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FEATURES

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TECH OVERVIEW PC/104 continues to serve multiple markets

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Reduced SWaP for design into embedded platforms using 10 GbE

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PC/104: The small form factor doing big things

By Stephen St. Amant, PC/104 Consortium President

By Roy Keeler, ADLINK

Examining key attributes essential to modular SFF designs

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By Stephen St. Amant, PC/104 Consortium President

PC/104: The small form factor doing big things Writing about PC/104 can be challenging: If you’re just talking about the form factor, there’s not a whole lot of new material to cover. In fact, if you’re reading this in a printed magazine, it’s likely that you already know about PC/104. But for the sake of those who don’t know – if you’re a young engineer, or if you’re the equivalent of that one person who hasn’t seen that classic movie (“Wait... you’ve never seen XYZ??”) – for the sake of the new folks, here’s the recap: PC/104 has been around since the early 1990s. It specifies a particularly rugged, almost square circuit board size with designated corner-mounting holes. There are predetermined locations for stackable connectors that carry various buses: ISA, PCI, and PCI Express.

A benefit of this form factor is that it enables many different configuration options.

With it, single-board computers can combine with power supplies, networking modules, data-acquisition cards, and a wide variety of specialty modules. Some companies who build to the PC/104 standard specialize in particular types of products such as CPUs, CAN bus, or serial cards, while other companies build products that run the entire gamut.

So PC/104’s benefit? You can mix and match. You can tailor a system with exactly the modules you need. SWaP? You bet: PC/104 systems work well in scenarios where size, weight, and power need to be optimized.

Here’s the thing: PC/104 (the form factor) has been around a long time. It is proven.

Countless critical embedded systems have been successfully fielded; these systems are supporting transportation, defense, communications, industrial, security, and research programs around the globe and in space.

What’s more, the leading PC/104 manufacturers are continually developing new products to support the latest needs in the embedded marketspace.

I’ve been talking to embedded systems engineers who design with PC/104, plus to some hardware engineers who build PC/104 modules. I wanted to know: Why PC/104? Why choose it? Why has the form factor endured? Following are some of the answers I got: I have a colleague who has been using PC/104 for a long time. This is a common theme. Some program managers and systems developers have been using the PC/104 form factor for their entire careers. When you find a platform that works well, it’s a good bet that you’ll use it again in the future.

There are a lot of boards on the market, so we have a lot of options. This is also true.

There are a lot of PC/104 modules out there. Many are new – advanced single-board CPUs, Ethernet switches, DSPs, FPGAs – but many others are legacy-based. That is, even as new PC/104-based modules are announced every quarter, most PC/104 manufacturers plan for strategic inventory; they can support products for seven, ten, sometimes 15 years or more. For programs that take years to develop and are expected to www.smallformfactors.com

be fielded for many years beyond that, PC/104 is an excellent choice.

It’s a good balance between size and power. For its size, PC/104 can deliver exceptional performance. It hits a sweet spot where other form factors can sometimes fall short, namely IoT and IIoT. (You can’t write a column these days without mentioning the industrial Internet of Things, so this is a good place to fulfill my duty. Actually, PC/104 is stepping up when it comes to IoT, edge computing, and fog computing.)

PC/104 performs well in rugged environments. Of course, there are a range of products on the market. Some are extended temperature, some are not.

Some are optimized for shock and vibration, some are not. But if you want to build a robust system that can handle -40 °C to +85 °C temperatures while bolted to the side of an excavator in the middle of the desert, PC/104 lets you do that. If you want to configure a system that can work reliably while tucked behind the driver’s seat of an industrial agriculture rig, you can do that too. The products are out there. Thanks to dozens of PC/104 manufacturers, and some stellar enclosure designs, there are countless systems with PC/104 guts making the industrial, defense, and communications world go ‘round.

A call to collaboration and action PC/104 Consortium members and PC/104 manufacturers: Let’s work together: Get involved with the Technical Committee and/or participate in the Marketing Committees. Our working groups include some great industry minds, and they are always eager to welcome new collaborators. For more information on PC/104, check out www.pc104.org or drop us a line at info@pc104.org.

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TECH OVERVIEW

PC/104 continues to serve multiple markets

By Roy Keeler

Since it was first introduced in 1992, the PC/104 form factor has enabled embedded computing for avionics, military command and control, industrial automation, medical systems, and more. Its small size and inherent ruggedization made it ideal for unique applications in the aerospace, industrial, medical, and military markets.

More than 25 years on, the PC/104 standard still serves those industries; it’s also evolved to embrace modern signal-processing components such as the Intel Core i7, on through new versions of the standard such as PC/104-Plus and PCI-104. In today’s environment – where reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements dominate many designs – it still has a place in new systems while continuing to support its legacy systems through technology refresh programs.

PC/104 for military use Since its inception, PC/104 has been ideally suited for the development of rugged small-form-factor (SFF) systems and subsystems, where SWaP is almost certainly one of the design concerns.

PC/104’s support for many different bus interfaces, such as PCI, ISA, and PCIe, enable designers to connect with systems employing legacy bus architectures while providing high-speed serial interconnects.

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The modular, stack-through design of the PC/104/PC104+ platform enables engineers to build tailor-made configurations based on the industry’s extensive range of processing and I/O boards.

An example of such a custom configuration would be the Tomahawk missile launching system, which utilizes PC/104 as part of the missile launched safety interlock system.

(Figure 1.)

In another application, Excalibur Systems’ SFF Dragon system uses rugged PC/104 and PC/104-Plus modules in an enclosed modular casing suitable for military platforms. The system is appropriate for use in data acquisition, recording, and control for any combination of ARINC-429, MIL-STD-1553, Serial, Discrete, or similar types of communication.

We see the military market continuing to support PC/104 technology, with relatively flat revenue growth for PC/104, through 2021. This market may be one of the strongest long-term bets for PC/104 solutions because of its longevity: The military likes technology that will support their platforms, which often have lifespans of decades.

PC/104’s long lifespan can reduce obsolescence costs.

Aviation and PC/104 The same attributes valued by the military market also attract designers to PC/104 for the avionics market, where SWaP is a major concern – especially in older aircraft cockpits. Typical applications in this area include intelligence, surveillance; and reconnaissance (ISR) data collection systems; data hubs; and avionics bus control systems.

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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However, the future of PC/104 in avionics systems looks flat to slightly declining revenue as designers start incorporating SMARC and COM Express modules in next-generation designs.

Once again, some military airborne ISR and other systems may last longer as their designs must live for many years on military platforms.

One of ADLINK’s PC/104 offerings defense and aerospace is the CMx-SLx, a PCI/104-Express Type 1 single board computer with the 6th-generation Intel core processor (formerly codenamed Skylake). The device is specifically designed for users with high-performance graphics processing requirements that wish to outsource the custom core logic of their systems for reduced development time. It can operate in the temperature ranges of 0 °C to 60 °C (standard) and -40 °C to 85 °C (extended).

The CMx-SLx uses Intel generation 9 graphics that include features such as OpenGL 5.x, OpenCL 2.x, DirectX 2015, DirectX 12, Intel Clear Video HD Technology, Advanced Scheduler 2.0, 1.0, XPDM support, and DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) support for www.smallformfactors.com

Figure 1 | A Tomahawk cruise missile launches from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) during a live-fire exercise as part of Valiant Shield 2018 in the Pacific Ocean during September 2018. U.S. Navy photo

by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William Collins III/Released.

THE

The McHale Report, by mil-embedded.com Editorial Director John McHale, covers technology and procurement trends in the defense electronics community.

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TECH OVERVIEW

full HEVC/VP8/VP9/AVC/MPEG2 hardware codec. Graphics outputs include singlechannel 18/24-bit LVDS (eDP x4 lanes optional) and three DDI ports supporting HDMI/ DVI/DisplayPort.

The PC/104-Express SBC has one mini DisplayPort (DDI1), one micro HDMI port (DDI2), one single-channel 18-/24-bit LVDS port (eDP), two Gigabit Ethernet ports, four USB 2.0 ports, two COM ports, eight GPIOs (from BMC), two SATA 6Gb/s ports, and one onboard SATA SSD supporting SLC (up to 32GB) and MLC (up to 64GB).

