GPS Receiver Is IndustryÕs First To Be Crafted In CMOS

Records for the highest level of integration, lowest power dissipation, lowest external component count, and smallest die size of any GPS device currently on the market are all claimed for the VS7001, a 0.35-micron CMOS front-end downconverter for GPS systems. Designed to convert incoming 1.575-GHz signals down to 1.023 MHz before they reach an external baseband, the VS7001 receiver chip requires only a 2.2V power supply and dissipates just 27 mW, enabling the device to be designed into battery-operated products.The receiver has a noise figure of 8 dB, supports flexible frequency ranges and interfaces, and requires only an 18.414-MHz crystal, resistors and capacitors for filtering and bypassing, an antenna, a pre-select filter, and digital baseband to form a complete GPS system. The VS7001 comes in a 48-pin TQFP priced at $7-$10 each/10,000.VALENCE SEMICONDUCTOR, Irvine, CA. (949) 655-4100.