Fit for harsh environments, the device is optimised for power-sensitive and battery-dependent IoT applications
Presenting a miniature cellular module that integrates low power wide area (LPWA) connectivity and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology into an ultra-small system-in-package (SiP) form factor.
The ALEX-R5 has a 23 dBm cellular transmission power that allows end devices to operate effectively in all signal conditions, whether at cell edges, underground or in other challenging scenarios. A dedicated GNSS antenna interface enables fully independent, simultaneous operation of the M8 GNSS chip. Features such as IoT Location-as-a-Service with CellLocate and AssistNow (online, offline and autonomous) further enhance positioning performance.
The device is optimised for power-sensitive and battery-dependent applications, addressing common pain points of size-constrained applications such as wearables and connected medical devices. This is achieved by leveraging low power modes of UBX-R5 and UBX-M8 chipsets, enabling further enhancement of power consumption and performance using GNSS Super-E mode.
A rugged SiP construction makes it a perfect fit for harsh environments, where moisture or vibration would be a concern for conventional modules. ALEX-R5 is rated at moisture sensitivity level 3 (MSL 3), offering reduced handling and device production complexity.
Secure Cloud functionality supporting IoT-Security-as-a-Service is based on an internal, hardware-based secure element that enables a lightweight pre-shared key management system specifically designed for LPWA devices. Through this, ALEX-R5 future-proofs IoT devices and solutions by enabling customers to software upgrade deployed devices for compatibility with 5G networks.
Available in a miniature 14×14 mm footprint, samples of the ALEX-R5 SiP can be obtained from u-blox in Q1 2021.
To know more about ALEX-R5: click here