ATR0635-EK1 - ANTARIS4 GPS Eval Kit SuperSense | Microchip
MPN: ATR0635-EK1 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
ATR0635-EK1 Overview
A single-chip GPS receiver integrates the complete RF front end, baseband correlators, and navigation processor into one die, sitting within the GNSS receiver hierarchy of RF ICs and location-based positioning ICs. Evaluation kits such as the ATR0635-EK1 provide the hardware platform for firmware development, prototyping, and engineering validation of the target receiver IC before volume design-in.
Key features include an 8192 search-bin acquisition engine with GPS acquisition accelerator, SuperSense weak-signal tracking for indoor operation, and high isolation between GPS and cellular bands as noted by Atmel for mobile coexistence. The ANTARIS4 architecture yields acquisition sensitivity of -142 dBm at cold start with an external LNA, and tracking sensitivity of -158 dBm.
The ANTARIS4 platform uses an active continuous acquisition approach that maintains full-sky search capability while tracking, reducing reacquisition time after signal blockage. The receiver supports stand-alone 2D positioning at 2.5 m CEP and outputs standard NMEA data over UART for host integration.
Typical applications include portable navigation devices, mobile handsets (where the kit verifies GPS/cellular coexistence isolation), asset trackers, and automotive telematics prototypes.
Design consideration: use the evaluation kit to measure actual TTFF and sensitivity on your specific antenna and PCB stack-up before committing to the ATR0635 for production, since kit results with an active antenna may exceed your final passive-antenna performance.
This page synthesizes verified datasheet figures, distributor stock references, and family-level alternative guidance not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATR0635-EK1 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATR0630-EK1
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATR0635-EK2
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATR0635-SIM
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATR0635-EK1 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | GPS Evaluation Kit |
| Target IC | ATR0635 (ANTARIS4 Single-chip GPS Receiver) |
| Technology | ANTARIS4 SuperSense |
| Search Bins | 8192 with GPS Acquisition Accelerator |
| Positioning Accuracy | 2.5 m CEP (2D, Stand Alone) |
| Time to First Fix (Cold Start) | 34 s |
| Acquisition Sensitivity | -142 dBm (Cold Start, With External LNA) |
| Tracking Sensitivity | -158 dBm |
| GNSS System | GPS L1 C/A |
| Standard Package Qty | 1 |
| Series | ATR0635 |
ATR0635-EK1 Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for ATR0635-EK1. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
ATR0635-EK1 is suitable for 6 applications: Portable Navigation Device Development, Mobile Handset GPS Coexistence Testing, Asset Tracker Prototyping, Automotive Telematics Development, GPS Module Firmware Development, Engineering Validation and Test.
Portable Navigation Device Development
The ATR0635-EK1 is used to prototype navigation devices where the ATR0635's 2.5 m CEP stand-alone accuracy and 34 s cold-start TTFF meet consumer navigation expectations without needing differential corrections. During development, engineers mount the evaluation board in a representative enclosure, attach a GPS L1 active antenna, and record NMEA output to characterize fix latency under tree canopy and urban canyons. The SuperSense architecture with 8192 search bins keeps parallel sky coverage active while tracking, so reacquisition after tunnel passage is fast. The kit lets designers validate that the final product's antenna placement does not degrade the -158 dBm tracking sensitivity before committing to the custom PCB layout.
Recommended
Mobile Handset GPS Coexistence Testing
Atmel designed the ATR0635 specifically for mobile applications, providing high isolation between GPS and cellular bands plus very low power consumption. The ATR0635-EK1 lets handset engineers measure how cellular transmitter leakage affects GPS acquisition: with the receiver's -142 dBm cold-start acquisition sensitivity (with external LNA) as a baseline, they inject cellular-band interference and observe C/N0 degradation and TTFF. This test validates filtering and layout isolation strategies for the production handset PCB. The kit's SuperSense continuous search capability is also exercised to confirm indoor handheld performance, where signals are attenuated by body and environment losses.
