NavStream 3000 is the latest and most advanced GPS platform from Parthus incorporating a configurable GPS baseband acceleration engine, enhanced radio front end and software suites targeting both handset and automotive market requirements.

While GPS technology offers unrivalled location accuracy, indoor environments have traditionally degraded accuracy performance.

The significant breakthrough with Parthus' NavStream 3000 is the rapid ability to determine location in practically any environment. Parthus have undertaken extensive trials to obtain position fixes in indoor environments including homes, office and industrial buildings in under 3.5 seconds.

"For the past 18 months, we have worked collaboratively with leading handset, network and semiconductor players in the industry to identify, test and finally solve the key challenge of instant and pinpoint location of individuals whether they be in remote, urban or indoor environments," said Dr Tony Pratt, technical director of Parthus' location business unit.

"NavStream 3000 is the result of this extensive test and development program. The platform delivers in all areas -- cost, power, jam immunity, user privacy protection, GSM or CDMA network assistance, and finally in the key area of locating an individual in practically any environment and thereby fully complying with the US FCC E911 mandate."

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E911 mandate stipulates that wireless 911 emergency callers have to be automatically located within seconds.

Phase II of the mandate requires that carriers who have chosen handset based location solutions must be selling Automatic Location Identification (ALI) handsets as of now, ramping to 100% of all subscribers possessing ALI capable handsets by 2005. With no carrier having implemented the mandate the FCC granted a short term waiver.

The FCC chairman Michael Powell was reported stating that "efforts (the carriers' implementation of E911) must be re-doubled. It goes without saying that there is a new sense of urgency around using mobile phones as important safety devices."

A similar emergency location mandate is anticipated to be introduced in Europe for the 112 / 999 emergency numbers.

Historically GPS handsets required sight-of-sky to locate and track satellites. NavStream 3000 utilizes breakthrough hardware and software advances to determine exact location in very challenging environments such as homes, offices, malls and high-rise buildings. A further advantage of GPS is the ability to determine elevation, e.g. what floor an individual is on.

"With GPS poised to emerge as a key mobile Internet technology requirement, our goal has always been to make NavStream the dominant GPS standard for all mobile devices," said Kevin Fielding, president of Parthus Technologies.

"NavStream 3000, a platform we have already successfully licensed, is a breakthrough solution which leads the industry in the four critical areas now driving GPS implementation in mobile Internet devices. These are the combined requirements for sub 5-metre accuracy, indoor tracking, low power consumption and of course very low integration cost."

NavStream's uses extend beyond E911 requirements to enable the massive drive by wireless operators to generate commercial revenues from mobile commerce applications.

These currently include location based services such as mapping (real time driving instructions), and personalised concierge such as nearby taxis, busses, restaurants, stores, ATMs and places of interest.

Revenues from location based services are predicted to grow from under $10 million in 2001 to $3.8 billion in 2005 (Cahners In-Stat Group*). Other uses include security (e.g. tracking of hazardous loads) and logistics (tracking transportation). Some European countries are deploying GPS for dynamic road tolling.

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