS tracking devices, analyzing each market individually to enable companies to identify the market that best fits their approach.

www.abiresearch.com

Shipments of dual-core smartphones reached 60 million units worldwide in 2011

Preliminary data from Berg Insight show that sales of high-end smartphones equipped with dual-core application processors reached 60 million units worldwide in 2011. The first smartphones with dual-core processors were unveiled at the beginning of 2011 with sales starting in February 2011. As quad-core processors gradually find their way into high-end devices, adoption of dual-core processors will accelerate in the mid-range smartphone segment. Total smartphone sales grew 59 percent to 470 million units worldwide in 2011. High-end smartphones with unsubsidised retail prices above € 400 and low-cost devices priced at around € 100 contributed to most of the growth in the smartphone category in 2011. Sales of high-end devices doubled from about 75 million units in 2010 to an estimated 150 million units in 2011. Sales of low-cost smartphones increased from approximately 10 million units in 2010 to 70 million units in 2011.

In terms of unit sales for the full year, Samsung became the leading smartphone vendor with 20.2 percent market share, just ahead of Apple with 19.8 percent market share. Nokia was the only major vendor that experienced a decline in unit shipments in 2011 and slipped to third place with 16.4 percent market share. While its shipments increased slightly, RIM also continued to lose market share in 2011, but managed to stay ahead of HTC. In terms of revenues, Apple remained the clear leader with a value market share of 38 percent in 2011.

www.berginsight.com

CalAmp’s four new addition to its wireless devices for MRM

CalAmp Corp has introduced the addition of four new GPRS and HSPA wireless communications products for Mobile Resource Management (MRM) applications at the Mobile World Congress Conference and Exhibition in Barcelona. This new Location Messaging Unit (LMU) and Trailer Tracking Unit (TTU) products will provide GPS tracking and cellular-based wireless communications capabilities to 12-volt and 24-volt vehicles.

These products are equipped with low-power 16G-force accelerometers capable of measuring hard braking, hard acceleration and collision events. Each product employs CalAmp’s pioneering PEG(TM) (Programmable Event Generator) and PULS(TM)(Programming, Update and Logistics System), the company’s industry-leading on-board alert engine and over-the-air device management and maintenance application, respectively. It also features an integrated wireless antenna designed to deliver unrivaled performance and expand installation flexibility.

http://investor.calamp.com

Agricultural company uses GPS enabled devices for real time info

Marketing & Sales team of Krishidhan Seeds, an agricultural research driven company, will use 3G-enabled Android 2.3 Tablets to help cater farmers and agriculture fraternity. Sushil Karwa, MD, Krishidhan Seeds said, “This is first time in India that any agro-based company has gone to such a length in streamlining the usually unorganized sector. We have ensured that the company invests in manpower to provide them with the tools that would help sustainable production. These Tablets will enable our marketing and sales team to engage with the farmers across all our key markets in 18 states.”

It provides real time and instant solutions and information on the availability, supply status dispatch details and also provide instant information on urgent stock requirements to the retailers. There are several other mobile operators and handset makers helping farmers through various app and other services, even for basic handsets.

http://techcircle.vccircle.com

GPS L1/L2 antenna for high-precision heavy-duty tracking applications

PCTEL, Inc., a provider of antenna and scanning receiver solutions, has announced its GPS L1/L2 ruggedized antenna designed for reliable performance in high-precision, heavy-duty GNSS tracking applications. The new antenna offers GPS L1 and GPS L2 satellite reception and performance in a low profile mechanical package.
This state-of-the-art design features a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) gain of 33dB and high out-of-band rejection allowing greater isolation from adjacent RF interference. The GPS-L1L2-28MAG is lightweight at less than six ounces. This makes it the multi-band GNSS antenna platform for military/defense applications including vehicle tracking, UAV’s, soldier-worn communication gear, and commercial applications like precision agriculture and mining.

