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� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Spring 2006Volume 10 Number 1
FEATURES HARDWARE:Clustercomputing16 Casestudy:FPGA-PCI104enablesclustercomputing
distributedswitch ByGrahamCampbell,PhD,andDanielT.O’Leary,Ether2Corp.
SOFTWARE:Motorcontrol20 CutproductdevelopmenttimeandcostswithPC/104and
microcontrollerplatforms ByWalterCalmetteandGlenndeCaussin,Calmotion,LLC
TECHNOLOGY:EPICExpress28 BringingPCIExpresstoembeddedapplications ByPhillipMenicos,OctagonSystems
SPECIAL:Rugged,ruralcomputing32 GoingwherenoPChasgonebefore ByChrisBennetts,VIATechnologies,Inc.
EVENTSEmbeddedSystemsConferenceSiliconValleyApril 3-7, 2006San Jose McEnery Convention Centerwww.embedded.com/esc/sv
RTSEmbeddedSystemsParisApril 4-6, 2006Paris, Francewww.birp.com/rts2006
E-LETTERSpring:www.pc104online.com/eletter Mini-ITX offers a useful alternative to traditional embedded boards
ByMicheleLukowski,RolandGroeneveld,LogicSupply,Inc. Interpolating DACs offer high speeds, but are they controllable?
ByRobertJ.Leach,HowardUniversity
WEB RESOURCES SubscribetothemagazineorE-letterat: www.opensystems-publishing.com/subscriptions
Industrynews: Read: www.pc104online.com/news Submit: www.opensystems-publishing.com/news/submit
Submitnewproductsat: www.opensystems-publishing.com/vendors/submissions/np
COLUMNS 8 PC/104EmbeddedConsortium The PC/104 Embedded Consortium – Strength in numbers
ByTomBarnum,PC/104EmbeddedConsortium
10 PC/104Fundamentals101 Internal system cabling 101 ByJoelHuebner
12 EuropeanPerspective A closer look at small form factors
ByStefanBaginski
50 Editor’sInsight PC/104 and others: The fork in the road between desktops
and embedded ByChrisA.Ciufo
DEPARTMENTS38 ProductGuide Industrial, rugged and MIL-SPEC products
44 Editor’sChoiceProducts ByChrisA.Ciufo
47 NewProducts BySharonSchnakenburg
48 AdvertiserIndex
On the cover: Industrial robots like this welder work in some of the harshest environments on the planet: automated factories. PC/104 and other small form factor products are ideal candidates to control these machines and survive in hostile locations.
Cover inset product:VersaLogic’s AMD Élan SC520-based “Lynx” SBC adheres to the PC/104-Plus standard and also meets EU RoHS directive 2002/95/EC.
Published by:
© 2006 OpenSystems Publishing © 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions All registered brands and trademarks in PC/104EmbeddedSolutions are property of their respective owners.
OpenSystemsPublishing™
w w w . p c 1 0 4 o n l i n e . c o m
� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
A n O p e n S y S t e m S p u b l i c A t i O n
PC/104 Embedded Solutions ISSN Print 1096-9764, ISSN Online 1550-0373Publication Agreement Number: 40048627Canada return address: WDS, Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 615
PC104 Embedded Solutions is published five times a year by OpenSystems Publishing LLC., 30233 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores, MI 48082. Subscriptions are free, upon request in writing, to persons dealing with or considering PC104 Embedded Solutions. For others inside the US and Canada, subscriptions are $35/year. For 1st class delivery outside the US and Canada, subscriptions are $50/year (advance payment in US funds required).
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PC104 Embedded Solutions16872 E. Ave. of the Fountains, Ste 203, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
Military&AerospaceGroup n DSP-FPGA Product Resource Guide n DSP-FPGA.com n DSP-FPGA.com E-letter n Military Embedded Systems n Military Embedded Systems E-letter n PC/104 Embedded Solutions n PC/104 Embedded Solutions E-letter n PC/104 & Small Form Factor Catalog n VMEbus Systems n VMEbus Systems E-letter
Group Editorial Director Chris Ciufo [email protected]
Assistant Editor Sharon Schnakenburg [email protected]
Senior Editor (columns) Terri Thorson [email protected]
European Bureau Chief Stefan Baginski [email protected]
Managing Editor Bonnie Crutcher
Art Director Steph Sweet
Senior Web Developer Konrad Witte
Graphic Specialist David Diomede
Circulation/Office Manager Phyllis Thompson [email protected]
OpenSystemsPublishingEditorial/Production office:16872 E. Ave. of the Fountains, Ste 203 Fountain Hills, AZ 85268Tel: 480-967-5581 n Fax: 480-837-6466Website: www.opensystems-publishing.com
Publishers John Black, Michael Hopper, Wayne Kristoff
Vice President Editorial Rosemary Kristoff
CommunicationsGroup Editorial Director Joe Pavlat Associate Editor (articles) Anne Fisher Senior Editor (columns) Terri Thorson Technology Editor Curt Schwaderer European Representative Hermann Strass
EmbeddedandTest&AnalysisGroup Editorial Director Jerry Gipper Editorial Director Don Dingee Senior Editor (articles) Terri Thorson Technical Editor Chad Lumsden Associate Editor Jennifer Hesse Special Projects Editor Bob Stasonis European Representative Hermann Strass
Spring 2005Volume 9 Number 2
OpenSystemsPublishing™
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� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
The PC/104 Embedded Consortium – Strength in numbers
Annual strategic planning meeting recapThePC/104EmbeddedConsortiumhelditsannualtwo-daystrategicplanningses-sion in January 2006. Executives fromleading PC/104 and related small formfactormanufacturingcompanieswhoareactiveasexecutivemembersand/oractasdirectorsfor thePC/104Consortiumattendedtheannualmeeting.
Thepurposeof theannualsessionis toexamine technical and business issuesrelated to thePC/104industry. Inaddi-tion,themeetingfocusesonestablishingshort-andlong-termgoalsandallocatingtherequisiteresourcestoachievethem.Topicsofdiscussionatthisyear’seventincludedanupdatetoourmissionstate-ment, which now includes other smallform factor boards. And nevertheless,theconsortiumwillcontinuetoempha-sizethe“stackable”natureofPC/104andlimitnewofferingstothosethatincludePC/104expansion.
Theupdatedmissionstatement, indraftform,is:“PromotetheuseofPC/104andothersmallformfactorCPUswithPC/104stackableI/Oexpansioncapability.”
TheintentionbehindtherecastmissionstatementistocontinuetopreserveourPC/104 (ISA) heritage while provid-ing a bridge to emergent technologiesin the future. I’ll echo Chris Ciufo’srecent comment as he announced thechange of OpenSystems Publishing’sPC/104 Embedded Solutions magazineto PC/104 and Small Form Factors:“PC/104 remainsourcoremissionandtechnology.” (PC/104 Embedded Solu-tions,Winter2005.)
Beyond the recast mission, directorsparticipatedintechnicaldiscussions,laidthegroundworkforthisyear’smarketingprogram,andalignedresourcesandactiv-itiestosupportourgoals.Therewaslivelydiscussionona“next-generation”PC/104platformsupportingPCI-Expressandspir-iteddebateovertheconsortium’spossibleadoptionof theEPICExpressplatform.
Thereweredecisionsmadewithrespecttotheconsortium’sfirst-everattendanceat a European tradeshow – EmbeddedWorldinNuremberg,Germany.
Positive market outlookMoreinterestingthanthetopicscoveredwasthegeneralsensefromparticipantsthat,overall,thingsareprettydarngoodfor the players in the PC/104 industry.Allofthememberswhowerepresentatthestrategicplanningsessionareleadersof,apparently,verysuccessfulorganiza-tions.Themarketforembeddedproductcontinuestogrow,andPC/104continuestoenjoyacompoundannualgrowthratehigherthanthatoftheoverallembeddedcomputermarket.Thereisawell-estab-lished ecosystem of vendors and prod-uctofferingsavailablewithmorethanahundred unique manufacturers selling
upwardsofathousanddifferentPC/104platforms,includingnearlyunlimitedI/Ooptions.Multiplevendorsareareflectionofahealthystandard,asthereisacriticalmass of PC/104 products compared tootherproprietaryformfactorproductsonthemarket.
PC/104anditsderivativescontinuetobeanexcellentchoicefordesignersseekingarugged,stackable,small-sizeembeddedcomputing platform.There are numer-ousindependentwebsitespromulgatingPC/104products,multipleindustrytradegroupstrackingPC/104sales/growth,andanindependentmagazinetitledPC/104 Embedded SolutionsdedicatedtoPC/104products. (You’re reading it now.)Thebook-to-bill ratio for semiconductorscontinues tobesteadywith indicationsofimprovementoverpreviousquarters.
By Tom Barnum
14 Number of years the consortium has been in existence
78 Number of active consortium members as of January 1, 2006
150+ Estimated number of PC/104, EBX, and EPIC manufacturers in 2005
1,000+ Estimated number of CPU and I/O board options available
$0 M 1991 dollar revenue associated with PC/104 products
$52 M 1998 estimated dollar revenue associated with PC/104 products*
$306.9 M 2004 estimated dollar revenue associated with PC/104 (including EBX and EPIC) products*
$416.5 M 2008 forecasted dollar revenue associated with PC/104 (including EBX and EPIC) products*
$3.6 B 2004 estimated dollar revenue associated with all embedded products*
$4.6 B 2008 forecasted dollar revenue associated with all embedded products*
* Source: Venture Development Corp., www.vdc-corp.com
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / �
EconomicconditionsintheUnitedStatesaswellasglobally,whilenotrobust,arestableandappeartosupportfutureexpansion.
Inshort,theindustryishealthy;PC/104andsmallformfactor“designwins”aregrowingand,asaresult,leadingPC/104manufacturerswillcontinuetothrive.Thefuture looks good. So what’s missing?Frommyperspective,what’smissingisincreased participation by PC/104 ven-dorsandsupplierswhowerenotpresentat this year’s strategic planning sessionandwhoforgoinvolvementinconsortiummatters.Therewere8firmsrepresentedatthisyear’sprogram,yetthereare78activemembersandinexcessof150indepen-dent organizations involved directly orindirectlywithPC/104products.Bytheendofthedecade,forecastedrevenueforPC/104andsmallformfactorboardswillapproach one-half billion dollars. LastI checked, that’sa fairly sizablepileofcash.Ifitweremymoney(andsomeofitis),I’dwanttobeinvolvedintheconsor-tium’smanagementandfutureplans.
The consortium is a powerful force inthe embedded industry. Participants atthisyear’smeetingareseekingtoensureour long-term success, assuming lead-ership positions, and making decisionsthathaveanimpactontheentirePC/104community. PC/104 members who arenotcurrentlyparticipatingasboarddirec-torsareencouragedtodoso.Inaddition,PC/104 supplierswhoarenot currentlymembershaveastrongincentivetojoininthediscussiontohelpensureourlong-termsuccess.Afterall,thereisstrengthinnumbers,andthemoreactiveparticipantswehave,themorevitaltheorganizationwillbecome.
Formoreinformation,contacttheConsortium:
PC/104 Embedded Consortium4902ndStreet,Suite301SanFrancisco,CA94107
Tel:415-243-2104Fax:415-836-9094
E-mail:[email protected]:www.pc104.org
RSC #� @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
10 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Fundamentals101 Industrynews
Internal system cabling 101 By Joel Huebner
This Fundamentals 101 column will address the PC/104 embedded system design issue of efficient internal cabling and will provide helpful information to aid engineers in eliminating some of the common problems that internal connectors and cabling can cause.
In the beginningIn thebeginningstagesofPC/104em-beddedsystemdesign,engineersshouldseriously consider the internal cablingrequirementsforinterconnectingindivid-ualPC/104circuitboardstotheexternalenclosureconnectorsandotherinternaldevices.Asystem-levelwiringdiagramis always a good starting point. Moreimportant, careful review and analysisofphysicalcablesizes,typesofcables,andthesensitivityofthesignalswithinthe cables and their relativeplacementtootherinternalcablesiskeytodesignsuccess.
“Getting down to the wire”To start, an engineer would commonlycreateathree-dimensionalCADdrawingoftheembeddedsystemenclosureshow-ingtheplacementof thecircuitboards,thepowersupply,andanyoff-boardcom-ponents. This three-dimensional CADdrawingtypicallyidentifiesandmeasureseverything“except”theinternalcablingrequired“within”theenclosure.Itisnotuncommonforaseriousdesignissuetosurprisingly appear when assemblingthefirstcompletesystemprototypes.Forexample,theinternalcablingmaytakeupmorespacethanthatexpectedor,worse,theremaynotbeenoughroomforsomeoftheinternalcables.Thisproblemcanquickly develop into a serious designissue if the internal cabling restrictsairflow for internal system cooling orthecableis justalittlebit tooshort.Inaddition, forcing the cable connectioncan create mechanical stresses on thecircuitboardandcable.
