The BNSTAR BU-1315 module is a high sensitivity, low power and very compact Surface Mount
Device (SMD), and it supports signal processing of L1 band signals such as GPS C/A and SBAS
(including WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS). This 56-channel global positioning system (GPS)
receiver is designed for a broad spectrum of OEM applications and is based on the fast and
deep GPS signal search capabilities. BNSTAR BU-1315 is designed to allow quick
and easy integration into GPS-related applications, especially for compact size devices, such
as:
PDA, Pocket PC and other computing devices
Fleet Management / Asset Tracking
AVL and Location-based Services
Hand-held Device for Personal Positioning and Navigation
1.1 Features
Hardware and Software
56 acquisition channels and achieve -162dBm tracking
Compact module size for easy integration: 15x13x2.5 mm.
SMT pads allow for fully automatic assembly processes equipment and reflow soldering
Built-in LDO, regulators to decrease extra-BOM cost
Up to 10Hz updat rate
Embedded DC/DC circuitry to prolong battery life
AGPS supported
Performance
Cold/Warm/Hot Start Time: 29 / 28 / 1 sec.
RF metal Shield for best performance in noisy environments
Enhanced Navigation Performance
Interface
TTL level UART interface
Protocol: NMEA
Baud Rate: 9600 bps(Default)
Advantages
Ideal for compact size devices
Data / Power / RF through surface mount pads
Flexible and cost effective hardware design for different application requirements
Secure SMD PCB mounting method
2. Pin Assignment
Pin Numbers Name Type Description Note
1,2,6,7,8,9,10,
13,14,15
NC NC
3 1PPS O One pulse per second output
4 UART TXD O TTL UART output,0~3.3V
5 UART RXD I TTL UART input
9 GPO O general purpose output. NC if not
used
11 VBAT P Backup battery supply voltage
12 VCC_MAIN P Main power supply voltage
16 SAFEBOOT_N I Safe boot input. Low asserted.
Note: DO NOT tie to GND in
normal mode
17 VCC_RF P Supply Antenna Bias voltage(V =
Vcc)
19 RF_IN I GPS Antenna Input
18,20,21,22, GND P Ground
3. Electrical Specification
3.1 Absolute maximum ratings
Parameter Symbol Min Max Unit
Power Supply Voltage VCC_MAIN -0.5 3.6 V
Backup Supply Voltage VBAT -0.5 3.6 V
3.2 Operation Conditions
Parameter Symbol Min Typ Max Unit
Main Power Supply
Power Supply Voltage VCC_MAIN 1.8 3.3 3.6 V
Operating Current 26 mA
Backup Power Supply
Backup Supply Voltage VBAT 1.6 3.3 3.6 V
Operating Current(Working) 185 uA
Operating Current(Sleep) 15 uA
UART and IO
Input Low Voltage Vil 0 0.72 V
Input High Voltage Vih 2.0 3.6 V
Output Low Voltage Vol 0.4 V
Output High Voltage Voh 2.4 V
3.3 Environmental Specification
Item Description
Operating temperature range -40 deg. C to +85 deg. C
Storage temperature range -40 deg. C to +85 deg. C
Altitude 50,000 m
Velocity 500 m/s
Jerk
4. Reference Design
Note:
1.Trace impedance between Antenna and Pin19 should be 50 ohm.
2.Trace between Antenna and L1 inductor is recommended to be 5mil line width.
3.For L1 inductor selecion, Impedance > 500 ohm @GPS frequency is better.
