Embedded Systems Design Europe - April 2008 - (Page 39)

new products Embedded computer meets demands Many modern devices are inconceivable without integrated computing power. Increasingly higher demands are placed on embedded computers in regard to compact unit design and response speed. On the one hand, the call is for small and compact design, versatility and easy integration at high computing power and on the other hand, energy-saving operation without auxiliary cooling, wide temperature range and especially the availability for many years represent the demands industrial applications cannot do without. Although the interior of modern computers is not a closed book for developers, it often constitutes a task requiring many manuals. With other words, already the time required to study all intricacies of the system is immense. A proprietary development often only pays off with very large quantities. Universal package solutions are a good alternative for low quantities or short time-to-market. To meet these requirements, the electronics expert Emtrion from Karlsruhe has developed the HiCO.SH7780 single board computer. It is available as universal solution ready for series employment, as customized special version or it can serve as a design base from which customized solutions are developed with support from Emtrion. The core of the board is the SH7780 processor from the SuperH SH-4A family by Renesas. A periphery geared to practical implementation has been developed around this module meeting the tough demands of everyday use in industrial applications. The propriety standardized baseboard and core plug-in connection permits the quick exchange of the components when upgrading. For example, the computing power within a device group can be easily scaled by the choice of the appropriate CPU module. Use of the HiCO.nect interface, makes the board suitable for rapid prototyping in a PC/104 stack and for large-scale production. For the development itself, there is the HiCO. nect-OpenBase baseboard in an adapted starter kit version with standard plug-in connectors for the common connections to the outside world. With 720 MIPS clocked at 400MHz and an optimized design, the new computer combines excellent prolers and a microSD socket. A choice of Windows CE 6.0, Linux 2.6.x and QNX operating systems is available. emtrion supplies each board complete with pre-installed operating system and bootloader, complemented by a board support package and a range of development tools. This allows the developer to start right away with his tasks and to focus on his core competency, the application. The complex structures in modern compact computers place high demands on design and production and therefore require highly specialized know-how. The many obstacles in the forefront can only be mastered by extensive simulation in the design phase, nonetheless, the required startup time is extensive. For reasons of signal integrity and EMC properties, the printed circuit board of the new computer has twelve layers. Because most of the innumerous solder connections of the components are no longer accessible for measurements due to the highly integrated BGA designs, subsequent changes are no longer possible meaning: the complete unit either works right away – or it doesn’t. In its role as Renesas Platinum Partner, Emitron says it is the only company in Europe carrying both proprietary hardware and software and has access to special training programs, support and insight into future processor developments. This provides the customer with the security that future processor developments can be taken into account already ahead of time, a signiﬁcant beneﬁt for product planning. www.emitron.de 39 cessing performance with low power consumption. This makes it a good choice for use in battery powered devices and reduces cooling effort in highly integrated systems. Since the CPU can always run at full clock speed, high temperatures do not reduce performance through derating. The coreboard combines many components to a complete ‘plug-in computer’: Renesas CPU, 1024 x 768 pixel LCD VGA graphics with parallel CRT connection option; 32Mbyte NOR ﬂash; and 128Mbyte DDR SDRAM. Communications to the outside world are provided by: USB 1.1 Host; USB 2.0 Full-speed; CAN 2.0B; 100Base TX-Ethernet; RS232; and two serial ports with TTL levels. Massstorage interfaces are provided by integrated CF card and MMC control- www.embedded.com/europe | embedded systems design europe | APRIL 2008 039_ESDE.indd 39 10/04/08 13:57:48 http://www.emitron.de http://www.embedded.com/europe

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Embedded Systems Design Europe - April 2008 Contents Chip Industry Confronts 'Software' Gap Wind River's VxWorks OS Part of the nEUROn UCAV Demonstrator iSuppli Cuts Electronic Equipment Forecast Study Says GigE Vision Not Mature Chip Aids Wireless Health Monitoring Kontron Reports Strong Financial Growth Xilinx Completes Virtex-5 Line-Up French Project Builds Open Platform Home Automation Group Uses Enocean Radio Layer MIPs Adds Multi-Core Option to Portfolio Cover Feature: Next Gen Programmable Chips: Why Can't Hardware Be More Like Software? Improving Productivity & Quality With Domain-Specific Modeling Efficient CRC Calculation With Minimal Memory Footprint Do-It-Yourself Linux Embedded Development Tools Hardware/Software Verification Enters the Atomic Age New Products Advertising Contacts

Embedded Systems Design Europe - April 2008

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