The initial enclosure drawings shouldinclude internal cabling and routingwithanaccuraterepresentationofcablesize,flexibility,andmechanicalinterfer-enceassociatedwithalltheothersystemcomponents.
CablesTypically, the connectors on individualPC/104circuitboardsdictatethetypeofcablethatshouldbeutilized.Thiscouldrange from shielded cables to ribboncablestotwistedpairorindividualwires.(RefertoFigure1foraphotoexample.)Thedesignengineerstillmustdetermineif the type of cable will maintain thesignal integrity requirements for eachtypeoftransmissionsignal.Inaddition,the engineer must review the requiredcabling type and physical routing forthenoiseenvironmentthatmaybepres-entwithintheenclosureitself,aswellastheenvironmentalconditionstheembed-dedsystemwillbeexposedtointheendapplication.Alotoftimecanbewasteddebuggingarecurringsystemfailureonlyto realize that a sensitive, low-voltagesignalwasinadvertentlyroutednexttoanoisypowersupplyline.
Board-level connectorsTheenvironmentalsystemrequirementsand system repair requirements willdeterminethetypeofconnectorsneededwhen selecting PC/104 circuit boardsand mating cables. Embedded systemsthat might be exposed to an environ-mentconsistingofshockand/orvibrationmayrequireatypeoflockingconnector.Embeddedsystemsthatmighthavemul-tiplepeopleservicingthemoranytypeof
futureupgradecapabilitiesmayrequirerestricteduseofmultiple identicalcon-nectorsandthatallconnectorsbekeyed.
DesignengineersmustseriouslyconsiderMurphy’s Law for embedded systemsthatutilizeconnectors.Ifaconnectoriscapable of backwards installation or ifausercanaccidentallyswaptwocablesbecauseeachutilizesthesameconnector,atsomepointinthefutureoneofthesemishapsmayoccur. If youhave a spe-cialconnector that requiresaparticularsubstitutiononavendor’scircuitboard,aslongasitdoesnotrequireachangetothebareboardfootprintandmechanicallythereissufficientclearance,manyPC/104vendorswillworkwithyou to installacustomconnectorthatmeetsyourembed-dedsystemdesignrequirements.
Putting it all togetherItisalwaysimportanttodesignanembed-dedsystemthatutilizesthebestchoiceofcircuitboardsandtheproperenclosuretomeettheendapplication’sdesignrequire-ments.Butitisequallyimportanttotakeinto account the end system’s internalcablesandconnectorstosatisfythespacerequirements, signal integrity require-ments,andenvironmentalrequirements.
For more information, e-mail Joel at [email protected].
Figure 1
12 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Industrynews Industrynews
A closer look at small form factorsBy Stefan Baginski
Regardlessoftheirprofessedsupportforopen architectures, many, if not most,vendorstrytolocktheircustomersintoproductdependence.Thebestwaytodothisistoclosethemintoasolutionthatthey cannot switch from or that is tooexpensivetochange.Andthatstatementappliestoallformfactors.Butwhythendosomanynewformatsstillcropup?
Besides the most established computerformfactorssuchasVME,CompactPCI,PC/104, and others, there is a thrivingmarket for smaller-size SBCs. Someexamples include computers-on-chip,biscuits,EBX,ETX,andmyriadsmallerboards with more or less “established”interfaces.
Europe is especially blessed with suchnovelties,asitstechno-economiccondi-tions and market segmentation provideexcellent groundwork to divert fromestablished standards. Some form fac-torsareentirelyproprietary, someeveninclude open architectures backed byinternationalstandardsbodies,andsomenot – perhaps not yet. However, manyoftheseformfactorsfindtheirwayintoourdailylives,orcoulddososoon.Forcomparative reasons, we’ll concentrateon SBCs or Systems-On-Modules, ofwhichboardsizesdonotexceed160mm(approximately6-1/4")inlength.
Prevalent market driversWhat makes these product forms pro-liferate, or diversify, from established,well-entrenchedstandards,isamixtureofdriversandotherconditionsprevalentinaparticularmarketsegmentorgeographicarea,suchas:
nMiniaturizationnSecurityneedsnCostreductionnLegacyfreedom
MiniaturizationThe obvious driver is miniaturization,whichmeanssmallerandportable,espe-ciallyforcellularapplications,andsortofasmartgadgetwithperhapsreducedcomputing power, increased batteryoperatingtime,andlightweightfeatures.
Computers and smart devices requirenewerformfactorsthataremuchsmaller,often busless, and that meet necessarynetworking requirements along withsomelimitedgraphicstopowerasmallHMIdisplay.
Security needsIncreasing security needs require thou-sandsofhandheld,inexpensiveIDtermi-nalstoregisterallparticipantstoevents,such as Union of European FootballAssociation (UEFA) events. Next yearinBerlintherewillbehundredsofthou-sandsofsoccerfansthatwillbe“digitallylabeled” and archived, even includingtheirfoodorsmokingpreferences.Suchterminals must be inexpensive, light,reliable,andeasytouse.
Cost reductionAnotherdriver is cost reduction.Many“full-featured”formfactorsofferfeaturesforwhichendusersarenotpreparedtopay.Forexample,backplanesandracksgiveusefulmodularitytolargersystems,but they add cost to simpler solutionscustom tailored to aparticular applica-tion.Eliminatingthemfromthesolutionbrings cost down, improves weight,reliability,andlogistics.
Legacy freedomThenextpowerfuldriverislegacyfree-dom. For completely new systems,software engineers are developing newsoftware without the burden of back-ward compatibility.Additionally, usingnewdevelopment tools speeds thepro-cesseffectively.Onadailybasis,wefaceapplications that were never availablebefore.
MarketsegmentationinEurope,regard-lessofseemingunification,sofarhaslefttheregionwithmanysegmentedmarkets.With languages and country industrialstandardsstillinforce,communicationsstandards often obsolete systems stillin use, forcing the vendors to provideproductsadaptedtothesevariedenviron-ments.Forexample,inthetransportationandtelecommunicationsareas,lessthan2percentofallrailwayenginesevercrossnational borders while driving interna-
tional trains due to different voltage,current,frequency,andelectricsystems,not to mention track gauges. Businessexecutives working across Europe maystilluseup to10phoneplugsandper-hapsupto6poweradaptorsforeachoftheirlaptops.Insuchanenvironment,itishardtodetectevenwhyonestandardoranotherwasintroducedinthefirstplace.
Computers-On-ModulesTherearemanynewSBCsinsmallformfactors,butthosemostlikelytobefoundonthemarketareComputers-On-Modules,andincludethefollowing:
DIMM-PCThe DIMM-PC is a highly integratedembedded solution and the smallest insize,measuring40mmx68mm(1.57"x 2.68"). Onboard software includesBIOS, with industrial extensions suchasaremotecontrolfunction,andusuallyhas limited graphics that have been inuseforsometime.TheCPUisusuallyx86-basedandisveryusefulinembed-dedapplications.TheonboardcorePCI/O includes keyboard, serial, parallel,IDE, and FD interfaces. Some modelshave Ethernet. DIMM-PC can supportboth flash and/or DRAM onboard forstandalone operation. In addition, it ispossible toemployI/OmoduleswithaDIMM-PC for off-the-shelf expansion,makingtheentiresolutionratherflexibleandcompleteasfarasperformance(386,486), graphics, and Ethernet, all withISAbusperipherals.
X-BoardX-Board, with its PCI-bus expansionpossibilitiescontributingtostrongerCPUperformance, seems to be a competentsolution for mid- to high-performancesolutions.EspeciallycompatiblewitharangeofCPUs, includingx86,XScale,ARM,andMIPS,theX-Boardcouldpos-sibly replace theDIMM-PC forhigherperformancerequirements.Theboardisonlyslightly larger that theDIMM-PCandmeasures49mmx68mm(1.93"x2.68").Itsuitsanattractivemixofinter-facesforlegacy-freeI/OincludingUSB,serial, IDE, Ethernet, graphics, andsound. JustasDIMM-PC, theX-board
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 13
is used with an application-specificbaseboard,whichfacilitatesconnectionwith the electronics drive and physi-cal I/O connectors originating on theX-board.
Embedded Electronic BrainAnotherComputer-On-Module,theEm-bedded Electronic Brain (E2Brain™),isagoodfit forembeddedapplicationsrequiring RISC performance and lowpower consumption. The board size is75 mm x 115 mm (2.95" x 4.53").AllmodulesfeatureacommonbasicsystemandcommunicationsinterfacewithPCI,LPC,I2C,Ethernet,andserialports.Forexpansion,thereareanumberofoptionalinterfaces such as CAN, UTOPIA, andothers, making it a tailored solution tospecificapplications.Modulescanqual-ifyforextendedtemperaturerangesfrom-40°Cto85°C,orevenbetter.
ETXThe ETX form factor can accommo-date full PC functionality and high-performanceCPUsasneeded.Theboardsizeis95mmx114mm(3.74"x4.49").Typically,itfeaturesaPentiumMseriesCPU,offeringgoodcompromisebetweenperformance and power consumption.TheboardhasanintegratedISAorPCIbusforperipheralsonthebaseboard.
ETXexpressSimilar to the ETX board is theETXexpress,aboardthatofferscompletemultimedia-capable cores suitable forhigh-levelapplicationsandhighperfor-mance.PCIExpressistheprimarydatapath for upcoming x86-based systems.PCI 2.1 32-bit interfacing can stillsupport non-PCI Express components,suchasPCIplug-incards,asETXexpresscommunications will continue to sup-portthePCIbusforlegacyapplications.ETXexpresscomeswiththelatesthigh-performance interface technologiessuchasGbE,SerialATA,USB2.0,dualchannel DDR2 for maximum memorybandwidth,ExpressCardforhot-plugableI/O cards, dual channel Low VoltageDifferentialSignaling (LVDS) for highresolution, and Serial Digital VideoOutput (SDVO) for maximum displayflexibility.All are suitable forusewithan application-specific baseboard thatprovidesinterfacesandperipherals.
Typically, the baseboard is part of thedevelopment kit, which shortens thedevelopment process and reduces timetomarket.Thisboardmaybe reduced,custom tailored, or eliminated for theproductionrun.
EPICEPICisawell-establishedU.S.standardwith its extension EPIC/CE or PM. Itoffers Pentium M embedded solutionsandisnotconsideredasmallformfactoras its board size, 115 mm x 165 mm(4.53" x 6.50"), is larger than JRex.AnotherformfactorisePanel,whichisagraphic-orientedSBCforamobilepanelPC.Itsboardsizeisstillbiggerandmea-sures140mmx180mm(6.50"x7.09").
JREXisa3.5"board.This formfactoroffers low power consumption, low-to mid-CPU performance, and limitedexpandability, all in a relatively small
boardsizemeasuring102mmx147mm(4.02" x 5.79"). It includes keyboard,LAN, USB, VGA/LCD, COM1, IDE,LPT, and FDC interfaces. It comes intwoadditionalboardsizes, specifically,63.5mmand133.35mm(2.5"and5.25"),butthesesizesarenotaspopularasthe88.90mm(3.5")size.Processorsinthisform factor include Pentium III, VIAEden, Pentium M, AMD Geode, andothers.
Core modulesCoremodulesarehighlyintegrated29mmx35mm(1.14"x1.38")microprocessorboardswithVGAandLANcapabilities.
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Industrynews Industrynews
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 15
Assuch,theycanhardlyplayaroleintheSBCcategory. Instead, theyarewidelyused as extension modules with indi-vidual functions, rather than a systemonaverysmallfootprint.Simply,weareonlyapproachingalevelofsysteminte-gration suitable for such a small formfactor.Somevendorscalltheirmodulescore modules, even when they ratheraccuratelyrepresentthewell-establishedPC/104formfactor.
CommExpressA very promising technology, amongothersthatKontronisinitiatingandpro-motingandthatPICMGisregulating,isCommExpress.It issimilar to theETXandETXexpressformfactors.Theboardsize is 125mmx95mm, and it couldbe18mmthickasopposedtotheETX12.5 mm. It offers more features andneedsmorepowerthantheETX.Ithasup to eight built-inUSB2.0-compliantportsanduptothreeGbEports.Graphicscome in composite- and component-type,plusS-Video.Powersupplyis12V.Ageneral-purposePCIExpressisavail-ableandfourSATAportsaswellasLPCandBIOSon themoduleor thecarrierboard,orboth.Watchformoreoftheseformfactorboardsonthemarket.
What lies ahead for these small form factors?It isverydifficult, ifnot impossible, topredict how each of the technologiesmentionedwillfareinthefuture.Tolookin my crystal ball to know or to evenattemptaprojectionisfutile.
All of those alreadyde facto standardsor in-the-making standards are findingtheir purpose all over the world. Theimplementationdriveisvariedbutpow-erful, captivating the market. Shortertime to market, lower implementationcosts,miniaturizationneeds,operationaltimeextensions,applicationdevelopmenttime,orwhateverthereason,hasbroughtthemintoexistence.
How the established vendors of largerformatsarerespondingtotheirchallengeisnotclear.Somealreadyadoptnewstan-dardswhilemaintainingexistingproductlines.Somestillsitonthefencewaitingforthemarkettosettle.Themarketwillnever settle. The market continuouslydemandsnewproducts.Andwhennewformfactorsprovidebenefitstotheenduser and to the OEM, and when they
shortentimetomarket,makeimplemen-tationeasier,arecheaper,smaller,easiertouseorcarry,theyaregoingtobeseenin Europe, NorthAmerica, and every-where–standardsornot.
Itseemsnormalfortradeorganizations–VITA,PICMG,thePC/104Consortium,CiA,orothers–toadoptorgladlyblessthespecificationandstarttoregulateit.ThePC/104Consortium(www.PC104.org)isalreadydoingthis,astheyhaveadoptedthePCIExpressstandard,andTomBarnumiswritingproudlyaboutrecentadoptionsofEBXandEPICstandards(seePC/104 Embedded Solutions,Fall2005,Volume9Number4,page8).
Thereisplentyofinvestmentpouredintodevelopmentandmarketingofsuchnewsolutions,andallofthemwouldfindtheirwaytothemarketastheyalloffervariousbenefits.
Individually, it is hard to predict thedegreeof that success.Somestandardsadopted by a single company with nosecond source might not do as well asthosecompaniesthatsoughtpartnershipsattemptingtoleveragetheirowntechni-calprowessandtryingtoconvinceotherstoseethebenefitsoftheirtechnologybyeitheroutrightsharing it,orbycarvingitintopieceswhereeachpartnerholdsaspecializedknow-howbit.
Bydoing this technology “leveraging,”thosecompanieshopetogainthecriticalmass topress themarket toadopt theirtechnology, and they certainly wouldsucceed. Still others, such as Kontron,areprimeexamplesof largeenterprisesthatconfidentlyreleasetheirtechnologytoothersandallowPICMGtoregulateit(forexample,CommExpress),knowingthereareotherswhowouldjoininhopingtorideonsuchanestablishedreputation,leadershipposition,andbrandname.
Asanaidtotrytoquantifythemarketforsuchagroupofproductsgenerallyknownas small form factorsandSystems-On-Modules,refertotheOpenSystemsPub-lishingSelectionGuideintheFall2005issueofPC/104 Embedded Solutions.Inaddition, industry analysts such as theGartnerGrouporotherswouldbehappytoquantifysuchprojections.
For more information, e-mail Stefan at [email protected]. RSC #15 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
Industrynews Industrynews
1� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
The taskEther2isastart-upcompanybasedinLosAngeles, CA and Vancouver, BC. Thecompanyhadobtainedanexclusivelicensefrom the Illinois Institute of Technol-ogyforanew,patentedcommunicationsswitchingtechnology.Ether2hadlimitedresourcesyetwantedtobuildaprototypethat would demonstrate the technologyinaclustercomputingenvironment.Theswitching technology, DQSA, requiresonlyaDQSANICineachoftheclusteredcomputers; all switching ismanaged intheNICs,sonocentralrouterorswitchisrequiredexceptforasimplehubatthecenterofthenetwork.
High-performance computing at onetime was the realm of very expensive,oftencustom-designed, supercomputerssuchasCrayOne,IBM,andDeepBlue.However, this type of computing isincreasingly carried out using clustersofstandardPCsorMacs thatare inter-connectedbyaswitch.Agivenproblemissolvedbypartitioning itandsendingeachsegmenttoaseparateprocessorthatsolvesthatpartoftheprobleminparal-lelwithalltheotherprocessors.Inmanysuchproblems,itisnecessaryforthepro-cessorstoperiodicallycommunicatewitheachother and to stopprocessinguntiltheyreceivearesponse.
Thecomputersareinterconnectedusingstandardnetwork technologies, suchasEthernet,usingCAT5cablesandswitches.Thus, thespeedof theswitch– that is,thelatencyortimerequiredtoestablishacircuitthroughtheswitch–canhavea
significantimpactontheperformanceofthe supercomputer.Thechoices for theswitchesrangefromverylow-cost,off-the-shelf“consumer”Ethernetswitchestocustomnon-blockingswitchessuchastheMyricomMyrinetswitch.Ingeneral,themoreexpensivetheswitch,thelowerthelatency.Typicalswitchlatenciesrangefrom3µstomorethan100µs.
Ether2’sDQSAtechnologyeliminatestheneedforaswitchand,instead,placesallcomputersonacommonbus.Acommonbus could be regarded as a bottleneck,but if there is sufficient bandwidth, asimplecommonbuswillprovidebetterperformancethananon-blockingswitch.Transmissionspeedsof40GbpsarenowavailableintheSonethierarchy(OC768),andequivalentEthernetcomponentsareunderdevelopment.ADQSAdistributedswitch could perform for a large classofprogramsaswellas,orbetterthan,amuch more costly, low-latency customswitch.Aplusfactor is that thelatencyofaDQSAdistributedswitchdecreasesas transmission speed increases, withlatencyof less than0.25µspossibleat40Gbps.
The role of the prototypeAlthoughDQSAiswell-documentedandseveral proof-of-concept systems hadbeenbuilt,Ether2requiredanewproto-typesystemtomeasureperformanceandtodemonstratetopotentialinvestors.Thebestapproachseemedtobetobuildthenewprototypeclustersystemusingoff-the-shelf PCs, with each PC hosting acustomNICthatimplementedtheDQSA
functions but that used a conventional10/100BASE-TXEthernetphysicallayerinterfacedrivingCAT5cables.
Prototypes of new digital communica-tionssystems,suchasthecustomDQSANIC, are typically built using FPGAs.Buttherewereno“PCstyle”PCI-FPGAdevelopmentboardsavailablewithamixofI/OfeaturessuitableforaDQSANIC.The solution was to utilize the Tri-MFPGA-PCI104.
The FPGA-PCI104 contains an AlteraCycloneFPGA, aPCI-compliant inter-face, and an innovative, highly flex-ibledaughtercardcapability.Itwasusedfor the custom NICs for a four-node,PC-basedclustersystemutilizingDQSAat 100 Mbps. The daughtercard capa-bility was the key feature that made itpossible to design and build a smallnumberofcustomNICs.
ItshouldbenotedthatDQSAissuitableforuseatanyspeedandoverotherphysicalmediasuchasopticalfiber,coaxialcable,andwireless.However,since100MbpsCAT5wiringandtechnologyisrelativelysimpleandwell-understood,Ether2chosetodotheprototypesystematthatspeed.
The hardwareTheTri-MFPGA-PCI104(seeFigure1)containsanAlteraCycloneFPGA;thereisachoiceofusinga4,000,12,000,or20,000LogicElementCyclone.ThereisalsoafullPCI-104targetinterface,plusvarioussupportcircuitssuchasa60MHzoscillator(withanSMBconnectorforanexternal oscillator), a real-time counterwith SuperCap backup, and an SmBusinterface.
Furthermore,andofkeyinteresttoEther2,thereisasetofconnectorsthatprovidesa highly flexible daughtercard systemfeaturingfouridenticalconnectors,eachwith24pinsdirectlywiredtoitsownsetof unique pins on the Cyclone FPGA,plus10moreFPGAsignalssharedamongall the connectors. This daughtercardcapability letEther2designarelatively
Hardware Cluster Computing
Case study: FPGA-PCI104 enables cluster computing distributed switchBy Graham Campbell, PhD, and Daniel T. O’Leary
Ether2 Corp. had acquired the rights to a new communications technology and wanted to demonstrate it with a prototype that interconnected off-the-shelf PCs so that they could operate as a
distributed cluster of computers. Prototypes of digital communications systems are typically built using FPGAs, but there were no PCI FPGA development boards available with the right mix of features. The solution was to utilize the FPGA-PCI104, a PCI-104 form factor board offered by Tri-M Systems. This article describes the design considerations that led to the selection of the FPGA-PCI104 and the steps taken to use it while implementing the Distributed Queue Switch Architecture (DQSA) Network Interface Card (NIC) in an off-the-shelf PC.
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 17
simple,easy-to-build,low-costdaughter-cardforuseintheprototype,whichcon-tainedjustthepartsneededtosupportthe10/100BASE-TXEthernetphysicallayerforusewithCAT5cables.
Off-the-shelf versus customIntoday’selectronicsdesignworld,thereisaconstantpush toputcomponents inever-smaller,ever-denserpackaging.TheCyclone FPGA on the FPGA-PCI104boardisina324-contact,19mmsquare,1 mm contact spacing, Ball GridArraypackage(andsomeotherpartsontheboardhaveleadspacingassmallas0.6mm).
However,abigproblemwithsuchsmall,densepackagingisthat,oftenandunfor-tunately,itisallbutimpossibletobuild“justafewprototypes”ofacustomcir-cuitthatusesanyrecentstate-of-the-artcomponentssuchasFPGAs.Instead,anoff-the-shelfboardthathassomeorallof
thedesiredsmallanddenselypackagedcomponentsisusuallytheonlypracticalanswer.
Butthereisadrawbacktomostoff-the-shelfboards:SeldomdosuchboardshaveexactlytherightmixofrequiredI/Ocom-ponentsforanyparticularapplication–inthiscase,anEthernet10/100BASE-TXPHYchipwithassociatedCAT5circuitsandconnectordirectlywiredtoasuitableFPGA.
On the Tri-M FPGA boards, however,one-halfoftheCycloneFPGA’sI/Opins(106 to be exact) connect directly andonly to the four daughtercard connec-tors.TheotherFPGApinsconnecttothePCIbusinterface,theonboardauxiliarycircuits,andpower.Thus,thedaughter-cards can implement exactly, andonly,whatevertherequiredI/Ocircuitryisfora particular application. Moreover, if a
particularI/Oapplicationdoesnotneedtouseallfourofthedaughtercardcon-nectors, theunusedone(s)areavailableforotherpurposes.Tri-MhaspublishedastandardizedsetofdaughtercardoutlinesandPCBlayouttemplatefiles.
ForEther2’sDQSAprototypesystem,itwasonlynecessary todesignandbuildthedaughtercardcarryingathrough-holeCAT5connector/transformer,asurface-mount10/100BASE-TXPHYchip,andsomeresistors,capacitors,andsoon.Leadspacingwaslargeenoughtoaccommo-datehand-soldering.ThePCBwasfourlayers–notsuitablefor“basementlab”fabrication,perhaps–butmucheasiertodesignandmuchcheaper tomake thanthe10-layerPCBoftheFPGA-PCI104.
During development and system test-ing,andsincetheEther2NICcardonlyusedtwoof thedaughtercardsites, two
Figure 1
1� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
ofTri-M’sstandarddaughtercardswerealsoused.AtripleRS-232serialdriver/receiverboardwasusedtodumpdebug-ging informationfromtheDQSAfunc-tionsintheFPGAouttoamonitor,andamulti-LEDcardwasusedforstatus/eventindications.
Another unique feature of the FPGA-PCI104 proved of value to Ether2.ThecircuitrydidnotrequiretheentirespaceavailableonaPCI-104board,andsotheboardwas“notched”atthesides,asshowninFigure2,toallowgreaterheightforthedaughtercards.Thisconfigurationaccom-modatespartsondaughtercards thatarequitehigh (for example, aCAT5RJ-45connector)butwithoutincreasingoverallspacerequirementsinPCI-104systems.
Onlyonefinalproblemrequiredasolu-tion:ThePCI-104interfaceoftheFPGA-PCI104hadtobeadaptedintoaPC-style“desktop” PCI bus physical connector.The PCI-104 bus fully complies withthe32-bitPCIstandard,soadaptingwassimple: mount the FPGA-PCI104 on aPCI-104toPCIbusadapter(Winsystems’PCI-PPM).SeeFigure3foraphotoofthefinalDQSANICboard.
Asaresult,Ether2’srequirementforaNICthatcouldsupportDQSAand,moreover,onewhereinitwaspossibleandaffordabletobuild“justafew,”wassatisfied.
Project completeTenEther2NICboardsandtwohubswerecompletedontime,adequatelysupport-ing two,four-nodeDQSAsystemsplusspares.Thesystemsarenowundergoinginitial testing and will soon be servingtheir intendedpurpose–demonstratingthe DQSA technology and generatingperformancestatistics.
Hardware Cluster Computing
Figure 2
RSC #18 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
Distributed Queue Switch ArchitectureThe DQSA, developed at the IllinoisInstitute of Technology, addresses amajor problem in communications:Theworld’s circuit-switched telecominfrastructureisill-suitedforthepackettraffic that today dominates com-munications, while the router-based,packet-switchedinfrastructurethathasbeen installed to support this packettraffic and the Internet is ill-suitedto providing quality of service. Eventhecombinationof these twodistinctcommunications technologies stilldoesnotprovidealevelofservicethatsupportsthelongsought-aftergoalofvoice,video,anddataconvergence.
