2013年2月25日 星期一

Driven by electronics

Industrial pc, Console server, networking appliance

High-end electronics provide drivers and passengers with in-car navigation and entertainment and information delivered over a wireless network. In fact, many car buyers today care more about the infotainment technologies embedded in the dashboard than what's under the hood. This phenomenon is requiring additional storage space for rich multimedia data and advanced software and applications and is driving an explosive growth of both volatile and nonvolatile memories. Embedded multimedia cards are helping meet this demand in today's memory-hungry automotives.

Automotive electronics are memory hungry
The explosive growth of infotainment systems in modern cars has a significant impact on the market demand for semiconductor memories. For 2012, the average memory content of a car was estimated to be around US$12.8, ranging from US$2.0 for low-end models to more than US$100 for fully equipped luxury vehicles. As a result, the total available market value for semiconductor memories in automotive applications is expected to reach a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 9 percent from 2011 to 2015, well above the overall CAGR for the total memory semiconductor market, which is less than 7 percent.
Managed NAND: Ideal solution for car infotainment
New memory solutions, specifically tailored for automotive infotainment systems, are needed to provide additional storage space for rich infotainment multimedia data and advanced software and applications. An example is the embedded multimedia card device, a nonvolatile memory option (Figure 1). It has all the features needed to support navigation and infotainment applications such as detailed 3D maps, traffic monitoring, meteorological information, car radioand multimedia, e-call, and voice recognition. Embedded multimedia card memory is a standardized version of the “managed NAND” memory architecture. It is essentially a module based on a bank of nonvolatile NAND flash devices and is internally managed by an ad hocmicrocontroller (Figure 2).

Industrial pc, Console server, networking appliance
Figure 1: Close-up of an embedded multimedia card device: top side view with bonding wires. The package contains everything needed to fully manage the memory independently from the NAND technology inside.
 


Industrial pc, Console server, networking appliance
Figure 2: Schematic diagram of a traditional NAND memory compared to a managed NAND chip that already integrates intelligent functions and an ad hoc microcontroller for easier interface with the host processor.
 

The primary advantage to the user is that an embedded multimedia card’s memory is fully managed and independent from the NAND technology inside. As NAND flash geometries shrink, the technology becomes more complex to manage in terms of dealing with increased Error Correction Code (ECC) requirements, wear leveling, and bad block management. NAND flash is also variable in terms of road-map changes that require updates to software and perhaps even at the controller level.
Embedded multimedia card memory is backward compatible and has a standard interface so that changes to the NAND are transparent to the application. This means that developers don’t have to bother with dedicated software to manage the complexity of NAND flash. Embedded multimedia card memory uses standard interfaces, and functions are geared to match JEDEC specifications.
Micron Technology, for example, provides a wide range of densities of its Embedded MultiMedia Card (e•MMC), 4 GB to 64 GB, with an integrated 16-bit NAND controller that offers more robust management and memory optimization compared to discrete NAND devices. An evolution toward 256 GB modules has already been defined. The next step will be the development of higher-density managed NAND memory solutions like Solid State Drive (SSD) modules and higher-performance 32-bit microcontrollers. All of Micron’s e•MMC devices are available in JEDEC-standard 100-ball, 1 mm pitch and 153-ball/169-ball, 0.5 mm pitch BGA packages, easing the design and validation process that is critical to the fast pace of product development in the automotive segment.
An answer to automotive application needs
Quality is an important factor for the rapidly innovative in-vehicle infotainment electronics market, and memory is the backbone of this segment where semiconductor products must meet specific automotive-grade certifications. Accordingly, embedded multimedia cards have special features to meet automotive requirements, such as dedicated test pads for failure analysis. The NAND devices inside these modules can be accessed without going through the controller, enabling a full and comprehensive check of the memory bank.
e•MMC devices are fully operational at -40 °C to +85 °C so that data written into the memory at the lowest end of the temperature range is still valid when read at peak temperature, and vice versa. Power-loss protection is another advantage. And in the final analysis, embedded multimedia cards help enable a rich infotainment experience – and a safe ride – for driver and passengers.