The module is equipped with an SPI AMI EFI BIOS with CMOS backup, supporting embedded features such as failsafe BIOS, remote console, CMOS backup, hardware monitor, and watchdog timer.

PC/104 in industrial applications The industrial market is the largest single user of PC/104 technology, with 63 percent of all PC/104 applications being industrial automation applications.

The industrial-automation sector covers industrial asset monitoring and tracking, which involves monitoring of assets or devices to ensure uptime performance, version control, and location analysis for a wide range of factory processes. Such processes may include fluid manufacturing, including monitoring of vessels and tanks; distribution, including infrastructure and supply chain; and resource automation, which can involve such disparate areas as agriculture, irrigation, mining, warehouses, factory, and plant.

New industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies are making it easier to bring intelligence to machines: Processors that are powerful enough to handle real-time streams of sensor data and apply machine-learning algorithms are now inexpensive enough to be deployed widely on factory floors to support such functions such as

machine-wear detection and perform nuanced quality control. IIoT logistics tools are able to transmit real-time data on shipments and inventory between manufacturers, shippers, and customers to reduce inventory costs.

The inherent ruggedness and low power of PC/104 stacks are designed into industrial applications such as programable logic devices (PLDs), visioninspection systems, power systems/ controls, mining, and construction controllers. A key application for PC/104 in this area would be data logging for large mining trucks to increase productivity by providing a HUMS [health and usagemonitoring system] function.

We expect to see growth in the midsingle digits for PC/104 in the industrial automation market.

PC/104 in the medical arena The medical market is a bright spot for PC/104 designers, as analysts expect it to show positive growth through 2021.

OpenSystems Media works with industry leaders to develop and publish content that educates our readers.

Strategies for Deploying Xilinx’s Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC

By Robert Sgandurra, Pentek RFSoC was launched in 2017 by Xilinx; it called the new technology “Disruptive Integration and Architectural Breakthrough for 5G Wireless with RF-Class Analog Technology.”

The RFSoC added RF-class analog/digital and digital/analog data converters to Xilinx’s high-performance FPGA family and changed the way engineers could design and package small high-channel-count systems.

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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Figure 2 PC/104 is used widely in portable medical devices – such as this sonography machine – because of its low power consumption, wide range of processor options, and I/O configurations.

medical field choose PC/104 for its low power consumption, wide range of processor selection, and I/O. (Figure 2.)

Looking forward Although new technologies such as COM Express and SMARC are gradually replacing PC/104 in certain applications, we see the market for PC/104 remaining robust with moderate growth through 2021, especially in industrial and medical applications.

So when PC/104 celebrates its 30th birthday it will be celebrating remarkable longevity with its loyal customer base in every market it serves.

Examples of medical applications for PC/104 include portable sonogram devices that can be used in the field to transmit images back to a hospital or doctor.

Actually, the military is also very interested in this technology, as teams at the front or in remote areas could diagnose and treat using these devices. Customers in the

Roy Keeler is senior product and business development manager, aerospace and defense, for ADLINK Technology.

ADLINK • www.adlink.com

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SPECIFICATIONS UPDATE ARCHITECTURES

Examining key attributes essential to modular SFF designs

By Steve Gudknecht

The concept of modular designs in small-form-factor (SFF) electronic systems poses interesting challenges to equipment suppliers who feed the embedded computing market’s demand for smaller, more cost-effective solutions. Competing expectations from designers include reduced size, lower cost, lower NRE (nonrecurring engineering) charges, and the drive for the most forwardreaching future-proof designs that enable form, fit, and functional upgrades at a reasonable cost.

Two key elements stand out in SFF designs. The first is modularity, which implies flexibility, expandability and configurability. To the end user, it means repurposing or upgrading equipment over its service life while maintaining the existing system footprint and preserving as much of the initial investment as possible. The second element is NRE: In an industry where NRE is the bane of designers – and many times a necessity for suppliers – economy dictates that modularity must equate to lower-cost quotes for NRE, or none at all.

The key to moving towards these demands? Paying attention to the details in SFF system designs, which incorporate widely available modular board solutions.

Why modular matters In the defense embedded business, smaller is nearly always better. Air, sea, and land vehicles are space-starved environments, so good SFF system designs must start with the primary goal of designing systems that are either as small as possible or in sync with the de facto size and footprint expectation for a certain application.