DQSAallowsthebasiccircuit-switchedcommunicationsinfrastructuretooper-atesimultaneouslyasacircuit-switchednetworkandasapacket-switchednet-work,therebyeliminatingtheneedforseparate networks dedicated only topacket switchingand the routers theyutilize(refertoSidebarFigure1).
DQSA provides this simultaneoussupport of packet traffic and circuit-
oriented traffic in wireless networks,local, metropolitan, and wide areanetworks, satellite networks, and invirtuallyallothertypesofcommunica-tionsnetworksregardlessofthemedium,distance covered, or transmissionspeed.DQSAprovidesefficientswitch-ing of short messages – a particularrequirementofclustercomputing.
Papers, simulations, and other material on DQSA are available at: www.iit.edu/~dqrap
Application
TCP
Network (such as IP)
DQSA
Physical Layer
Sidebar Figure 1
DQ
SA
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 1�
Graham Campbell is currently the chief science officer of Ether2. He was a professor of computer science and engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology until his retirement, and thereafter conducted research in the field of communications.
Dan O’Leary is currently a lead design engineer with Ether2, responsible for the development of hardware, firmware, and FPGA IP for DQSA products. He has more than 30 years of experience designing embedded computer products and systems, microprocessor/DSP/mixed-signal digital/analog circuits, and related software.
For more information, contact Graham and Dan at:
Ether2 Corp.1344MartelAve.,Ste.105LosAngeles,CA90046Tel:310-913-4383E-mail:[email protected]:www.ether2.com
RSC #1�02 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
Figure 3
RSC #1�01 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
20 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Software Motor Control
Cut product development time and costs with PC/104 and microcontroller platformsBy Walter Calmette and Glenn de Caussin
UsingMCUsas abasicbuildingblockof customized PC/104 boards reducesthetimeandcostofboarddevelopment,allowingdesignerstofocusonthevalue-addedaspectsofamotioncontrolsolu-tion. Rather than investing six monthsand corresponding hard costs in devel-opingasystemthatmayormaynotgointo full production, a custom PC/104solutioncanbedevelopedinaslittleasfourweeks,andcostscanbesubstantiallycut.Inadditiontocuttingtimeandcost,PC/104easestheproduction“buy/make”decision by transitioning to a PC/104bus-less“make”productwithaminimalamountofredesign.
Another consideration in motor andmachinecontrolistheoperatorinterface.Thisinterfaceprovidesvaluablefeedbacktoanengineerduringdevelopment,anditprovidescriticalmachineinformationto theuser, servicepersonnel, andpro-ductionfloorwhileinservice.HandheldPDAs have a high-tech look and feelanddonot requireahugedevelopmentinvestment.UsingaPDAcaneliminatetheneedtopurchaseanddevelopaseparatehandheld terminal system.APDApro-videsalow-costpathforahigh-resolutioncolortouchscreen,graphics,Wi-Ficon-nectivity,andnonvolatilememory,anditsexpansionslot(s)enabletheadditionofotherhigh-techoptions.Together,com-mercial off-the-shelf PC/104 modulesandPDAsofferlow-costwaystocontrolheavyequipment.
Indexer exampleCalmotion is an industrial automationcompany focusing on delivering openstandard solutions to engineering pro-fessionals.Thecompany’smotordrivesare designed to be part of an integralPC/104 bus, which in rugged versionsprovidesacompactstructureuponwhich
tobuild a customizedmotor controllerusing industry standard software andhardware. PC/104 allows virtually anycombinationof digital/analog I/Owithwired/wirelessnetworksatafractionoftheusualcostcompared toclosedpro-prietarysystems.
In conjunction with motor drives, thecompanyusesPC/104inalow-costcon-trollerpoweredbythePIC18F8722fromMicrochip (see Figure 1). The MCUoffers I/O and real-world flexibility incontrol applications while leveragingtheversatilityandwiderangeofPC/104I/Oboards.
Recently, a customer discovered thatparts for their old indexer control hadbeendiscontinued,andaredesignusinglonger life-cycle parts was necessary.The issuewaswhether theywould runoutofpartsbefore thecontrollercouldberedesigned.TheCalmotionMC104PPC/104-basedmotorcontrollerpoweredby a 40 MHz, 8-bit MCU handled thedevelopment and testing (see Figure 2forablockdiagramofthedevelopmentversion).After adding all the featuresand functionality to the front end andprovingthat itworked, thePC/104busproved no longer necessary to the endproductionsystem.Itwaseliminatedby
usingahigh-endMCU,thusstrippingoutadditionalcosts(seeFigure3forablockdiagramoftheproductionversion).
MCU interfaceMostMCUsarenotdesignedasbus-baseddevicesbutratherasstandaloneintegratedCPUs. For proof-of-concept during adevelopmentstage,interfacinganMCUtoaPC/104ISAbuscansometimesprovechallenging.A Dual-Port RAM (DPR)memorycanbeusedbetweentheMCUandtheISAbus togreatlysimplify thedesigneffort.
The PC/104 address and data lines arestraightforward. It may be temptingto select an MCU based on its abilityto interface to the PC/104 bus, but thecontroller endproductwillmore likelysufferifitsperipheralsarepoorlysuitedforanapplicationthanifithasaclumsyPC/104 interface. When selecting anMCU, the designer has the choice ofusing I/Oormemory space.Our expe-rience in motor control leans towardschoosing I/O, since it allows the mostflexibility,easeofdecoding,andhaslesschanceofconflictingwithothersystemperipherals.TheMCUcanthenbeinte-grated with the appropriate read/writePC/104bussignals.
DecodingispossibleutilizingcomparatorsorCPLD logicwithoutmucheffort. Inaddition,mostDPRunitsoffer“mailbox”spacethatcanbeusedtogenerateoutputinterruptsonbothsidesof thememoryandsignalaninterrupttotheMCU,orasanIRQonthePC/104side.Thesimul-taneous, memory-access contentionlogiccanaddwelcome-bus-wait states,eliminatingthetimespentdesigninganddebuggingacustomCPLD/FPGAsolu-tion. In addition, IDE software break-pointscanbeusedafterreadingasectionof memory on the MCU side to debugdriversatruntime.
AnotheroptionforamotorcontrolleristouseanMCUwithanexternalmemoryinterfacebecauseitmakesconnectingtothe DPR straightforward.This is espe-
PC/104 offers an ideal platform for controlling the motors that run heavy equipment. For simplicity and I/O convenience, commercial-off-the-shelf Microcontrollers (MCUs) with integrated I/O can be adapted to PC/104 to create extremely efficient controller designs. Additionally, consumer PDAs make excellent development tools for the controller and are useful in the end design as operator interface consoles.
Figure 1
ciallytrueiftheMCU’sexternalmemoryinterface has dynamic bus-wait-statecapability.Ifnot, logiccanbeaddedtoalertthemicroincasesofmemoryaccesscontention, such as when it and thePC/104controllersimultaneouslyaccessthesameDPRlocation.Input pins capable ofgenerating interruptsonMCUsarecommon.Connectingthemtothe“mailbox” output ofthe DPR on the microside can interrupt theMCU, indicating thatthe PC/104 controllerhassentadatapacket.This setup minimizesresponsetime.
Without a memory interfaceUsing MCUs withoutan external memoryinterface requires alittle more user codeintervention.However,in this case, low-costMCUs can be used.MCUswithoutexternal
memoryinterfaceI/Opinscanbesetuptosimply“bitbang”theDPRtoreadandwritedata.ThedatalinesoftheDPRareconnectedtogeneral-purposepinsofanMCU.TouseanMCU in thismanner,its general-purpose pins must be able
Figure 2
Figure 3
RSC #21 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
to dynamically configure data pins asinputsoroutputs,orputthemintohigh-impedancemode.Topreventashortcon-dition,themicroandtheDPRmustnotdrivetheirrespectivedataoutputsatthesametime.
Theobviousdisadvantageofthismethod-ologyistheadditionalpinconfigurationinstructionsrequiredpriortoaread/writecycle.UnlessthereisatremendousamountofdataorinstructiontrafficthatmusttakeplacebetweentheMCUandthePC/104bus,theadditionaltimedelaywhenusingthismethodisminimal.Althoughthisisadmittedly a crude manner in which tointerface to thePC/104bus, a low-costflashMCU,suchasthePIC18F8722fromMicrochip, can offer surprisingly goodperformance.
IfthemicroprocessorhasaParallelSlavePort(PSP)peripheral,thedatadirectionconfigurationcommandscanbeomittedfrom the user code.Typically, the PSPperipheralfacilitatestheuseofamicro-controllerinadata-businterfaceapplica-tion.Asthenameimplies, theyoperatein a slave mode whereby read, write,andchip-enableinputpinsdynamicallyconfigure thedirectionof thedatapinsbyamasterprocessor.Mockread,write,andchip-enablesignalsalsoneedtobebit banged as if coming from a masterprocessor. In this manner, much like anullmodemcable,thesesignalsarefedbackintothePSPenableandread/writeinputpinsandthuseliminateportdirec-tionconfigurationcode.ThePSPontheMicrochipPIC18F452isanexampleofa low-cost,44-pinTQFPMCUthatwehaveusedinthisfashion.
Visual user interfaceSincethegoalisrapiddevelopmenttimewhile still designing a low-cost motorcontroller,it’shandytouseoff-the-shelfdevelopment tools.It isevenhandier ifthose toolscanbeusedforanoperatorinterface in the final controller equip-ment.ConsumerhandheldPDAsofferanattractiveplatformtomeetbothofthesegoals(refertoFigures4a,4b,and4c).
ThemostpopularhandhelddevicesuseeitherthePalmorWindowsOS.WindowsdevicestendtocostmorethantheirPalmcounterparts,buttheyusuallyoffermorefeatureswhenitcomestoexpansionandconnectivityviaWi-Fi.ThelatestversionofMicrosoftVisualStudio.NETProfes-sionalsupportsthecompactframework
of.NET.ThiscompactframeworkisthefoundationofdevicesthatuseWindowsCE,PocketPC,andSmartphones.
The biggest advantage of using thisdevelopment tool is the portability ofapplications from desktop/laptop com-puterstohandhelddevices.IfportabilityofPDA/PCcodeisnotaconcern,other
Software Motor Control
Figure 4a
Figure 4b
Figure 4c
RSC #23 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
alternatives exist, such as the develop-ment system available from NS BasicCorporation.Theyhavetwosimilarpack-ages that support application develop-mentforeitherPalmorWindowsCE.Asanexample,adevelopmentsystemfromNS Basic allows designers to create asoftwarescopeonaPalmOSPDAthat’susefulformotordrivetuning.
MostPDAshaveserialportcapabilitieseitherdirectlyor throughsometypeofinterfacecable.ThetrendwiththenewerPDAsleanstowardaserialinterfacebutwithTTL-levelsignals.ThecablesusedtoconvertTTLtoRS-232aretypicallyparasitic and receive their power fromtheRTSsignalviaanRS-232port.Fordesigners planning to use this type ofinterface, it’s essential to ensure thatthe RTS has the appropriate voltage.Programming an application is fairlystraightforwardwithoneexception:ThePalm OS and someWindows develop-ment systems ignore null characters.Thatis,theyassumethatnullsarewhitespaces and can be ignored.This resultmostoftenpresentsanissuewhenusingprotocolsthatuseallthebinarynumbers0 to255.Choosing thecorrectmethodwhen reading the serialportwillover-comethisassumption.
There are obviously ways around this,butit’scriticaltobeawareofthemattheoutset.RS-232istheeasiestandlowest-costinterfacetodevelopandaccommo-datesastraightforwardlaptopconnectionaswell.Anumberofoff-the-shelfRS-232converters allowconnection toTCP/IP,Modbus,CAN,orBluetooth,whichcanbeaneffectivewaytokeepengineeringdevelopmentcostsdown.IfaUSBinter-faceisdesired,atleastonedevicemustbethehost.USB-to-serialconvertersexist,buttheywillonlyworkwithahostsuchasacomputer.AUSB-onlyPDAactsasa slave device, not a master.The PDAcanonlycommunicateusingUSBiftheproducthasbeendesignedasahost.
Motor control: Putting it all togetherStartingwithoff-the-shelfPC/104boardsfor proof-of-concept and evolving todeveloping custom PC/104 hardwarewithMCUsenablestheuseofsuchinte-gralfeaturesas:
nManytypesofinternalmemorynSerialports
nTimers/countersnInterruptsnA/DconvertersnWatchdogtimers
This set of peripherals and capabilitiessimplifiescircuitdesignandboardlayout.Inturn,thisconfigurationreducesdevel-opmenttimeandcosts.
Additionally, most MCUs come withlow-costdevelopmenttools,whichallowin-circuitprogramming/debuggingwith-out an operating system. Single step-ping, variable watch windows, and thesoftwarebreakpointsthatarestandardinmostIDEpackagesspeedthedebuggingandcodingprocess.The“hockeypuck”MPLABICD2fromMicrochipconnectsMCUswiththedevelopmentcomputer’sUSBconnectors.
