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Kudelski Group and u-blox to collaborate on secure connectivity for consumer, automotive and industrial IoT

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Courtesy of u-blox : Kudelski Group and u-blox to collaborate on secure connectivity for consumer, automotive and industrial IoT

CHESEAUX‑SUR‑LAUSANNE, Switzerland and THALWIL, Switzerland, May 22, 2018 – The Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S), the world leader in digital security, and u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial and consumer markets, today announced the signing of an MOU to bring premium‑grade security to IoT devices.

Kudelski and u‑blox agreed to collaborate toward integrating the Kudelski IoT Security Suite into multiple u‑blox product lines, thereby providing field‑proven security technologies to empower businesses to sustainably secure their digital transformation, and optional services enabling further business growth.

“Digital transformation and IoT projects can only achieve their objectives if security is designed from the start, and a long‑term, security lifecycle management approach is taken,” said Jean‑Michel Puiatti, senior vice president of IoT at Kudelski “u‑blox has pioneered positioning, connectivity and short range communications solutions that underpin the connected Internet of Things. By establishing this relationship with them, we will work together to enable business owners to securely drive new business models, features, efficiency and data analytics.”

Integration of Kudelski technology into u‑blox modules will enable premium device protection and security lifecycle management including secure firmware over the air upgrades (FOTA), but also secure communications and application data protection.

“u‑blox provides premium products to its customers and security is no exception,” said Andreas Thiel, u‑blox Co‑Founder and Executive Director Cellular Product Center. “Combining our leading wireless communication technology with Kudelski IoT Security Suite provides our customers with the benefits of both companies’ expertise and experience in dealing with high‑volume, security‑sensitive environments. We consider security as fundamental to the success of our customers’ business and are delighted to have an experienced and proven security partner such as Kudelski when building our security services.”

The Kudelski IoT Security Suite is a comprehensive set of  solutions and services based on 30 years of Kudelski Group innovation in protecting digital TV content on more than 400 million devices, as well as its strong expertise in cybersecurity. It makes IoT security easy to embrace by providing secure control and protection of the key resources of any IoT solution: data, network, device, features, communications and applications. By leveraging state‑of‑the‑art security hardware designed by Swiss engineers and its unique heritage in both pay TV and cybersecurity, Kudelski Group is uniquely positioned to provide companies with design, implementation and long‑term security lifecycle management of their connected business models across a variety of industries.

Swiss born 20 years ago, u‑blox is now a global company well on the way to becoming the leading industry quality supplier of communications and positioning components and solutions for the Internet of Things. As the IoT takes hold across the automotive, industrial and customer markets, the importance of dependable connectivity and location‑awareness is at an all‑time high – and continuing to grow. u‑blox’s comprehensive portfolio of high quality chips and modules therefore help contributing to a more secure and sustainable connected world.

For more information about Kudelski Group IoT Solutions and Services, please visit https://iot.nagra.com.

About the Kudelski Group
The Kudelski Group (SIX: KUD.S) is a world leader in digital security and a provider of end‑to‑end convergent media solutions to the digital entertainment industry, including services and applications requiring access control and rights management to secure the revenue in digital television, internet, mobile and interactive applications. The Group also offers cybersecurity solutions and services focused on helping companies assess risks and vulnerabilities and protect their data and systems. It also supplies integrated solutions to manage access control of people and vehicles to sites and events. The Kudelski Group is headquartered in Cheseaux‑sur‑Lausanne, Switzerland and Phoenix (AZ), USA. For more information, please visit www.nagra.com

About u‑blox
u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA. www.u‑blox.com

Media Contacts
Christopher Schouten
Kudelski Group – IoT Security
Head of Marketing
+41 79 560 43 75
christopher.schouten@nagra.com

Cédric Alber
Kudelski Group
Senior Manager Media Relations
+41 79 647 61 71
+1 (415) 962 5005
cedric.alber@nagra.com

Natacha Seitz
u‑blox
PR Manager
+41 76 436 07 88
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

u-blox ZED-F9P

u‑blox announces the first high precision GNSS module based on u‑blox F9 technology

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Courtesy of u-blox

The u‑blox ZED‑F9P multi‑band receiver delivers centimeter‑level accuracy in seconds.