http://investor.pctel.com

Teletrac announces interface for Fleet Director and TruckMate

Teletrac, a provider of fleet management solutions for the trucking sector announced the availability of an interface between its Fleet Director™ GPS & vehicle tracking solutions and TruckMate®, an enterprise transportation software solution from TMW Systems. The interface provides customers using both systems with seamless and reliable 2-way communications between dispatchers and drivers, along with real-time GPS-based location, motion and mileage data. This integration enables a range of real-time information to be directly transmitted to the cab, with details specific to individual jobs. Knowing the position of drivers and loads is not only essential for efficient load planning, it can be used to provide accurate and seamless shipment updates back to customers. Teletrac also integrates with TMW Systems® TMWSuite transportation management software.

www.teletrac.net

Networkfleet and ServMan to streamline field workforce management

Networkfleet announced that it has partnered with ServMan, an enterprise management system for the service industry, to streamline field workforce scheduling and dispatching. By combining Networkfleet’s GPS location tracking with ServMan’s management software, service companies can quickly locate the right technician for the job based on their location, availability and skills.

The product integrates a suite of software modules that manage virtually all aspects of a commercial and/or residential service business. ServMan will combine Microsoft MapPoint with Networkfleet GPS location to provide value-added functionality for scheduling, dispatching and managing the field work force.

www.networkfleet.com

STM introduces 3-axis gyroscope for automotive applications

STMicroelectronics has introduced 3-axis digital-output gyroscope that meets the industry-standard qualification for automotive integrated circuits (AEC-Q100). ST’s newest angular-rate sensor aims to add positioning accuracy and stability to a wide range of automotive applications, including in-dash navigation, telematics and vehicle tolling systems.

Accurate measurements of angular-motion detection with ST’s automotive-qualified gyroscopes will significantly enhance dead-reckoning and/or map-matching capabilities in car navigation and telematics applications. In situations when a GPS signal can’t be seen, such as indoors and in urban canyons between tall buildings, dead-reckoning systems compensate for loss of satellite signal by monitoring motion, distance traveled and altitude. Precise gyroscope readings can also improve map-matching, the process of aligning a sequence of observed user positions with the road network on a digital map, used in a number of applications, including traffic flow analysis and driving directions.

www.st.com

Accord Technology completes full suite advanced GPS

Accord Technology LLC was recently authorized TSO-C145c for theirlatest receiver, sensor in the NexNav™ product family, theNexNav™ MAXGPS WAAS Class Beta-1, -2, -3. This successful GPS development is a key solution in a series of Accord Technology’s affordable civil aviation GPS receivers and sensor.

Available as circuit card receivers (CCA) for avionics OEM hosting or as line replaceable sensor units (LRU) for aircraft installations, MAX is affordable and meets the latest standards, worldwide. It supports ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-broadcast), all normal GPS procedures, as well as precision approach requirements such as LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance) and RNP AR (Required Navigation Performance with Authorization Required).

Sylectus introduces web-based dashboard for fleet management

Sylectus, a strategic business unit of Qualcomm Enterprise Services, has announced the availability of SylectDash™, its new web-based dashboard solution that allows real-time access to mission critical information to improve fleet management. Leveraging this powerful “anytime, anywhere” toolset, customers can access fleet information to make timely business decisions, creating a competitive market advantage along with increased time- and cost-savings across operations.

Qualcomm News

MiX Fleet mobile app for premium fleet customers

MiX Telematics, has extended its mobile phone application offering with the MiX Mobile suite of smartphone applications. MiX Fleet is now available for iOS in English, German, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish and Chinese and versions for Android and Blackberry will soon be published. In the near future, customers will also be able to track and monitor their fleets using tablets such as the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. MiX Fleet is perfectly suited to smartphone and tablet technology and brings vehicle tracking right to fleet operators’ fingertips.

www.mixtelematics.com

TomTom, Blom strengthen partnership in Europe

TomTom expanded its partnership with Blom, a European provider of GIS services, to enable governments in Europe to identify and solve the bottlenecks in their road network quickly and at reduced costs. They are already cooperating in creating the largest 3D city model database and are now expanding their partnership in selling advanced traffic products.