You can visit:
http://www.acrosser.com/Products/In-Vehicle-Computer.html
Refer:
http://embedded-computing.com/articles/automotive-industry-innovation-driven-electronics/

Modular standards extend ARM platform

The competitive market for smart, connected devices is heating up, which requires OEMs to stay focused on differentiating their products and getting to market quickly. ARM-based building blocks are enabling OEMs to reallocate the resources needed to find, install, program, and troubleshoot drivers or debug hardware and concentrate instead on their core competencies. With prevalidated platforms that are fully configured and tested to deliver the required interoperability, compatibility, and functionality, OEMs can focus on application development and reuse existing application-specific software on a flexible hardware framework.



ARM addresses smart, connected application requirements
The requirements of today’s smart tablet and HMI tool applications extend beyond technology and power specifications to include rugged, extended life-cycle product support. These applications are typically portable systems that challenge embedded designers with space constraints and require fully sealed fanless enclosures that must operate reliably over extended periods. Designers have struggled to make existing standards and higher power consumption processor architectures work in these applications, and thus have anticipated the introduction of more focused products specifically designed to support ARM-based subsystems.
Similar to other popular CPU architectures, the ARM architecture offers an open-systems approach. ARM-based platforms provide excellent performance-per-watt ratios with very low power consumption at less than 1 W operating power, as well as CPU performance that is comparable to or exceeds what is offered in the latest low-power x86 or RISC-based processors. ARM processors deliver the performance needed to power an easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) for mobile smartphones and tablets and also support extended-temperature operation. When ARM’s up to 15-year platform longevity is added to the list of benefits, it is easy to see that these processors meet most smart, connected embedded application demands. However, in the past, a key element to success was missing – new embedded technology standards needed to be established to help drive continued innovation and swift platform adoption.
Global support for ARM platform standards
A new vendor-independent standards organization called the Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies (SGET) was organized to help speed the development of standardized hardware and software for embedded computing. To keep pace with market demands and the dynamic pace of technology, SGET has set simplified rules and shorter objection periods so that specifications can be passed much faster.
The first working group formed under SGET has defined the Ultra-Low-Power Computer-On-Module (ULP-COM) standard aimed at supporting ultra-low-power applications using System-on-Chip (SoC) devices. Figure 1 shows an example of a ULP-COM platform. The ULP-COM specification is characterized by its extremely flat form factor dimensions and its optimized pinoutfor SoC processors. The ULP-COM standard specifies a 314-pin connector with a height of just 4.3 mm (the MXM 3.0). This connection method satisfies mobile design requirements for very low-profile, robust, and cost-effective modules. For additional design flexibility, two different module sizes are specified – a short module measuring 82 mm x 50 mm and a full-size module measuring 82 mm x 80 mm.

Embedded computers, gaming platform, Console server
 

Standardization brings interface support benefits
Before ULP-COM, all existing module specifications were primarily based on x86 technology and its associated chipsets that support a multitude interfaces such as USB, PCI Express, and PCI Express graphics ports geared to PC design. ARM, on the other hand, supports more traditional embedded ports such as UART, I2C, I2S, and SDIO.
The ULP-COM standard addresses the need for dedicated interfaces supported by the latest ARM processors, which makes it notably different from the  standard (see Figure 2). ULP-COM adds features that are not typically found on COM Express, such as the cost-effective parallel TFT display bus and MIPI display interface. It includes support for multiple SPI links and SDIO interfaces, which are needed for consumer camera and phone memory cards. ULP-COM also supports LVDS, HDMI, and embedded DisplayPort for future designs.

