Taoglas Launches Antennas for Miniature Covert Tracking Devices
March 22, 2010
Taoglas has launched the AP.35a, a 35 x 35-millimeter square GPS antenna for compromised environments where next-generation miniature tracking devices are placed, deep inside vehicles and assets. The AP.35a antenna is embedded securely in any GPS device, eliminating the need for an external antenna, the company said. Taoglas also launched the ALA (Active Loop Antenna) series, a low-profile active antenna for machine-to-machine (M2M) devices that need a slim profile.
The AP.35a is made from a high-grade ceramic and is 5.5 millimeters thick. With its own ground-plane, it can hover over the main-board of the device allowing for a much higher gain and resistance to noise than most other passive patch antennas, Taoglas said. In addition, it does not take up valuable board space. Combining high-zenith gain and low-axial ratio, the antenna can now pick up very weak signals at low elevation satellites, giving high GPS sensitivity. A SAW filter reduces noise entering from the device system, important when considering the close proximity of cellular transmitters and circuitry in today’s miniature devices, Taoglas said.
These results combined lead to quicker cold starts and more accurate position and location information. With a cold start of 21 seconds in open-sky conditions with the u-blox 5 module, testing has confirmed that the AP35a cuts up to five seconds off the market cold-start performance of Taoglas’ existing antenna, the AP.25B. Maximum C/N ratio of 51 with 12 simultaneous locked satellites has been recorded over 24 hours, an improvement from 10, Taoglas said.
Taoglas also unveiled the ALA (Active Loop Antenna) series technology in its GPS antenna range. The first product in the range, the ALA.01 at 45 x 10 x 2.3 millimeters is a low-profile active antenna solution for the M2M market. Omni-directional and lightweight, this antenna is designed for devices which must have a slim profile. A GPS antenna can be placed perpendicular to the main-board with a couple of millimeters of clearance and still deliver performance comparable to an active 18mm patch antenna.
“Taoglas has focused on producing the highest performance GPS antennas for the M2M market,” said Dermot O’Shea, Director, Taoglas. “These antennas add to our strong line-up of active and passive antenna solutions. M2M market feedback and requirements help us to continuously improve and optimize this line of products. With the AP.35a and ALA series we have distilled five years of experience working with the needs of the world’s top automotive and tracking companies into the design.”
Samples of the AP.35A.01 and ALA.01 are available now.
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