In this context, the definition of SFF systems refers to non-slot card architectures, although in some cases, 3U slot cards may certainly be used in “small” systems.

Keeping in step with emerging applications, most traditional suppliers of VITA and PICMG Eurocard-based 19-inch rackmount equipment are increasingly being drawn into the SFF realm, which is currently dominated by COM Express and PCIe/104 board payload types and their many variants.

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In terms of form factors, the basic ingredients of a modular SFF system tends to have evolved into a mix of the following: ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

COM Express: CPU PCIe/104 variants: CPU or I/O miniPCIe: I/O M.2 and mSATA: data storage XMC/PMC: specialized I/O

Rugged modules signal new capabilities The development of rugged modules is a huge enabler to the “modularity” mantra now pervasive in SFF systems. As end-use applications continue to demand that increasing technical capabilities be packed into ever-shrinking spaces, embedded systems developers are drawn to SFF solutions. In response, the newly available rugged modules are finding homes in systems used in harsh and unforgiving environments. www.smallformfactors.com

COM Express modules, while they hail from the commercial realm, are widely used in defense applications. They are now seen as viable computing solutions, thanks to the use of long-life-cycle CPUs and leading-edge rugged extendedtemperature versions. MiniPCIe cards have been around since 2005 in the PC industry, with M.2 and mSATA form factors also emerging from the PC world.

Extended-temperature versions are now available in all three categories. For their part, PCIe/104 and XMC modules have an established history of proven performance in rugged environments, so they’re also a natural fit for the rugged modular paradigm.

Extended function of carrier cards Historically, the carrier card for a COM Express board merely served as the break-out vehicle for native CPU I/O: USB, Ethernet, video, audio, SATA, etc. Carriers were seldom larger than the COM Express module itself, which served the I/O needs of the commercial application space quite well.

Advancing from parallel to serial connectivity, and the resulting proliferation of high-speed PCIe serial I/O ports on CPUs, gave rise to a whole new range of I/O possibilities. The move boosted the workload expectations of the carrier card.

In response, MiniPCIe manufacturers brought out a range of converter modules addressing Gigabit Ethernet, GPS, CAN bus, ARINC, Wifi, a variety of video, and so on. Carrier card designs became larger and more complex to include sites for miniPCIe modules, which converted PCIe to the target I/O for the new applications that opened up as a result.

A natural extension to the added functionality in SFF systems is the need for onboard data storage, which means that carrier sites are common for mSATA and M.2 SSDs modules, with capacities now in the terabytes. XMCs are necessary when considering specialized expansion for FPGAs and frame grabbers. In addition, PCIe/104 and COM Express modules now coexist in the same neighborhoods, thanks to creative suppliers who leverage the benefits of both, combining their respective capabilities onto a common carrier. www.smallformfactors.com

Figure 1 This exploded view of a Type 5305 depicts how nearly all of the basic building blocks of a modular design are brought together.

Image: Elma Electronic.

This evolution has led to highly capable SFF systems sporting the latest CPUs with high-speed application-specific I/O and multiterabyte data storage. Cap off these systems with rugged power supplies and custom I/O panels in solid packaging and suddenly there’s a clear path to an emerging selection of full-featured, configurable SFF platforms. (Figure 1.)

Successfully bringing modular SFFs to market Successfully integrating, packaging, and qualifying SFF systems that incorporate application-specific computing and I/O recipes is a topic unto itself. Instead, let’s focus on the nuances of going to market with SFF systems given the expectations of modularity and NRE, as discussed earlier.

SFF board architectures lack a strong set of governing standards that apply to the external packaging. Given the nature and variety of the applications and varying size requirements, nailing down a standard with a lot of coverage may prove impossible.

Several standards have been floated by VITA, however none have gained wide acceptance yet. As a result, the size and shape of the enclosure as well as the connector selection and pinouts in SFF systems change from application to application. By contrast, in slot card-based systems, 19-inch rackmount chassis are well defined by size standards, as are ATR [air transport rack] chassis size variants.

