ARCwire -- STMicroelectronics (ST Micro), one of the world's largest semiconductor companies, and Nanotron Technologies GmbH announced a definitive, nonexclusive agreement under which the two companies will jointly develop complete solutions for the real-time location systems (RTLS) market. These solutions, offering robust communication, precision ranging, and high-accuracy positioning, will operate on emerging low–data rate networks that meet the recently begun efforts to establish a low–data rate wireless personal area network (IEEE 802.15.4a) standard.
Nanotron brings to the effort its expertise and intellectual property in the design and manufacture of RF systems using the Chirp Spread Spectrum radio hardware and software, and ST brings world-class capabilities in semiconductor technology and development, as well as its global manufacturing and marketing resources.
The work will involve joint development of components and reference designs for a complete roadmap of next-generation location-awareness solutions, with hardware, software, and tools, for the industrial and the active RFID asset-tracking market. A first joint Chirp product from the partners is planned for launch in early 2007. Customers will be able to take advantage of these fully compatible offerings as reliable dual sources to meet their needs for high-precision location tracking.