Market Watch

NIS GLONASS eyes Indian transportation market

Most foreign investors in India complain about the poor infrastructure and chaotic traffic in the country, but Russia’s national navigation services provider, NIS GLONASS, sees it as an opportunity to implement intelligent transport systems. Vladimir Finov, Managing Director and CEO of NIS GLONASS’ India operations explained about the company’s prospects in the Indian market. Vladimir was in conversation with Russia & India Report. Vladimir explained that the company wants to make GLONASS signals commercially viable in India. The company aims at developing the telematics business in India. NIS GLONASS will focus on strengthening the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) of India. Vladimir said, “We are looking at working on the passenger transport system and passenger information system for buses, including inter-city buses”. The system will also benefit passengers on a local or inter-city bus in India. Passengers would receive information about when the next bus would come to the stop. Information will be made available to passengers even on their mobile phones.

Russia Embassy

GIPL develops apps for surveillance and tracking

Gujarat Info Petro Ltd. (GIPL), an Indian IT company, developed an application for smart phone. It aims to help in surveillance and tracking especially in sectors like forest and agriculture. It will also help in conservation of endangered species of Asiatic lions in Gir and other flora- fauna found in forests of Gujarat state, India. “We have developed a GIS-based management information system (MIS) for surveillance and tracking. It can be run on a windows operated mobile phone to identify exact location of the trouble prone areas in dense forests,” GIPL CEO Vijay Sharma said. “The system which updates the server over the air (OTR), eradicates the need for physical filing of data on a computer, and can also conduct digital surveys of the agricultural fields,” he added. “A forest beat guard armed with such an application driven mobile phone can help check acts of poaching, fire, tree cutting, encroachments on forest land, by clicking a picture of the site and sending it through SMS to the server,” he stressed.

Economic Times

GoI to keep track of mobile users’ whereabouts

Government of India (GoI) made certain amendments in telecom operators’ licences. As per the amendments, from May 31, 2012, all telecom operators in India would have to provide the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) real-time details of users’ locations in latitudes and longitudes. Initially, operators will provide real-time locations of some specific mobile phone numbers, provided by the GOI. But within three years, service providers will have to provide information on locations of all users. The information will have some margin of error at first. But by 2013, at least 60 per cent of the calls in urban areas would have to be accurately tracked when made 100 metres away from the nearest cell tower. By 2014, the government will seek to increase the proportion to 75 per cent in cities and 50 per cent in suburban and rural areas.

Indian Express

Nokia alleged of intellectual property violation

A Thai software company – Globetech Ltd, a subsidiary of IT conglomerate CDG Group – filed a lawsuit against Nokia at the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court. The company claimed that Nokia’s Ovi map violated intellectual property right. It used Globetech’s digital map data without permission. Both are asked to pay compensation worth THB 540 million (THB: Thai Baht). Globetech General Manager Wichai Saenghirunwattana said that the company found that its digital map data appeared in Nokia’s Ovi Map without permission. The company has continuously collected the map data of Thailand for 20 years. On the other hand, Nokia responded through a press release that it would take whatever steps are needed to defend itself against a THB 540 million patent-violation suit filed by a Thai software company.

www.nationmultimedia.com

TomTom India sets up map making facility in Pune

Realising the importance of Indian market, TomTom opened an expanded map making facility in Pune. Its new offices introduced state-of-the-art standards for delivering fresh, accurate navigation content and routing intelligence to India. The company delivers compelling new map products to the Indian consumer using multiple data sources including the latest crowd sourcing and community input tools.

TomTom maps have 100 percent coverage of more than 5,000 cities and towns across India and that’s built to work with Landmark Navigation – and exclusive TomTom extras such as advanced lane guidance and spoken street names. Landmark Navigation lets users find their desired destination by utilising known landmarks feature all the monuments, chowks, parks or attractions users need to find their way.