Broadcom Delivers First Global Location Chip for Wearables

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

News Highlights:

• Adds new level of activity and location tracking to the growing fitness and wearable device market
• Improves the accuracy of speed and distance measurements while consuming 75 percent less power than existing GNSS solutions
• Reduces cost and complexity of adding GNSS to wearables by using a single chip solution that includes an integrated sensor hub

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today introduced the industry's first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) system-on-chip (SoC), designed for low-power, mass-market wearable devices such as fitness trackers and smart watches.  Broadcom will showcase its mobile innovations at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 24-27.  For more news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom.  

The Broadcom® BCM4771 GNSS SoC with on-chip sensor hub enables consumers to more accurately track and manage their health and wellbeing by delivering precision activity tracking and location data while consuming less power than traditional architectures.  This enables location intelligence and the extended battery life needed by the growing wearable market.  Wearable wireless device revenues are projected to exceed $6 billion in 2018 with sports, fitness and wellness as the largest segment with 50 percent share of all device shipments¹. 

"Today's wearables like fitness trackers have surged in popularity, but often miscalculate speed and distance," said Mohamed Awad, Broadcom Director, Marketing, Mobile and Wireless Group. "As the largest supplier of discrete GNSS solutions, Broadcom brings its location expertise to deliver more precise fitness and health measurements to the accelerating wearable market."

Broadcom's new chip constantly monitors user activity levels and location history to improve accuracy while adding advanced features such as location batching.  In addition, Broadcom's BCM4771 significantly reduces power consumption and board area by combining its location capabilities with an integrated sensor hub, contextual awareness, and GNSS. The solution is complimented by Broadcom's Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED™) Smart and WICED Direct software development kits (SDKs) to provide additional wireless connectivity to the platform.

Key Features
Designed in 40 nanometer (nm) process technology, Broadcom's BCM4771 GNSS SoC includes a sensor hub that integrates sensor inputs for its on-chip algorithms to detect the user's context, accurately compute speed and distance traveled, and provide fitness applications with the GNSS track. Power savings and advanced accuracy are achieved by intelligently leveraging context detection through the tight coupling of sensor inputs and GNSS on a single SoC. Broadcom's BCM4771 also realizes a lower overall bill of materials (BOM) cost through the integration of a multipurpose sensor hub.

Availability
The BCM4771 will be sampling by the end of Q1 2014.

For ongoing news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom, read the B-Connected Blog, or visit Facebook or Twitter. And to stay connected, subscribe to Broadcom's RSS Feed.

Resources
¹ Adarsh Krishnan, ABI Research, September 30, 2013

About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments.  With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by connecting everything®.  For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom^®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo and WICED™ are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.  Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless