Special Features

Industrial Computing

Small Form Factor Boards

Tools & Software

COVER STORYStandards & Services for ARM-based developments:The faster way to application-ready ARM platforms

http://www.rugged.com

3 December 2012

VIEWPOINT

Dear Reader,For a long time x86 processors wasthe dominant technology for em-bedded computing. But nowadaysmore and more ARM based micro-controllers are launched and be-come an useful alternative. The ad-vantage of ARM based multicoreMCUs is their high performance atextremely low power which allowsusing it in mobile applications. Ourcover story starting at page 12 de-scribes that small form factor boardsand systems featuring ARM MCUscan be found already in the area of

graphical user interfaces with touch-screen control, where upgradesfrom simple line displays to full graphic support are being carried outwhile using a minimum of power, or migration from x86 platforms toARM is taking place. The extremely low energy consumption of theprocessors, which is around two to three watts, makes it possible toreduce the effort needed for a passive cooling solution to an absoluteminimum, enabling developers to design very compact, flat/slim andabove all portable devices, having a battery runtime which surpassesthat of x86 systems to date. Application areas for mobile applicationsin harsh environments can be found, for example, in courier andparcel services, in machines maintained by service personnel, andequipment or in medical emergency services. All these applicationsprofit from the advantages of a compact, power-saving technology aswell as from the comfortable programmability of these processors onthe basis of standard operating systems i.e. Linux, Android or Windows.So in effect they do not differ considerably from x86 technology. There-fore Kontron started building a new and growing ARM based productline to complement its traditional x86 products.

Another example of the success of ARM-CPUs is the article startingpage 17 which introduces the new COMs by connector manufacturerErni. With the WHITEspeed family, the connectiór provider extendsits product range and is offering innovative COM solutions whichprovide powerful ARM CPUs, PCI Express and state-of-the-art, fastserial interfaces and particularly benefit from the performance andreliability of the MicroSpeed connectors used. The ruggedizedsolutions address applications in extremely harsh and demanding in-dustrial environments such as transport, heavy industry or automationwith high shock and vibration stresses.

And the ARM processors can already be found in industrial automation.The article starting page 20 describes the CX9020 embedded PC thefirst controller by Beckhoff equipped with an ARM Cortex A8 CPU,an architecture that is already used in the Apple iPhone. The 1GHzCPU has, in contrast to the older ARM9 architecture, a hardware-based floating point unit. This means that floating point operations(REAL, LREAL) can be processed significantly faster at the sameclock frequency, and that motion control applications can now be implemented with this controller.

And I believe there are a lot more examples of the success of ARMCPUs to be found in the embedded computer industry

Yours sincerely

Wolfgang PatelayEditor

December 2012 4

CONTENTS

Viewpoint 3

Cover Story The faster way to an application-readyARM platform 6

Embedded Safety Embedded safety: multicore programming with Ada 2012 10

Small Form Factor Boards Increased automation with low power dissipation 12

Standard or proprietary embeddedmodules – a difficult decision 14

Computer-on-Modules for harsh industrial environment 16

Industrial Computing Powerful and resilient ARM processorsfor industrial automation 20

Graphics for demanding embeddedapplications: In the eye of the beholder 22

Trend to out-of-band-manageabilityand security features 24

Embedded computing trends 25

Product News 26

Cover Story:

The faster way to an application-readyARM platform PAGE 6

The highly successful embeddedecosystem of the x86 standardform factors can also be used forembedded ARM processors with aPC-like range of functions. By offer-ing complementary hard- and soft-ware services, Kontron is headingdevelopers in the fastest and long-term, most efficient direction toachieve an application-ready ARMplatform.

Embedded safety: multicoreprogramming with Ada 2012 PAGE 10

A new version of the Ada language, with nice additions in safety,flexibility, and efficiency has reached the software developerscommunity. Many areas have been improved, but if I have tochoose those I like the most, I would mention those directly relat-ed to program correctness and the better handling of Ada pro-grams on multicore architectures.

Increased automation with low power dissipation PAGE 12

Dual-core systems are spreading to low-power applications, offering more per-formance at lower power dissipationand higher integration density, plus safeconsolidation of device capabilities andreliable extension of traditional automa-tion systems.

Computer-on-Modules for harsh industrial environment PAGE 16

This article introduces the WHITEspeed Computer-on-Moduleconcept which provides future-proof, modular and scalable solu-tions based on defined form factors and interfaces. The solutionsconsist of an upgradeable part - the COMs with CPU, chip set,memory, etc. and the I/O baseboards, keeping all the application-specific functionality.

Graphics for demanding embedded applications: In the eye of the beholder PAGE 22

Humans basically rely on their visual orientation. Pictures are allaround us. No wonder that in times of digital photography, flatscreens and touch monitors we long for pictures in the industrialsector, too, and not only in the office but in areas where electron-ics used to be equipped rather sparsely.Cover Photo

Kontron

http://www.ghs.com/

A year ago, Kontron announced its strategicentry into ARM technology. At the end of Feb-ruary, Pico-ITX, the first standard productwith the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processorcame on the market. Shortly before the summervacation, the Mini-ITX board with NvidiaTegra 3 quad-core processor followed on. Twostandard small form factors from the x86sector thus became „ARMed“. This series ofnew introductions continued with the KontronULP-COM-sAT30 with Nvidia Tegra 3 proces-sor the highly scalable ULP-COM-sAMX6iwith Freescale i. MX6 SoC series and the ULP-COM sA3874i based on Texas instrumentsSitara AM3874. The Ultra-Low-Power Com-puter-on–Module standard ULP-COM wasdeveloped specifically for ultra-low-power ap-plications and submitted to the SGET for man-ufacturer-independent certification.

So after just one year, not just three productshave come into existence but three completeproduct lines with their own roadmaps plus anew standard. These serve as a stepping stonefor further developments of the most variedkind. On the one hand module and boardstandard product lines at Kontron are thebasis for integrated standard systems, on theother, they serve as a building block for cus-tomer-specific board and system designs. Fur-thermore, the existing new basic product lineswill, of course, be extended too. For example,

a new ULP-COM module will be launchedend November incorporating Texas InstrumentAM3874 with ARM Cortex-A8 Core followedby a SFF motherboard with the same processorin Q1/2013. What however are the target mar-kets in the embedded industry for these newboards and Computer-on-Modules?

Target applications for these new ultra-low-power single and multi-core boards and systemscan be found in the area of graphical user in-terfaces with touch-screen control where up-grades from simple line displays to full graphicsupport are being carried out while using aminimum of power, or migration from x86platforms to ARM is taking place. The ex-tremely low energy consumption of the proces-sors, which is around two to three watts, makesit possible to reduce the effort needed for apassive cooling solution to an absolute mini-mum and, in doing so, enables developers todesign very compact, flat/slim and - morethan anything - portable devices, which havea battery runtime which surpasses that of x86systems to date. Application areas for mobileapplications in harsh environments can befound, for example, in courier and parcel serv-ices, in service personnel maintains machinesand equipment or in medical emergency serv-ices. Furthermore, solar-driven outdoor devicesare a target application too, as seen in car parkticketing machines, electricity filling stations

for e-cars or digital advertising at bus stops orfor vehicle applications for example for fleetmanagement or digital signage or infotainmentin public transport. Other interesting applica-tions are in mobile test and measuring systemsas well as in kiosks, cash and weighing systems.All these applications profit from the advan-tages of a compact, power-saving technologyas well as from the comfortable programma-bility of these processors on the basis of stan-dard operating systems i.e. Linux, Android orWindows. So in effect they do not differ con-siderably from x86 technology.

What though makes these new ARM processorsso interesting? Let’s, for instance, take a lookat the cross platform benchmark „Geek Per-formance Benchmark“. It analyses the processorinteger performance, processor floating pointperformance, memory performance and mem-ory bandwidth performance and produces atotal score on the basis of all these criteria.Naturally, in areas which cover all differenttechnologies, this benchmark can only deliverapproximate values, as both the hardware -x86 PC system vs. ARM tablet PC – and thesoftware differ substantially. In order thoughto give potentially interested customers a roughidea, this benchmark can be used for a firstevaluation. A relatively small number of testsof the Nvidia Tegra 2 and 3 processors is com-pared with the scores of hundreds of tests gen-

The faster way to an application-readyARM platform

COVER STORY

By Norbert Hauser, Kontron

The highly successful embedded ecosystem of the

x86 standard form factors can also be used for embedded ARM

processors with a PC-like range of functions. By offering

complementary hard- and softwareservices, Kontron is heading

developers in the fastest and long-term, most efficient direction

to achieve an application-ready ARM platform.

December 2012 6

7 December 2012

COVER STORY

erated by the Intel Atom processor. The result is that tablet systemswith Nvidia Tegra processors at an anticipated 2 watt TDP deliver amuch higher performance per watt. There is, of course, a lot of roomfor interpretation, if – like common at Geekbench – apples are com-pared with oranges or other performance comparisons (i.e. graphicscores) are required. But on the basis of the fact that apples andoranges are both fruit..., then we can at least obtain a first indicator,why developers find this new class of processor so interesting. Withoutthe overall trend in the consumer market to more powerful andgraphic-heavy applications like smartphones and tablet PCs thesewould never have become so interesting for developers of robust andlong-term available embedded devices. The reason being that onlybecause of this mainstream development it is possible to offer such apowerful embedded roadmap.

What though do application developers need in order to be able toimplement this new performance class as efficiently as possible inembedded systems? Well, for one thing, not really anything differentfrom when implementing x86 processors: Form factor standards arean important issue, as they disencumber application developers ofunnecessary development expenditure. They also offer a reliableroadmap with long-term availability, which ensures a re-usability ofexisting investments. And finally, form factor standards make devel-opments manufacturer- independent. The sum of all these argumentsmakes it a logical step to also follow this successful path for the newultra-low-power ARM and SoC processors.

The x86 small form factors Pico-ITX and Mini-ITX are highly inter-esting for standard implementations, as -thanks to their extensiveecosystem - they provide the fastest way to integrate innovative ARMtechnology off-the-shelf into embedded applications. Kontron therefore

Figure 1. Comparison of processor performance with platform benchmark Geek Performance Benchmark

Figure 2. Pico-ITX KTT20/pITX with Nvidia Tegra 2 and the Mini-ITX KTT30/mITX with Nvidia Tegra 3

December 2012 8

COVER STORY

offers two motherboards fulfilling these stan-dards in the form of the 2.5“ Pico-ITX KontronKTT20/pITX with Nvidia Tegra 2 and theMini-ITX KTT30/mITX with Nvidia Tegra 3,both based on the ARM Cortex-A9 Core tech-nology. They convince with their particularlyenergy-efficient performance and especiallyflat build and they are also designed for graph-ic-oriented embedded applications. Apart fromthe typical interfaces they also carry ARM-specific interfaces onboard, without deviatingfrom the standard.

Computer-on-Module standards present acompletely different picture, as they specifynot only the physical form factor but also thepin-out. Due to the altered pin-out requirementof ARM and SoC processors in comparison tox86 technology and in order to facilitate espe-cially flat designs, in which just the imple-mented interfaces of the carrier board woulddetermine the minimum height of the appli-cation, a new standard became necessary.

For this reason, Kontron created a new modulespecification with the working title ULP-COMand submitted it for ratification to the newlyfounded manufacturer-independent Standard-ization Group for Embedded Technologies e.V.(SGET). The specially formed SGET workgroup plans to examine the draft at shortnotice and adopt it as an official SGET specifi-cation. And as it has been signaled that the essential parameters will be approved, and thatthe ratification is about to be announced andalso that second-source modules are to be ex-pected, Kontron already launched the first ULP-COM modules with ARM Cortex-A9 Coretechnology. The first module bears the nameKontron ULP-COM-sAT30. It measures just82x50mm – according to the ULP-COM speci-fication and is equipped with Nvidia Tegra 3quad-core processor with 1.2 GHz. It offers su-perior high-end graphics with dedicated inter-

faces for two independent displays includinghardware-accelerated HD video decoding forMPEG2 and HD video encoding as well as 2Dand 3D acceleration. The ULP-COM-sAT30further supports the connection of camerasvia two dual-lane CSI-2 camera ports.

The second new module is the highly scalableKontron ULP-COM-sAMX6i with single, dualor quad core ARM Cortex A9 technology.Based on Freescale i.MX6 Series processors,they cover an extremely wide performancerange with a balanced processor and graphicsperformance. The ULP-COM-sAMX6i Com-puter-on-Modules exceed the traditional scaleof longevity with their availability of at leastten years. Furthermore they support the ex-tended temperature range from -40°C to +85°Cby-design. Thus this new module family isideal for market sectors demanding highestruggedness and long-term availability, such asfor example transportation, medical and mili-tary based on open standards software.

And a third module, the ULP-COM-sA3874iwill be launched end of November. It will bebased on the Texas Instruments Sitara AM3874with ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessor (MPU)and will provide a wide range of choices forintegration onto industrial applications. Thosemodules offer peripherals for high bandwidthconnectivity such as SATA, Dual CAN, PCIExpress (PCIe) and a Gigabit Ethernet switch.

Complying to the ULP-COM specification, allmodules use the 314-pin MXM 3.0 connectorwhich is just 4.3 mm in height, enabling robustand cost-efficient designs with an extremelylow construction height. The standardizedULP-COM pin-out of the MXM 3.0 connectoris optimized for ultra low-power applications.Specific I/Os, which are not available on x86chipsets are, for example, CSI camera inputs,Serial Peripheral Interface, I²S, MediaLB and

Figure 3. The ULP-COM-sAT30 measures just 82 x 50mm and is equipped with Nvidia Tegra 3quad-core processor with 800 MHz.

ADLINK and ELMA enter into partnershipADLINK and ELMA Electronic have entered intoa partnership. This collaboration will give ADLINKaccess to the integration expertise of the systemsspecialist. In exchange, ELMA Electronic is gaininga further strong partner for industrial computersand interface boards for their systems integrations.ELMA will become active as a further distributionpartner for ADLINK in the market regions ofSwitzerland and Austria. On the German market,the collaboration is mainly focussed on systemsintegration. The customers benefit in additionfrom tailor-made solutions, specially designed fortheir individual requirements.

News ID 16090

Intel launches digital signage evaluation kit

Intel announced the next-generation DigitalSignage Evaluation Kit-12 (DSEK-12) designedto streamline the digital signage evaluationprocess, reduce costs and enable faster de-ployment across a range of market segmentsincluding retail, healthcare and transportation.The DSEK-12 features technologies from Intel,Kontron and Microsoft in a pre-loaded andvalidated system. The kit includes an OPS-compliant Kontron media player KOPS800based on 3rd generation Intel Core processorsas well as a 180-day evaluation copy of Win-dows Embedded POSReady 7. In addition,demos of Content Creation and Content Man-agement Software from Flypaper and Scalaare included.

News ID 16103

InnoDisk releases CF-SATA with 50pin SATA interface

InnoDiske releases their Compact Flash SerialATA (CF-SATA) module with high reliabilityand excellent data transfer speeds. An effectivereplace solution for CF cards, InnoDisk’s CF-SATA, has the same mechanical design withCompact Flash card and complies with SerialATA by extracting unusual pins from CF50pin. Hence, Compact Flash card and CF-ATAcan share with one CF50pin socket.

News ID 16118

9 December 2012

COVER STORY

CAN-Bus. And these are exactly the dedicatedinterfaces which make a new standard necessary.Evaluation of modules cannot take place with-out carrier boards, so for the ULP-COM mod-ules a carrier board and a starter kit are alreadyavailable. With this, customers can, just likewith both the Pico-ITX and Mini-ITX Moth-erboards directly begin testing the embeddedtarget platform.

Apart from these standard products, Kontronoffers an extended range of services for theseplatforms which helps customers to acceleratetheir hard- and software integration. Kontron

is a powerful, reliable business partner whichoperates globally and offers comprehensivesupport to OEM customers for designing andmanufacturing individual carrier boards oreven full-custom boards, integrated systemsand application-ready platforms with middle-ware and approvals based on different processorand operating system platforms.

It goes without saying that each system config-uration needs the corresponding software. Thisis also a part of the wide range of serviceswhich even includes developing an OS imagefor the customer appliance, integrating it into

the series and shipping the complete packageincluding software licenses. Beyond this, Kon-tron carries out adaption services for softwareintegration of the applications into the hard-ware platform. Here, however, the range ofservices covers much more than just the oddAPI, BSP, boot loader or driver adaption. Kon-tron is in a position to offer its customerseverything from one source: the standard hard-ware, the individual hardware design servicesand, in particular, also the hardware-relatedsoftware services, which in the case of ARMdesigns bear much more significance thanwith x86 designs.

Ada has always been an attractive choice inapplication domains where reliability is para-mount, and the new Ada 2012 version repre-sents another major advance in the evolutionof the language towards safety, namely withthe addition of contract-based programming.Another aspect that became critical with thewidespread of parallel hardware architectureswas the control of task affinities to improve ef-ficiency and analyzability.

Before explaining the advantages of contracts,let us move to a higher level of abstraction andtalk about what they represent: requirements.Software requirements define what needs to beimplemented and how. This is usually achievedusing natural (informal) language, but withcontracts the idea is to define the requirementsby formally specifying the exact functionalityto implement. This is the cornerstone of De-sign-by-Contract, which gives precise and veri-fiable semantics to specifications.

A contract is given by a precondition, whichthe caller must pay to be entitled to the serviceprovided by the callee, and a postcondition,which is the service the callee must provide tothe caller. Ada 2012 includes specific featuresfor contract-based programming: preconditions,postconditions, type invariants, and subtypepredicates. A precondition is a logical expressionthat must be true when a subprogram is called,and analogously a postcondition must be truewhen the subprogram returns. A type invariantis a postcondition that applies to every publicsubprogram for a type, and a subtype invariantis a logical expression that characterizes a subsetof values for a type. Contracts, which are in ef-

fect low-level requirements, may be verifieddynamically, and they may also be verified stat-ically using appropriate tools.

Expressing properties in contracts is greatlyfacilitated by the use of several new Ada 2012features: conditional expressions, case expres-sions, universal and existential quantified ex-pressions, and expression functions (an ex-pression function is a simple function whosebody is defined by a single expression). Addi-tionally, the expression in a postcondition canrefer to the value returned by a function F asF’Result, and to the value in the pre-state (atthe beginning of the call) of any variable orparameter V as V’Old. For example, we maywant to define the specification (requirements)for an unbounded array whose elements arealways ordered in increasing order, which canbe modified by a function called Add that in-serts an element in the corresponding locationof the ordered array. The requirements can bespecified using natural language, or betterusing formal logic formulas relating the inputto the output state defining accurately and un-ambiguously the expected behavior (figure 1).

The Boolean expression representing the post-condition for the subprogram defines the ex-pected effect of the function: we expect a listwhich has one more element than the onepassed as parameter (the one we are insertingas parameter), and with items in the list movedone position to the end if they are greater orequal than the inserted value. Note that in thiscase, we have defined the properties of the typeto ensure it is always ordered, so we do notneed to ensure the ordering again in the post-

condition. These Ada 2012 capabilities can beexploited by new static analysis and proof tools,which can significantly reduce the time andcost associated with traditional testing approach-es, increasing at the same time the level of con-fidence, and helping detect problems early.

The complexity of both hardware and softwarequickly increases to cope with ever demandingapplications, bringing increasing attention tohigh-level, abstract development methods. Wehave just discussed the interest of formal spec-ification as a means to help requirements-based software development. There is anotherfield requiring attention for engineering com-plex systems, which is software architecture.Writing correct programs efficiently exploitingparallel hardware is not trivial, and by providingthe right level of abstraction, programmersare isolated from the need to understand low-level details. The Ada tasking model providesconcurrency as a means of decoupling appli-cation activities, hence making software easierto design and test. At the same time, it givesdifferent levels of control over the hardwarewhere the application executes. Concurrencyhas been a first-class citizen in Ada since thebeginning, and it has kept improving overtime. Already in Ada 83 there were tasks asunits of concurrent/parallel execution (sameabstraction level as threads), and high-levelconstructions for message-based synchronizingand communicating them. Then, Ada 95 in-troduced the notion of synchronization andcommunication using data-oriented commu-nication. The Ada 2005 standard added supportfor run-time profiles (for efficiency and sim-plicity), flexible task-dispatching policies, the

Embedded safety: multicore programming with Ada 2012

EMBEDDED SAFETY

By Dr. José F. Ruiz, Adacore

A new version of the Ada language,with nice additions in safety,

flexibility, and efficiency has reachedthe software developers community.

Many areas have been improved, but if I have to choose those I like the most, I would mention those

directly related to program correctnessand the better handling of Ada

programs on multicore architectures. Figure 1: Subprogram contract

December 2012 10

capability of monitoring and controlling execution time, and a unificationof concurrency and object-oriented features. Finally, Ada 2012 improvedlargely the support for multiprocessor architectures. Ada has alwaystaken into account parallel hardware architectures, supporting concurrent,parallel and interleaved execution, allowing for different partitioningschemes. However, until Ada 2012, there was not a standardized mecha-nism to control task allocation on processors.

In terms of relationship between tasks and processors, the spectrumgoes from global scheduling, where any task can be executed on anyprocessor at any time, to partitioned scheduling, where each task is allo-cated for its whole lifetime to concrete processors. The schedulabilityof neither approach is strictly better than the other (there are tasksystems that are feasible using a global partitioning that cannot bescheduled in a partitioned system and vice versa). Ada 2012 includes aflexible and general-purpose mechanism to handle task affinities in theform of dispatching domains, the abstraction representing groups ofprocessors on which we allocate tasks.

Processors are grouped together into dispatching domains, and tasksmay then be allocated to domains. Tasks allocated to a given dispatchingdomain will be executed on any of the processors of that domain. It isalso possible to allocate a task to a concrete processor (either staticallyor dynamically) for any amount of time. Figure 2 depicts a couple ofpossible allocation strategies and how to exploit them. The notion oftask affinity is supported by mainstream operating systems (such asLinux, Windows, Solaris, VxWorks, …). The Ada model is slightlymore restricted than the generic mechanism provided by these operatingsystems: dispatching domains are non-overlapping, and they can onlybe created before calling the main subprogram. However, this morestatic model is flexible enough to support many different partitioningschemes, while at the same time providing for the definition ofanalyzable software architectures.

Reliable and very efficient execution on multiprocessors can be achievedusing the Ravenscar tasking profile. This subset of Ada tasking featuresembodies a deterministic concurrency model inherently amenable tostatic analysis and implementable by a small, reliable, and extremely ef-ficient run-time library. The profile has been defined to improvememory and execution time efficiency (removing high overhead orcomplex features), and to increase reliability and predictability (removingnon-deterministic and non-analyzable features).When reliability, pre-dictability, and analyzability are critical, Ada 2012 proposes a simple ex-tension to the Ravenscar profile to support multiprocessor systemsusing a fully partitioned approach. The implementation of this scheme

is simple, and it can be used to develop applications amenable toschedulability analysis. TheRavenscar profile implements fixed-prioritypre-emptive scheduling, with tasks statically allocated to processorsand no task migration among processors. Apart from the support fortask affinities, there are other interesting capabilities allowing for pre-dictability and efficiency on parallel architectures. Ada 2012 added anew effective parallel task synchronization mechanism with which agroup of tasks can block and be released at once to work in parallel(mimicking the POSIX barrier mechanism). There is also the possibilityto control the behavior of selected objects with respect to their order ofloads and stores with multi-level caches. A typical problem when imple-menting synchronization on multiprocessors (such as wait-free andlock-free) is that of memory consistency, to ensure that the executiondoes not result in an unexpected order of execution. Ada 2012 allowsyou to mark variables as volatile so that all tasks of the program (on allprocessors) that read or update volatile variables see the same order ofupdates to the variables; it is the responsibility of the compiler to usememory barriers to flush the cache if needed. Ada 2012 takes advantageof decades of experience in using Ada on multiprocessors, and it has be-come a great language helping to exploit parallelism in an efficient andpredictable manner. One of the challenges in software engineering ishow to go from high-level specification and design to their actual imple-mentation. Ada 2012 addresses this issue by providing a high level of ab-straction exposing concepts that are relevant for the design. It addressesthe specification with contracts, that define accurately the requiredfunctionality, and that are naturally verifiable by either formal proofs ortesting. It targets the design with the Ada tasking model that permitscontrol over aspects such as processor affinity, dispatching mechanism,and memory consistency.

11 December 2012

EMBEDDED SAFETY

Figure 2: Some partitioning schemes

The Computer-on-Module (COM) standardCOM Express is well established and providesa future-proof entry point for applicationsthat require low power dissipation. The newIntel Atom dual-core processors with just 3.5WTDP are a perfect partner for the compactnew pin-out Type 6 COM Express modules.They meet the increasingly complex entry re-quirements for automation systems which –in addition to enhanced graphical user inter-faces and more computing power – includethe continued need for passive system cooling.