Thalwil, Switzerland – April 26, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies, today announced the ZED‑F9P multi‑band GNSS module with integrated multi‑band Real Time Kinematics (RTK) technology for machine control, ground robotic vehicles, and high precision unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) applications. The ZED‑F9P measures only 22 x 17 x 2.4 mm and uses technology from the recently announced u‑blox F9 platform to deliver robust high‑precision positioning performance in seconds.

The u‑blox ZED‑F9P is the first mass market multi‑band receiver to concurrently use GNSS signals from all four GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou). Combining GNSS signals from multiple frequency bands (L1/L2/L5) and RTK technology lets the ZED‑F9P achieve centimeter‑level accuracy in seconds. And receiving more satellite signals at any given time maximizes the availability of centimeter‑level accuracy even in challenging environments such as in cities.

With its high update rate, the ZED‑F9P is ideal for highly dynamic applications such as UAVs. Featuring on‑chip integration of advanced multi‑band RTK algorithms, it requires no additional hardware or third party RTK libraries. Ready to use on delivery and easy to integrate, it helps product developers quickly bring their ideas to the market.

ZED‑F9P is fully geared to clearing the three main hurdles that have kept centimeter‑level positioning accuracy from breaking into mass market applications: cost, size, and power consumption. Significantly smaller and more energy efficient than existing solutions, and as a cost efficient alternative, the ZED‑F9P will enable new high precision positioning applications for the mass market.

“The new ZED‑F9P GNSS receiver builds on the success of our NEO‑M8P high precision GNSS module, but takes performance to another level by leveraging all the available GNSS signals,” says Mårten Ström, Senior Principal Product Management, Product Center Positioning at u‑blox. “By making robust and affordable high precision positioning technology more accessible, we hope to fuel innovation and enable a new generation of high precision GNSS navigation applications.”

Engineering samples will be available from end of July 2018.

About u‑blox
u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube

u‑blox media contact:
Natacha Seitz
PR Manager
Mobile +41 76 436 0788
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

u‑blox AG
Zürcherstrasse 68
8800 Thalwil
Switzerland
Phone +41 44 722 74 44
Fax +41 44 722 74 47
info@u-blox.com
www.u‑blox.com

u-blox announces smallest industrial Bluetooth 5 module

u-blox announces smallest industrial Bluetooth 5 module

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Read full article on u-blox website here: u-blox announces smallest industrial Bluetooth 5 module

Ultra‑compact and designed for tough environments, ANNA‑B1 is fully tailored to applications for the Industrial Internet of Things.

ANNA‑B1

Thalwil, Switzerland – March 13, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning technologies, has announced the new ANNA‑B1 Bluetooth 5 module for industrial applications. Its ultra‑compact module design and industrial operating temperature range make it ideal for wide‑ranging applications in size‑constrained designs requiring high speed Bluetooth connectivity. ANNA‑B1 comes certified for select markets off the shelf.

Essentially, the new ANNA‑B1 is a miniaturized variant of the meanwhile well‑established u‑blox NINA‑B1 Bluetooth low energy module, packed as a System‑in‑Package (SiP) design into a tiny 6.5 by 6.5 millimeter footprint, just 1.2 millimeters thin.

ANNA‑B1 includes an Arm® Cortex®-M4 microcontroller unit with a floating point unit, flash and RAM. The open CPU option provides full access to the module’s microcontroller so that custom applications can be embedded into the module. Alternatively, product developers can speed up time to market by leveraging the full force of pre‑flashed u‑blox connectivity software. Fully tested and verified, and supporting many IoT applications, u‑blox connectivity software includes a GATT client and server for connectivity attributes, Serial Port Service, simultaneous peripheral and central role, and NFC technology for easy pairing to other Bluetooth low energy devices. ANNA‑B1 has a built in antenna, but also allows for external antenna designs.

Typical applications for the ANNA‑B1 Bluetooth module are small devices such as power tools, industrial and medical sensor products, wearables, and point of sale devices that require Bluetooth 5 connectivity, either individually or as part of a mesh network. Medical and sports wearables and telematics aftermarket products including insurance boxes will benefit from the ANNA‑B1’s small footprint.

“With the addition of ANNA‑B1 to our product portfolio, we are pleased to offer product designers an extended palette of products that they can chose from to meet their specific needs,” says Len Albertsson, Principal Product Manager, Product Strategy Short Range Radio at u‑blox. “In an industry where reductions in size and weight often come at the expense of product features, we’re very excited by how well our new ANNA‑B1 module ranks alongside the NINA‑B1 module.”

