The application range of GPS receiver ICs is expanding quickly to include portable devices such as mobile phones. Features include navigation services that pinpoint the user's location, a location service that enables people to use their phones to monitor specific individuals such as children or the elderly, and a handset locating service that enables users to locate lost or misplaced phones. Image sensor suppliers are moving beyond simply increasing image resolution and shrinking form factors for today’s camera phones, designing in some pretty innovative digital camera-like features on chip.
By Adrian Mikolajczak, Tyco Electronics The trend of connecting lifestyles from the home to the vehicle to the workplace via portable infotainment devices, such as GPS systems, smart phones, play stations and portable media players, has made circuit protection increasingly important.
