LR1120 Communication Module Pre-release: LR1120 Uses Cloud-Based Calculation Technology to Break Through High Global Positioning Costs

The Dilemma of Ground Networks and the Breakthrough of Satellite IoT

Approximately 90% of the Earth's surface (oceans, deserts, etc.) remains in a communication vacuum, with traditional tracking relying on high-cost satellite terminals. The LR1120 chipset launched by Semtech breaks the deadlock with a "ground + satellite" dual-mode architecture:

Frequency Band Fusion: Integrates Sub-GHz (ground), 2.4GHz (global use), and satellite S-band (1.9-2.2GHz) for seamless coverage from cargo ship decks to polar glaciers.

Cost Disruption: The cost of maritime container tracking modules drops from $48 to $7, saving the industry more than $2.7 billion in annual equipment replacement costs (calculated based on 50 million containers with a 3% annual loss rate).

Battery Life Leap: In the cooperation between Semtech and Lacuna, animal tracking collars' battery life extends from 3 weeks to 14 months, with a single device monitoring radius expanded to 1,500 square kilometers.

Efficiency Restructuring Triggered by Cloud-Based Positioning

 Traditional GPS positioning requires a 30-second cold start to calculate location, whereas the LR1120 introduces a new "signal collection - cloud-based calculation" model. The device only needs 3 seconds to scan satellite navigation messages and completes millisecond-level parsing via LoRa Cloud. In cross-border logistics testing, the positioning refresh rate for cold chain containers increased from once every 15 minutes to real-time updates, with an overall power consumption reduction of 62%.

Ultra-Low Power Communication Module Based on LR1120

 NiceRF closely follows the development trends of the Internet of Things and is developing an ultra-low power module for global geographic positioning applications based on Semtech's LR1120 chipset. It provides multi-band LoRa and long-range frequency-hopping spread spectrum (LR-FHSS) communication, supporting sub-GHz and 2.4GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands, as well as the S-band authorized for satellite communication. It integrates a cloud-native multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) scanner and passive Wi-Fi MAC address scanner, supporting outdoor GPS/Beidou dual-mode positioning and indoor Wi-Fi positioning.

The LR1120 optimizes the traditional satellite calculation process by only scanning satellite navigation messages locally on the chip and reporting the navigation data to the cloud platform. International users can use Semtech LoRa Cloud, while users in China can use Tencent Cloud IoT Development Platform.

Key Features of the LR1120 Module:

Multi-Band Support: Covers Sub-GHz, 2.4GHz ISM bands, and the satellite S-band (1.9G-2.2G), compatible with LoRa/FSK modulation.

Cloud-Based Positioning: Utilizes LoRa Cloud services to offload GNSS, Wi-Fi, and other signal parsing to the cloud, significantly reducing device power consumption and improving positioning efficiency.

Supports Outdoor GPS/Beidou Dual-Mode Positioning and Indoor Wi-Fi Positioning.

Built-in Electrostatic Protection Circuit, AES128 encryption and decryption.

Sub-GHz Transmission Distance ：exceeds 5000m in open areas .

Indoor Wi-Fi Positioning:

Suitable for indoor environments or areas with weak satellite signals.

Passive scanning, capturing the MAC addresses of nearby 802.11b/g/n access points.

Obtains at least 2 MAC addresses and sends them to Tencent Cloud for location matching via the cloud database.

Outdoor GNSS Positioning (GPS/Beidou)
A single-frame positioning requires at least 4 satellites, while multi-frame positioning requires at least 5 satellites.

LR1120: A New Choice for Cost-Effective Global Positioning
Strategy Analytics predicts that the satellite IoT market will exceed $38 billion by 2026. The disruptive aspect of LR1120/LR1121 lies in:

Cost Formula Restructuring: The cost of satellite communication modules is reduced to 1/5 of traditional solutions, activating the demand for the digital transformation of 27 million remote infrastructure sites.

Breaking Ecological Barriers: By combining frequency bands and cloud architecture, polar sensors and oceanic containers can connect to digital networks at the same cost.

Conclusion:
As communication blind spots become a thing of the past, Semtech is driving the IoT industry from "regional connectivity" to "global coverage" with its "space-ground integration" technology platform. This revolution in connectivity no longer relies on technical stacking but opens up a trillion-dollar market era through a rebalance of cost and efficiency.