Engineering samples of the ANNA‑B1 will be available in Q2 2018.

About u‑blox
u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube

u‑blox contact:
Natacha Seitz
PR Manager
Mobile +41 76 436 0788
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

u‑blox AG
Zürcherstrasse 68
8800 Thalwil
Switzerland
Phone +41 44 722 74 44
Fax +41 44 722 74 47
info@u-blox.com
www.u‑blox.com

Shop u-blox products online here

Aerosense develops surveying solution with drone using u-blox high performance positioning technology

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Courtesy of u‑blox

Thalwil, Switzerland – March 8, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, announced today that Japan‑based Aerosense Inc. has commercialized its AEROBO® Marker solution for drone surveying using the u‑blox NEO‑M8T timing module. Conceived to compute absolute time to within 20 nanoseconds using incoming GNSS signals, the NEO‑M8T lets users access RAW GNSS data output, making it attractive for positioning applications that rely on post‑processing GNSS data to enhance location accuracy.

Aerosense’s surveying solution is designed to reduce the time spent surveying construction sites. By combining ground markers equipped with a GNSS receiver with surveying drones and cloud‑based data processing, they have converted huge workloads into a user friendly application for anyone.

The surveying operation on the site involves setting up ground markers fitted with u‑blox NEO‑M8T high performance GNSS receivers. The smart ground markers send the GNSS data they receive to the cloud, where it is post‑processed using a static surveying algorithm to achieve high accuracy.

AEROBO’s solution can transform high‑resolution drone images into a survey‑accurate map by using the absolute geographic coordinates of specific points on the surveyed terrain. Images gathered by overflying the terrain with the drones are combined to create centimeter‑precise outputs, including orthomap views, 3D models, and point clouds.

The challenge that engineers at Aerosense faced while developing their solution was achieving sufficiently high position accuracy. “We found a robust solution to the accuracy challenge by using the u‑blox NEO‑M8T high performance positioning module,” says Mr. Satoru Shimizu, Project Leader of AEROBO Marker, Technology Development Dept. at Aerosense Inc.

About u‑blox
u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA. (www.u‑blox.com)

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube

About Aerosense Inc.
Aerosense Inc. is a joint venture company between Sony Corporation and ZMP Inc. It is making full use of Sony’s technologies in camera, sensors and communication networks along with ZMP’s robot technology and business experience. We provide an automated industrial drone solution. In particular the field of Survey, We offer all cloud platforms to handle drone, and GPS built‑in marker. So it is possible to operate with high accuracy and safe. We also have unique technologies such as Tethered drone or VTOL drone.
(www.aerosense.co.jp)

u‑blox contact: 
Natacha Seitz
PR Manager
Mobile +41 76 436 0788
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

u‑blox AG
Zürcherstrasse 68
8800 Thalwil Switzerland
Phone +41 44 722 74 44
Fax +41 44 722 74 47
info@u-blox.com
www.u‑blox.com

Tomorrow’s industry will be connected. u-blox is making it happen.

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Courtesy of u-blox

The Internet of Things (IoT) is driving a new industrial revolution – and it’s already transforming industry. Smart technology is making operations more responsive, cost-effective, and sustainable. Are you ready to ride the wave of the connected, optimized, digital industry?

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is forecast to add more than $14 trillion to the global economy by 2030. The number of industrial robots shipped in 2025 is expected to exceed one million. And already, more than a third of manufacturers are reaping the benefits of smart sensors.

For your business, these trends offer completely new opportunities to enhance efficiency and save time and money.

To unleash the full power of the IIoT, you need state‑of‑the‑art connectivity, positioning, and timing technology. This blend combines to ensure that your operators and your smart monitoring and control systems are presented with the right data at the right time so that they can make the right decisions.

The five hallmarks of smart, connected industries

  1. Connectivity and remote control – Smart industries centrally monitor and control assets in real time, optimizing performance, and maximizing efficiency.
  2. Mobility – Smart industry operators have their finger on the pulse wherever they are – even outside the control room, where smart tools deliver context‑aware insights.
  3. Optimization and flexibility – Smart industries use rich data to optimize operations and spot potential problems before they happen, while more mobile equipment provides enormous flexibility.
  4. Traceability – Connected industries bring whole new levels of traceability by knowing exactly where things are, where they’ve been, and how they’re performing.
  5. Sustainability – Connected industries use their rich insights and smart control capabilities to make optimal use of resources and minimize waste.

