As an important sensing technology for the Internet of Things, positioning technology can derive a series of IoT applications based on location information by using it to obtain the real-time location information of objects. With the development of smart cities and new infrastructure, the need for accurate positioning technology has become more urgent. The position of an object changes in real time, and other information collected usually must be associated with the position information to be valuable. In this article, SKYLAB will focus on introducing the GPS module from the perspective of GPS module selection and functional application of the GPS module .
SKYLAB's GPS modules are divided into four categories according to different practical applications . Single GPS modules refer to GPS modules without antennas; GPS timing modules refer to GPS timing modules without antennas to support timing functions. Antenna-integrated GPS modules refer to With the addition of a ceramic antenna, it is an integrated antenna product developed based on a single GPS module. Users do not need to configure an additional antenna; G-mouse refers to a finished GPS module that adds a shell and a long antenna to the integrated GPS antenna.
GPS module and antenna-integrated GPS module need to be embedded on the PCB board of the positioning product, while G-mouse is generally placed in a car or outside the car in a place with a good positioning environment; antenna-integrated GPS module and G-mouse do not need The circuit design is too complex . As long as the four lines of "TX, RX, VCC, GND" are connected, positioning data can be received through the NMEA-0183 protocol.
01. Single GPS positioning module
SKYLAB single GPS modules have two series, namely A series single GPS modules represented by SKG09A and SKG12A and BL series single GPS modules represented by SKG09BL and SKG12BL . The biggest difference between the two series of single GPS modules is the different GPS chips. The GPS chip is an important part of the GPS module. The different chip solutions also lead to different parameters.
The A series single GPS module adopts a dedicated high-performance architecture, built-in high-precision TCXO and low-noise amplifier, with ultra-high sensitivity and extremely short acquisition and positioning time. It has a built-in programmable chip and can be used for vehicle monitoring, vehicle navigation, driving recorders, Different applications such as wearable devices are matched with professional software to meet the needs of different application fields. A series GPS modules SKG09A and SKG12A are developed based on the MT3339 chip solution . They have low power consumption, high integration, programmability, and support antenna detection, time pulse, AGPS, EASY, and data recording functions.
The BL series is specially designed by SKYLAB for high performance and low cost. Advanced RF architecture and interference suppression ensure optimal performance even in environments where GPS signals are unfavorable, making it the best choice for mass-market terminal products that have strict size and cost requirements. BL series GPS modules SKG09BL and SKG12BL are developed based on the MT3337 chip solution . They have high integration and support configuration pins, time pulses, AGPS, and EASY functions. They do not support programming, antenna detection, and data recording.
02. Antenna integrated GPS module
SKYLAB antenna integrated GPS module is based on a single GPS module with a ceramic antenna added . This series of modules is mainly designed to provide customers with complete, high-performance positioning solutions. Representative models include SKM61, SKM81B, SKM82, SKM86, etc. The simple design and highly integrated antenna-integrated GPS module can complete sample testing faster. The multi-standard package size meets the upgrade and replacement of different applications .
The integrated high-quality low-noise amplifier and surface acoustic filter allow the module to still have good positioning performance even when the GPS signal is unfavorable.
03. GPS G-mouse module
SKYLAB GPS G-mouse is a finished GPS module based on the antenna-integrated GPS module with the addition of a housing and a long antenna . The representative models are SKM51 and SKM55. This series of modules has built-in LNA and SAW filters and has good RF performance. It perfectly combines the performance of the GPS module and GPA antenna to maximize the performance of the GPS module. It has a simple multi-interface design and is user-friendly. Micro-Fit 3.0, USB, DB9, Audio audio, and JST interfaces can be selected according to actual needs, which is extremely convenient to use. The length of the antenna can also be customized according to the application scenario , which greatly facilitates vehicle positioning applications in some aftermarket markets such as buses and online ride-hailing .
04. GPS timing module
SKYLAB GPS timing module is mainly AT series GPS timing module SKG12AT , which adopts a dedicated high-performance architecture with built-in high-precision TCXO and low-noise amplifier. It has ultra-high sensitivity and extremely short acquisition and positioning time, and has a built-in programmable chip. SKG12AT is developed based on the MT3339 chip solution . It has low power consumption, high integration, programmability, and supports antenna detection, time pulse, AGPS, EASY, and data recording functions. It can meet the needs of different base stations, power, communications, finance, transportation timing and other application fields .
SKYLAB's GPS module can realize positioning, navigation, timing and other functions. To give a very simple example, when you hold a handheld device with a GPS module loaded inside, the coordinates will change at any time as the position of the terminal moves, and the corresponding GPS module position will be generated; when you use your current location as the starting point , and when setting an end point, the internal map of the handheld device can plan a navigation route for you based on the existing geographical location; synchronizing the UTC time can obtain GPS satellite timing to meet the time synchronization needs.
According to the main functions of the GPS module, the applications of the GPS module are divided into three categories, namely positioning, navigation and timing.
01. Positioning type
1. Low-power GPS modules can be used in the field of smart wearable devices, such as outdoor watches, children's watches, elderly watches and pet locators;
2. Applied to smartphones, tablets, PND, DVR, etc. that use GPS services;
3. GPS modules are used in various portable equipment fields such as industrial PDAs, handheld machines, and law enforcement instruments;
4. GPS modules are used in network cameras, street lights and other security fields;
5. Used in vehicle positioning terminals and other equipment fields to provide real-time location information;
6. GPS modules are used in surveying and mapping equipment such as area measurement and distance measurement, mostly in the fields of agriculture and geology;
7. The GPS module is used in the field of drones for precise positioning of drones;
02. Navigation type
1. In-vehicle navigation, such as school buses, buses, logistics vehicles, taxi tracking and positioning applications, taking bus applications as an example, the smart bus system based on the GPS module can realize scheduled automatic stop reporting, real-time trajectory query, alarm function, history Track upload and track playback, cross-border/speeding alarm based on positioning information, specified driving route and driving time;
2. Outdoor handheld mobile phone navigation, such as power grids, base stations, geological surveys, travel enthusiasts and other outdoor workers, need navigation services. Outdoor handheld mobile phones with built-in GPS modules and GPS maps can provide them with accurate positioning and navigation information.
03. Timing type
1. Satellite synchronized timing, mostly used in power, finance, communications, and base station synchronized timing;
2. Traffic timing, mostly used for precise timing of highway induction lights and traffic lights.