This paper describes a silicon bipolar ASIC design for high-end GPS receivers that delivers a reference frequency and IF outputs to allow for tracking of GLONASS satellites. The 3.2mm² receiver operates at a minimum supply voltage of 2.7V, over -40°C to +85°C temperature range. It has a 4dB noise figure (including RF filters), a total on-chip gain of 130dB, and an IIP3 of -31dBm.
An RF/IF silicon bipolar ASIC, ROCIII (receiver-on-a-chip) has been designed to deliver a receiver solution for a range of GPS/GLONASS products aimed at the professional marketplace. These applications include synchronisation of cellular base stations (high blocking immunity) and survey grade receivers with sub-cm accuracy (low amplitude and phase noise). The ROCIII delivered successful performance after a single design pass and has now gone into production. The ASIC is packaged in chip-on-board (COB) modules that also contain the extra passive components and control loops. Each COB module is targeted at a specific set of applications and has the advantage of being a rugged component that can be directly placed on a digital motherboard using standard, surface mount, manufacturing techniques.