The criticality of security

Whether you’re operating critical infrastructure, a high‑precision manufacturing unit, or any other industrial facility, you’ve got to get your digital security right.

As you connect up your operations, security becomes simultaneously more important and more complex because there’s so much more to think about.

Have you locked down each element, from its boot sequence to its API? Can your system deal with spoofing or jamming attempts? Is your data secure and tamper‑proof at every stage of its journey between your equipment and your remote control and monitoring software?

u‑blox will help you get this right

u-blox announces u-blox F9 robust and versatile high precision positioning technology for industrial and automotive applications

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Courtesy of u-blox

Thalwil, Switzerland – February 22, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, has announced the u‑blox F9 technology platform, delivering high precision positioning solutions for mass market industrial and automotive applications. The platform combines multi‑band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology with dead reckoning, high precision algorithms, and compatibility with a variety of GNSS correction data services to achieve precision down to the centimeter level. u‑blox F9 paves the way for the next generation of high precision navigation, augmented reality, and unmanned vehicles.

“High precision is the next frontier in positioning for mass markets, with countless applications in need of a robust and scalable high precision positioning solution. u‑blox F9 provides the hardware and integrated software components to address these needs,” says Daniel Ammann, Executive Director Positioning Product Development, Product Center Positioning at u‑blox.

High precision positioning

Centimeter‑level accuracy by combining RTK technology and u blox GNSS expertise

High precision positioning can be achieved by combining Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, with Real Time Kinematics (RTK) technology. RTK is a technique that uses the receiver’s measurements of the phase of the satellite signal’s carrier wave. These measurements combined with corrections from a local or virtual base station allow the receiver to solve carrier ambiguities and provide centimeter level accurate position information to the end user, typically a moving device referred to as the rover.

The demand for scalable high precision technology is growing rapidly, as evident in the automotive world with next generation HUD and V2X applications, and in robotics with applications such as UAVs and robotic lawnmowers.

However, due to the complexity, size, power, and cost restrictions, existing high precision solutions have been unable to meet the demands of these markets.

Building on the success of our NEO M8P high precision GNSS module series and drawing on our extensive experience in GNSS positioning technologies, including dead reckoning, multi‑band, Real Time Kinematics, and GNSS correction services, we’ve created the u‑blox F9 platform. The platform delivers the next level of scalable GNSS high precision technology, which will pave the path for new navigation applications such as augmented reality and unmanned vehicle navigation.

u‑blox_F9

The u‑blox F9 platform will underpin the next wave of u‑blox positioning modules targeting mass market industrial and automotive applications. It uses GNSS signals in multiple frequency bands (L1/L2/L5) to correct positioning errors caused by the ionosphere and deliver fast time to first fix (Fast TTFF). Its ability to receive signals from all GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou) further improves performance by increasing the number of satellites that are visible at any given time. Stand‑alone u‑blox F9 solutions robustly achieve meter‑level accuracy.

To achieve centimeter‑level accuracy, u‑blox F9 offers optional on‑chip Real Time Kinematic (RTK) technology. In addition to offering an open interface to legacy GNSS correction service providers, it supports the main GNSS correction services, taking RTK high precision positioning to mass markets for the first time.

Optimized for low power consumption, the u‑blox F9 platform sets a high standard for security with built‑in jamming and spoofing detection systems that protect against intentional and unintentional interference. Dead reckoning technology based on inertial sensors extends high precision performance to otherwise challenging urban environments.

Automotive applications of the technology include lane level navigation for head‑up displays and vehicular infotainment systems as well as for vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X) communication, a prerequisite for highly automated and fully autonomous vehicles.

In the industrial realm, u‑blox F9 will enable mass adoption of commercial unmanned vehicle applications including drones and ground vehicles such as heavy trucks or robotic lawnmowers.

The u‑blox F9 platform’s technology benefits will be showcased at Embedded World in Nuremberg, Germany from February 27 – March 1 at Booth #3‑139. Product samples will be available in the course of 2018.

