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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Trimble and Locata Partner for Construction Markets
SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 8 -- Trimble (Nasdaq:
TRMB) and privately-held Locata Corporation of Canberra, Australia
announced today that they have signed a development and distribution
agreement for the integration of Locata technology with Trimble products
for the construction market. Trimble and Locata will cooperate to develop
an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS)-Locata receiver specifically
designed for applications in the heavy and highway construction market and
the building construction market. Under the terms of the agreement, Trimble
will have worldwide rights to use Locata's new terrestrial positioning
technology to integrate and manufacture products for these defined markets.
Locata's patented devices create a local positioning system, called a
LocataNet, which replicates GPS functionality in environments where GPS
coverage is limited or unavailable. The combination of LocataNet with
Trimble's industry leading systems is expected to result in new products
for machine control and grade checking applications that provide increased
levels of reliability and accuracy for positioning. The combined products
are expected to save time, increase productivity and reduce costs for
construction market operators.
"As precise positioning becomes a critical control element for all
heavy construction machinery, there is a growing understanding that
terrestrial augmentation is vital for the many environments where GPS is
either limited or not available. Trimble has already integrated GNSS
signals, optical, inertial and other sensors into products designed for
these markets. Locata technology provides another valuable sensor which
will allow Trimble to supply total solutions for virtually every
environment our construction customers work in," said Bryn Fosburgh,
Trimble's vice President of Engineering and Construction.
"We are very excited to begin working with Trimble," said Locata CEO
Nunzio Gambale. "Locata recognizes that the construction market is one of
the biggest applications for machine control in the world. When it came
time to form a partnership for the initial integration of Locata's
technology into these applications, Trimble was the ideal choice. Our
relationship with this outstanding company will ensure Locata technology
has instant global penetration into every segment of the industry. In
return, Locata's ability to provide the equivalent of "your own local GPS
constellation" will allow our partners to improve the operators' bottom
line through innovative and compelling new solutions to their positioning
problems."
About Locata Corporation
Locata Corporation has developed new radio-location technology which
provides precise positioning in difficult GPS environments. The company's
solutions allow deployment of a network of terrestrially-based transceivers
(LocataLites) that transmit precise ranging signals. LocataLites create a
positioning network called a LocataNet that can operate in combination with
GPS (e.g. construction environments) or independent of GPS (e.g. indoors).
Early adopters of Locata technology already include the U.S. military,
open- cut mining and structural deformation markets. The LocataNet
replicates the GPS satellite constellation - but on the ground. One very
special property of the LocataNet is that it is time-synchronous, allowing
single point positioning (no differential corrections or data links
required) with centimeter-level accuracy. There is no other technology that
can do this.
Locata's combination of reliability, adaptability and precision gives
unique new radio-location possibilities to many markets where GPS-style
positioning had previously been difficult or impossible. Locata currently
has 28 granted patents on the devices and systems which advance
radio-location technology to new levels, with many more patents applied
for.
For more information, e-mail to: nunzio.gambale@locatacorp.com
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in
businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are
focused on applications requiring position or location-including surveying,
construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and
mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS,
lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific
to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the
solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the
back office. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.,
Trimble has a worldwide presence with more than 3,400 employees in over 18
countries.
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