Embedded computers, gaming platform, Console server
 

ULP-COM gives designers the standardized feature set specifically matched to ARM I/O. This feature set brings to light the importance software plays in enabling board compatibility and interchangeability and demonstrates why it has become a crucial system design decision now more than ever.
The value of a building block approach
ARM-based devices have been successfully implemented in many embedded systems. However, most of these existing systems offer limited interoperability and lack a clear, scalable design path. Furthermore, products that supported ARM in the past typically required more in-depth development, as the software was tied directly to both the hardware and the specific application, making them more proprietary in nature. That meant that any new design basically had to start from scratch. It was obvious that flexible building blocks were necessary to support the demands of evolving market applications.
This is where platform suppliers with experience bringing standardized form factors such as COM, Mini-ITX motherboards, and Pico-ITX embedded SBCs to market can benefit OEMs. It is this know-how for creating standardized modules that will create ARM-based platform building blocks that OEMs can leverage to secure system longevity and smooth migration from generation to generation. While ARM processors will never completely replace x86 or RISC processors in embedded systems, ARM-based computing platforms can be used as optimized building blocks for certain applications and market segments that are presently underserved.
Steps taken ensure easy adoption and long-term viability
Designers have realized that ARM processor-based platforms are ideal for low-profile, high-densityembedded devices such as tablets, smartphones, and HMI tools. ARM satisfies these application requirements with long product life – a minimum of 7 years and up to 15 years – with processors that are small in size and height and do not require a chipset. With no moving parts, simplified passive cooling and thermal management are achieved to eliminate points of failure for higher system reliability.
A strong ecosystem of hardware and software providers is currently overcoming the continuity of support issues associated with implementing ARM. The availability of standards-based platforms such as the new ULP-COM makes it easier for designers to implement and speed the development of ARM-based products. ULP-COM platforms deliver the desired performance-to-power ratios needed for portable and fully enclosed systems and offer an array of flexible display options for the full range of deployment needs.
Above all, the ULP-COM platforms gives OEMs a prevalidated building block approach that helps ease integration, reduce design risk, and shorten the time from development to deployment of smart, connected devices. The ability to reuse these known building blocks provides the needed interoperability and evolutionary design path embedded systems OEMs demand while also securing technology investments. Suppliers are taking these steps with the goal of making it easier for OEMs to adopt new modules so that ARM’s long-term viability and development benefits will be available for many years to come.
 Refer:
http://embedded-computing.com/articles/modular-scalability-smart-connected-devices/#at_pco=cfd-1.0

2013年2月4日 星期一

Fanless thermal design AIV-HM76V0FL

Industrial pc, Console server, networking appliance
 

AIV-HM76V0FL features Intel HM76 mobile chipset and FCPGA 988 socket for 3rd generation Core i mobile computer platform. AIV-HM76V0FL adopts Acrosser’s expertise of design for in-vehicle applications. These designs include smart power management, high efficient thermal module, and diversity of integrated communication technology such as 4 USB 3.0, CAN bus, Wi-Fi, 3.5G wireless WAN, Bluetooth and GPS.

The smart power management subsystem enables user to define the power on and off sequences through software interface or BIOS setting to meet any requirement of in-vehicle applications.

AIV-HM76V0FL Features
‧ FCPGA 988 socket support Intel 3rd Generation Core i7/i5 and Celeron processors up to 45W i7-3820QM
‧ Fanless thermal design and anti-vibration industrial design
‧ HDMI/DVI/VGA video outputs
‧ Combo connector for Acrosser’s In-Vehicle monitor
‧ 4 external USB 3.0 ports
‧ CAN bus 2.0 A/B
‧ Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5G, GPS
‧ One-wire (i-Button) interface
‧ 9-32 VDC power input
‧ -20 to 60 degree C operating temperature


Acrosser also integrated two useful features to the AIV-HM76V0Fl as AR-V6100. The one-wire (i-Button) interface provides system integrators a low cost solution for driver ID, temperature and humidity sensors. And the combo connector combines VGA, audio, USB and DC 12V power output all in one connector so significantly simplify the harness between the AIV-HM76V0FL and Acrosser’s in-vehicle touch monitors.

Smart power management, high efficient thermal module, and diversity of integrated communication technology

Embedded computers, gaming platform, Console server
Both Acrosser In-Vehicle PC, AR-V6100 & AR-V6005 have been selected as the winner of 21th Taiwan Excellence Award. This award delivered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), to encourage Taiwan industries to upgrade and incorporate innovations into their new products.

All of above functions are controlled by software that can be customized based on ODM customers’ requirement. To execute the 24/7 mission-critical applications on the road, AR-V6100 & AR-V6005 are two of the best solutions for you.