Recommended
Asset Tracker Prototyping
Battery-powered asset trackers need weak-signal tracking and low power draw. The ATR0635-EK1 allows tracker developers to characterize the ATR0635's -158 dBm tracking sensitivity in warehouses, vehicle footwells, and shielded cargo containers, and to measure real current consumption across acquisition and tracking modes using the board's supply monitoring. Engineers log TTFF and fix quality across duty-cycled operation profiles to size the battery for the product's reporting interval. The 34 s cold-start TTFF with the 8192-bin acquisition accelerator establishes worst-case fix latency for a fully discharged backup state, informing firmware decisions about ephemeris retention and assisted-start strategies in the final tracker design.
Recommended
Automotive Telematics Development
Telematics units face harsh RF environments: roof antenna runs, ignition noise, and multipath from vehicle bodywork. The ATR0635-EK1 provides the platform to verify the ATR0635's cold-start acquisition sensitivity of -142 dBm with an external LNA against the vehicle's actual antenna gain and coax losses, and to confirm 2.5 m CEP accuracy during drive tests. Engineers use the evaluation board to tune front-end filtering against in-vehicle EMI before designing the production PCB, and to validate that SuperSense tracking maintains fixes in parking garages and under dense foliage. The kit also supports firmware integration testing of the NMEA data stream with telematics gateway software.
Recommended
GPS Module Firmware Development
The ATR0635-EK1 serves as the hardware target for ANTARIS4 firmware and host-software development. Developers connect the board to a PC, exercise the receiver's configuration and message interfaces, and validate parsing of position, velocity, and time output before writing driver code for the production host processor. Because the ANTARIS4 platform shares its architecture across the ATR06xx family, work done on the kit - message handling, aiding strategies, and reacquisition tuning around the 8192 search-bin engine - transfers conceptually to sibling receivers. The kit also supports regression testing of position accuracy against the 2.5 m CEP baseline under controlled sky-view conditions in a lab or on a rooftop fixture.
Recommended
Engineering Validation and Test
For device testing and engineering validation, the ATR0635-EK1 provides a known-good reference implementation of the ATR0635 receiver. Production test engineers use it to establish golden TTFF and sensitivity figures - 34 s cold start, -158 dBm tracking - that later serve as pass criteria for custom boards. It is also used in design verification to reproduce field failures under repeatable conditions, since the kit's standard layout removes PCB-level variables. Third-party sources describe the product as a Development Board and Programmer for evaluation, prototyping, firmware development, device testing, and engineering validation, covering the full validation workflow for ANTARIS4-based designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATR0635-EK1 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATR0630-EK1 | ATR0635-EK2 | ATR0635-SIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) |
| Package | Evaluation Board (kit) | Evaluation Board (kit) | Evaluation Board (kit) | Software Tool (no hardware) |
| Target Receiver IC | ATR0635 (ANTARIS4) | ATR0630 (ANTARIS4) | ATR0635 family | ATR0635 (simulated) |
| RF Hardware Testing | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Key Differentiators
- SuperSense weak-signal architecture on the evaluated receiver (vs ATR0630-EK1)
- Physical RF testing capability (vs ATR0635-SIM)
- Trade-off: legacy kit, obsolete status (vs ATR0635-EK2)
Design Notes
Do not confuse the ATR0635-EK1 evaluation kit with the ATR0635 receiver IC itself: the kit is a development board (KIT GPS EVAL) and cannot be soldered into a product. Distributor listings label it under RF evaluation and development kits with standard package quantity 1. When ordering replacement stock for a production line, verify whether the BOM line actually requires the IC (ATR0635) or the kit (ATR0635-EK1) - mixing these up is a frequent sourcing error for this legacy platform.
The datasheet's -142 dBm cold-start acquisition sensitivity is specified with an external LNA. When benchmarking with the evaluation kit, use a GPS L1 active antenna with a known noise figure and record its gain so results are reproducible. Testing with a passive antenna will yield substantially worse cold-start TTFF than the 34 s datasheet figure and does not indicate a defective kit. Isolate the GPS antenna feed from cellular transmitters during testing, since the ATR0635's value proposition is GPS/cellular band isolation.
Treat the evaluation kit as a reference layout when migrating to a custom PCB. Per the Atmel documentation, the ATR0635 was designed for mobile applications with high GPS/cellular isolation and very low power consumption; replicate the kit's RF keep-out areas, ground stitching, and antenna feed structure. Validate your custom board's TTFF and C/N0 statistics against the kit's baseline before release, since kit performance includes an optimized RF layout your production board may not match initially.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not present in the verified web data for this legacy evaluation kit.