Regarding connectors, external connections in air-cooled 19-inch chassis are typically cabled off native payload board connectors, then supported in downstream equipment. While external connections are integral to ATRs and other fully enclosed chassis, market expectations in these traditional Eurocard-based systems are that the connector arrangement and I/O panel design is generally custom. This custom expectation regarding connectors and I/O panels must carry over to SFF systems.

Almost off-the-shelf For end users and suppliers, predefined off-the-shelf SFF systems that fulfill the needs of the application represent the path of least resistance – the holy grail. The intent is that an off-the-shelf solution will address the requirement with minimal to no customization, but this is rarely the case. Understanding this goal, many suppliers offer productized off-the-shelf, fully-defined systems that are either designed for the general market from the start or are driven by specific customer requirements and later productized for the general market.

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ARCHITECTURES The latter case leverages the value of an existing design for use in future applications, while the former represents an educated guess. Either way, one thing is certain: The off-the-shelf product will require some level of customization before it can fully address the next opportunity. Some aspect of the design will need to change, whether it’s the I/O recipe, CPU, port count, I/O panel configuration, outer dimensions, or the like.

In SFF systems, this is the reality. The question is how to implement the new requirements and keep the cost, response time, and lead-time expectations of the market in alignment with the design.

Bridging gaps in design requirements Initial inquiries into an off-the-shelf SFF system usually begin with a list of required features, which are not apparent in the system being considered. It often sounds like: “The ComSys seems to fit our requirements however …” It’s the old “COTS, but ...” conversation. (Figure 2.)

Even application-ready SFF systems, like Elma’s rugged ComSys, will incorporate an element of configuration to accommodate evolving mission requirements and component obsolescence.

The discussion that follows the choice of a system determines how quickly the need at hand can be addressed. Streamlining and shortening the bridge between what’s being offered and what’s needed is a measure of a successful baseline design. The shorter that gap, the better the initial design.

Because they’re configurable, modular SFF systems can be marketed and offered with predefined I/O recipes for various applications. Recipes may address communications-centric usage, mobile applications, compute-centric, missioncontrol-centric, or mobile networking in air, land, and sea. Well-designed systems enable end users to see the utility not only in the specific configuration of the system, but just as importantly, in the configurability of the system. It’s important that suppliers can articulate the latter point. Carrier design and a holistic system-design approach facilitate change both at initial definition as well as further down the line after deployment.

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Figure 2 Even application-ready small-form-factor systems, like Elma’s ComSys, assume an element of configuration.

Elma Electronic photo.

Carriers design for mission evolution Missions change, I/O requirements evolve, and CPUs run out of steam during the lifetime of a system, so optimal carrier design is paramount when it comes to accommodating those changes. In addition to the COM Express CPU module, carrier designs should support between one and four miniPCIe sites for application-specific I/O. Intelligent designs, which include stacked sites, allow a rich set of I/O without increasing the footprint of the system. An important goal of the design is to support as many I/O recipes as effectively as possible. MiniPCIe enables this and leaves open the possibility of changes at a later date.

Modular designs should enable system upgrades while preserving as much as possible of the total initial cost of the system. Accommodating storage and specialized I/O with M.2/mSATA and PMC/XMC sites, respectively, further enable downstream configuration changes.

With I/O changes come I/O panel design variants: Commonly-used connectors include MIL-DTL-38999, Mighty Mouse, and M12 connectors, which come with their own array of options. Rugged systems are typically cableless designs, in terms of internal connectivity. The I/O panel, therefore, includes not only the connectors, but also the underlying PC board and the front face of the enclosure. Even as system changes are accommodated by the modular design, NRE charges when necessary are often related to getting the signals outside the box.

Robust and well-rounded modular designs Capping off a successful modular design and further shortening the “however” discussion is the designer’s ideal expectation. Experienced embedded systems suppliers will help with qualification testing for a series of anticipated designs. They also should bring to the table extensive thermal and functional testing of multiple configurations derived from the system in question as well as from other similar systems from their overall offering.

Well-engineered modular SFF system designs should allow for streamlined configuration changes in order to maintain optimal performance, while minimizing the time and cost associated with those changes. Smart designs will include support for a balanced mix of I/O recipes, computing options, and storage upgrades in the form of COTS modular board form factors. Suppliers with experience in designing custom packaging for harsh environments are best equipped to offer a complete solution across multiple applications.

