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    Compact Satellite
    Transceiver ASIC for
    ARGOS 3/4 Tracking Tags

The ARGOS satellite system plays a critical role in wildlife tracking, oceanography, and environmental monitoring — enabling data collection from remote locations around the world.

To support the next generation of ARGOS tags, ESA and CLS needed a compact transceiver ASIC that could maintain reliable two-way satellite communication — across distances up to 2800 km — while staying ultra power-efficient and fit for even the smallest tag form factors.

Cyient Semiconductors was chosen to design and supply the custom chip that would make this possible.

At the core of connected industry

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Smart metering (gas/water/electricity)

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Smart metering (gas/water/electricity)

Secure, low-power communication for real-time utility monitoring

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Time-of-flight
for robotics

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Time-of-flight
for robotics

Precision sensing for navigation and obstacle detection in automation

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Lighting, building automation, and HVAC

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Lighting, building automation, and HVAC

Fire detection, CCTV/video surveillance cameras, intruder alarm, thermostats & controls

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NFC and RFID systems

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NFC and RFID systems

Seamless smart infrastructure integration with telecom expertise

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Encoders for robotics

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Encoders for robotics

High-precision motion control for automation and industrial robotic applications

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Test equipment

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Test equipment

Automated test equipment for semiconductors, digital multimeters, network analyzers, digital oscilloscopes

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Factory automation & control

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Factory automation & control

Flow, level, pressure, and temperature measurement

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Motor drives

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Motor drives

AC variable speed drives, DC drives, servo drives, stepper drives, soft starters/brakes

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Power & energy

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Power & energy

AC/DC supplies, converters, inverters, battery chargers, UPS, generators, and renewable energy (hydro/solar/wind)

Success in action

How we’ve helped leaders in Industry 4.0 and robotics

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LED driver array for industrial printers

Designed an advanced LED driver array using TSMC 0.18µm technology, enhancing industrial printing with precise current control and on-chip diagnostics.

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Laser distance measurement system for Industry 4.0

Developed a System-on-Chip (SoC) for laser distance measurement with precise laser driver pulse steering and a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA) photodiode front end, achieving accurate distance measurements for automation and manufacturing.

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High precision GPS receiver

Designed a high-precision GPS receiver using TSMC 65nm technology, ensuring accurate location tracking even in challenging environments, enabling applications like surveying and asset tracking.

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Smart metering with acoustic front end

Developed an ultra-sound transceiver using TSMC 0.18µm CMOS technology for accurate flow metering and acoustic sensing, enabling precise water, heat, and electricity usage measurement in smart meters.

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High-performance EPC Gen2 RFID UHF reader

Developed a highly integrated RFID reader IC suitable for fixed and mobile applications. The complete UHF radio transceiver is integrated on-chip, including the digital modem and an ARM Cortex M0+ core. The design features a low-noise, high-linearity optimized receiver to support backscattering communication, ensuring reliable performance in diverse environments.

From design to silicon:
full-spectrum semiconductor expertise

Custom semiconductor design and turnkey ASIC solutions, built for Industry 4.0 and robotics

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The requirements

The chip must deliver robust performance while meeting strict power and size constraints. Core requirements include:

  • Full support for ARGOS 3 and 4 Rx/Tx protocols (BPSK, QPSK)
  • On-chip DSP for modulation, demodulation, and Doppler processing
  • Selectable PA output up to 250 mW
  • Ultra-low standby power (<260 μW)
  • Compact footprint (<1 sq inch including PCB)
  • SPI-configurable architecture for flexible use across applications
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Bringing the solution to life

Cyient Semiconductors delivers a full turnkey ASIC — from specifications to industrialization — resulting in ARTIC, a production-grade satellite transceiver tailored for ARGOS.

Key features include:
  • Integrated RF transceiver and synthesizer for reliable long-range communication
  • On-chip NXP Coolflux DSP for real-time modem processing and Doppler tracking
  • Dual power amplifiers with selectable output for flexible range requirements
  • Autonomous power management with built-in voltage/current references
  • SPI-controlled configurability for maximum application versatility
  • Built on a compact, low-power architecture ready for deployment in the field
Every design element was optimized for low power, global coverage, and small device integration.

Where it’s used today

The ARTIC chip is deployed in next-generation ARGOS wildlife and environmental tracking systems — enabling:

•    Smaller, longer-lasting satellite tags
•    Real-time, two-way communication over long distances
•    Efficient deployment in remote or mobile tracking environments

Its compact footprint and flexible DSP core have expanded ARGOS use across both conservation and commercial domains — helping partners like WWF, ESA, and CLS bring smarter environmental monitoring to life.

Need specialized silicon for
industrial automation? 

Talk to our experts