M1
NC
1
NC
2
1PPS
3
UART_TX
4
UART_RX
5
GND
21
NC
6
NC
7
NC
8
GPIO/ANT_OFF
9
NC
10
VBAT
11
VCC_MAIN
12
NC
13
NC
14
NC
15
GND
22
SAFEBOOT_N
16
VCC_RF
17
GND
18
RF_IN
19
GND
20
E1
GPS_ANT
L1
33nH
C3
1uF
C2
1nF
VCC_Main_Power
D1
R1 BT1
0 ohm
C4
1uF
C5
1uF
UART TX
1PPS
UART RX5. Performance Characteristics
Position and Velocity Accuracy
Accuracy Position 2.5m in autonomous
2.0m in SBAS
Velocity 0.1 m/s
Dynamic constrains
Dynamic Conditions Altitude 50,000m
Velocity 500 m/s
Acceleration <= 4g
Acquisition time TTFF
Item Description
Hot Start 1s
Warm Start 28s
Cold Start 29s
Sensitivity
Parameter Description
Tracking & Navigation -162 dBm
Acquisition -148 dBm
6. PCB Layout Recommend
Recommended Layout Pad
PCB Layout Recommendations
Do not routing the other signal or power trace under the module board.
RF:
This pin receives signal of GPS analog via external active antenna. Note: It has to be a
controlled impedance trace at 50ohm.
Do not place the RF traces close to the other signal path and not routing it on the top layer.
Keep the RF traces as short as possible.
Antenna:
Keep the active antenna on the top of your system and confirm the antenna radiation pattern、
axial ratio、power gain、noise figure、VSWR are correct when you Setup the antenna in your case.
7. Configuration Management
Configuration settings can be modified with configuration messages. The modified settings remain
effective until power-down or reset. If these settings have been stored in battery-backup RAM,
then the modified configuration will be retained, as long as the backup battery supply is not
interrupted.
Note that: If any new configuration needs to be done, pls refer to module Receiver Description
Including Protocol Specification.
8 Software Interface
The output NMEA (0183 v3.01) messages for the receiver are listed as below.
NMEA Command Description
GGA Time, position, and fix related data for a GPS receiver.
GLL Latitude and longitude of present position, time of position fix and
status
GSA GPS receiver operating mode, satellites used in the position
solution, and DOP values.
GSV The number of GPS satellites in view satellite ID numbers,
elevation, azimuth, and SNR values.
RMC Time, date, position, course and speed data provided by the GPS
receiver.
GGA - Global Positioning System Fixed Data
For example:
$GPGGA,161229.487,3723.24751,N,12158.34162,W,1,07,1.0,9.0,M,-34.2,M,,0000*18
Table 1
Name Example Description Unit
Message ID $GPGGA GGA protocol header
UTC Time 161229.487 hhmmss.sss
Latitude 3723.24751 ddmm.mmmmm
N/S Indicator N N=north or S=south
Longitude 12158.34162 dddmm.mmmmm
E/W Indicator W E=east or W=west
Position Fix Indicator 1 See Table 1-1
Satellites Used 07 Range 0 to 12
HDOP 1.0 Horizontal Dilution of Precision MSL Altitude 9.0 meters
Units M meters
Geoid Separation -34.2 Geoid-to-ellipsoid separation.
Ellipsoid altitude=MSL Altitude + Geoid
Separation
meters
Units M meters
Age of Diff. Corr. Null fields when DGPS is not used second
Diff. Ref. Station ID 0000
Checksum *18
<CR><LF> End of message termination
Table 1-1
Value Description
0 Fix not available or invalid
1 GPS SPS Mode, fix valid
2 Differential GPS, SPS Mode , fix valid
3 Not supported
6 Dead Reckoning Mode, fix valid
GLL - Geographic Position-Latitude/Longitude
For example:
$GPGLL,3723.24755,N,12158.34166,W,161229.487,A,A*41
Table2
Name Example Description Unit
Message ID $GPGLL GLL protocol header
Latitude 3723.24755 ddmm.mmmmm
N/S Indicator N N=north or S=south
Longitude 12158.34166 dddmm.mmmmm
E/W Indicator W E=east or W=west
UTC Position 161229.487 hhmmss.sss
Status A A=data valid or V=data not valid
Mode A A=Autonomous, D=DGPS,
E=DR
N=Output Data Not Valid
R= Coarse Position1
S=Simulator
Checksum *41
<CR><LF> End of message termination
1.Position was calculated based on one or more of the SVs having their states derived from
almanac parameters, as opposed to ephemerides.