The commercial success of new devices dependsless on maximum performance and more onthe availability of the right hardware platformwith the right price/performance ratio for aparticular application. For many automationsystems the lower processing power of dual-threaded or dual-core applications is quitesufficient. The essential factor is the integrationof the graphical interface between user andmachine (HMI = human machine interface).Here, device integration on a single hardwareplatform via COMs can save a lot of time andmoney without compromising on security re-quirements.

Modern HMIs with graphical user interfacesand contextual menus that mirror modelsfrom the consumer market represent a chal-lenge for developers. While keen to take ad-

vantage of modern technologies and graphicsto distinguish their product from the competi-tion, they often find it difficult to align this en-deavour with classical requirements such aspassive cooling, long-term availability andcompetitive pricing.

The logical or, better still, physical separationof the processor cores in a deterministic andhighly reliable (real-time) system on the onehand, and a low-cost, general system for userand graphical interfaces like Windows or Linuxon the other, is currently the most commonreason for switching to a dual-core system. Inthis case, an automation application can con-tinue to run uninterrupted even if, for example,a Windows graphics application displays theBlue Screen of Death and the Windows systemon this processor core has to be rebooted. Inmulti-processing applications with separateprocesses hyper-threading enables the logicalbreakdown of the two physical processor coresinto four threads. The safety-critical applicationcan therefore run independently on a real-time operating system on a separate logicalcore while the graphical user interface runs,for instance, on a Windows operating system.As a result of miniaturization Intel Atom basedCPU boards and modules can be very small,allowing easy integration into mobile applica-tions. Numerous applications which previouslyhad to be developed on the basis of microcon-

trollers can now be realized with this powerfuland easily programmable computer technology.Applications which until yesterday could onlybe implemented in a desktop environment,because of size and power requirements, cannow go mobile. COMs, fast and easy to inte-grate PC modules, can also benefit from thereduced dimensions of this technology.

The footprint of a mobile system is definedboth by the module or chip-size and the powerconsumption. The application itself usuallydefines the battery life of the system. A mobiledevice, for instance a portable control panel,needs to be designed for at least a full dayshift, i.e. eight hours of operation. The requiredbattery life and the power consumption of theelectronics therefore determine the battery di-

Increased automation with low power dissipation

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

By Zeljko Loncaric, congatec

Dual-core systems are spreading to low-power

applications, offering moreperformance at lower power

dissipation and higher integration density, plus safe

consolidation of device capabilities and reliable extension of traditional

automation systems.

Figure 1. congatec conga-TCAmodule with dual-core Intel®Atom™ processor N2600

December 2012 12

Figure 2.congatec Smart BatteryManagement Starter Kit for rapid evaluation

13 December 2012

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

mensions. The battery size in turn determinesthe size and weight of the system. While batterytechnologies are being continuously enhanced,the weight to capacity ratio is only improvingin small increments. Current lithium batteriesachieve 100-150 Wh/kg. The lower the powerconsumption of the system the smaller andlighter is the possible system solution. A powerreduction of 15W for a computer that is con-figured for an 8-hour shift can lead to a weightreduction of more than 1 kg. The relationshipbetween the power consumption andweight/size of a system is almost linear. Addi-tional weight, volume and cost savings can beachieved by reducing the dimensions of thepower supply.

Compared to younger processors and chipsetsfor mobile applications with the same com-puting power, it is possible to save approxi-mately 10 to 15W; when updating older systemsthe savings can be significantly greater. Thepower requirement of a complete Intel Atomprocessor based COM is about 5W, making itpossible to develop systems with only one-

third of the weight but the same battery life.The modular COM standards enable the easyexchange of modules, making it straightforwardto move to newer processor generations. Usu-ally this feature is called „upgradeability“. Butthe opposite direction is also becoming in-creasingly important. „Downgrading“ achievesa significant reduction in power consumptionwhile maintaining, in some cases even increas-ing, computing performance. The battery lifeof existing systems can thereby be greatly im-proved. As a result of lower power dissipation,less heat is generated, which in turn leads toimproved reliability and longer life spans, sincethe MTBF (mean time between failures) ofelectronic components depends to a consider-able degree on the operating temperature.

Another advantage is the reduction in operatingcosts thanks to electricity savings. A saving ofabout 20W per computer in a machine whichoperates 24/7 adds up to around 200 kWh peryear. At a current price of 30 cents/kWH, an-nual savings of more than €50 are possible.So it’s not just the operators who benefit fromIntel® Atom™ technology, but also our envi-ronment. In future, the performance per wattratio of a project may constitute the most im-portant cost component.

Depending on the performance requirementsin the control and automation sector, COMExpress modules are available for the power-saving Intel Atom Dual-Core/Quad-ThreadN2600 processor with 1.6GHz and 3.5W TDP;and the Intel Atom N2800 with 1.86 GHz and6.5W TDP. Compact pin-out Type 6 COM Ex-press modules such as those from congatecprovide up to 4GB of fast single-channel DDR3memory (1066 MHz). The Intel NM10 chipset

Figure 3. Computer-on-Module concept, com-pact baseboard and COM Express module

Figure 4. Block diagram of conga-TCA module

The introduction of the ARM Cortex-A9processor brought with it movement into theARM module market. The ARM Cortex-A9core offers rewarding performance data thathas prompted a number of chip manufacturersinto action. Whilst the ARM Cortex-A8 proces-sor was only interesting to a few chip manu-facturers, now almost every well-known chipmanufacturer provides a solution with anARM Cortex-A9 core, both to industry and toconsumers. There is a corresponding diversity

of solutions on the ARM module market. Theperformance capability of the ARM Cortex-A9 processor and its many interfaces make ituseful for a great variety of applications wherean x86 processor has previously been used.More points in its favour are its low powerconsumption and small chip surface. Sincethe embedded world 2012, hardly a monthgoes by without another module provider in-troducing their ARM Cortex-A9 solution.Whilst the world of modules was previously

divided into the two camps of x86 and ARMsolutions, all providers compete on the playingfield of ARM Cortex-A9 solutions. There aregenerally three different approaches: Q7 con-sortium, ULP COM (Ultra Low Power COM),and a variety of proprietary solutions. As usual,each provider makes good arguments for theirsolution, some of which also display clear po-sitioning with respect to other providers. It isgenerally worthwhile to take a close look atthe details in order to differentiate between

Standard or proprietary embeddedmodules – a difficult decisionBy Wolfgang Heinz-Fischer, TQ-Group

In this article the authordescribes and compares the

pros and cons of so calledstandard module solutions

and proprietary modules andgives possible estimations.

module features improvements in memory,graphics and display technology plus intelligentperformance and greater energy efficiency.Due to the low power consumption and com-pact footprint (95 x 95mm), the new moduleis suitable for mobile and compact automationapplications. Smart consumption and batterymanagement prolong battery life, a key costsaving factor for portable devices.

The highlight of the COM Express module isthe outstanding graphics performance of theintegrated Intel GMA 3650 graphics chip witha clock rate of 640 MHz, making it twice asfast as the GPU of the previous Atom genera-tion. In addition to VGA and LVDS, the modulefeatures two digital display interfaces, whichcan be executed for DisplayPort, HDMI orDVI, and which - unlike Type 2 modules - areno longer multiplexed. Five PCI Express x1lanes, two SATA 2.0 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports,

two optional USB 3.0 ports and a Gigabit Eth-ernet interface enable fast and flexible systemextensions. Fan control, LPC bus for easy inte-gration of legacy I/O interfaces and Intel HighDefinition Audio complete the feature set.

The conga-TCA module is equipped with thenew UEFI embedded firmware solution, andthe congatec board controller provides an ex-tensive set of embedded PC features. Thanksto independence from the x86 processor, func-tions such as system monitoring or the I²Cbus execute faster and more reliably, evenwhen the system is in standby mode. An ap-propriate evaluation board, a small compactcarrier board plus as a starter kit for COM Ex-press Type 6 are also available. The new Type6 pin-out builds on the successful Type 2which it will supersede in due course. The ABconnector series has remained widely un-changed; only some of the previously reserved

pins have been assigned new signals for UART,Fan, Lid, Sleep and TPM. The signal assign-ments of the CD plug have changed funda-mentally, with old parallel interfaces such asPCI bus and IDE having been replaced by sev-eral new interfaces: 3x DDI (Digital DisplayInterface), 2 additional PCIe 2.0 lanes and 4xUSB 3.0 interfaces.

Although USB 3.0 was defined as early as2008, its implementation is only just beginning.USB 3.0 requires additional signals to achieveincreased bandwidths of 5 Gb/s. Two addi-tional differential SuperSpeed TX and RXpairs are required per port. Instead of a maxi-mum of 500mA, external USB 3.0 devicesmay draw up to 900mA current. In Type 6four out of the eight USB ports can be imple-mented as USB 3.0. Additional ports can berealized on the carrier board with additionalcontrollers.

December 2012 14

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

15 December 2012

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

pure marketing arguments and real facts. Fi-nally, the decision on a module provider is along-term decision, since every change of mod-ule provider is laborious and costly.

As is typical in the x86 market, some modulemanufacturers have also introduced standardsfor ARM Cortex-A9 modules. These includeQ7 and ULP COM alongside manufacturer-specific standards. Every standard claims to bethe true standard. In principle, a standard in-volves fixing both the board size and the pinconfiguration of the connector system. Thesystems should be compatible and interchange-able. Most pins/functions of the processorshould be accessible through the connectorsystem. However, in some circumstances, cer-tain functions of the processor may not be de-fined in the standard, are not carried outwards,and are not available for use. Other functionsof the standard may only be accessible throughadditional chips. Finally, the standard may es-tablish functions that cannot be supported atall. An analysis of the successful standards inthe x86 market such as COM Express showsthat all processor functions are represented.

However, some defined functions may not besupported in the standard because the processoror chip set in question does not deliver thefunction. For example, the COM Express stan-dard defines 8 USB 2.0 interfaces, which arehowever supported by only a handful of proces-sor/chip set combinations. Usually there arebetween 4 and 6 USB 2.0 interfaces. Similarly,the 24 PCI Express Lines established in theCOM Express standard pinout are usually notfully supported. The best standard is thuscharacterised by having all processor functionsavailable through the connector system foruse and by realising all other functions throughadditional chips. The fewer compromises haveto be made regarding the functions offered

and the functions stipulated in the standard,the more suitable the standard. If the functionsdelivered by the processor and external chipsdeviate strongly from the functions defined inthe standard, it can be assumed that thecost/performance ratio is not optimal. Thismakes it easy to conclude that a Porsche enginein a Polo chassis cannot function optimally –and of course, the same is true vice versa.

A comparison of the systems offered that looksat the factors listed above quickly shows that areal standard with guaranteed compatibilityand therefore interchangeableness in the ARMmarket is only possible to a limited extent.The Q7 system with its board size of 70x70mmuses a system connector with 230 pins todefine a total of 177 signals; the remainder aresupply pins. The comparison table shows whichsignals are supported in the example case of aFreescale i.MX6 processor in the Q7 standardRev1.2 and which are not, as well as whichpins the processor supplies but are not carriedoutwards over the system connector. Since themultitude of i.MX6 interfaces could be re-warding for the user, however, many Q7 modulemanufacturers offer additional connectors onthe board to make these interfaces accessible.The Q7 specifications Rev1.2 provide for aspace for additional connectors and functions,but in reality there is a general freedom of po-sitioning. This quickly makes it clear that in-terchangeableness between providers will bequite limited. In addition, history shows that aconnector on the module – as in the case ofthe SATA connector with ETX 3.0 – is notreally the best technical solution and often se-verely restricts the freedom of positioning ofthe module on the application board. At thetime, XTX was promoted as a solution, withall its functions over the system connector. Inthe early years, ETX modules were also offeredwith a compact flash connector on the module.