Other manufacturers offer similar de-vicesinthesamepricerange.Ccompilersarealmostuniversallyavailable,therebyreducingportabilityconcerns.Anumberof MCUs have peripherals developedforsuchspecificapplicationsasmotionandmotorcontrol,CAN,andEthernet.Such peripherals minimize softwaredevelopment and eliminate additionalhardware that might otherwise berequired.
Walter Calmette cofounded Calmotion LLC afer 5 years in sales management at Fadal Machining Centers and 11 years with Rockwell Automation in motor drive sales and application engineering. Walter received a BS in Physics from UCLA.
Glenn de Caussin cofounded Calmotion LLC after 20 years in electronics and controls at Fadal Machining Centers where his last position was director of software/ controls. Glenn received a BSEE from Cal State Northridge (CSUN).
For more information, contact Walter and Glenn at:
Calmotion, LLC9909TopangaCanyonBlvd.,#322Chatsworth,CA91311Tel:818-357-5826Fax:818-357-5827E-mail:[email protected]
[email protected]:www.calmotion.com
Software Motor Control
RSC #25 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
2� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Technology EPIC Express
Bringing PCI Express to embedded applicationsBy Phillip Menicos
EPIC Express has its roots in an SBCspecificationcalledEmbedded Platform for Industrial Computing (EPIC),whichdebutedinmid-2004withanoverwhelm-ingly positive industry response. Themain rationale behind the creation ofEPIC,developedbythesamefivecom-paniesmentionedabove,wasrealestate.EPICExpresscombinesaPC/104con-nectorforcompatibilitywithlegacyISAboards and one to three PCI Expressconnectorsforhigh-speedpackettraffic(seeFigure1).
Ononehand,thepopularEBXSBCformfactor,at46squareinches,or5.75"x8",istoolargeformanyembeddedapplica-tions.Ontheotherhand,the13.5squareinches(3.575"x3.77")ofthePC/104andPC/104-Plusalternativeistoosmallforotherembeddedapplications,requiringamultiple-boardsolution–alwaysamoreexpensiveapproach.
Bydefininga29.4squareinch(4.528"x6.496")formfactor,EPIChitsthesweetspot for a large number of embeddedapplicationsinsuchareasasautomatedtestequipment,medicalinstrumentation,communicationsdevices,transportationsystems, semiconductor manufactur-inggear,robotics,andmilitarysystems.Further, by specifying PC/104-Plus asits vehicle for mezzanine bus expan-sion, EPIC allows developers to lever-
agetheirexistinginvestmentinPC/104I/Oboards.
EPIC was also forward-looking at thetime of its announcement. The EPICgroupindicatedthatithadbuiltflexibil-ityintothespecificationsothatafutureversionwouldaddresstheswitchfabricissue.EPICExpressisthatversion.
PCI Express to the foreThemulti-dropparallelbusarchitecturehasbeen theworkhorseof thecomput-ingindustryfordecades,butitisbecom-ing somewhat dated.The next stage inthe evolution of computer architectureencompassesswitchfabricarchitectures,and the future belongs to these veryhigh-speed point-to-point interconnectscommunicating via packets and basedon Low-Voltage Differential Signaling(LVDS)technology.
ThePeripheralComponentInterconnect(PCI) bus has long been the dominantparallelbus,havinginheritedthatmantlefromtheIndustryStandardArchitecture(ISA)busintheearly1990s.Thegreatsuccess of ISA and PCI motivated thecreationofanumberofindustrialvaria-tions that define mechanical character-isticssuitabletotherigorsofembeddedcomputing.
Oneoftheseindustrialvariations,PC/104,gives ISA a unique expansion schemeutilizingstackableboardsthatrequirenobackplane,cardcage,ormountingframe.Its second generation, PC/104-Plus,combinesa32-bit,33MHzPCIbuswiththelegacyISAbusofPC/104,bridgingthe twogenerationsofcomputerbuses,using the same form factor and stack-ing scheme. EPIC Express is the nextstepforward,bringingPCIExpressintothefold.
Why the need for switch fabrics?As higher speed peripheral interfacesbecomecommonplace,theexistingPCIbus,operatingatamaximumof132MBps,cannothandlethedatademandsofthesedevices.Forexample,ifbothUSB2.0andGbEexpansioncardsresideonthesamePCIbus,therewillbetimeswhenallofthebandwidthisconsumed.Inaddition,high-end graphics controllers are seri-ouslyconstrainedbythePCI’sbandwidthlimitation.
Asfor theselectionmadeby theEPICgroup fromamong today’shigh-speed,point-to-pointinterconnects,PCIExpressisaslamdunk.Ithasclearlyestablisheditself as the preferred follow-on to thePCIbus.Amongitstrengths,PCIExpressadoptsthefamiliarPCIsoftwaremodel,greatly simplifying migration, and itprovidesspeedswellbeyondPCI,plusgreatscalability.PCIExpressistheobvi-ous choice since, as the EPIC Expressspecification explains, it has “perfor-mance, scalability,widemarket accep-tance, and growing silicon availabilityworldwide.”
At its current 2.5 GHz operating fre-quency,asingle-lane(X1)PCIExpressinterfaceprovides2.5Gbpsofbandwidthunidirectionallyand5Gbpsbidirection-ally.Accountingfortheinterface’s8b/10bencoding scheme, that translates into250MBpsand500MBps.AnX32imple-mentationpushesthePCIExpressfrontieroutto80Gbps(8GBps)unidirectional,160Gbps(16GBps)bidirectional.That’s
A new specification called EPIC Express™ is bringing the benefits of switch fabric architectures to mainstream embedded computing applications. Cooperatively developed by five leading embedded computer manufacturers – Ampro Computers, Micro/sys, Octagon Systems, VersaLogic, and WinSystems – EPIC Express gives equipment makers a straightforward migration strategy without obsoleting their existing hardware and software investment.
Figure 1
“By defining a 29.4 square
inch (4.528" x 6.496")
form factor, EPIC hits the
sweet spot for a large number
of embedded applications
in such areas as...robotics
and military systems.”
30 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Technology EPIC Express
alotofperformanceheadroom,indeed.Inaddition,futurespeed-upsbeyondthe2.5Gbpsratearealreadyintheworks.
EPIC Express innovative configuration optionsEPICExpressreplacesthe120-pinPCIconnectorofEPIC’sPC/104-Plusexpan-sion site with one or more 28-pin PCIExpressconnectors.Threeofthesecon-nectorsfitthespacepreviouslyoccupiedbyonebecauseserialinterfacesrequirefarfewersignallinesthanparallelinterfaces.TheISA-compatibleconnectorofPC/104isretainedbyEPICExpresstoleveragethehundredsofPC/104I/Oandcustomboards now in the field. The photo inFigure2depictsthethree-bankconnec-torfeature.TheexpansionboardonthisEPICExpressbaseboardcontainsanISA-compatible PC/104 connector (bottom)andthreePCIExpressconnectors(top).
TheEPICExpressexpansionconnectoraccommodates up to four PCI Expresslanes.Twoconfigurationoptionsarecur-rentlydefinedbythespec:thestandard,or“thin,”single-connectorconfigurationconsistingoffourX1links;andthefull,or “fat,” three-connector configuration,whichcombinesfourX1linkswithtwosetsofX4links.Iffuturerequirementscall for larger lane counts, additionalconnectorscouldbeincorporatedforX8,X16,andX32implementations.AnX16configurationis,infact,intheworkstohandlehigh-speedmultimediatraffic.
EPIC Express supports stacks of up tofour expansion boards, with the place-ment of the boards in the stack con-strainedbytheonboardinterface.PC/104boardsmustresideatthetopofthestack,forexample,aboveboardsthatalsocon-tainaPCIExpressinterface.BoardswithlargerPCIExpresslanecounts,suchasX4,mustresidebelowboardswithfewerlanes,suchasX1.
Initsday,themigrationfromPC-104toPC/104-Plus presented technical chal-lenges,andthetransitiontoPCIExpressin EPIC Express is no different. Themajor issue thathad tobe tackledwasrouting: how the point-to-point trafficonPCIExpresslanescanbeefficientlyroutedamongboardsinastacktomakethe best use of the bandwidth it pro-vides.Theanswerwasa“nextavailablelane”techniquethatalsoenhancesinter-operability and eliminates the needfor jumpers, or Dual In-Line Package
switches,whenconfiguringtheboardsinastack.
Toavoidcontentionforparticularlanes,PCIExpresstrafficisroutedtotheear-liest(inthealphabet)availableinterfacelane(refer toFigure3)where, inEPICExpressjargon,itis“consumed,”estab-
lishing the point-to-point link. Thiseliminatesthepotentialchaosthatwouldensue if different board manufacturersfielded divergent routing mechanisms.AnEPICExpresssystemdoesn’tcare,inshort,whichPCIExpresslaneaparticularpackettravelson,justaslongasitreachesitsdestinationinatimelyfashion.
Figure 2
Figure 3
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 31
Figure3illustratesaconceptualmodelofanEPICExpresssystem.Inthisparticu-larsystem,whichhasthemaximumfour-slotconfiguration,thebaseboardcontainsfourX1andtwoX4PCIExpresslinks,plusaPC/104bus.Inthisexamplecon-figuration,I/Oboard#1consumesanX4laneonly,andI/Oboards#3and#4eachconsumeonlyanX1lane.I/Oboard#2,in turn,consumesbothanX1 laneandanX4lane.Inallcases,trafficshiftstotheearliestavailablelane.Trafficonthebaseboard’sBX1 lane, forexample, isshiftedtotheAlaneonI/Oboard#2fortransmissiontoI/Oboard#3.
Variations on PCI ExpressThe industrial variations of PCI fre-quently included a few variants onthe basic commercial specification, asdeemedsuitable for targetedembeddedapplications. Inaddition,EPICExpressincludesafewdifferencesfromcommer-cialPCIExpress.Themostnotableistheadditionofdiscreteclocksignals: threeonthestandardconfiguration,andsixonthefullconfiguration.
Althoughsource-synchronousclockingisnotspecifiedbyPCIExpress, theEPICExpressdevelopersdecided thathavingsuchclockingavailableisagooddesignpracticeforaveryhigh-speedinterface:sortofabeltandsuspendersorientation.Further,discussionsofsecond-generationPCI Express with speeds in excess of2.5Gbpsindicatethatdiscreteclocksig-nalswillbeincorporatedintothespec.
EPICExpressalsodepartsfromcommer-cialPCIExpress in incorporating+5Vand–12Vpowerlines.TheoptionalSys-tems Management Bus and JTAG testlines are not supported. EPIC Expressalso rejects as inappropriate the PCIExpressWake signal, geared primarilytowardsmobiledevicesandthepresencelines, which support live insertion andboardwithdrawalfromasystem.
Insummary,EPICExpressisaninnovativebridge to the future, providing a formfactorthatsuitsabroadswathofembed-dedcomputingapplications.Bysupport-inglegacyPC/104busboardswithinthecontext of an innovative PCI Expressvariation,EPICExpressprovidesthebestof both worlds. Enabling systems thatcombineswitchfabrictechnology(whereultimate performance is required) andbus-based technology (where adequateforthefunction),EPICExpressprovidesapainlessevolutionarypathtoembeddedcomputingsystemsthatareatonceflex-ible,scalable,andbalanced.
Draft release 0.8 of EPIC Express isavailable now at www.epic-express.orgforindustryconsiderationandfeedback.Release1.0isexpectedtobecompletedbytheendof2005.
Phillip Menicos has more than 20 years of experi-ence in electronic design. He has worked in the steel, medical, and embedded
computer industries. He currently serves as a senior design engineer with Octagon Systems.
For more information, contact Phillip at:
Octagon Systems 6510W.91stAve.Westminster,CO80031-2902Tel:303-430-1500Fax:303-426-8126Website:www.octagonsystems.com
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32 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Special Rugged, rural computing
Going where no PC has gone beforeBy Chris Bennetts
Editor’s note: The author has made available more photos from his colleagues’ recent travels to several rural environments. Check them out on our website in a more expansive version of
this article at www.pc104online.com.
Technical challenges for emerging marketsExpecting the largest increase in PCgrowthoverthenextfouryearstocomefrom emerging markets (Source: IDC),anumberof technologycompanies arefocusing on bringing affordable andaccessibleconnectivity,computing,andentertainmentcapabilitiestonationssuchasBrazil,China, India, andRussia.Ofthese four nations alone, the projectedITspendingwillgrowfromU.S.$60bil-lionin2005toapproximatelyU.S.$105billionin2009accordingtoIDC.Whilethissounds like theperfectopportunityfor“whitebox”PCvendorstoselllargequantitiesofcheaporusedPCsintothesemarkets, the reality is quite different.With their large form factor and bulkycase design, shipping to these nationsalonecanturnasub-U.S.$300PCdis-patchedfromTaiwantoBrazilintoaU.S.$450PCbythetimeitarrives.