GSA - GNSS DOP and Active Satellites
For example:
$GPGSA,A,3,07,02,26,27,09,04,15,,,,,,1.8,1.0,1.5*33
Table3
Name Example Description Unit
Message ID $GPGSA GSA protocol header
Mode 1 A See Table 3-1
Mode 2 3 See Table 3-2
Satellite Used1 07 Sv on Channel 1
Satellite Used1
02 Sv on Channel 2
……
Satellite Used1
Sv on Channel 12
PDOP2 1.8 Position dilution of Precision
HDOP2 1.0 Horizontal dilution of Precision
VDOP2 1.5 Vertical dilution of Precision
Checksum *33
<CR><LF> End of message termination
1. Satellite used in solution.
2. Maximum DOP value reported is50. When 50 is reported, the actual DOP may be much
larger.
Table3-1
Value Description
M Manual-forced to operate in 2D or 3D
mode
A Automatically switch in 2D or 3D mode
Table3-2
Value Description
1 Fix Not Available
2 2D (<4 SVs used)
3 3D (>3 SVs used)
GSV - GNSS Satellites in View
For example:
$GPGSV,2,1,07,07,79,048,42,02,51,062,43,26,36,256,42,27,27,138,42*71
$GPGSV,2,2,07,09,23,313,42,04,19,159,41,15,12,041,42*41
Table4
Name Example Description Unit
Message ID $GPGSV GSV protocol header
Number of Messages1 2 Range 1 to 3
Message Number1 1 Range 1 to 3
Satellites in View1 07
Satellite ID 07 Channel 1(Range 1 to 32)
Elevation 79 Channel 1(Maximum90) degrees
Azimuth 048 Channel1(True, Range 0 to 359) degrees
SNR(C/No) 42 Range 0 to 99,null when not tracking dBHz
…… ……
Satellite ID 27 Channel 4 (Range 1 to 32)
Elevation 27 Channel 4(Maximum90) degrees
Azimuth 138 Channel4(True, Range 0 to 359) degrees
SNR(C/No) 42 Range 0 to 99,null when not tracking dBHz
Checksum *71
<CR><LF> End of message termination
1. Depending on the number of satellites tracked, multiple messages of GSV data may be
required. In some software versions, the maximum number of satellites reported as visible is
limited to 12, even though more may be visible.
RMC - Recommended Minimum Specific GNSS Data
For example:
$GPRMC,161229.487,A,3723.24755,N,12158.34166,W,0.13,309.62,120598,,,A*10
Table5
Name Example Description Unit
Message ID $GPRMC RMC protocol header
UTC Time 161229.487 hhmmss.sss
Status1 A A=data valid or V=data not valid Latitude 3723.24755 ddmm.mmmmm
N/S Indicator N N=north or S=south
Longitude 12158.34166 dddmm.mmmmm
E/W Indicator W E=east or W=west
Speed Over Ground 0.13 knots
Course Over Ground 309.62 True degrees
Date 120598 ddmmyy
Magnetic Variation2 E=east or W=west degrees
East/West Indicator2 E E=east
Mode A A=Autonomous, D=DGPS,
E=DR
N=Output Data Not Valid
R= Coarse Position3
S=Simulator
Checksum *10
<CR><LF> End of message termination
1. A valid status is derived from all the parameters set in the software. This includes the minimum
number of satellites required, any DOP mask setting, presence of DGPS corrections, etc. If the
default or current software setting requires that a factoris met, then if that factor is not met the
solution will be marked as invalid.
2. All “course over ground” data are geodetic WGS84 directions relative to true North.
3. Position was calculated based on one or more of the SVs having their states derived from
almanac parameters, as opposed to ephemerides.
9 .Recommended Reflow Profile
High quality, low defect soldering requires identifying the optimum temperatur