Comparison of IO signals of Q7, ULP COM modules and i.MX7 processor

It quickly became obvious, however, that theintegration possibilities for a module were ex-tremely limited if one wanted to exchange theCF card in practice – which is of course the ac-tual point of such a card. These solutions dis-appeared at the latest with the introduction ofthe ETX heat-spreader for better thermal con-nection in a system. The same problem existstoday with a MicroSD connector on the mod-ules. Further standardisations within the Q7group have been announced along with asmaller board in order to serve the market bet-ter. However, full compatibility as advertisedby many Q7 board manufacturers does notexist in reality. A switch from a Q7 x86 solution,

which offers among others an SM and LPCbus and an Express Card interface – which arenot supported by ARM solutions – will onlybe possible with a change of the applicationboard. Still, a switch can be interesting tousers if they know the form factor and can re-cycle some parts of their circuitry. The ULPCOM system offers a smaller form factor witha board size of 82x50mm as well as more pinson the connector (a total of 314, of which amaximum of 257 are signal pins) than a Q7system with a standard connector. Here, too,the comparison table shows that some signalsare not available on the connector from aFreescale i.MX6 processor and signals definedin the standard – such as two additional PCIex1interfaces – are not supported by the i.MX6processor.

If the comparison table were expanded toprocessors of other manufacturers, the devia-tions between individual standards would beeven greater and the interchangeableness be-tween modules with processors from differentmanufacturers even more limited. A big stephas already been taken in the direction ofstandardisation for ARM modules, but thestill very different characters of processorsfrom individual chip providers make a realstandard – as actually exists in the x86 module

segment with COM Express – of only verylimited use. One of the primary argumentsfor standards – interchangeableness – is onlypossible for ARM modules if a very limitednumber of signals are used. If the user wishesto use the full performance capability of theARM Cortex-A9 processor on the module, heor she has to fall back on “special cuts” offeredby module providers, with the restrictions de-scribed. This makes it actually a proprietarysystem, but chained to the standard by boardsize, storage system, system connector, etc.

A proprietary system has the freedom and ad-vantage of being bespoke and developed per-fectly for a processor or a family of processors.The board size can usually be notably smallerthan standard boards. All or most interfacesare available on the system connector. Fromthe point of view of long-lasting use of aprocessor platform, such a module offers thegreatest possible freedom for the user. It isfrom this point of view that TQ modules wereand are developed – the maximum perform-ance with the best integration, provision of allsignals, robust and reliable system connectors,and the smallest module size. As in the x86market, however, different solutions are boundto exist side-by-side and find their respectiveusers in the ARM module market.

December 2012 16

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

Standard defined signals and available signalsdon’t fit in every case

The highly diversified Computer-on-Modules(COMs) market is characterized by a largenumber of standardised and proprietary solu-tions. The user has the choice of different

form factors, processors, bus systems and in-terfaces for his embedded applications. Withthe WHITEspeed family, Erni Electronics isoffering innovative COM solutions which pro-

vide powerful ARM CPUs, PCI Express andstate-of-the-art, fast serial interfaces and par-ticularly benefit from the performance and re-liability of the MicroSpeed connectors used.

Computer-on-Modules for harsh industrial environmentBernd Eifer, Erni Electronics

This article introduces theWHITEspeed Computer-on-Module

concept which provides future-proof,modular and scalable solutions based

on defined form factors and inter-faces. The solutions consist of an

upgradeable part - the COMs withCPU, chip set, memory, etc. and the

I/O baseboards, keeping all the appli-cation-specific functionality. Figure 1. The WHITEspeed

family provides COM solu-tions for harsh environments

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

The ruggedized solutions address applicationsin extremely harsh and demanding industrialenvironments such as transport, heavy industryor automation with high shock and vibrationstresses.

COMs are not just used on their own, but as asystem with the respective baseboard. As wellas the bus system (like PCI Express) and theother I/O interfaces, the connection betweenthe modules and the baseboard plays an im-portant part with regard to the performanceand reliability of the overall system. Althoughoften used in harsh industrial environmentswith interfering influences such as shock, vi-bration and EMC problems, many COMs arebased on simple direct connectors (card-edgeconnectors) or low-cost plug-in connectionssuch as the ones used in notebooks.

Card edge connectors are one-part connectionsystems that directly make contact to the PCB.These kinds of connectors cannot be used reli-ably in harsh environments with strong vibra-tion and shock loads. In these cases frettingcorrosion can occur - inadequately designedand manufactured contacts wear through underthe effect of vibration. This is caused by insuf-ficient gold plating, nickel edges or exposed

glass fibres. On the other hand, contact relia-bility is limited with two-part connectors (maleand female multi-pin connectors) that onlyfeature single-leaf contacts (only one contactpoint). Loss of contact can occur due to mis-alignment, mechanical tolerances and vibrationor shocks).

With Microspeed connectors extremely reliable,shielded connector systems that provide goodcontact overlap and secure mating and alsowithstand demanding requirements with high-quality contact surfaces are available for COMsfor the first time. The modular, shielded con-nectors are available in a two-row version with50 contacts for the extended temperature rangeof -55°C to +125°C. The signal contacts arebuilt in SMT technology, whereby two optionsare available for the shielding terminals: SMTor Through Hole Reflow (THR) for extremelyheavy plug-in boards or situations where thereis a considerable amount of mechanical stress.The co-planarity of the SMT connections is100% guaranteed, with a tolerance of less than0.10mm for all contacts. The design with anopen pin field of identical contacts and a lon-gitudinal pitch of 1.0mm and a lateral pitch of1.5mm allows a horizontal and vertical arrange-ment of the differential or single-ended signals

Figure 2: Different form factors for COMs

Figure 3: Card edge connectors have restric-tions with regard to robustness and reliability

- depending on the application and the im-pedance requirement. MicroSpeed connectorsmake it possible to support data rates of10Gbit/s, and significantly more with an ap-propriate design.

However, it is often not just the data speedsbut the outstanding behaviour with regard tosignal integrity and EMC that make Mi-croSpeed an ideal choice for demanding de-signs. The EMC characteristics of connectorsare extremely important for the interferenceimmunity and interference emission of elec-trical products. Coupling inductivity and shield-ing effectiveness are the decisive parametershere. In order to achieve controlled impedancebehaviour, low digital crosstalk and good cou-pling for differential signal pairs, the Mi-croSpeed components have specific shieldingstructures. The modular, shielded MicroSpeedconnector system consists of two rows of con-tacts and two shielding plates at the outside.The signal contacts are exclusively designed inSMT, since through-hole vias like the oneswith press-fit connectors have a negative in-fluence on noise and crosstalk behaviour.

Due to the card-edge connectors or connectorswith a single contact point (single-leaf contactdesign) that are normally used, there have notbeen any uncompromising robust COM solu-tions on the market to date. On the otherhand, the members of the new WHITEspeedfamily with their high degree of robustness to

mechanical and EMC influences are particularlyideal for applications in harsh and demandingindustrial environments such as in the trans-port, heavy industry or automation areas withhigh shock and vibration loads. The two-row,50-pin MicroSpeed connectors establish a sta-ble, reliable and shielded connection betweenthe modules and the baseboard. With dual-beam leaf contacts, they do not just provide ahigh total reliability but also ensure best gath-ering and reliable mating.

The modules are also consistently extremelyrobust. They can be cooled using convectionor conduction. All components are specifiedfor at least an ambient temperature of -40 to+85°C. The new mezzanine boards provide apowerful i.MX537 CPU from Freescale withARM Cortex-A8 core in credit card format(85x55mm). The ARM processor has extremelylow power consumption and benefits from acomprehensive eco-system with operating sys-tems, development environments, libraries,compilers, linkers etc. Besides a road map forfurther modules (such as a Cortex-A9 or aCortex-A15, single-core and multi-core chips)with increased performance, Erni Electronicsalso provides a guarantee agreement for an ex-tended product service life. The popular ARMtechnology provides a performance level thatmakes it attractive for demanding embeddedcomputing applications. Comprehensive op-erating system and software support simplifysoftware development for many applications.Furthermore, the ARM cores save a consider-able amount of power.

The first WHITEspeed modules are based ona Freescale microcontroller with an ARM Cor-tex-A8 core. This proven core has already beendelivered in high-volume of several millionunits, and is ideal for high-end applications.The core is scalable with frequencies of 600MHz to 1 GHz. The Cortex-A8 processor canmeet demands such as a high computingpower (e.g. 2000 Dhrystone MIPS) and ex-tremely low power consumption with less than300 mW.

The WHITEspeed portfolio includes a familyof pin-compatible ARM-based mezzanine mod-ules that essentially differ in terms of CPUperformance (clock frequency, number of cores,co-processors), I/Os and storage configuration.Furthermore, a comprehensively equippedadaptable baseboard is available. This board isthe platform for the development of the appli-cation software and can simultaneously beused to create customer-specific boards. Withfour MicroSpeed signal connectors and a Mi-croSpeed power module, Erni is realising thenew standardised interface (WHITEspeed 1.0)of the modules for the baseboard. The followingare supported: PCIex1/x4, Ethernet

10MB/100MB/1GB, SATA, USB 2.0 High Speed,UART, CAN, I2C, SPI, LVDS LCD display (twodisplay screens can be operated simultaneously),HDMI and SDVO (Serial Digital Video Out)),HDA (High Definition Audio), Watchdog,Debug Interface (JTAG) etc.

Initially Erni Electronics provides a Freescalei.MX537 (ARM Cortex-A8 up to 800 MHz at -40°C to 85°C) as the CPU option for the mod-ules. The memory configuration includesDDR3-RAM (1 to 2 Gbytes), reliable NORFlash memory (64 to 256 MBytes) for theboot code, NAND Flash (up to 4 Gbytes) andI2C-EEPROM with up to 128 kbytes for theconfiguration data. The CPUs also provide acomprehensive range of power managementfunctions. The i.MX537 is optimised with re-gard to performance and low power loss. Withan integrated display controller, 1080p/720pHD video functionality and extended graphics,the CPU is suited for applications such as in-dustrial monitors or HMIs (Human MachineInterfaces). With the product launch, Linuxsupport is provided by a Board Support Pack-age (BSP). Real-time Linux, Windows (Win-dows CE, Windows Embedded) and additionaloperating systems will follow by request. Theuniversal baseboard (241x147.5mm) can alsobe used as a development platform (with orwithout LCD display). The WHITEspeed so-lution is particularly predestined for intelligentoperating terminals in automation, transportor medical engineering. One or two LC displaysfor touch, keyboard or mouse operation canbe easily connected.

With the WHITEspeed concept Erni Electronicsis providing economical solutions for industrialcustomers who require a fast time-to-market.Using the WHITEspeed approach customerscan concentrate on the application and differ-entiate their products more clearly. Withoutexpensive and complex CPU development, thedesign focus is placed on the application-spe-cific carrier board and the software. Erni Elec-tronics therefore makes system developmentat hardware level easier with the new WHITE-speed standard for ARM-based Computer-on-Modules, and provides maximum signal in-tegrity due to the MicroSpeed connectors.

A long product service life is an important cri-terion to industrial customers. For this purpose,Erni commits itself to longer lifecycles for theCOMs that are usual for the individual com-ponents on the modules. This makes lifecyclemanagement easier for the customer, since hedoes not have to worry about procuringDRAMs, Flash memories and other compo-nents becoming obsolete. Erni also gives anupgrade guarantee, i.e. the next module gener-ation (e.g. on Cortex-A9 derivates) will runon existing baseboards.

December 2012 18

SMALL FORM FACTOR BOARDS

Figure 4. The dual-beam leaf contacts of theMicrospeed family provide high reliabilityand secure mating

Figure 5. The WHITEspeed baseboard is alsoavailable with LCD

PRODUCT NEWS

AMP: 8-Channel PC/104 Express frame grabber

Advanced Micro Peripherals has introducedits AVC8000X, an 8-Channel PC/104 ExpressFrame Gabber. Ideally suited to demandingreal time Situational Awareness systems likeremote video surveillance, traffic monitoringand control of vehicle based video capture inhostile environments, the AVC8000X delivershigh performance 8-Channel video captureand overlay on a single PC/104 form factorcard.

News ID 16344

MSC and F&S strengthen partnership for ARM-based COMs

MSC and F & S Elektronik Systeme haveentered into an extensive cooperation tostrengthen the nanoRISC embedded modulefamily devised by MSC. Based on this agree-ment, F & S is entitled to use the nanoRISCbrand when developing and marketing productsbased on this standard. This will satisfy theneed for a second source for nanoRISC moduleswhich many system developers have expressed.With F & S’s strength in the support for Win-dows CE, MSC is gaining an experienced soft-ware partner with broad industrial know-howwhich will help to reinforce the use of nanoRISCmodules in system projects and reduce design-in times.