About u‑blox
Swiss u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips for the automotive, industrial and consumer markets. u‑blox solutions enable people, vehicles and machines to locate their exact position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules and software solutions, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower OEMs to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, u‑blox is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA. (www.u‑blox.com)

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube

u‑blox contact:
Natacha Seitz, PR Manager, u‑blox
Phone: + 41 44 722 7388
E‑mail: natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

To learn more, see:

Products

NEO-M8P
NEO-M8P series
u-blox M8 high precision GNSS modules

Wireless+positioning

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Courtesy of u-blox

By offering embedded semiconductors, software, services, support and reference designs that support combined wireless and GPS/GNSS applications, u‑blox delivers complete solutions for a wide new range of location based services that capitalize on the converged technologies.

u‑blox’ wireless/positioning solutions

Because of the exciting and numerous applications for converged wireless and positioning technologies running on portable devices, u‑blox has implemented special features in its family of cellular modules to ease the design effort required for the integration of wireless with GPS.

For example, combining a LEON or SARA GSM/GPRS module with a u‑blox  GPS receiver allows designers to have full access to the GPS receiver directly via the modem: it relays control messages to the GPS receiver via a simple 2‑wire I2C interface. This means a 2nd interface, is not necessary: fully control of the GPS receiver is achieved with AT commands via the modem. The result is simple and cost effective GSM/GPS integration, making optimal use of PCB space.Embedded A‑GPS client

Another key advantage of u‑blox modem modules is that they contain an embedded AssistNow A‑GPS client supporting both online and offline Assisted GPS. The combined GSM/GPS solution with AssistNow client results in numerous benefits:

  • Better GPS performance in weak GPS signal conditions such as urban canyons
  • Significantly faster Time‑to‑First‑Fix (seconds, not minutes)
  • No resources required from the application’s microcontroller
  • No software integration effort on the host microcontroller required
  • Assisted GPS client firmware is embedded in LEON GSM/GPRS modems

Conclusion

The marriage of wireless technologies such as GSM and UMTS with GPS has an exciting future, enabling new and compelling mass‑market services for businesses, shopping, tourism, public and private transportation, social networking and entertainment, as well as for logistics, fleet management and emergency services.

Most importantly, these converged services offer clear value propositions and revenue models to allow all players in the ecosystem, end‑users, device and end‑product manufacturers and service providers, to benefit.

“The Promising Marriage of Wireless and GPS Technologies” (PDF)

u-blox technology provides cellular connectivity for a professional IoT platform

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Courtesy of u‑blox

Thalwil, Switzerland – January 25, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, announced today that its SARA cellular module series will provide wireless connectivity for a new end‑to‑end platform for Industry 4.0. With the platform, developed by Italian‑based Iomote, businesses will be able to easily connect existing machines to the cloud to increase efficiency and augment their service offering. Iomote will present its new solution in a series of workshops that started in the Microsoft House in Milan this month.

The centerpiece of the platform is Iomote’s smart, programmable X400 gateway, which adds cloud connectivity to virtually any industrial application.

Iomote offers also a handy web dashboard for the IIoT system administrators: MyMote. MyMote is used to manage operations such as provisioning, remote software upgrades of devices on the field, system notifications, and many others.

Telemetry data on the other hand are sent directly to Microsoft Azure and are exclusively available to the customer, without third parties involved.

Industrial IoT solutions require real‑time, bi‑directional connectivity between the device and the cloud. Ensuring continuous connectivity was paramount for this application. “We tested our X400 in remote areas where the cellular signal was very weak and unstable, and the overall performance was robust thanks to the u‑blox SARA cellular modules it uses,” says Claudio Carnevali, CEO of Iomote.

Flexibility was another factor in Iomote’s decision to work with the u‑blox solution. “Form factor and pin‑to‑pin compatibility between 2G, 3G, and 4G variants of the SARA cellular module mean that customers have the possibility to choose their cellular communication technology. We really benefit from the possibility of tailoring the technology each customer’s needs,” he says. “In the end, regardless of the cellular technology used, our customers can rely on the u‑blox module to send messages flawlessly to the cloud.”

The Iomote platform is designed to enable Industry 4.0 applications in a broad range of vertical markets. To facilitate customization for individual applications, the X400 gateway includes two processors. Connectivity, security, and over‑the‑air programming (OTA), which provide the backbone for industrial IoT applications, are handled on the Iomote core processor. Customer applications are run on the separate application processor, which is programmable using the Arduino integrated development environment (IDE). Field applications can be created in a matter of hours by leveraging the Arduino IDE and the abundance of libraries and software that are readily available.

