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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsPorto-based SiliconGate said its power-management semiconductor IP was used in u-blox’s u-blox 7 positioning platform and UBX-G7020 receiver IC. The announcement, published by EE Times on July 18, 2012, described an IP adoption—not a sale of finished GPS chips or a disclosed manufacturing contract.
What SiliconGate supplied
SiliconGate LDA, based in Porto, Portugal, supplied reusable semiconductor design IP for power management. Such IP is a circuit design that a chip company can integrate into its own silicon; it is different from a finished receiver, module, or consumer navigation device.
The announcement identified SiliconGate’s “Ultra Low Power” and “Ultra Fast High Efficiency” IP families, including DC/DC converter technology. SiliconGate described the designs as compact, low-noise, efficient at light loads, and compatible with SoC and RF environments. Those are supplier-stated design attributes, not independently published measurements. Design-Reuse’s reproduction of the announcement provides those details; SiliconGate’s news archive also records the company’s account.
Which u-blox product used it?
The broader platform was u-blox 7, and the specific receiver named was the UBX-G7020. The distinction matters: SiliconGate’s role was the power-management IP inside a u-blox product, not the design or manufacture of the complete GNSS receiver.
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- Multi-GNSS GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou module
- 72 Receiver channel number
- Support for multi-GNSS including QZSS and SBAS ranging
- Integrated 12 multi-tone active interference cancellers
- It is recommended to purchase RYLS135 USB to UART Bridge for your convenience in testing.
The UBX-G7020 series included three package and grade variants:
| Variant | Package or grade described by u-blox |
|---|---|
| UBX-G7020-CT | WL-CSP |
| UBX-G7020-KT | Professional-grade QFN |
| UBX-G7020-KA | Automotive-grade QFN |
EE Times reported that the chip used a 65-nanometer RF CMOS process from GlobalFoundries; that process detail is attributed to the trade publication. EE Times’ report does not establish the precise block-level implementation of SiliconGate’s IP.
Rank #2
- Equipment Feature：MJRTK-UM982 supports GPS/BDS/GLONASS/Galileo/QZSS All-constellation Multi-frequency, supports on-chip RTK positioning and dual-antenna heading solution, GPS antenna is designed with π-type network impedance matching (50Ω), VSWR below 1.78, and it can converge quickly within 20 seconds to achieve centimeter-level positioning
- Anti-Jamming：Built-in advanced anti-interference unit，60 dB narrowband interference suppression and interference detection， delivers reliable and accurate positioning data even in complex electromagnetic environments.
- Application Areas:26*38*7.6mm compact size is designed for easy integration. Ideal choice for high-precision applications such as UAVs, autonomous machines, gps and gnss for land surveyors and precision agriculture.
- Connection Interface：MJRTK-UM982 GNSS Receiver integrates TYPE-C and XH2.54x6PIN dual interface connection. The TYPE-C interface can realize plug-and-play and convenient connection, and the PIN interface is easy to integrate.
- Product Support: You will get MJRTK-UM982 module×1, SMA cable×2, Heat sink×1, Pins×2; Rich software documentation will provide extensive visualization and evaluation features. Professional technical support team ensures worry-free after-sales.
Why power-management IP mattered in a GNSS receiver
A satellite-navigation receiver combines RF circuitry, digital processing, clocking, memory interfaces, and multiple voltage domains. Its power circuitry must support the required operating modes without adding noise that could impair sensitive RF functions. A low-power design can also reduce battery drain and heat, and potentially help a product meet size and component-count targets.
SiliconGate emphasized DC/DC conversion designed to be “SoC and RF friendly.” That describes the engineering challenge behind the announcement: an integrated regulator must balance efficiency, footprint, and noise behavior. The final receiver’s power use also depends on u-blox’s architecture, process, firmware, RF design, and operating mode; the public material does not isolate SiliconGate’s contribution to the chip’s total power savings.
