SiRF
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | GPS technology, Semiconductors |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Sanjai Kohli, Dado Banatao, Kanwar Chadha |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Fate | Acquired by CSR plc |
| Headquarters | San Jose , United States |
| Products | GPS chipsets and navigation software (SiRFstarIII, SiRFatlas IV, SiRFstarV) |
SiRF Technology, Inc. was a prominent American enterprise specializing in commercial GPS solutions for consumer markets. Established in 1995 and headquartered in San Jose, California, its founding team featured notable figures such as Sanjai Kohli, Dado Banatao, and Kanwar Chadha. In 2009, the company was purchased by the British corporation CSR plc, which itself was subsequently acquired by the American firm Qualcomm in August 2015.
The company engineered proprietary GPS chipsets and navigation software, incorporating ARM-based controllers paired with low-noise radio receivers capable of interpreting signals at extremely weak levels (approximately -160dBm). Their technology also included support for SBAS to improve differential positioning accuracy.
SiRFstarIII
Designed to serve wireless and portable location-based services (LBS) over 2G to 3G asynchronous networks, the SiRFstarIII platform consisted of components such as the GRF3w RF integrated circuit, the GSP3f digital module, and GSW3 software, all maintaining compatibility with earlier SiRF APIs. This chipset series gained widespread adoption by leading GPS device manufacturers including Sony, Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan.
SiRFatlas IV
The SiRFatlas IV is a versatile location system processor aimed at budget-friendly Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs), providing an economical option compared to the premium SiRFPrima platform. It combines GPS/Galileo baseband processing with features like an LCD touch-screen controller, video input capabilities, a 10-bit analog-to-digital converter, and high-speed USB 2.0 interface.
SiRFstarV
Introduced in 2012, the SiRFstarV line supports multiple satellite constellations such as NAVSTAR, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass, SBAS, and upcoming GNSS signals. Its SiRFusion technology fuses GNSS data with terrestrial radio sources including Wi-Fi and cellular networks alongside MEMS sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes. By integrating real-time positioning with data from cellular base stations and Wi-Fi localization as well as ephemeris assistance from the CSR Positioning Center (CPC), SiRFusion provides highly precise and dependable location information.
Acquisition
On February 10, 2009, CSR plc, a UK-based wireless semiconductor company, acquired SiRF through a $136 million stock transaction that broadened CSR’s offerings in location-based technology sectors.