News ID 16216

ADLINK: COM Express modules withquad/dual core i7/ i5 processor

ADLINK presents its latest COM Express of-fering, the Express-HR. The Express-HR is ahigh performance COM.0 R2.0 Type 6 modulefeaturing an Intel Core i7/i5 processor withand supporting the latest digital graphics in-terfaces for future designs. With its high-level

processing and graphics performance and longproduct life the Express-HR is ideal for medical,gaming and military applications. The Ex-press-HR features the Intel Core i7/i5 processorsupporting Intel Hyper-threading Technology(4 cores, 8 threads) and up to 16GB of DDR3dual-channel memory at 1066/1333 MHz ondual stacked SODIMM sockets to provide ex-cellent overall performance. Intel Flexible Dis-play Interface and Direct Media Interface pro-vide high speed connectivity to the MobileIntel QM67 Express chipset. Intel HD Graphicsis integrated on the CPU and a PCI Expressx16 bus is available for discrete graphics ex-pansion or general purpose PCIe (optionallyconfigure as 2 x8 or 1 x8 + 2 x4).

News ID 16099

ARBOR: PC/104-Plus series CPU modulesfor harsh environments

ARBOR Technology has introduced Em104P-i2904 and Em104P-i2909, the PC/104-Plusform factor CPU boards, with fanless, low-power, versatile I/O interface and multiple ex-pansions, plus the excellent price-performanceratio features make them ideal for space-limitedapplications. ARBOR Em104P-i2904 comeswith onboard Intel Atom N455 processor and1 GB DDR3 SDRAM, plus selectable one SATAand one CF card interface for storage.

News ID 16362

APLEX: Mini-ITX motherboard with Mobile Intel Sandy Bridge QM67 PCH

APLEX Technology announces its latest Mini-ITX motherboard - ASB-M8671. This newestAPLEX PC-based industrial motherboard isequipped with 2nd generation Intel Corei7/i5/i3 processors. The ASB-M8671’s key fea-tures include Intel Socket 988B and IntelQM67 PCH; 24bit LVDS support; 1 X DVI-I

and HDMI output; 2 X SATA2 and 2 X SATA3connector; APLEX designed 120 pins connectorfor PCIe and PCI raiser card expansion; widerange DC power input: 9~32V; wide operatingtemperature; optional CFast and SIM card slot.ASB-M8671 is ideal for a wide field of applica-tions such as factory automations, gaming machines, military and networking.

News ID 16217

AAEON: fanless Pico-ITX board with AtomN2600 processor

AAEON released its latest small form factorPico-ITX board, measuring only 100mm x72mm, powered by the dual core 1.6GHz IntelAtom N2600 low power consumption processorand Intel NM10 express chipset. The PICO-CV01 offers high performance per watt in thecompact form factor, to meet the demands ofhigh-end industrial and various fanless embedded applications.

News ID 16125

Axiomtek: AMD G-series based low-power COM Express Type 2 module

Axiomtek released CEM100, a new low-powerCOM Express Type 2 module powered by ei-ther a single core AMD G-Series APU T40Rat 1.0GHz or the dual core T56N at 1.65 GHzpaired with the A55E FCH chipset. The plat-form comes with two DDR3 1066 MHz SO-DIMM slots for up to 8 GB of system memoryand four SATA ports with RAID 0, 1, 10, 5.Integrated with Radeon HD 6250/6320 graph-ics controller with support for DirectX 11and OpenGL 4.0, the CEM100 provides out-standing visual experience and features twoDDI, 18/24-bit single/dual channel LVDS andVGA display interfaces.

News ID 16119

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

December 2012 20

Beckhoff first introduced ARM-CPU-basedembedded PCs as a control platform with theCX90xx series back in 2006. The ARM9 CPU,offered by Intel at the time, was mainly used inintegrated systems such as routers, switchesand other embedded systems without a userinterface. The ARM architecture has becomevery popular, mainly driven by developmentsin the smartphone sector. The continuous op-timization of the chips for lower power con-sumption, coupled with ever-increasing per-formance, makes this architecture ideally suitedfor mobile applications. In addition to the con-sumer sector, there is also increasing demandfor these features in industrial applications,with a focus on the development of compactand fanless devices with high performance.

ARM is not only the name of the CPU archi-tecture, but also the company that develops it(Advanced RISC Machines). It issues associatedlicenses to semiconductor manufacturers. Thelarge number of licensees in the market meansthat there is a wide range of ARM CPUs fordifferent applications. Over the years the CPUarchitecture has been continuously developedand optimized further, and the clock frequen-cies have reached the GHz range – similar tothe x86 CPUs. The main difference is that allinterfaces are fully integrated in the chip (Sys-tem on a Chip, SoC). This simplifies the devel-opment and reduces component costs. With

the CX9020 embedded PC Beckhoff is now in-troducing its first controller equipped with anARM Cortex A8 CPU, an architecture that isalready used in the Apple iPhone. The 1GHzCPU has, in contrast to the older ARM9 archi-tecture, a hardware-based floating point unit.This means that floating point operations(REAL, LREAL) can be processed significantlyfaster at the same clock frequency, and thatmotion control applications can now be im-plemented with this controller.

The higher performance was also apparent inPLCopen benchmark tests. The PLCopenbenchmark assesses practice-oriented programand data structures in terms of their processingspeeds, and enables performance comparisonsof different CPUs for processing IEC 61131automation programs. In figure 3 the bench-mark value achieved by a 266MHz ARM9 wasset as reference value 1. The result shows that,with its 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU, theCX9020 takes the performance lead in ARM-based Beckhoff controllers. Total performanceis comparable with a 500MHz x86 device suchas the CX1010. However, compared with thex86 systems, the fundamental difference re-mains that the CX9020 is only available withWindows Embedded Compact 7, while allother x86-based controllers also support thelarger operating systems such as Windows 7or Windows Embedded Standard 7. Neverthe-

less, the CX9020 enables users to programcomplex visualizations on larger monitors,since this CPU offers an integrated graphicsunit, which supports resolutions up to1920x1080. The CPU has internal access to1GByte DDR3 RAM, which is adequately di-mensioned even for demanding applications.Industrial Micro SD cards based on single-level cell flash are used as storage media. Theysupport wear leveling and are suitable for anextended temperature range. A 256 MByte mi-croSD card containing the operating system isincluded as standard. A second microSD cardslot is available for storing user data, if required.The second card can be swapped during oper-ation, which can be handy for data logging ordata exchange in applications without a net-work connection.

All CX9020 models have a DVI-D interface,four USB2.0 ports and two switched Ethernetports. Headless devices, i.e. units without aconnection option for a monitor and keyboard,will be discontinued. An internal slot, which issuitable as a versatile multi-option interfaceand can be preconfigured in the factory, isavailable as standard: fieldbus master and slaveimplementations are possible here, e.g. forEtherCAT (slave only), Profinet, Ethernet/IP,Profibus and CANopen, as well as serial inter-faces (RS232/RS422/RS485). The multi-optioninterface is designed to be configured for one

Powerful and resilient ARM processorsfor industrial automationBy Heiko Wilke, Beckhoff Automation

Beckhoff recently presented the second generation of

its CX series DIN rail-mountableindustrial PCs. Features such

as multi-core processor technology and PCI Express as

an extension bus in the newCX2000 series, or the high-per-formance ARM Cortex A8 CPU

in the new CX9020 devices,open up new options for

applications in automation.Figure 1. The CX9020,equipped with a 1GHz ARMCortex A8 processor, is part ofthe next generation of BeckhoffCX embedded PCs.

21 December 2012

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

NORCO: ARM platform based Industrial PCNORCO announces to enter into the ARMmarket of industrial PC this year, as well asX86 platform products. Currently, NORCOhas released 2 ARM platform models basedembedded PC designed for network security,digital signage, and industrial automation ap-plications. The BIS-6370 is and embedded boxPC based on Marvell ARMv5TE processor upto 1.2GHz; onboard 512MB DDRII RAM,1Gb NAND Flash;6x 10/100/1000Mbps net-work interface, 5x LAN, 1x WAN. This em-bedded PC can be widely used in such appli-cations as VPN, Flow Control, Network Firewalland other network platforms.

News ID 16140

Garz & Fricke: SANTARO HMI series withdisplay sizes between 7 and 10.4“

Garz & Fricke introduces a new member ofthe HMI series. SANTARO, the name of theseries, promises to cover the demand for highperformance. The Freescale quad-core ARMmodule Cortex-A9 i.MX6Q and the Androidoperating system are particularly noteworthy.Single- and dual-core variants will also beavailable. In the area of operating systems, thecustomers can choose between Windows CE 7and Linux but also the latest Android systemwill be offered, the Android 4.0.4 Ice CreamSandwich.

News ID 16322

of these options. What remains unchanged isthe concept of DIN-rail-mountable hardwarewith direct connection to the Beckhoff BusTerminal I/O system, alternatively K-bus orEtherCAT terminals. The housing concept hasbeen completely revised, however, and nowcombines a durable metallic body with frontsmade of special screening plastic. Thanks toits low power consumption, the CPU can bepassively cooled and is nevertheless compactenough to fit into one housing width, plusone interface width. A new feature is the inte-grated automatic K-bus/E-bus recognitionwhich recognizes which of the two I/O systems

is used. In the past, different devices with dif-ferent part numbers were required, dependingon the bus system. Eliminating this differenti-ation reduces the complexity of the productrange and inventory management efforts. Atthe same time it underlines continuity in thesupport of the K-bus technology on the partof Beckhoff.

In order to make migration from existing de-vices straightforward, the CX9020, like theprevious generation, contains 128kbyte inte-grated NOVRAM, which enables data to bestored safely in the event of a power failure.The latest Microsoft Windows Embedded Com-pact 7 (previously CE) is used as the operatingsystem, as already mentioned. The CX9020and all other controllers can, as usual, be pro-grammed with the Beckhoff TwinCAT software.CX9020 devices feature version 2.11 R3 of theTwinCAT automation software platform whichoffers, as usual, PLC functions and axis controlwith NC PTP. The CX9020 represents a con-sistent further development of PC-based con-trol technology and ideally complements theperformance range of Beckhoff controllers.The company offers the suited platform for allautomation tasks, ranging from microcon-troller-based small embedded PCs and differentARM CPUs to x86 Intel Quadcore CPUs.

Thanks to the new high-performance and fan-less CPU with floating point unit, the CX9020is predestined for automation and visualizationtasks in small- and medium-sized machinesas well as in buildings. Multi-axis applicationswith NC PTP are also straightforward to im-plement. The extended operating temperaturerange of -25…+60 °C makes the CX9020 suit-able for outdoor applications. Typical fields ofapplication are alternative energy systems suchas a wind, solar or tidal power plants, whichin some cases have to operate under extremeclimatic conditions.

Figure 2. With its 1GHz ARM Cortex A8CPU, the CX9020 takes the performance leadin ARM-based Beckhoff controllers. Total per-formance is comparable with a 500MHz x86device.

Figure 3. CX9020 with automatic K-bus/E-bus recognition and integrated 128kbyteNOVRAM for persistent data

Product News

In the era of smartphones and tablets displaysin underground trains or buses no longerleave passengers flabbergasted. The driver, how-ever, might have a different opinion, since thelatest generation of automotive electronicscould offer him intelligent and intuitive oper-ating possibilities owing to the display. Evendoctors will surely go into rhapsodies overone or two medical devices. Modern graphicstechnology offers more convenience and atthe same time improves medical care: en-doscopy as a minimally invasive intervention,for example, substitutes more complex surgeries– thanks to steadily improving cameras andmore detailed image data.

More and more embedded applications benefitfrom graphics functions like image acquisition,processing and output, including even thoseapplications which used to be problematicconsidering their harsh environmental condi-tions. Simply think of the robot „Curiosity“,which landed on Mars in August 2012 andwhich sent, after all, black-and-white picturesto earth shortly afterwards. And yet the Marsrover is an expensive single device and themission was generously financed. Whereversuch means are not available – like in com-mercial vehicles – rugged electronics off theshelf can be used, which are suitable for largeras well as for smaller series, as they are alsoflexibly adjustable. Those are the products and

applications this article is particularly focusedon. There are several criteria which play animportant role for electronic components indemanding applications and which set theframework for a system. Space: Only veryspace-saving devices can be used in narrowdriver cabins of cranes or agricultural machines.There is a bit more space in a train and the con-trol room can even accommodate big monitors.Site of operation: Displays on free-standingticket machines have to be protected against vi-olent impacts and need to be weather-proof.Bike rental terminals have their own powersupply with a solar cell. In vehicles there is nocompromise to absolutely tight mounting ofelectronics due to unavoidable vibration. Per-formance: High-resolution graphics and a highdata throughput are required for video surveil-lance or for aerial pictures. For other applicationsa camera with less megapixels or a monochromedisplay is sufficient. Less processing powermeans less power dissipation, which poses athreat to smooth operation in case of decen-tralized location without connection to thepower supply system. This also applies to wher-ever fan cooling is not possible or not wanted,that is in all vehicles up to airplanes. Function:In most cases graphics functions are only onepart of the system. A computer can acquiredata and might be connected to a computernetwork, either via radio or wire. Everythingfrom special serial I/O to audio output through

to wireless communication might be required.Several technologies and platforms have estab-lished in the embedded sector addressing inparticular the needs of industrial and mobileapplications. The most important approachesparticularly suitable for graphics functions shallbe shortly presented in this article.