Cost and supply of powerExplosive growth and energy con-sumptionareoutstrippingthesupplyofreliable and affordable power to com-munitiesincreasingthecostofoperationfor a PC. For example, power in Mali,AfricacostssixtimesthatintheUnitedStates.Therefore,anormaldesktopPC,which consumes approximately 150Wofpower,wouldcostinayearofalways-onoperationaboutU.S.$600(basedonU.S.$0.08perKWhx6),increasingthetotal costof a sub-U.S.$300computertoaboutU.S.$900(plusshippingcosts)overthefirstyear.
In Brazil, where energy generatorscommonly experience system losses of
more than15percentandpower short-agesat timesofpeakdemand (Source:www.platts.com), intermittent powersupply is also an issue. In 2001, forexample,householdshadtocutusageby20percentorelsefacehavingtheirelec-tricitycutoffforuptosixdaysandpayingheavysurcharges(Source:BBCNews).
Pollutants and dustRapideconomicgrowthinemergingmar-kets also generates increased pollutionanddust – by-products of industry thatoutpacewhatthecountry’sinfrastructurecantolerate.In2001,forexample,Chinaproduced13percentoftheworld’scarbonemissions(Source:www.eia.doe.gov)andin2000, theamountof sulphurdioxide(SO2) released into the atmosphere bycoal-fired power stations in China wasapproximately 27.3 mm tons (Source:www.pnl.gov).Asaresult,typicaldesktopPCsusingnormalcoolingfanstopushairovertheprocessorandcomponentsinad-vertentlysuckinthesepollutants,causingabuildupofdust,whichreducestheflowofairandincreasesthesystem’stempera-ture.Thisresultcausesstaticdamagetocomponents and, when sulphur is pres-ent,canerodethecopperoncircuits(seeFigure1,courtesyofComputerForce).
Justasdustbuildup,climate,too,canbeamajorfactoraffectingnormaldesktopPCoperation inemergingmarkets.Forexample,theaverageannual24-hourtem-peratureinplacessuchasLagos,NigeriaandAgra,Indiais79.7ºF.InTimbuktu,it’s82 ºF.Compare this temperature totheannual24-hourtemperatureaverageinLosAngelesof61.7ºF,andinTokyoit’s58.1ºF.Combinethesetemperatureextremeswiththepresenceofpollutants,anddesktopPCsdeployed inemergingmarketregionscanfacerealchallengesin maintaining reliable operation. Fig-ure 2 shows a cooling fan found in anactualInternetcaféinAfrica.
Small-form-factor, x86-based computers with low power consumption, rich integration, and robust designs have traditionally found their place in embedded and enthusiast markets. However,
it now seems that these features can bring connectivity computing to emerging markets. Desktop PCs, when deployed in these markets, must overcome numerous technical challenges caused by intermittent and expensive power, environmental extremes, and damaging pollutants such as dust. As a result, Small Form Factor x86 computers (SFF PCs) such as Mini-ITX with their unique set of features are increasingly becoming the answer. Here are some of the challenges and solutions for deploying technology to this market.
Figure 1
“...Mini-ITX mainboards
enable designs that
eliminate the need for
cooling vents, thereby
preventing dust and
pollutant clogging, as
well as static damage to
internal components.”
Figure 2
3� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Special Rugged, rural computing
Solutions for emerging marketsEmerging markets have been dealingwiththeabove-mentionedtechnicalchal-lengesforotherproductssuchasradiosforanumberofyears.Forexample, inMali,Africa,solarpanelsprovidepowerto local radio station Boorem Inaly(Figure3).
Computershaveforthemostpartfailedtocrossthe“digitaldivide,”dueinparttothekeytechnicalchallengesfacedwhileelectrical appliances converged intoemergingmarkets.Table1listssomeofthosechallenges.
IfregulardesktopPCscannotovercomethesechallenges,whatcan?Theanswerlies inusing industrialembeddedprod-ucts.Theyhavethepotentialforovercom-ingsuchenvironmentalchallengeswithrobust and fanless designs, low powerconsumption,andlowheatgeneration.
Embedded technology is ideal for sus-tainableemergingmarketssuchasruralareas.TheARM-basedmicroprocessorsso popular in cell phones are a perfectexampleoftechnologydesignedforlow-
powerharshenvironmentsbuttheydonotprovideadequateperformance.Emergingmarkets want the same computing andconnectivity functionality as everyoneelse:Userswantwordprocessors,Internetconnectivity,ortheabilitytoplaydigital
videos.ManyusersalsoneedVoice-over-IP(VoIP)andvideoconferencingfacili-ties,assomethatliveinemergingmarketregionsmaynotbeabletoreadorwrite,andthecomputerthattheyareusingmaynothavelocallanguagesupport.
Figure 3
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PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 35
India,forexample,hasmorethan18sub-regions,eachwithanumberoflocallan-guages(Source:www.lonelyplanet.com).Imaginetryingtofindtherightsoftwarelanguagepacktoinstallthere.Thislan-guageobstacle iswhycomputers, suchastheAMDPIC,whichisaruggedizedx86-based PC appliance (see Figure 4,courtesyofAMD),andtheMITMediaLabLaptop(U.S.$100)havereceivedsomuchattentionasoflate.TheMediaLabLaptopisx86-basedandhasa“winduphandle”topowerthedevice.
Small-form-factor PCsEnterSFFPCs.Usingsmall-form-factor,x86-based mainboards, vendors caneasilycreatetheirownruggedandruralcomputer product, similar to existingdevicessuchastheAMDPICthatover-comethetechnicalchallengesofdeploy-ingsustainable technology inemergingmarkets.AcaseinpointistheVIAPHDappliancethatMumbai,Indiaiscurrentlydevelopingandtailoringtodeliverdesk-topperformanceutilizingafanless,x86-based VIA processor in an embeddedfanlessdesign(Figure5).
MostSFFPCsuseMini-ITXmainboardsthatenabledesktopx86-styleoperationtoastandardwheresurfingtheWeb,cre-ating documents, and using video con-ferencing andVoIP is possible.With a
smallfootprintofjust6.7"x6.7"andrichfeature integration, these mainboardsfacilitate thedesignof innovative solu-tions that can overcome the technicalchallenges of deployment in emergingmarkettechnology.
VIA’s Mini-ITX mainboards have longbeenknownfortheirabilitytorunutiliz-ingcarbatteriesandsolarpanels.Backin 2004, VIA demonstrated the pedal-poweredPC,usinganormalbicycle torecharge a car battery to power aVIAEPIAMini-ITX-basedSFFPC,wherebyonehourofpedalingwouldprovideupto eight hours of operation before thebatteryneededrecharging.
ThenewVIAPHDappliance,bycom-parison,couldpossiblyrunupto20hoursutilizing thesinglechargeofacarbat-tery.The ultra-low power consumptionofmanyoftheseMini-ITXmainboards
Technical challengesTransportation costs, methods, and potential damage
Damage caused by excessive heat
Damage caused by pollutants
Cost of power in emerging regions
Intermittent power supply in emerging regions
Table 1
Figure 4
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Figure 5
Special Rugged, rural computing
enablesoperationwithalternativeenergysourcesandintermittentpowersupplies.MostVIAEPIAMini-ITXmainboards,forexample,drawbetween25-35Wofpower,orlessthanaquarterofwhattra-ditionaldesktopPCsconsume.
Theultra-compactformfactorofMini-ITXmainboardspermitsthetransporta-tionofuptosixtimesasmanySFFPCsforeveryequivalentdesktopPC,reducingfreightcostsenormouslyandenablingtheuseof“traditional”modesoftransportinremoteareas.Mini-ITXenablesthecaseitself todissipateheatratherthaninter-nalfans,furtherreducingheatanddust.Using a case with heat fins, Mini-ITXmainboards enable designs that elimi-natetheneedforcoolingvents,therebypreventingdust andpollutant clogging,aswellasstaticdamagetointernalcom-ponents.A fanless heat fin design alsoreducestheinternalsystemtemperatureandcomponents’vulnerability.
When combined with the advantage ofrapidtimetomarket,SFFPCsempowerdevelopersandvendors toeasilycreatecustomized, innovative solutions foremergingmarkets.With themanyben-efitsthatsmall-form-factor,x86comput-
ingbringstotheruraldeploymenttable,thenextfouryearsshouldseesomefan-tasticopportunitiesasemergingmarketstakeoff.
Chris Bennetts is international marketing special- ist – processor platforms at VIA. Previously, Chris worked at industrial mainboard manu-
facturer Expert Electronic Corporation in Taiwan as head of marketing and sales. Before that, in 2000, he started his own chain of computer retail stores called Dirkwoods Computer Upgraders, which he sold in 2004 before moving to Taiwan. Chris has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Bond University, Australia.
For more information, contact Chris at:
VIA Technologies, Inc.8F,531-533ChungChengRd.HsinTien,TaipeiTaiwan231Tel:+886-2-2218-5254,Ext.6662E-mail:[email protected]:www.via.com.tw
RSC #37 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
AdvancedTCA E-cast:
Meeting carrier requirements with AdvancedTCA and AdvancedMCsModerated by Joe Pavlat
MARCH 28, 2006
www.opensystems-publishing.com/ecast.html
Serial fabrics E-cast:
VXS with RapidIO for SIGINT and radar deployments
MARCH 15, 2006
castE
3� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Product Guide: Industrial, rugged and MIL-SPEC products
Company Name/ Model Number Description
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4DSP www.4dsp.comFM480 Virtex-4 PMC A PMC/PMC-X module for DSP applications with high bandwidth and complex algorithms •
ACCES I/O Products www.accesio.com104-DIO-16 A low-cost, 32-channel, PC/104 utility board •
Advanced Digital Logic www.adlogic-pc104.comMSMP�SEN/SEV A PC/104-based Pentium III/Celeron computer with a 300, 400, or 700 MHz smartCoreP3 CPU •
MSMP5SEV/SEN/SN A 166 or 266 MHz Pentium III processor PC/104 module •
MSM586SL A PC/104 module featuring soldered SDRAM to help withstand shock and vibration •
MPC40 A fanless industrial PC for high-performance applications •
MPC�0 A family of small (159 mm x 245 mm x 66 mm) computers with several interfaces •
MPCX4� A waterproof mini PC suitable for use in vehicle and military applications • •
AIM-USA www.aim-online.comEasyLOAD-615A A software package for use with AIM’s AFDX/ARINC664 test and simulation interface modules • •
Andor Design www.andordesign.comPCI�01 A high-performance, low-cost dual redundant MIL-STD-1553 interface card •
Applied Data Systems www.applieddata.netVGX A single board computer featuring an Intel 32-bit 400 MHz PXA255 (RISC-based) processor •
Thin Client Building Blocks ARM RISC-based XScale single board computers •
Arcom Control Systems www.arcom.comVIPER Embedded Linux Dev Kit A 2.4-based Linux kernel, GNU C library •
VIPER Dev Kit for VxWorks A development kit for VxWorks 5.5 •
W-E-B Telemetry An integrated cellular modem (GPRS or iDEN), GPS receiver, and power supply platform •
Avalon www.avalondefense.comMIL-STD-155� Card for PC/104 Single- and dual-channel MIL-STD-1553 PC/104 cards •
Ballard Technology www.ballardtech.com PC155�-�x Dual-redundant MIL-STD-1553 interface boards for ISA (PC/AT compatible) computers • •
BiTMICRO Networks www.bitmicro.comE-Disk FC Series A line of pure, solid-state, E-Disk flash disks based on the Fibre Channel interface •
BMC Communications www.bmccorp.comPC104-UADI A PC/104 universal avionics digital interface •
cPCI-UADI-155�-ARINC An SBC used to simulate, test, and act as an avionics communications interface •
C�I� Systems www.ccii.co.zaMIL-STD-155�B Remote Terminal PMC
A rugged MIL-STD-1553B conduction-cooled or air-cooled PMC adapter •
Calmotion LLC www.calmotion.comMC104p A Microchip PIC18F8722 40 MHz CPU •
ChipX www.chipx.comCX Family Structured ASICs A complete line of structured ASICs for rugged applications •
Condor Engineering www.condoreng.comCEI-8�0 A high-density ARINC 429 PMC module • •
FlightCORE-155� A MIL-STD-1553 library for Altera and Xilinx FPGAs •
Connect Tech www.connecttech.com Xtreme/104-Plus A family of serial communications cards for embedded military and industrial applications •
Data Device www.ddc-web.com RPC (SSPC Module) A remote, solid-state power controller board •
Datametrics www.datametrics.comTuff Rider Series Model 9�00-EC A Pentium M SBC and display combination •
Tuff Rider Series Model 9000 An SBC mounted in metal housing with up to 14 I/Os and 4 processor speeds •
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / 3�
Diamond Systems www.diamondsystems.comMercury A PC/104-Plus expansion module with Ethernet and digital I/O •
Athena A rugged embedded CPU featuring a VIA Eden Pentium III-class processor, 400-660 MHz •
EMM-OPTO-XT A PC/104 form factor serial port module •
DIGITAL-LOGIC AG www.digitallogic.comMSMP�SEN/SEV PC/104-based Pentium III/Celeron computer with a 300, 400, or 700 MHz smartCoreP3 CPU •
MSMP5SEV/SEN/SN A 166 or 266 MHz Pentium III processor PC/104 module •
MSM586SL A PC/104 module featuring soldered SDRAM to help withstand shock and vibration •
MPC40 A fanless industrial PC for high-performance applications •
MPC�0 A family of small (159 mm x 245 mm x 66 mm) computers with several interfaces •
MPCX4� A waterproof mini PC suitable for use in vehicle and military applications • •
Diversified Technology www.atcatogo.comTrexSys-4 4U PCI/ISA industrial rackmount system for surveillance and security •
DSS Networks www.dssnetworks.comGig-PrPMC Module �46� A PowerPC-based processor PMC •
Dynamic Engineering www.dyneng.com PC104p-H009 A PC/104-Plus card that translates between the H009 bus protocol and the PCI bus •
Company Name/ Model Number Description
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RSC #3�02 @ www.pc104online.com/rscRSC #3�01 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