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Rank #3
- Plug-and-Play module designed specially for Flipper Zero
- Support Multi-GNSS systems: GPS, BeiDou (BDS), GLONASS and QZSS;Support AGNSS;Support NMEA 0183 standard protocol and CASIC proprietary protocol
- Built-in Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) for improved reception sensitivity;Built-in SAW Filter for enhanced noise reduction performance
- UART communication baud rate: 4800~115200bps (9600bps by default)
- Green LED for indicating the 1PPS output on fix;Pre-soldered CR1220 coin cell holder
What the UBX-G7020 claimed at launch
u-blox announced the UBX-G7020 on June 4, 2012. Its launch release promoted a 7 mW continuous-navigation figure, support for GPS, GLONASS, and QZSS, and Galileo- and Compass-ready operation. “Compass” was the terminology used in the 2012 material for China’s satellite-navigation system, now known as BeiDou. These were vendor launch claims, not independent comparative test results. u-blox’s launch announcement also called the platform the world’s lowest-power multi-GNSS platform; that superlative should be read as marketing language attributed to u-blox.
The same launch material described a package as small as 3.0 × 3.4 mm, a standalone design using eight external components, and a receiver implementation occupying less than 30 mm² on a two-layer PCB. It listed USB, UART, SPI, and DDC/I²C-compatible interfaces. These are separate design claims: a small chip package does not by itself determine the footprint of a complete product, which also needs an antenna, power design, RF layout, and other system components.
Rank #4
- 【Wide Protocol Compatibility】 SMA26 Plus GNSS RTK capable of receiving and broadcasting signals compatible with CSS（Lora）,Transparent, TT450S,Trimtalk, TRMMARK3, SOUTH, SATEL standard radio protocols. ensuring compatibility with a wide range of rover&base stations
- 【Tilt Compensation】 The SMA26 Plus RTK offers tilt measurement accuracy of up to 2.5 cm (at tilt angles ≤30°), after simple initialization, it is suitable for precise measurements in locations with limited signal or restricted space. The maximum tilt measurement angle is 60°
- 【High Capability & Compatibility】The SMA26 Plus is an full-constellation RTK GNSS receiver with wide protocol compatibility, making it compatible with multiple RTK brands. Supporting PPP, PPK, and RTK technologies, it delivers versatile, high-precision performance for a wide range of surveying applications
- 【Smart Handheld Collector】The SMA26 Plus GPS receiver is paired with an Android 14 handheld with 5.45" HD screen, dual SIM, 9000mAh battery, NFC, IP68 protection, dual-band RTK support, and 13MP rear camera
- 【All-in-One Integration】 The SMA26 Plus RTK GNSS receiver features built-in Bluetooth, UHF radio, WiFi, IMU, antenna, and 32GB of storage. It allows for easy switching between base station and rover modes with a single device
Why the published power numbers differ
The headline 7 mW figure should not be combined with a separate product-summary table as though both described the same measurement. u-blox’s UBX-G7020 product summary lists 41 mW at 1.4 V in continuous mode and 9 mW at 1.4 V in 1 Hz power-save mode. The launch and partner announcements give the 7 mW continuous-navigation claim, while the summary specifies a supply voltage and named operating modes for its figures. The available documents do not reconcile the difference, so the values should be kept tied to their respective sources and stated conditions rather than treated as interchangeable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the design adoption does—and does not—show
SiliconGate announced the IP use, and its announcement included a supportive comment attributed to u-blox’s vice president of IC development. u-blox separately announced the UBX-G7020 and its specifications. Taken together, the material supports saying that SiliconGate reported its power-management IP was used in the u-blox 7/UBX-G7020 context.
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- G72 gps usb use the newer chip(M8130-KT Chip), better than vk-172 gps.This usb gps works with Windows, Raspberry pi, Linux and Google Earth, not for iOS Android system.
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- 1 X USB GPS Receiver Module, the product dimensions: 60X24X9mm. Update frequency: 1~10Hz, Baud rate: 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200bps
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The public announcements do not state a contract value, licensing revenue, production volume, exclusivity, relationship duration, or whether the IP appeared in every u-blox 7 variant. “Design win” is therefore useful industry shorthand, but it should not be mistaken for evidence of a large or exclusive commercial agreement. The significance is that a specialist IP supplier’s technology was reported as integrated into a commercial receiver platform—not that the announcements disclose the financial scale of the relationship.
Current status: a legacy, end-of-life product
The UBX-G7020 is not a current default choice for a new design. u-blox describes the series as older-generation hardware and lists the CT, KT, and KA variants as end-of-life on its product page. A u-blox notice dated October 2, 2024 set variant-dependent last-time-buy and last-shipping dates extending into 2025 and 2026, and recommends migration to M9, M10, or F10 products depending on the affected variant. See the u-blox end-of-life notice for the applicable dates and successor mapping.
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