“We’re excited about the new Iomote industrial IoT platform because we believe it will strongly contribute to growing the industrial IoT ecosystem, giving rise to more and more smart connected devices,” says Patty Felts, Principal Product Manager, Cellular, at u‑blox. “And we are convinced that customers in Europe will appreciate our most recent addition to the u‑blox SARA cellular module family, the SARA‑R412M with quad‑band 2G fallback, to smoothen the transition toward low‑power wide‑area LTE cellular networks for industrial applications.”

About u‑blox
Swiss u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips for the automotive, industrial and consumer markets. u‑blox solutions enable people, vehicles and machines to locate their exact position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules and software solutions, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower OEMs to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, u‑blox is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.
(www.u‑blox.com)

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube 

u‑blox contact:
Natacha Seitz, PR Manager, u‑blox
Phone: + 41 44 722 7388
E‑mail: natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

About Iomote
Iomote offers solutions to speed up the IIoT and to transform machines and sensors into digital entities with ease. The company is based in Italy and provides programmable hardware devices coupled with a management web dashboard on the cloud. Iomote solutions gained the Microsoft Azure Certification as guarantee of security and privacy.

Our unique business approach, starting from consulting to the end‑to‑end solutions, makes us the best partner for companies looking to empower their business model leveraging the 4.0 industrial revolution.
(www.iomote.com)

Iomote contact:
Claudio Carnevali, CEO, Iomote
Phone: +39 02 82951953
E‑mail: c.carnevali@iomote.com

u-blox introduces world’s smallest LTE Cat M1 and NB-IoT multi-mode module with quad-band 2G fallback

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Courtesy of u‑blox

SARA‑R412M is the world’s smallest multi‑mode LTE Cat M1, NB‑IoT (NB1), and quad‑band 2G  solution to offer global configurability in a single hardware version  

Thalwil, Switzerland – January 23, 2018 – u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, today announced the SARA‑R412M, an LTE Cat M1, NB‑IoT, and quad‑band 2G (EGPRS) module with worldwide coverage. Measuring just 16 x 26 mm, the module is the world’s smallest to provide both LTE and quad‑band EGPRS support in a single design. The flexibility extends further with dynamic system selection as Cat M1, NB‑IoT, and EGPRS in single mode or as a preferred connection that does not require a module reboot to switch between modes. It brings a rich feature suite optimized for LPWA (low‑power wide‑area) IoT applications that require the assurance of 2G connectivity to guarantee broad geographic coverage, even in areas where LTE Cat M1 and NB‑IoT are not widely available yet. New IoT devices deployed in the field today can activate on existing 2G networks and still leverage the benefits of LTE Cat M1 and NB‑IoT technology once it becomes available.

The SARA‑R4 series covers a whole host of IoT applications, especially those reliant on long‑term, low power use or requiring connectivity deep within buildings. Examples include gas, water, and electricity metering, city street lighting, building automation, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), industrial monitoring and control, telematics, insurance, asset and vehicle tracking, security systems, alarm panels, outpatient monitoring, and many consumer wearables.

“The u‑blox SARA‑R412M provides customers that require 2G fallback a solution that preserves both the 16 x 26 mm form factor and the precise pin assignment used for the LTE Cat M1 and NB1 SARA‑R4 products,’’ says Patty Felts, Principal Product Manager, Cellular, at u‑blox. “Not only does this enable customers to easily sunset or migrate from other u‑blox 2G, 3G, and 4G modules, it also strengthens u‑blox’s leadership position of offering among the world’s smallest global hardware designs.”

Broad capabilities in a single hardware 
SARA‑R412M enables global solutions based on a single hardware version, allowing developers to select their own desired frequencies and operator configurations. SARA‑R412M ensures data integrity between applications via secure communication protocols, notably including two‑way authentication between client and server, a strategy often utilized with cloud services.

Critical firmware updates can be delivered with the u‑blox proprietary uFOTA (firmware over the air) client/server solution that uses LWM2M, a light and compact protocol that is ideal for IoT applications. This allows end‑users to continue using the same hardware when features and functionalities are updated, making it well‑suited for critical applications running on devices that may be deployed in the field over long periods of time.