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�0 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Company Name/ Model Number Description
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Product Guide: Industrial, rugged and MIL-SPEC products
Electrim www.electrim.comEDC-�000C/D Color (3000C) and monochrome (3000D) USB 2.0 scientific grade camera systems •
Enseo www.enseo.comAlchemy PC/104-Plus An OEM server designed for video-on-demand applications using MPEG audio/video and
contained in installations sensitive to vibration and shock•
EuroTecH www.eurotech.itCPU-1450 A PC/104-Plus Celeron CPU module •
COM-1�50 A PC/104 MIL-STD-1553 interface module that operates at -40 ºC/+85 °C •
ACS-5160 A PC104 MIL power supply module 60 W isolated •
Excalibur Systems www.mil-155�.comPC104Plus/4000 A multiprotocol avionics communication board designed to the PC/104-Plus specification • •
Fastwel www.fastwel.comCPC�0� A PC/104 SBC featuring a Geode GX1/300 MHz with low-voltage core •
GD California/Motorola www.gdca.comMBX 860 A standard EBX form factor board •
InHand Electronics www.inhandelectronics.comFingertip � An ultra low-powered handheld platform for military and commercial applications •
Jita Enterprise www.jitaent.com855 Fanless Embedded Computer
A compact, fanless embedded system with four serial ports and unique thermal design •
Kontron www.kontron.com104-4��/485-8 An eight-port PC/104 serial asynchronous adapter •
LSI Logic www.lsilogic.comRapidChip Xtreme� A high-performance, highly integrated serial interconnect platform ASIC family •
RapidChip Integrator� A cell-based platform ASIC solution •
Megatel www.megatel.caPCpi A rugged Pentium-class PC/104 SBC •
PCpe A rugged, fully featured Pentium-class SBC •
Micro/sys www.embeddedsys.comMPC6�4 A PC/104 expansion board •
SBC�596 A Pentium EBX computer with data acquisition/GPS/CAN LP Pentium •
SBC4495 An EPIC form factor SBC with GPS and data acquisition •
SBC16�5 An XScale PC/104 computer with dual Ethernet •
SBC1495 A 486/586 PC/104 computer •
Moxa Technologies www.moxaUSA.comUC-�4�0 An embedded RISC Linux communication computer • •
MPL www.mpl.chOCSI Board Family A family of Octal Serial Communication Interface (OSCI) PC/104-Plus modules •
Octagon Systems www.octagonsystems.com�060 A rugged PC/104 SBC designed to operate from –40 °C to +85 °C •
OS Embedder Kits Kits to simplify operating system implementation on Octagon’s ruggedized SBCs •
Parvus www.parvus.comSpacePC ��00 An embedded PC/104 computer featuring an STPC 486DX processor at 75 MHz •
AM-TFT LCDs Rugged 6.4” or 10.4” LCD displays •
SpacePC 1451 A rugged PC/104-Plus SBC •
USB104+ A four-port, high-speed USB 2.0 host controller with two high-current USB ports •
Switch104 A rugged, five-port PC/104 10/100BASE-T Ethernet switching hub •
155� Bus Controllers Bus controllers featuring dual-redundant MIL-STD-1553 function (1553 A/B protocols) •
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / �1
Company Name/ Model Number Description
ARIN
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Product Guide: Industrial, rugged and MIL-SPEC products
Pentek www.pentek.comModel �140 A dual digital up/downconverter PMC/XMC with FPGA •
RTD www.rtdusa.comdspModules A line of DSP modules with 3.3 V or 5 V PCI interface •
Sabritec www.sabritec.comESD Filter Connectors Composite filter connectors for circular, rack, and panel (ARINC), and D-sub miniature
receptacles•
SBS Technologies www.sbs.comABI-PC104-� An extended temperature MIL-STD-1553 interface card for a PC/104 backplane • •
ASF-PC104-� A single-function, dual-channel MIL-STD-1553 PC/104 interface •
SEAKR Engineering www.seakr.comPCI Mezzanine Nonvolatile Memory Card
A conduction-cooled 8 GB solid-state flash memory card designed for the military/aerospace industry
•
Sealevel Systems www.sealevel.com SIO4-104 A family of four-port PC/104 serial I/O modules •
Simon Industries www.simonindustries.comConduction-cooled Heat Frames Conduction-cooled heat frames for circuit boards •
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�2 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Company Name/ Model Number Description
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RSC #4202 @ www.pc104online.com/rscRSC #4201 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
SMA www.SMAcomputers.comEnduro A fanless industrial computer specially designed for mobile equipment applications •
Enduro VGA A ruggedized industrial computer with integrated graphics controller •
Small PC Computers www.smallpc.comSC�00 A Pentium or P3 CPU in a small, rugged package (10.6" x 2.4" x 6.4") • •
Snijder www.snijder.comSmartControl SC-�1x An all-in-one HMI computer with integrated 5.7" color LCD and touch screen •
Square One Industries www.square1industries.comNC-6�9 A 3.5" embedded form factor SBC with VIA CPU •
Stealth Computer Corporation www.stealthcomputer.comLPC-401FS A 1.5 GHz Celeron mobile fanless embedded small form factor PC •
Tri-M Systems www.tri-m.comEXTRACT-104 A tool to separate PC/104 and PC/104-Plus modules from stack or test equipment •
VersaLogic www.versalogic.com Jaguar PC/104-Plus SBC with Pentium III/Celeron processor, AGP video, and 10/100BASE-T Ethernet •
Data was extracted from OSP’s online products database on Feb. 3, 2006 (http://pc104online.com/products/). Categories searched include Military/Aerospace, Industrial Computers, and Rugged/MIL-SPEC. Entries have been edited for publication, and OpenSystems Publishing is not responsible for errors or omissions. Vendors are encouraged to add their new products to our website at the referenced URL.
�� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Modem/Cell phone comboE911 is finally becoming a reality in cellular handsets, and location-based services such as Google Maps are showing the value of linking cell phone and GPS capabilities to consumers. That same added value can be brought to embedded systems using the OrbiTrak GSM from Parvus. The PC/104-based module includes a 12-channel GPS receiver along with a tri-band GSM cellular modem.
Designed for embedded vehicle, shipboard, rail, and other mobile systems, the board includes a tri-band GSM/GPRS Siemens 900/1800/1900 MHz MC45 modem with onboard or external SIM card interface. GPS capabilities come from a Fastrax iTrax02 12-channel, low-power receiver. Since the overall module most likely will be used in automotive applications, Parvus has included two automotive level digital inputs for 12 V or 24 V connectivity. Of these, one is connected to an odometer counter. There are also four RS-232 serial ports and 16 programmable digital I/O lines.
Parvus Corporationwww.parvus.comRSC #21168
Editor’s Choice Products
Lockdown disk drivesEven though solid-state media such as CompactFlash or solid-state disk drives are commonplace in small-form-factor embedded systems, newer and larger formats such as EPIC and Mini-ITX may rely on rotating magnetic disks. Often based upon 2.5" IDE notebook computer drives, sensitive data can sometimes fall into the wrong hands. To protect the data in these embedded systems, full-disk encryption software can be highly effective.
WinMagic’s SecureDoc software is designed to encrypt an entire disk while employing secure user authentication during a computer’s pre-boot sequence. This pre-boot authentication is unique and can utilize multi-factor authentication such as a combination of password, hardware token (such as a USB or other key), biometrics (such as a fingerprint reader), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Although not necessary, when combined with silicon hardware capabilities such as Trusted Platform Computing, an embedded system’s sensitive data is securely locked down and encrypted. SecureDoc is bundled in Toshiba notebooks sold in Japan.
WinMagicwww.winmagic.comRSC #29706
Two-in-one SBC with four-channel data acquisitionSure, you could add a data acquisition module plugged onto your PC/104 single board computer. But with the Elektra SBC from Diamond Systems, if you need full features and A/D capability, this base card may meet your needs. Running a 200 MHz Pentium II class CPU with 128 MB of memory, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, and the full complement of PC peripherals, this SBC is ideal for one-board data acquisition systems. Did we also mention that it will operate within a –40 °C to +85 °C temperature range?
Elektra draws only 5.5 W and is ideal for fanless and rugged installations. Beyond the I/O mentioned above, there are also four RS-232 ports, two USB 1.1 ports, and a watchdog timer and battery backup for the RTCC. But the A/D and D/A capabilities are the real story here. There are 16 analog inputs into a MUX feeding an error-free 100 KHz 16-bit A/D converter. There are also four 12-bit D/A channels and 24 programmable digital I/O lines. Built-in auto calibration circuitry provides enhanced accuracy for analog measurements.
Diamond Systems Corporationwww.diamondsystems.comRSC #23532
RoHS-compliant Geode SBCA newcomer to these pages, Evalue has packed a 3.5" single board computer with loads of PC-like features while still offering expansion connectivity to PCI-104 boards. Based upon a 333 MHz AMD Geode GX2 GX466 processor that sips a mere 0.9 W, Evalue claims this CPU uses 50 percent less power than any comparable x86 processor on the market. The ECM-3512 is designed for fanless operation in kiosks, POS terminals, test systems, and other passively cooled applications.
Interfaces include dual 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, onboard support for 24-bit LCD screens (including TFT and LVDS), and two-channel AC97 audio. There are two serial ports, a 16-bit digital I/O port, four USB 1.1 ports, and two Ultra DMA 100 IDE interfaces for disk access. For solid-state local storage, there’s a Type I/II CompactFlash socket. Finally, the board is RoHS compliant.
Evaluewww.evalue-tech.comRSC #29705
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / �5
Modular digital o-scope instrumentsDesigning small form factor systems is more than just identifying functionality in an SBC and selecting a vendor. You’re building a system, so there’s software to write, interfaces to verify, and sensors to wire. With small-form-factor systems that are deploying in heaven-knows-where locations, stationary bench testers are being replaced by portable and deployable modular instruments such as the ZT410 family from ZTEC. Available in PXI, PCI, and VXI flavors, as well as 14- and 16-bit versions, these digital oscilloscopes combine benchtop features with high-precision measurement capability. Low noise, distortion, and drift – combined with a wide dynamic range – are characteristics all instruments require.
Available in two base versions, the ZT410-20 has a 14-bit resolution and captures data at 500 MSps with a maximum bandwidth of 250 MHz. The module accommodates two channels and is, of course, software compatible. The ZT410-50 offers 16-bit resolution at 400 MSps at a maximum bandwidth of 250 MHz. It also has two channels and is software compatible. Features include flexible signal conditioning, advanced triggering, auto-config and setup, as well as onboard signal processing.
ZTEC Instrumentswww.ztec-inc.comRSC #25179
Not just another lizard: A changing GeckoAnd you thought only a chameleon could change. VersaLogic’s EPIC-2e “Gecko” board is now qualified for extended temperature operation from –40 °C to +85 °C so it’s ideal for harsh environments and deeply embedded applications. Based upon the EPIC form factor, this single board computer uses an AMD GX-500 CPU with an equivalent 500 MHz operation while only consuming 1.5 W. This means fanless and more robust operation. Up to 512 MB of DDR SDRAM feeds the processor.
More importantly, EPIC modules accommodate PC/104 and PC/104-Plus boards as mezzanines, offering a wealth of additional processor and I/O capabilities. Not to be outdone, the Gecko also includes integrated video with analog and LVDS, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, analog and digital I/O, four USB and four COM ports, LPT, IDE, a CompactFlash socket, and stereo sound. For added peace of mind, there’s a watchdog timer, self-resetting I/O fuses, and transient voltage suppression (TVS) devices for ESD protection.
VersaLogic Corporationwww.versalogic.comRSC #20940
RSC #45 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
�� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions RSC# 46 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
PC/104 Embedded Solutions Spring 2006 / �7
BRIDgE: OtHER
Future technology Devices International
Website: www.ftdichip.comModel: Ft232R RSC No: 24910A USB-UARt bridge with MCU clock generator and FtDIChip-ID security dongle • Onboard EEPROM, master clock generator, 3.3v LDO regulator, reset generator, and USB termination resistors • Full modem control handshake signals • Five general-purpose I/O pins • Royalty-free device drivers for Windows, CE, Linux, and MAC-OS • SSOP-28 and miniature QFN-32 5 mm x 5 mm package options • Parallel FIFO (Ft245R) version also available
I/O: DIgItAL
ACCES I/O Products, Inc.
