CEVA INTRODUCES CHANNEL SOUNDING OVER BLUETOOTH TO ENABLE HIGH-ACCURACY SECURE POSITIONING

CEVA, Inc. announced support for Channel Sounding to its RivieraWaves Bluetooth^® IP portfolio to meet the surging demand for high-accuracy secure positioning in the automotive, industrial and broader IoT markets. Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research forecasts that more than 533 million Bluetooth-based low-power positioning devices will ship annually by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 28.5% from 2022 to 2030.

Channel Sounding (previously referred to as HADM – High Accuracy Distance Measurement) is a radical improvement on traditional Bluetooth distance and position measurement techniques, namely received signal strength indicators (RSSI) with an angle of signal arrival/departure (AoA/AoD). The additional security and accuracy over previous generations of Bluetooth positioning, coupled with its low power profile, makes Bluetooth-based Channel Sounding ideal for applications such as automotive digital keys, and for general applications such as industrial/warehouse/consumer asset tracking, and real-time sport/fitness tracking.

CEVA's implementation provides best-in-class decimeter-level accuracy in complex, multi-path real-world environments. This robust, low-power architecture, developed from over twenty years of field experience in Bluetooth connectivity, incorporates advanced security mechanisms to defeat distance-spoofing and 'relay attacks', an essential requirement for next-generation digital keys and wireless payment systems.

Tal Shalev, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT BU at CEVA, stated: "Channel Sounding for Bluetooth addresses an urgent need expressed by many of our automotive and industrial customers for a robust, low power, low-cost positioning solution. Along with UWB-based positioning that it can be combined with for even more demanding positioning applications, we offer a comprehensive and unrivalled portfolio of wireless technologies to meet the diverse needs of our customers."

Beyond the demanding secure vehicle entry segment, Bluetooth-based positioning is well established as an asset-tracking solution in industrial, warehouse and consumer applications. It is also experiencing a new wave of growth in the retail location services segment, especially when coupled with the increasingly popular Bluetooth-based Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) systems. The extra level of accuracy and security now possible through Channel Sounding in Bluetooth-based positioning will further accelerate the massive deployment of such systems.

CEVA's Channel Sounding for Bluetooth will be available for general licensing in September 2023.