Broadcom Limited announced the first dual frequency, mass market receiver for global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), designed to enhance location based services (LBS) for mobile phones, tablets and fitness wearables. Equipped with the latest GNSS innovations, the BCM47755 is capable of centimeter accuracy while reducing power consumption and PCB footprint. The combination will enable a new suite of high-precision LBS applications, including lane-level vehicle navigation and mobile augmented reality (AR).

The BCM47755 consumes less than half the power of Broadcom’s previous generation BCM4774. Since GNSS and sensor applications are always on, this reduction in power consumption has a significant impact on battery life. While benefiting from a richer navigation experience, consumers will experience longer battery life on their mobile devices that use the BCM47755.

Until now, mobile GNSS applications have been powered by single frequency receivers. The launch of new satellites broadcasting the L1/E1 and L5/E5 frequencies — now some 30 circling the globe — enables the use of two frequencies to compute position, yielding much greater accuracy in both urban and open environments.

The new generation of GNSS satellites transmits a second frequency that enables receivers to more precisely determine location, even in urban canyons.

The BCM47755 integrates an advanced dual frequency GNSS receiver with a 28 nm CMOS dual processor. Using two processors reduces power consumption, with a lower power processor handling “background” tasks.

The BCM47755’s accuracy allows location-based applications to offer a richer consumer experience. For example, lane-level knowledge of the vehicle's location significantly improves turn-by-turn navigation performance. Combining this accurate location with the lane’s traffic pattern enables better estimates of arrival times. Similarly, ride hailing applications will be enhanced with more precise location of clients and drivers.

Broadcom has been sampling the new receiver for approximately six months and expects phones with the enhanced capability to be available during the second half of 2018.

Vijay Nagarajan, senior director of product marketing of mobile connectivity products at Broadcom, said, “Location-based consumer applications can be disruptively enhanced with centimeter-level accuracy. On the other hand, lower power consumption and smaller footprint continue to be defining requirements for any mobile phone chip. The BCM47755 achieves these twin objectives for a richer consumer experience.”

More information about the BCM47755, including a data sheet, is available here on the Broadcom website.