Low power consumption and extended range
SARA‑R412M provides an extended temperature range of -40 to +85°C, and supports Power Save Mode (PSM) and Extended Discontinuous Reception (e‑DRX) for LTE Cat M1 and NB‑IoT connectivity, which can extend battery lifetime for up to 10 years.

3GPP Coverage Enhancement allows the module’s Cat M1 connectivity to reach deeper into buildings and basements, and even underground with NB‑IoT when compared to other air interface technologies such as GSM or Cat 1.

The module will be available later this year.

About u‑blox

Swiss u‑blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips for the automotive, industrial and consumer markets. u‑blox solutions enable people, vehicles and machines to locate their exact position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules and software solutions, u‑blox is uniquely positioned to empower OEMs to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost‑effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, u‑blox is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

(www.u‑blox.com)

Find us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube

u‑blox contact:

Patty Felts, Product Manager Cellular at u‑blox

Phone: +1 858 847 9611

E‑mail: patty.felts@u-blox.com

A comprehensive approach to multi-GNSS positioning

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Courtesy of u-blox

u‑blox M8 and u‑blox 7: two u‑blox GNSS platform generations address all market requirements

With the launch of the new u‑blox M8 semiconductor platform, u‑blox once again establishes its leadership in embedded global satellite positioning. Combining advanced chip technology, sophisticated software algorithms, true concurrent GNSS satellite reception and multi GNSS aiding services, u‑blox M8 sets the new benchmark for navigation and positioning.

u‑blox M8 complements our u‑blox 7 platform, offering new solution alternatives depending on application needs – whether that be for high performance, low power, or low cost. The two platforms are based on the the UBX‑M8030 concurrent‑GNSS, and UBX‑G7020 single‑GNSS chip families. The chips form the basis of u‑blox’ popular MAX, NEO and LEA GNSS module series (overview of all modules).

u‑blox M8: high performance positioning

u‑blox M8 acquires and tracks two GNSS systems concurrently – default is GPS and GLONASS. Concurrent reception of GPS and BeiDou or even concurrent GLONASS and BeiDou reception can be selected on‑the fly. Optimized signal reception circuitry in combination with software algorithms and advanced tracking and search engines capitalize on the quality, and not only the quantity, of satellites used, providing optimal solutions in GNSS hostile environments.

With market leading -167 dBm dynamic sensitivity, 1 second TTFF and 2 meter positioning accuracy, u‑blox M8 is the perfect solution for performance critical applications like car navigation, drive recorder or emergency call systems. For such applications, high performance is key.  By utilizing the new u‑blox Multi GNSS AssistNow service and local satellite augmentation services  (SBAS, QZSS), u‑blox M8 provides even more accurate position information within seconds – virtually anywhere.

u‑blox M8 is the first mass produced stand‑alone receiver to include BeiDou reception. With the concurrent reception of GPS and BeiDou, a sensitivity of -165 dBm has been achieved, making u‑blox M8 the best performing GPS/BeiDou receiver on the market.

All in all, u‑blox M8 is the perfect choice for high performance positioning applications, bringing the increased performance of concurrent GNSS reception to practical application. By applying an external SQI flash, u‑blox M8 is also future‑proof, as firmware updates easily can be made, for example adding Galileo when it becomes fully operational.

u‑blox 7: low‑power, low‑cost positioning

In case of less critical applications requirements where the important key parameters are low power and low cost, u‑blox 7 is the perfect answer. u‑blox 7 is optimized for low‑cost, low‑power applications where single‑GNSS reception is sufficient. u‑blox 7 is one of the lowest power multi‑GNSS receiver platform on the market, particularly attractive for small battery powered devices like asset and vehicle tracking boxes. In case of rural or suburban areas, the u‑blox 7 single GNSS reception is more than sufficient to provide accurate and reliable positioning information. u‑blox 7 supports single reception of either GPS or GLONASS, selectable on start‑up by command.

Both receiver chips come in QFN40 packages in standard and automotive grades. Chip scale packages are also available for commercial applications. u‑blox M8 QFN package is pin compatible with u‑blox 7 QFN package, and extensive documentation makes migration easy.

All u‑blox GNSS products continue to leverage the synergies with our broad portfolio of GSM, UMTS, CDMA and LTE cellular modules to enable location awareness, including support for our unique CellLocate hybrid indoor positioning system.With our comprehensive portfolio of GNSS chips and modules, our goal is simple: to support your product innovation while making it easy to upgrade from one product generation to the next.