Trimble and Rosum Team to Develop Universal Positioning Technology

    SUNNYVALE, Calif. and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
 -- Trimble (Nasdaq:   TRMB) and Rosum Corporation today announced that they have
 signed a technology development and licensing agreement to combine Trimble's
 Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and Rosum's television-based
 positioning technology (RPT). The combination is expected to provide a
 universal solution for indoor and outdoor positioning, capable of working in
 far more areas than previously possible with either technology on its own.
 Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
     Having a universal method of determining location is particularly
 important to a variety of both indoor and outdoor emerging, high-volume
 applications such as supply chain management and asset tracking, logistics and
 inventory control, security and various automotive uses. Trimble expects to
 develop a range of robust products that combine a number of positioning and
 communication technologies, including television signals, to address these
 location-aware applications.
     "GPS works extremely well for most outdoor applications. But when working
 inside buildings, in obstructed areas or difficult urban environments, even
 assisted or enhanced GPS has its limitations," said Dennis Workman, vice
 president and general manager of Trimble's Component Technologies Division.
 "Over the years, Trimble has successfully used sensors such as gyros,
 odometers and speedometers as well as differential techniques and digital
 signal processor designs to increase the robustness of GPS technology. We see
 the Rosum technology as yet another innovative solution to augment Trimble's
 portfolio of positioning technology."
     Rosum technology uses high-power, high-bandwidth signals broadcast by
 analog or digital television stations instead of signals from the GPS
 satellites to determine position. Not only do these television signals already
 cover urban areas, they also penetrate deep into buildings and structures.
 These characteristics, combined with the global coverage of GPS, are expected
 to provide a truly universal and reliable method of determining location.
     "In terms of overall coverage, broadcast television is an ideal complement
 to GPS," said William Dussell, director of integrated products for Trimble's
 Component Technologies Division. "For instance, broadcast television signals
 are concentrated in urban areas and can easily penetrate buildings.
 Conversely, the global coverage of GPS becomes critical when broadcast
 television signals become less dense and weaker beyond metropolitan areas. The
 technologies are an ideal combination for reliable positioning."
     "For Rosum, the selection of the right strategic partner is very
 important," said Matthew Rabinowitz, Rosum's CEO. "Trimble's experience in GPS
 technology, manufacturing design and reputation for integrity made them an
 ideal partner for bringing our technology to the market. The Rosum/Trimble
 device is expected to offer accuracy, robustness and speed of acquisition
 which are unparalleled in the industry, and which will be crucial to many
 service offerings. We are proud to be working with Trimble."
 
     About Television Signals for Positioning
     Rosum has developed a technology that uses television signals to provide
 accurate, dependable mobile positioning. The Company's simple system
 architecture uses fundamental advantages in high power TV signals to provide
 users with reliable and accurate positioning, with low acquisition times,
 indoors and in urban areas where other systems cannot work dependably. In
 addition, Rosum technology is able to provide real-time tracking with minimal
 power and processing demands. The advantages of television for positioning
 include: megawatt-level transmitter powers, wide bandwidth embedded
 synchronization signals, many signals from different directions for accurate
 triangulation,  no ionospheric effects, no transmitter Doppler, and prime UHF
 spectrum for building penetration.
 
     About Rosum Corporation
     Rosum is engaged in the business of research, development, design and
 marketing of digital chips and infrastructure products for positioning systems
 based on broadcast television signals. Rosum's chairman, Dr. James Spilker,
 was the co-architect of the GPS system and recently co-developed the new L5
 civilian GPS signal. Rosum owns or controls certain patent rights and patent
 applications relating to the Rosum Positioning Technology (RPT), a unique
 method for using television signals to position. Founded in 2000 and
 headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., Rosum is the only company to
 successfully use digital television (DTV) signals to provide mobile
 positioning information.
     For more information visit:  www.rosum.com.
 
     About Trimble
     Trimble is a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS)
 technology. In addition to providing advanced GPS components, Trimble augments
 GPS with other positioning technologies as well as wireless communications and
 software to create complete customer solutions. Trimble's worldwide presence
 and unique capabilities position the Company for growth in emerging
 applications including surveying, automobile navigation, machine guidance,
 asset tracking, wireless platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure.
 Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has more than
 2,000 employees in more than 20 countries worldwide.
     For an interactive look at company news and products, visit Trimble's Web
 site at:  www.trimble.com.
 
     Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking
 statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
 Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are made pursuant to
 the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
 Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to
 certain risks and uncertainties, including the ability to successfully
 complete the joint technology development and achieve market acceptance of the
 proposed new product offerings. Among other things, customer acceptance,
 economic trends and competitive issues may have an adverse effect on the
 success of the development efforts. These and other risks are detailed from
 time to time in reports filed with the SEC, including Trimble's respective
 quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K.
 
 

SOURCE  Trimble