Computer on Modules (COMs) like COM Ex-press, ESMexpress or Qseven can be integratedin any housing as a plug-on CPU with amatching carrier board. Therefore, they aresuitable for very small or specific formats.Their computing performance is mostly opti-mized for low power dissipation and is ratherin the medium range. Processor families likeIntel Atom or Core 2 Duo also bring along –apart from their standard interfaces – multi-media functions like high-definition audioand LVDS-supported graphics output withinthe chipset. When using available standardCOMs time-to-market is much shorter anddevelopment costs decrease. Commercial ve-hicles in mining applications, including theirboard computer, are subject to extreme condi-tions. The driver can intuitively configure hismachine via a screen and can keep an eye onall events. The computer is conduction-cooledand embedded in an IP67-protected, explo-sion-proof housing. It controls vehicle func-tions and collects data during operation. Forthis purpose two ESMini COM modules in

Graphics for demanding embeddedapplications: In the eye of the beholder

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

By Susanne Bornschlegl, MEN

Humans basically rely on theirvisual orientation. Pictures areall around us. No wonder that

in times of digital photogra-phy, flat screens and touch

monitors we long for picturesin the industrial sector, too,

and not only in the office butin areas where electronics

used to be equipped rathersparsely.

December 2012 22

23 December 2012

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

95x55mm format with an Intel Atom E600are embedded, sharing the tasks. Operatingterminals in high-end agricultural machinesare just as convenient nowadays. While a touch-sensitive 12.1“ display is sufficient for graphicsoutput and operation, a COM module alsocontrols the remaining functions like position-ing via GPS or fuel consumption measurement.In medical engineering more powerful COMsintegrate well into special housings and portabledevices. The computer can monitor vital datadirectly at the patient and display it in realtime on its screen. Even high-resolution videosand complex 3D visualization are possibleusing adequate processors.

COMs are also predestined for the interior ofmodular standard box PCs. Systems like thesehave a very rugged housing and a compactformat and are extremely versatile. Their designis rather plain and based on the demandsmainly made by the mobile sector: insensitive-ness to vibration and a good cooling concept,usually including cooling fins for passive heatdissipation. Furthermore, the system needs tobe qualified accordingly, for example to therailway standard EN 50155, or it needs an e1automotive certification. As single computerbox PCs take on a variety of tasks. And imagedata gain ever more importance in carryingout these tasks. Offering medium to highgraphics performance these computers are per-fectly suitable as board computers or content

servers. They can communicate with the controlroom via a wireless connection and send in-formation to several displays. After all, Dis-playPort supports HD resolutions of 1920x1080pixels with a cable length of 15 meters. There-fore, many applications in buses and trainsare implemented using this type of box com-puter. A single computer in a bus, for example,controls two monitors per DisplayPort. Theykeep the passengers informed on the courseof the route and display the stops and stop re-quests. In the meantime info videos are shown.Whenever the train is in the depot, the data isupdated via WLAN.

Flexibility in the design of box computer solu-tions can be decisive for a product. Wherevermore performance is required, a scalable con-cept is of great benefit. AMD is way out infront of this concept at the moment. The Em-bedded G-Series combines each one- or multi-core CPU with a graphics processor of theRadeon range. These APUs (Accelerated Pro-cessing Units) make computing performancescalable thanks to their compatibility. A resolu-tion of 2560x1600 pixels on several monitorsis possible even on devices suitable for vehicles.

Whenever the display itself needs to be intelli-gent box PCs turn into panel PCs. They are incontinuous operation in public places like rail-way stations or airports but also in vehiclesand they need to be as maintenance-free aspossible. Often interaction is required as well– nowadays mostly only via touch screen andwithout keys. This is why they are less vulnera-ble to destructive impacts like weather condi-tions and vandalism. In the driver cabin ofmodern trains there are often several panelPCs with screen sizes of about 10.4“ to 17“. Aresolution of 1024x768 pixels is sufficient here.But the computer can take over train controltasks and is rugged enough to fulfill the highdemands of the railway sector. The electronicparts are therefore coated against humidityand are prepared for operating temperaturesof up to -40 to +85°C. They are compliant toEN 50155, the front panel is IP65-protected andthe device can do without fan thanks to conduc-tion cooling. For onboard passenger informationbigger LCD/TFT screens of around 17“ to 22“are used. New high-speed trains have onboardbroadband internet access. 19“ display computerswith 1440x900 pixels are made available to pas-sengers and are connected via Ethernet. Even inmodern regional trains one might stumble uponsimilar solutions. In a current project there isone content server per train each supplying 2 to6 intelligent displays with data. Every deviceacts as an Ethernet switch. Graphics is not anend in itself in the embedded sector. The com-puters applied in the mentioned applicationsare rock solid solutions fulfilling other functionsas well. The latest „best“ graphics card won’t

Figure: 1. A box or panel PC in a bus can dis-play the stops clearly and give up-to-dateinformation on further connections

Figure 2. Four screens on one high-endgraphics card in 3U CompactPCI format withan AMD Radeon E6760 GPU

be used in this case, but a much more sustain-able product instead. Processors like the IntelAtom all-time favorite and the more powerfulCore 2 Duo, but above all the high-performanceEmbedded G-Series by AMD are a very goodchoice here. Wherever even higher performanceand ruggedness at the same time is required,hardware needs to be designed differently. Bigdisplay panels in airports and train stationstend to be more and more digital and alsocontrol centers for traffic or in power stationshave their equipment upgraded.

19“ systems have proven suitable here and withtheir 3U format they are even compact whenspace is limited. Operating systems like Windowsused to have restricted functionality when itcomes to output. Controlling four monitors atthe same time used to be a tough job. Todayunder Windows 7 possibilities are much vaster.CompactPCI Serial is perfectly suited for equip-

ping control stations. This tech-nology is ideal for quick exchangeof large amounts of data owing toits standardized serial backplaneinterfaces. In addition to a powerfulCPUthere are seven high-endgraphics cards as peripheral unitsin a system; these graphics cardscan control 28 monitors in highresolution at the same time.A CPUcard with an Intel Core i7 andQM57 chipset supports a resolutionof 2560 x 1600.Graphics cards withAMD Radeon E6760 support Di-

rectX 11, OpenGL 4.1 and OpenCL 1.1. OpenCLin particular delivers a high level of performancedue to its parallel data processing.

As CompactPCI Serial feels comfortable evenin rugged environments, a service providerfor aerial pictures took it onboard. The camerainside the aircraft body takes pictures from aheight of up to 5000 meters for mapping ortrack surveying on train routes. As many as150 megapixels allow for the picture to be re-solved to up to 2 centimeters. A flight like thisis expensive, so the computer system has towork reliably and store the huge amount ofdata quickly. The flight team reviews the pic-tures on the monitor while still in the air. Itsmodular design makes it easy to upgrade thesystem or to change its set-up, as soon as anew generation of electronics is available, be itthe CPU, the storage medium or the camera.Adequate software support is a basic feature

of embedded computers nowadays. When itcomes to graphics Windows and its embeddedversions are at the forefront anyway. But alsoLinux cannot be neglected by hardware sup-pliers. QNX is an inherent part in the automo-tive and medical sector, just like VxWorks. An-droid is gaining ground in the industrial sectorand Integrity or VxWorks are required for es-pecially harsh embedded applications, like inavionics. All of them are as powerful as neces-sary for their certain niche. The different as-pects, for example place and conditions of ap-plication or graphics performance and powerdissipation, always fall into place making a co-herent whole. For rugged electronics suitablefor everyday use, however, it would be impos-sible to cover all applications with the expenseof a specialized Mars rover. Modularity is whatwe need here. A series of innovative ideas andtechnologies, which make standard compo-nents combinable, allow for a more cost-effec-tive design of rugged and even more qualifiedgraphics solutions and for shorter time-to-market. Very compact devices usually don’tneed graphical gadgets but a solid basis in ac-cordance with the requirements. Computer-On-Modules make upgrading much easier. Ifhigh graphics performance or high datathroughput and storage capacity is needed, a19“ system like CompactPCI (Serial) is thebetter alternative, offering a maximum of mod-ularity at the same time. And finally picturesreach areas where there used to be nothingmore than a panel with control knobs or atiny black-and-white monitor.

December 2012 24

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

pnoiiCgicrcFigure 3. A whole lot of technology can be found in modern

vehicles. Computer systems are networked and graphicsoutput plays an important role for many functions

Trend to out-of-band-manageability and security featuresPeter Hoser, Sales Director OEM, Fujitsu Technology Solutions

Technologies that are already established in thedesktop sector, such as out-of-band-manageabilityvia iAMT or DASH and security features likeTPM, are now increasing their influence on thefield of embedded systems. This is due to the in-creasing demand of the customers for remotemanageability, i.e. for controlling and maintainingsystems from outside their premises even whenthe operating system is switched off. Increasingsecurity requirements for IP and IT are anotherreason for the growing influence of those features.From the perspective of embedded design, thetechnological changes presented year by year byplatform producers Intel and AMD have to be

considered critically. Growing complexity of newplatforms requires a greater effort in development.Therefore, a higher degree of product maturityand a two-year innovation cycle should be aimedat for the field of industrial solutions. Intel andAMD also will offer new CPUs. Especially lowpower BGA-solutions as Intel ATOM or AMDG-Series will be less power-consuming and sin-gle-core solutions are increasingly being replacedby dual- and quad-core CPUs. With IndustrialEthernet replacing ever more proprietary bussystems, such as fieldbus solutions, there is agrowing demand for GbE interfaces, either onboard the mainboards or via expansion cards.

dvTfcmstsrFtp

25 December 2012

INDUSTRIAL COMPUTING

Embedded computing trendsBrian Carr and Nigel Forrester, Embedded Computing, Emerson Network Power

After supplying VME boards into applicationssuch as railway signalling for many years,Emerson is starting to see a trend for thesesafety-critical applications to migrate towardsVPX technology. VPX offers more flexibilitywith high speed fabric connectivity betweenboards, and is also easier to certify to themodern safety standards. The VPX standardwas developed by embedded component, boardand system vendors along with a number ofmilitary prime contractors, and so this trendto use VPX outside its core military market isquite significant.

ARM and Android are both consumer-ledtechnologies that are likely to be adopted inembedded applications. Many embedded ap-plications are risk-averse for good reasons, soARM and Android technology has a way togo. Because of a legacy in consumer gadgets,ARM-based devices tend to have some differentattributes: they are thought of as lower costand able to provide improved power savingmodes when compared to the more traditionalIntel or Power Architecture CPUs that areused today. However, when offset by the needfor high reliability, long lifecycles and prettylow volume production, the advantages be-tween the architectures is not clear. ARM willno doubt become more commonplace in theembedded space but not necessarily at a lowerprice point. Android doesn’t seem that big a

step, after all its only another Linux flavourand its elegant user interface would fit ex-tremely will with some embedded board de-vices such as kiosks, aircraft-seat-based videodisplays, diagnostic test equipment and clinicalmedical devices. However, Android is not sup-ported on many of the silicon platforms thatembedded boards are based on and even thenis very tightly coupled to the display. This willbe less of an issue over the coming yearsbecause of the need to make embedded deviceseasier to use, and especially more touch-screenenabled. Having been one of the originatorsof the embedded board market with VMEbusmore than 30 years ago, Emerson sees this as a

very gradual transition that may take years.