Website: www.accesio.comModel: USB-IIRO-16 RSC No: 24932USB 16-channel optically isolated input and 16 electromechanical relay output module • High-speed USB 2.0 device, USB 1.1 compatible • 16 optically isolated inputs • 16 Form C electro- mechanical relays switch up to 1 A each • Internal, removable screw terminal board for easy wiring • Small (4" x 4" x 1.25") rugged industrial enclosure • Custom high-speed function driver • OEM (board only) version with PC/104 mounting holes and PCB footprint for added flexibility in embedded applications
MASS StORAgE: SOLID StAtE DISk
Sundance
Website: www.sundance.comModel: SMt387 RSC No: 24852Integrated DSP, memory, flash, and storage solu- tion • Includes the latest generation Serial AtA
controller, a 600 MHz DSP, and Virtex-II Pro • Works in an array of modules as a slave or host • Can run standalone and use the on-module flash for booting and control of the disk array • Module with SAtA disk interface from the DSP
MEzzANINE: CCPMC
4DSP
Website: www.4dsp.comModel: FM480 Virtex-4 PMC RSC No: 24817Virtex-4 PMC with QDR2 SRAM and DDR2 SDRAM memory resources and front panel I/O • Xilinx Virtex-4 FPgA XC4SX55, XC4LX80, XC4LX100, or XC4LX160 • XC2VP7 with embedded PowerPC processor • two DDR2 SDRAM devices (256 MB), four QDR2 SRAM devices (32 MB), 256 Mb flash device • PCI-X 64-bit 133 MHz, PCI 64-bit 66/ 33 MHz • Front panel I/O daughtercard for LVDS, gbE, FPDP, video inputs and outputs, A/D, D/A, DDR2 SDRAM
MOtION CONtROL
servo-Halbeck gmbH & Co.kg
Website: www.servo-halbeck.comModel: POSYS 1800 RSC No: 24922
A PC/104, one to four axes DC/BLDC/microstepping/stepper motion controller • Available in one-, two-, three-, and four-axes versions • Single axis with 51.2 µs, four axes versions with 256 µs servo loop update rates • Motion profiles include S-curve, trapezoidal, velocity contouring, external profile, and electronic gearing • Advanced PID filter with velocity and acceleration feed forward, bias offset, and 32-bit position error • Parallel, CAN 2.0B, and serial (RS-232/point-to-point/multi-drop) communications interface • Choice of 32 kB dual port or 512 kB single port RAM supporting trace capabilities • 256 16-bit word I/0 locations for user-defined peripherals
VIDEO: DISPLAY
Micro/sys
Website: www.embeddedsys.comModel: SBC1670 RSC No: 24275XScale PC/104 computer with LCD panel support • 520 MHz low-power ARM processor • 800 x 600 color LCD interface • 10/100BASE-t Ethernet • Onboard I/O includes USB and CompactFlash • Up to 64 MB onboard linear flash • 128 MB of SDRAM • Five serial ports • LCD interface supports StN, DStN, and tFt panels up to 800 x 600 pixels • Debounced keypad interface • Extended temperature option available • Linux and Win- dows CE compatible
NewProducts
RSC 24910
RSC 24932
RSC 24852
RSC 24817
RSC 24922
RSC 24275
For more information, visit our website:
www.pc104online.com/products
Then selectAdvanced PC/104 Product Search.
Once you arrive at the search page, enter the
RSC number in the field provided.
By Sharon Schnakenburg
www.compactpci-systems.com/rsc
Spring 2006Volume 10 Number 1
Advertising/BusinessOffice30233 Jefferson AvenueSt. Clair Shores, MI 48082Tel: 586-415-6500 n Fax: 586-415-4882
Vice President Marketing & SalesPatrick [email protected]
Business ManagerKaren Layman
CommunicationsGroupPatrick HopperVice President Marketing & [email protected]
Christine LongPrint and Online Marketing [email protected]
EmbeddedandTest&AnalysisGroupDennis DoyleSenior Account [email protected]
Doug CordierAccount Manager [email protected]
Military&AerospaceGroupTom VarcieAccount [email protected]
Andrea StabileAdvertising/Marketing [email protected]
InternationalSalesStefan BaginskiEuropean Bureau [email protected]
ReprintsandPDFsCall the sales office: 586-415-6500
OpenSystemsPublishing™OpenSystems Publishing
34 ACCES I/O Products – Analog, Digital, Relay, and Serial I/O
46 Advantech – PCI-104 Pentium M Solutions
52 Ampro Computers – Embedded Motherboards
4101 Aprotek – PC/104 Hard Disk Module
51 Arcom Control Systems – VULCAN Single Board Computer
15 Calmotion LLC – Digital DC Drive
24 Dataforth Corporation – SensorLex 8B
2 Diamond Systems – PC/104 Board Stack and Enclosure
29 DIgItAL-LOgIC Ag – MSM915
35 Embedded Planet – Customized Solutions
13 Excalibur Systems – Avionics Communications
4102 ICP America – goPC-Mobile
49 Jacyl – Digital FPgA and Analog FPAA
6 kontron – Custom Embedded Solutions
22 LiPPERt Automationstechnik – PCI-104 Module
5 Micro/sys – SBC1586, SBC1495, SBC2590
7 Microbus – Elcard Wireless LAN Modules
3901 MPL – MPL Peripheral Family
4201 MPL – IPC Family
31 Radian Heatsink – Standard and Custom Heatsinks
3902 Radicom – PC/104 Modem
1901 RAF Electronic Hardware – RAF Electronic Hardware
26 RtD – PC/PCI-104 Modules and Systems
43 RtS Embedded World – Embedded World Conference 2006
4202 Scidyne – PC/104 Peripherals
36 Servo Halbeck – Posys Motion Controllers
21 Sundance – SMt287
23 Sundance – SMt368
25 Sundance – SMt6050
37 technologic – 200 MHz CPU
9 toronto MicroElectronics – DVR301
33 toronto MicroElectronics – PC/104 - P3
1902 toronto MicroElectronics – PC/104 and PC/104-Plus Peripherals
18 tri-M Systems – Flash Solutions
45 tri-M Systems – V5SC
14 VersaLogic – EBX, PC/104, EPIC
11 WDL Systems – Engineering tools
3 WinSystems – Wired and Wireless Modular PC/104 Modules
Page/RSC# Advertiser/Product description
A D V E R T I S E R I N F O R M A T I O N
�� / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
Advertising/BusinessOffice30233 Jefferson AvenueSt. Clair Shores, MI 48082Tel: 586-415-6500 n Fax: 586-415-4882
Vice President Marketing & SalesPatrick [email protected]
Business ManagerKaren Layman
CommunicationsGroupPatrick HopperVice President Marketing & [email protected]
Christine LongPrint and Online Marketing [email protected]
EmbeddedandTest&AnalysisGroupDennis DoyleSenior Account [email protected]
Doug CordierAccount Manager [email protected]
Military&AerospaceGroupTom VarcieAccount [email protected]
Andrea StabileAdvertising/Marketing [email protected]
InternationalSalesStefan BaginskiEuropean Bureau [email protected]
ReprintsandPDFsCall the sales office: 586-415-6500
OpenSystemsPublishing™OpenSystems Publishing
RSC# 49 @ www.pc104online.com/rsc
50 / Spring 2006 PC/104 Embedded Solutions
InsightPC/104 and others: The fork in the road between desktops and embedded
By Chris A. Ciufo
IfirstlearnedaboutPC/104sometimearound1994.Backthenmyworldwas6Uandlargercardsstuffedintoboxesthesizeoffootlockers.IfounditincrediblycoolthatadesktopPCcouldbebuiltbystackingtogetherabunchoftinyPCBslikebigLegos.Notonlythat,thisPC/104“personalcomputer”thingcouldalsoaddadditionalandcustomI/O.Atthattime,IwasworkingforamilitaryintegratorandtheprospectofaddingI/OmodulesforMIL-STD-1553,ARINC-429,andweaponsstorestoacube-likePC/104stackwasverycompelling.Itstillis.
Ifyoucheckoutthismonth’sproductguideonrugged,industrial,andMIL-SPECproducts(page38),you’llseethatallkindsofsmallformfactorstargetnon-benignapplications.Increasingly,I’mseeingPC/104andotherComputer-On-Module/System-On-Module(COM/SOM)productsgearedtowardswhatarecertainlynotdesktopPCapplications.Yet,PC/104andmanyoftheotherflavorswecoverinPC/104 Embedded Solutionsmagazinehavetheiroriginsinthedesktopspace.
It’stheruggedmarketsthatareimpalingPC/104andothersmallformfactorssquarelyattheforkintheroadbetweentomorrow’sdesktop functionality and the more specialized application-specificvariants.Whichwaywilltheindustrygo?
Playing it “PC”Ononepathisthedesktopmarket,whichhasbeenmostlystag-nant for the last couple of years in terms of technology andunitgrowth.That’llchangesoon.SincemodulestandardssuchasPC/104,EPIC,ETX,Mini-ITX,andothershavetheirrootsinthePCspace,therewillsoonbepressuretoadoptawholetruckloadofnew“desktop”multimediafeatures,software,andinter-networkingpipes.
PentiumM-basedsingleboardcomputersarenowshowingupinourPC/104database.Itwasn’tlongagothatstandardssuchasPC/104onlyofferedx86processorssuchasAMD’sGeode,VIA’sEden,orothervariants.Why?Intel’sPentium4andPen-tium4mCPUsburnedtoomuchheatthatcouldn’tbedissipatedonsmallerboards.WhenIntelintroducedtheCentrinoseriesofPentiumM,UltraLowVoltage (ULV)PentiumMs,chipsets,andwirelessdevices,suddenlythenewer30W+deviceswere“feasible”onsmallermodulesagain.
Fromthedesktop, laptop,andmetropolitanspacealsocomeswirelessconnectivity,firstwithIEEE802.11b,thena,g,“pre-n,”andsoon“n”and802.16WiMAXflavors.It’salphabetsoup,butconsumersnowdemandwirelessconnectivityinlaptops,PDAs,andgameconsoles.UserscanaddWi-FiSDIOcardstoallkindsofbattery-operateddoodads, and thehomeentertainmentPCconceptseekstoconnectallkindsofwiredandportabledevicesintoacomputer-basedhomenetwork. Inaddition, theequip-mentneednotbelimitedtoatraditionalPC,asset-topboxes,
videorecorders,andnowIntelprocessor-basediMacsgetintothegame.ThesedevicesareallfundamentallybaseduponPCprocessors,peripherals(thinkUSB2.0),andmemorysuchasflash-basedthumbdrives.
A lot of this embedded interconnectivity is going tofind itswayontotraditionalPC/104andothersmallformfactormod-ules,asisthesoftware,beitMicrosoft’sVista,Intel’sViivAPI,Apple’sOSX(or“OSx86”),oraLinuxdistribution.CheckoutwhatVIAisdoingwithsomeoftheirnewMini-ITXmodulesonpage32.
Embedded or notOn theotherpathare those ruggedapplications thatdemandperformance ina small space, lowpowerdissipation, fanlessoperation,andcustomI/O.Companiessuchasmotorcontrol-lerexpertCalmotion(page20)havemarriedPC/104’ssizewithprogrammablemicrocontrollerstorealizecost-effectiveheavyindustrymotorcontrols.
Non-benignapplicationsmayshyawayfromthelatestconsumerwhiz-bang hardware such asAMDAthlon64 processors, notbecausetheycan’tbepracticallycooled–don’teventhinkofitonaPC/104board–butbecauselonglifeandbackwardscom-patibilitywith32-oreven16-bitcode(think80186)isimpera-tive.AndwhileAsynchronousJavaScriptandXML(AJAX)mayfinallyreplacethesecuritynightmareofActiveXindesktops,ruggedembeddedmodulesmayruncodeandsecurityfeaturesintheNucleusRTOSfromAcceleratedTechnology.ForPC-likefunctionality, Microsoft’s updated Windows XP EmbeddeddistributionwillremainabetterchoicethanXP.
Stuck in the middle with youWhichwaywillPC/104andothersmallformfactorsgo?Willtheyfollowtheirrootsandconsciouslytrailbehindtomorrow’sconnected multimedia desktop, or will they continue to takemarketshareinruggedappsfromCompactPCI,VME,andmez-zanineslikePMC?Onething’sforcertain:It’llbeinterestingtowatchoverthenext12-18months.
Drop me a line with any comments or questions; I’d like to hear from you.
ChrisA.CiufoGroupEditorialDirectorPC/104 Embedded Solutionsmagazinewww.pc104online.comcciufo@opensystems-publishing.com
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