u-blox AG has introduced the LEA-4T, a high performance, low power, precision timing GPS receiver capable of a (compensated) time pulse accuracy of 15 ns. Needing just one satellite and consuming no more than 38 mA, the LEA-4T is ideally suited for telecomm network synchronization.

It is also suited to applications that need time-accurate data communication between geographically dispersed systems and devices.

The LEA-4T features a Time Mode function whereby the GPS receiver assumes a stationary position, whether programmed manually or determined by an initial self-survey. Stationary operation enables GPS timing with only one visible satellite and eliminates timing errors which otherwise result from positioning errors.

The accuracy of the time pulse is as good as 50 ns Root Mean Square (RMS), synchronized to GPS or UTC time. However, an accuracy of 15 ns can be achieved by using the quantization error information to compensate for the granularity of the time pulse. The 2-channel time mark and counter unit also provides a globally synchronized time stamping and time-measuring functionality useful in applications such as seismic sensors or other applications that require wide-area synchronization needs.

"Adding precision timing functionality to our receivers is our latest move towards making our product portfolio market segment specific. Moreover, the LEA-4T precision timing module enables high-accuracy, high-performance applications at low cost giving our customers a real competitive edge", said Daniel Ammann, VP Research & Development, GNSS Software.

Additionally, the LEA-4T module can be configured to output raw measurement data (carrier phase with half-cycle ambiguity resolved, code phase and Doppler measurements, output with up to 10Hz), which can be used in external applications that offer precise positioning, attitude sensing and real-time kinematics (RTK) for surveying applications, for instance.

Finally, the LEA-4T module features SuperSense Indoor GPS and A-GPS functionality, and it offers full DGPS and full WAAS/EGNOS support. As all ANTARIS-4 modules, the LEA-4T is also RoHS compliant.