The most exciting development in the ATCAarena is the recent release of PICMG 3.1 R2which brings 40G ATCA into the mainstream.Emerson was one of the first vendors to release40G-ready platforms, but now the ecosystemas a whole is bringing 40G technology to themarket, and allowing customers wanting en-hanced packet throughput for DPI applicationssuch as session border controllers and networkoptimization equipment to adopt ATCA. Thefuture trends are - as always - more perform-ance and throughput per $ and per watt. Thismeans close alignment with the major tech-nology roadmaps such as Intel tick-tock Xeondevelopments, looking at latest Cavium an-nouncements about OCTEON III, and en-hanced switching from companies such asBroadcom and Mellanox. The next long-termdevelopment on everybody’s lips is 100G, butfor this we have to differentiate between 100Gcable terminations onto a system, and 100Gfabric in the ATCA backplane. The ability toterminate 100G cables will become mainstreamover the next couple of years, but the technol-ogy advances required for 100G fabric are stillin a research phase with a new PICMG standardunlikely to appear much before 2016. At thesame time, we’ll need to see continuing ad-vances in cooling technology to be able tomake use of all that extra bandwidth.

LynuxWorks: LynxSecure supports Curtiss-Wright’s VPX3-1256 SBC

LynuxWorks announced LynxSecure supportof the Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solu-tions’ VPX3-1256 3U VPX Intel Core i7 SingleBoard Computer. Curtiss-Wright also plans,in the near future, to annouce support forLynxSecure on its Intel Core i7 3rd generationprocessor-based VPX3-1257 single-board com-puter. LynxSecure is a separation kernel andembedded hypervisor that provides a secureenvironment in which multiple guest operatingsystems and their applications can execute atthe same time, in their own virtual partitions,without compromising security, reliability ordata integrity.

News ID 16086

VIA: Mini-ITX embedded board featureslatest VIA VX11H MSP

VIA Technologies announced the VIA EPIA-M920 Mini-ITX board, the first VIA Mini-ITX board to feature the latest VIA VX11Hmedia system processor enabling DirectX 11and 3D stereoscopic display capabilities forimmersive environments. Providing superiorperformance with the latest in connectivitytechnology in a low power envelope, the VIAEPIA-M920 Mini-ITX provides the ideal plat-form for a wide array of next-generation com-pact devices for applications in healthcare,gaming, digital signage, and other verticalmarket segments. With the choice of a 1.2GHzVIA QuadCore-E processor for high-end per-formance or a 1.0GHz VIA Eden X2 dual coreprocessor for fanless system design, the VIAEPIA-M920 is a highly flexible platform forcompact, low power systems with today’s latestconnectivity options including HDMI andUSB 3.0.

News ID 16190

Wind River: Intelligent Network Platformprovides fast packet acceleration andcontent inspection

Wind River has introduced Wind River IntelligentNetwork Platform, a software platform for thedevelopment of sophisticated network equipmentthat can accelerate and secure the flood of trafficfor current and future networks. The explosionof network traffic, coupled with the need to de-liver high quality of service with stronger networkvisibility and security, has created new pressuresfor network equipment providers.

News ID 16336

Liantec: Mini-ITX Intel QM77 Ivy bridgemobile motherboard

Liantec announce ITX-QM77 industrial Mini-ITX Intel QM77 Ivy Bridge Mobile motherboardsolution. The ITX-QM77 is based on Mini-ITX form factor and Intel Ivy Bridge computingplatform, supports Intel 3rd generation IvyBridge and 2nd generation Sandy Bridge Corei3 / i5 / i7 mobile processors, 16 GB of memorycapacity, onboard dual Intel Gigabit Ethernet,HDMI, DVI, HD audio, SATA-III 6Gbit/s, andSuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports.

News ID 16292

DFI: Mini-ITX motherboard supports richgraphics and power-saving features

DFI brings the most cost-effective Mini-ITXmotherboard, CR101-D, to its 3rd generationIntel Core processor-based product line. It isDFI’s first Mini-ITX board supporting thenew mobile Intel HM76 Express chipset. Thislow power board supports a range of mobile-based 3rd generation Intel CoreTM processorsbuilt on 22-nanometer process technology andboasts a 15% CPU performance increase overthe previous generation.

News ID 16178

Artila: ARM SOM enables device controlwith remote desktop

Artila Electronics announces the support ofremote desktop control for Linux and WinCEon its M-9G45A System on Module. M-9G45Ais a credit card size system on module poweredby Atmel 400MHz AT91SAM9G45 ARM9Processor with memory management unit,and equipped with 128MB DDR2 RAM,128MB NAND Flash, and 2MB DATAFlash.It is designed not only for devices that requireHuman Machine Interface but also an idealsolution for M2M device management.

News ID 16202

congatec partners with Ineltro to drivesales in Austria and Central Europe

congatec has announced its cooperation withIneltro Halmer Electronics, headquartered inVienna. Ineltro has a long and successful trackrecord of distributing electronic componentsin the Austrian market. Effective immediately,the company will now offer the complete rangeof congatec products in Austria, Poland, theCzech Republic and Southern Europe.

News ID 16408

Green Hills: MULTI toolchain certified as functional safety support tool

Green Hills announces that its MULTI tool-chain has been certified to meet the highestlevels of tool qualification specified in the IEC61508:2010 (Industrial), EN 50128:2011 (Rail-way) and ISO 26262:2011 (Automotive) func-tional safety standards. Green Hills has receivedcertificates from both TÜV NORD and exida,making the Green Hills MULTI IDE the onlycommercially available toolchain certified tosatisfy both SIL 4 and ASIL D tool qualificationrequirements.

News ID 16175

December 2012 26

PRODUCT NEWS

27 December 2012

PRODUCT NEWS

Hectronic: COM Express module based onAtom N2600/N2800/D2550

Hectronic has announced the H6816, a Com-puter-on-Module in the COM Express Com-pact form factor and based on the dual coreIntel Atom processors N2600, N2800 andD2550. The Intel NM10 Express chipset is in-cluded in the platform. H6816 offers signifi-cantly improved power-consumption perform-ance ratio compared to previous Intel Atomgenerations. The graphics capabilities include24-bit dual channel LVDS accessible directlyfrom the module, as well as VGA.

News ID 16093

ADLINK: COM Express type 6 modulewith three DDI ports

ADLINK presents its latest COM Express of-fering, the Express-HR. The Express-HR fea-tures the Intel Core i7/i5 processor supportingIntel Hyper-threading Technology and up to16GB of DDR3 dual-channel memory at1066/1333 MHz on dual stacked SODIMMsockets to provide excellent overall perform-ance. Intel Flexible Display Interface and DirectMedia Interface provide high speed connec-tivity to the Mobile Intel QM67 Express chipset

News ID 16294

MSI: multi-display output mini-ITX formfactor board

MSI launch MS-9893 with the latest IntelATOM platform. This multi-display outputmini-ITX form factor board supports singleChannel 18/24 bit LVDS, VGA, one HDMI. Ithas great graphics performance and supportfor up to 1080P high definition video.MSIMS-9893 is equipped with single-channelDDR3 1066 MHz memory up to a maximumof 4 GB in 1 x 204 SO-DIMM slots. MS-9893supports D2550(10W) / N2800(6.5W) twoSKU, with VGA, HDMI, Video Output: LVDS/Single CH 24bit by D2550 (LVDS/ Single CH18bit by N2800). Power Input support, oneATX for D2550, and another is DC-in 12V forD2550 / N2800.

News ID 16346

NEXCOM: ruggedized vehicle mountcomputer increases workplace safety

NEXCOM’s 10.4“ ruggedized vehicle mountcomputer VMC 3000 series is designed foruse in heavy-duty vehicles and can increaseproductivity and safety within harsh envi-ronments. The VMC 3000 series features scal-able computing power, 10.4“ touch screenand various wireless communication tech-nologies. Combining a robust design andIP65-compliant enclosure, the VMC 3000 se-ries can gather, display, transmit and receiveinformation to help optimize route planning,increase situational awareness, and monitorvehicle status.

News ID 16129

NEXCOM: bright wide-angle multimediaPanel PC enriches visual experience

NEXCOM’s fanless multimedia panel PCMPPC 2120T, features a large, vivid 21.5“ Ver-tical Alignment LCD touch screen with LEDbacklight to provide exceptional visual at wideviewing angles. The bright, distinct and re-sponsive VA touch screen enhances informationdelivery and promotes user interaction, offeringbetter customer service and experience forsignage and kiosk applications.

News ID 16214

Advantech: green design concept for allpanel products

Advantech announces that its PPC-L128 PanelPC has received a ‘Product Carbon FootprintCertification Statement’ from the China Envi-ronmental Certification Center, Ministry ofEnvironmental Protection. PPC products willgradually adopt green design concepts through-out the product line.

News ID 16131

NEXCOM launches nine 12 to 19 inch In-dustrial touch panel PCs

NEXCOM has expanded its APPC series withnine fanless panel PCs powered by Intel Atomprocessor D2550. To accommodate individual’spreference for display sizes, the APPC series isavailable in 12.1, 15, 17 and 19-inch touchscreen formats with resolutions up to1280x1024 SXGA. In addition, the 12.1 inchAPPC product is available in both XGA andSVGA resolutions.

News ID 16132

Acromag: rugged COM Express carrierfor Type 2 or Type 3 modules

The new ACEX4405 carrier card hosts Type 2or Type 3 COM Express modules in a smallfootprint of only 95mm x 125mm. Designedfor extreme applications, the ACEX4405 hasan extra rigid PCB and extended temperaturesupport. Features include dual ports for GigabitEthernet, RS232/422, and USB plus many otherfeatures. A mini PCIe slot adds further flexibilityfor expanded, high-speed I/O capabilities. Lock-ing and latching connectors prevent shock orvibration from loosening cables.

News ID 16352

ADL: rugged 150W ATX power supplyADL Embedded Solutions announced theADLPS104-150 power supply board designedto meet the needs of high-powered IntelCore industrial and embedded motherboardsby providing robust ATX voltages (5V, 5VS,3.3V, 12V) in a stackable PCI/104-Expressform factor designed for -40 to +85 °C oper-ation and 150W. Its small 90x 96mm foot-print allows it to fit in many space-limitedapplications.

News ID 16317

DSM: compact, robust DIN rail-mountedPC with 7.2 GB flash

DSM Computer has augmented its compactDIN rail-mounted PC family H1-A with afurther model with integrated 7.2 GB flashmemory. The large flash memory permits theinstallation of sophisticated operating systems,such as standard Windows and Linux, as wellas the saving of comprehensive user data.

News ID 16414

Schroff: electronic packaging for industrial applications

In its new brochure, „Industrial Technology“,Pentair Technical Products presents electronicspackaging solutions from the Schroff, Hoffman,McLean, and Birtcher/Calmark brands de-signed specifically for industrial applications.In addition to wall-mounted enclosures andcabinets in mild steel for ordinary factory sit-uations and stainless steel enclosures for usein the food and pharmaceuticals industries orin oil and gas, the brochure also contains en-closure solutions in plastic and composites foruse in waste water and chemicals treatment.

News ID 16314

MicroSys: focus on system solutions forcontrol and HMI at SPS/IPC/Drives

As partner from logi.cals, MicroSys exhibit onSPS/IPC/Drives 2012 with focus on systemsolutions for control and HMI applications.For example, the miriac HMI1022 HMI device.It carries Freescale QorIQ CPUs in combinationwith miriac MPX SoMs. In the current version,it is a P1022 CPU. The devices are highly inte-grated. They offer already in its standard con-figuration a set of I/O functions that fit rightout of the box numerous typical HMI appli-cations. Amongst others, the system holds ahigh resolution 15 inch 4 wire LED backlighttouch display.

News ID 16413

GE: high performance graphics board forconstrained environments

GE Intelligent Platforms announced theXMCGA7 High Performance Graphics Board.Designed for sophisticated, demanding graphicsapplications in harsh environments, the ruggedXMCGA7 mezzanine features the latest E6460graphics processing unit from AMD to deliverthe highest possible performance from a re-stricted power envelope. Typical applicationsinclude command and control workstations,radar consoles and cockpit displays.

News ID 16306

MEN: Box PC based on latest AMD Embedded G-series APU

MEN Mikro Elektronik announces the releaseof the BC50M box computer based on thelatest AMD Embedded G-Series AcceleratedProcessing Unit. The robust and maintenance-

free BC50M (formerly called the BC1) is basedon an innovative modular design that offersflexible display and I/O solutions with optimalperformance for mobile applications such asuse in trains, commercial vehicles, airplanes,and mobile machines. As a new option theBC50M can be equipped with the new AMDEmbedded G-T16R APU with a power con-sumption of just 2.3 watts on average or 4.5watts thermal design power. This new systemcomplements the existing 1.4 GHz dual-coreAMD Embedded G-T48N APU with AMDRadeon HD 6310 Graphics standard systemas well as the high-end AMD Embedded G-T65N APU with AMD Radeon HD 6320Graphics version.

