Since the beginning in 1999 Fastrax has been a technical front runner introducing several new, ground breaking features and functions to its GNSS Modules and SW. The company has made a huge amount of custom designs, patents, and new introductions to the market, the latest one being efficient integration of GNSS module with chip antennas, which significantly reduce size and cost for customers. The hardware expertise has time after time proved to be world class, which also explains why Fastrax is able to get best performance out of the underlying chipsets.

Fastrax First in the world:

1999   Lowest power consuming GPS module, iTrax02™
1999   First to bring RF signal through I/O connector
2000   First commercially available SDK on GPS chipset, iSuite02 SDK™
2002   First GPS Loop Antenna
2003   First measurement front end, iFix™
2004   First commercial pseudolite transmitter and receiver
2006   First embedded firmware stack on multiple GNSS chipsets, iSuite™3 SDK
2008   First GPS chip antenna module
2010   Most sensitive Software GPS Indoor acquisition, -175dBm
2011   Smallest antenna module, UC430
2011   First true MultiGNSS receiver, IT600
2012   Lowest power consuming receiver module, IT530

Embedded GNSS software has always played an important role in Fastrax. Working with GPS in the early 1990’s gave Fastrax founders deep understanding of algorithms and signal handling in the complex world of GNSS. This evolved to Fastrax embedded iSuite software that was licenses to first GPS chipset manufacturer in the year 2000. Since then it has been ported to several platforms and it functioned as the basis for Fastrax continued desire to break existing barriers, reach new levels and introduce new technologies.

In 2008 this evolved to Fastrax Software GNSS, which today is considered as the next big thing in GNSS development*. RF front end is the only HW that is needed with Fastrax Software GNSS while all signal handling is made on already existing main processor. This always comes down to reduced silicon area of the GNSS solution as no dedicated base band processor is needed. This leads to reduce total cost and size of the device. The importance of silicon area, cost and size are furthermore being stressed as new GNSS systems are being introduced. Normally introduction of new GNSS systems would introduce more system cost, but with Software GNSS the fixed cost remain the same, and the new system can even be upgraded over the air! In addition to cost saving, Fastrax Software GNSS can be used to break technology barriers. This is proved by showing -175dBm acquisition sensitivity and 5mJ power consumption for a single fix.

With performance, size, cost and other customer requirements as guide lines throughout the history, the continuous search for improvement is rooted into Fastrax mentality and it functions as a profound foundation for continued future development.

*ABI Reasearch. GPS Semiconductors 2011