News ID 16285

Portwell: stylish, interactive Panel PCwith Cedarview and NM10 chipset

Portwell released the EUDA2 Panel PC, basedon Intel Atom dual-core processor D2550 1.86GHz and the Intel NM10 chipset. The EUDA2comes standard with a true flat projected ca-pacitive multi-touch display. With its ultra-slim and lightweight aluminum tooling, it isrugged yet stylish and resistant to vibrationsup to 1G and shock up to 15G.. Its cable-lessdesign, HDD tray, wide DC input and operatingtemperature ranges add to its flexibility anddurability. The COM port and I/O boarddocking are selectable via BIOS.

News ID 16348

Portwell: fanless Panel PC with IntelAtom dual-core processor D2550

Portwell releases the FUDA Panel PC, featuringan Intel Atom dual-core processor D2550 1.86GHz and an Intel NM10 chipset. The FUDA5-wire resistive single touch screen and alu-minum front bezel come standard. With itsultra-slim, lightweight, HDD tray, CF coverand cable-less design, the FUDA Panel PCseries is stylish and fan-free. Its flexible I/Oboard docking and COM port are selectableby BIOS. In addition to operating in a widetemperature and DC input ranges, the FUDApanel PCs are tested to IP65 water and dustresistant standards. The FUDA also comesequipped with APIs and EtherCAT support.With all these great features, the FUDA PanelPCs are ideal for Industrial Automation andthe Food & Beverage Industries.

News ID 16401

Curtiss-Wright: rugged COTS system supplies combat vehicles with networking backbone

Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutionshas announced an innovative new solutionfor quickly and cost-effectively adding a ruggedVICTORY-compliant networking backbone tonew and legacy military ground vehicles. Thenew Digital Beachhead system combines a 16-

December 2012 28

PRODUCT NEWS

Adv

erti

sers

Ind

ex

COMPANY PAGE

Acromag 9

Congatec 19

Digi-Key 2

E.E.P.D. 21

EKF Elektronik 27

Elma Electronic 11

Green Hills 5

Jactron 7

Kontron 23

LIPPERT ADLINK 15

MEN Mikro Elektronik 29

MSC 3

N.A.T. 17

Peak-System 13

Swissbit 8

Syslogic 25

29 December 2012

PRODUCT NEWS

port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch with ahigh performance, power efficient VehicleManagement Computer. Beachhead is a low-cost rugged COTS solution for modernizingground vehicles to comply with the U.S. Army’snew VICTORY initiative for interoperable dig-ital network services.

News ID 16187

Vecow: GigE vision compliant quad-coreEmbedded system series

Vecow has expanded its GigE Vision supportwith ECS-5600 fanless embedded system familyfor applications demanding bandwidth andcomputing performance as well as simplicityof use and stability, such as industrial investi-gation and machine vision. GigE Vision bringsabundant advantages to machine vision andquality inspection systems, including a datatransfer up to 100 meters cable length, 100Mb/sbandwidth, real-time, precisely timed synchro-nization of multi-element, and unlimited num-ber of cameras can be connected. ECS-5600series supports GigE Vision intended for priorperformance and accuracy of machine visionsystems.

News ID 16139

DDC: rugged PDU provides 300 Amps ofintelligent solid-state power control

Data Device Corporation introduces its firstPower Distribution Units in the RP-20S1Xfamily of stackable, configurable devices for28 VDC systems. The High Power Solid-StatePower Controllers provide four independent75 Amp load channels (300 Amp total currentcapability) to distribute and control power tofour independent subsystems.

News ID 16305

Aitech: CompactPCI Ethernet switch fordata management in harsh environments

Aitech Defense Systems now offers the ruggedC660, first in a new series of high-performance,single-slot Gigabit Ethernet switches. The new6U CompactPCI PICMG 2.16 compatibleswitch serves as a robust communicationsbackbone for moving massive amounts of dataaround tightly coupled processing or I/O dataconcentrators, typically found in embeddedtelecom, military, aerospace and spacecraft ap-plications. Aitech’s versatile new Gigabit Eth-ernet switch can be installed in rack-mountedequipment and backplanes or packaged instand-alone rugged subsystems.

News ID 16339

X-ES: 6U CompactPCI SBC features 3rdgen Core i7 processor

Extreme Engineering Solutions introduces theXCalibur4402, a 6U CompactPCI Single BoardComputer supporting the 3rd generation IntelCore i7 processor. Available in conduction- orair-cooled versions, the XCalibur4402 utilizes

the processor’s dual- or quad-core technologywith Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, mak-ing it an excellent COTS solution for military,communications, and industrial applications.

News ID 16148

DATA MODUL: optical bonding – displaysolutions from a single source

With the development of an in-house opticalbonding technology DATA MODUL is nowcapable of providing displays solutions withvery high functional, optical and environmentalperformances. Optical bonding is the processof adhesive bonding of two or more transparentcomponents using a high-quality optical gradeadhesive. By such bonding the air gap betweenthe transparent components is entirely elimi-nated.

News ID 16379

NI: all-hybrid PXI Express chassis featuresPCI Express 2.0 x8 links to every slot

National Instruments introduced an all-hybridPXI Express chassis featuring PCI Express 2.0x8 links to every slot for increased datathroughput resulting in lower test times andreduced cost of test. The hybrid slot connectorsdeliver maximum flexibility in PXI and PXIExpress module slot replacement, while theaddition of hot-swappable fans and an easilyreplaceable power supply improves systemavailability in high-performance applications.

News ID 16383

N.A.T.: processor AMC based on Freescalemulti-core QorIQ P3041

Based on Freescale multicore QorIQ P3041the single-width mid- or full-size AdvancedMCprocessor board NAMC-QorIQ-P3041 is tar-geting combined control and dataplane pro-cessing applications with the demand for stor-age capability. Due to its performance andscalability the board also suits time criticaldata processing applications, i.e. for imagingand control. The NAMC-QorIQ-P3041 ad-dresses the need of a more cost-efficient solu-tion compared to the P40 and P50 familymembers. Dual SATA ports provide high-speed, low-cost storage options for statisticsor large databases.

News ID 16111

MEN: certification package for SIL 4 certified 6U VMEbus or cPCI SBCs

For usage in railway applications MEN’s A602and D602 6U VMEbus and CompactPCI singleboard computers boasting extreme functionalsafety can now be accompanied by a certifica-tion package. In the package, MEN providesall relevant documents which make it easier tocertify the complete system according to EN50126 and EN 50129 with the responsible au-thority.

News ID 16107

COMMELL: 3rd and 2nd generation IntelCore i7 / i5 / i3 Mini-ITX motherboard

COMMELL announces the LV-67J designedfor the 3rd and 2nd generation Intel Corei7/i5/i3 processors in the FCLGA1155 socket.The Mini-ITX mainboard based on Intel Q77Express chipset, Q77 Express chipset is part ofthe desktop Intel 7 Series Chipset family, alongwith an Intel 3rd generation 22 nm Corei7/i5/i3, Flexible extend slots including PCI-Express X16, Mini-PCI & Mini-PCIe socket.

News ID 16203

Pico Computing: Altera Stratix V PCI-Express FPGA module

Pico Computing announces availability of theM-506 FPGA module, the most recent additionto Pico’s scalable PCI-Express architecture, en-abling users to start with a single module andgrow their system by adding additional modulesas their application needs increase. Along withthe Stratix V GX FPGA (5SGXA3), the M-506also features a 4GB DDR3 SODIMM capableof 12.8GB/s memory bandwidth.

News ID 16296

WinSystems: 150W industrial ATX powersupply for PC/104, EPIC, and EBX SBCs

WinSystems has introduced the PS-ATX150-0, a 150W industrial power supply for ATX-compatible embedded SBCs. It supportsATX signals Power On/Off, Power Good, andPower Fail, allowing ATX-compatible SBCsto utilize sleep and suspend modes for energysavings during periods of processor or systeminactivity.

News ID 16284

MSI: Cedar Trail products include systemand motherboard

MSI IPC announcea new Platform: CedarTrail, featuring the latest low-power platform.MSI Cedar Trail products include system andmotherboard: MS-9A45/MS-9895/MS-9893,and are unique in low-power setting. MS-9A45 is low power solution with fan-less designand support display 1920x1080P. It providesmemory up to 4GB, 2 x 204-pin SO-DIMMsand supports two independent displays.

News ID 16415

IEI: advanced auto data server with upgraded surveillance function

IEIMobile, the branded mobile solutionprovider established by IEI Technology, an-nounced the launch of the AVL-3000, a highly

integrated auto data server designed for ad-vanced vehicle and asset management appli-cations. The AVL-3000 includes various featuressuch as the Intel Atom N2600 1.6GHz CPU,Windows 7 OS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,HSUPA/GPRS/GSM, GPS, and On-Board Di-agnostics technologies.

News ID 16095

One Stop Systems: PCIe quad-port switchboard for storage application

One Stop Systems introduces the first PCIe x8Gen 3 quad-port cable adapter. The new quad-port adapter operates as a switch board in I/Oexpansion applications to fan out the PCIesignal up to four I/O devices like storage arraysand/or expansion systems. The new adaptersare also field-programmable to allow the dif-ferent ports to receive or transmit data. Thequad-port switch board is ideal for buildingdata storage farms.

News ID 16249

EKF: CompactPCI quad port eSATA & USBcontroller peripheral board

The CE3-GIG has been developed to satisfythe demand for additional SATA and USBports in a CompactPCI environment. Threefront panel eSATA/USB combo connectors areprovided, for attachment of either USB 2.0 oreSATA external devices. A fourth F/P connectoris available for USB devices only. The frontpanel combo connectors are ‘Power over eSATA’compliant, with +12V power and ground pins.In addition, a docking connector is providedfor mounting an on-board 2.5-inch SATA harddisk or solid state drive.

News ID 16309

Curtiss-Wright: 6U OpenVPX SBC features Intel’s latest 3rd gen Core i7

Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutionshas announced the new VPX6-1957, a veryhigh performance rugged Intel Architecture-based OpenVPX processing engine, that fea-tures the Intel 3rd Gen Core i7 Quad-Coreprocessor, an unmatched range of high-speedI/O, and support for Intel AVX floating pointlibraries. Designed for optimal performancein harsh environments, the single board com-puter’s latest generation Intel 22nm quad-coreprocessor is supported with a 21 GB/s (peak)DDR3 memory subsystem connected directlyto the processor that maximizes data through-put to its AVX floating point units.

News ID 16234

December 2012 30

PRODUCT NEWS

EditorsJürgen Hübnerphone +49(0)8092-2477413fax +49(0)8092-2477429jh@iccmedia.com

Wolfgang Patelaywp@iccmedia.com

Tony Devereuxdevrex@teyboyz.freeserve.co.uk

For Reader Inquiries and Address Changesplease contact:info@iccmedia.com

Sales & Marketing DirectorManfred Blumoserphone +49(0)8092-2477411fax +49(0)8092-2477429mb@iccmedia.com

Claudia Melleincm@iccmedia.com

Christiane Locknercl@iccmedia.com

Sales Office - UK and USA, Benelux,ScandinaviaBlue Sky CommunicationsMalcolm Cameron21 Cliffe AvenueWestbrook,Margate, Kent CT9 5DU, UKphone +44 (0)77 88-10 84 11fax +44 (0)80 82-8010 57mc@blue-sky-communications.com

Sales Office - AsiaJean Cheng, jean@i-media.com.twVivian Hung, vivian@i-media.com.twInnovative Media Information & Services7F-3, No. 26, Sec. 2, Ming-Quan East Rd.Taipei 104 Taiwanphone +886 2 2563 1186

Head Office

ICC Media GmbHRauwagnerstr. 585560 Ebersberg / Germany

Editorial Office UK36a Blackacre RoadTheydon BoisEssex, CM16 7LU

Copyright© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted inany form or by any means without the prior express written permission of ICC Media.Although we make every effort to present up-to- date, accurateinformation, boards&solutions will not be responsible for anyerrors or omissions or for any results obtained from the use ofsuch information. The magazine will not be liable for any losscaused by the reliance on information obtained on this site.Furthermore, boards&solutions does not warrant the accuracyor completeness of the information, text, graphics in this maga-zine. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of theauthors and not necessarily the opinions of the publisher.