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

Steve Gudknecht is product manager at Elma Electronic.

He has held positions in field applications and marketing in high-technology industries for nearly three decades. Steve’s responsibilities include product development, product marketing, training, and sales support. Readers may reach Steve at steven.gudknecht@elma.com.

Elma Electronic www.elma.com www.smallformfactors.com

ARCHITECTURES

Reduced SWaP for design into embedded platforms using 10 GbE

By Mike Southworth As advanced network features and increasing speeds are added to nextgeneration rugged embedded switches, these products become even more useful for military applications by helping to reduce system size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) through a reduction of cabling and the use of Layer 3 switches for basic network routing duties.

At the same time, there’s increased use of 10 Gbps Ethernet network backbones on military platforms to handle new, faster intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors, such as high-definition (HD) video cameras. HD video feeds have historically required H.264 or similar compression for transmission over a 1 GbE network interface.

Now, with support for 10 Gbps data rates, the latest switches can handle multiple cameras and transmit uncompressed HD video at line rate.

What’s more, 10 GbE can be delivered over fiber optics, providing additional cybersecurity benefits; since fiber is immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI), it can’t be hacked. Bringing the latest performance advantages to deployed embedded applications, the networking world’s industry standard, Cisco Systems, recently announced new embedded services switch (ESS) technology. With the introduction of Cisco’s latest offering, truly rugged Cisco IOSbased networking technology can for the first time support 10 Gbps in harsh military environments with a roadmap towards Layer 3 routing switch software capabilities. (Figure 1.)

In the OSI [Open Systems Interconnection] model of computer networking, Layer 2 defines the “data link layer” where switches can connect one device to another using MAC [media access control] addresses within a local area network (LAN). The Layer 3 “network layer” is where routing, using Layer 3 www.smallformfactors.com

protocols, takes place between different network IP addresses over a wide-area network (WAN, i.e., internet). In short, for routing, networks connect to other networks, while switching instead links a device to an adjacent device on the same network. With the advent of the Layer 3 switch (also referred to as a routing switch), the paradigm shifts: A switch still primarily serves as a Layer 2 LAN device but adds some enhanced capabilities to support basic Layer 3 routing.

Dedicated network routers, which provide special services different from switches, won’t all be replaced by Layer 3 switches. While routers and Layer 3 switches can both be used for IP routing, dedicated routers uniquely provide security and communications services, such as firewall/Virtual Private Network (VPN) encryption, intrusion detection and prevention services (IDS/IPS), and Voice over IP (VoIP) phone services, etc.

These network services and the IP routing process add overhead to routers, and can reduce router throughput speeds to something less than the line rate speeds (1 Gbps/10 Gbps) of switches.

In fact, when dedicated routers are used to secure traffic over encrypted tunnels through commercial standards, like AES or NSA Suite B, their throughput can be reduced by 50 percent or more. Layer 3 switches deliver high switching speeds, but the sophistication of their Layer 3 connection is limited (i.e., which protocols and security capabilities they support). If these security/communications services are not needed, or routing requirements are less dynamic, a Layer 3 switch offers the advantage of high speed with support for Layer 3 routing protocols.

The new Cisco ESS technology brings high-speed switching to the embedded environment, with basic routing capabilities soon to follow. Like previous embedded and industrial products from

Figure 1 | Curtiss-Wright’s DuraNET 30-2020 and DuraMAR 5915 are examples of rugged embedded switch and router systems.

Cisco, the new switch supports the wide operating temperature ranges required in military and aerospace applications.

But unlike previous models, the new ESS module brings an enterprise-class, Cisco IOS-managed switch with 10 GbE support to deployed applications. It also supports IEEE-1588 high-speed precision timing, antitamper features (such as secure boot and IEEE 802.1AE MACsec encryption), Power over Ethernet (PoE), and PoE+ capabilities. PoE helps reduce SWaP, enabling both data and power to be sent over a single CAT5/6 cable and eliminating the need for a separate power connection to IP phones or cameras. For applications with basic routing needs, this new switch architecture roadmaps Layer 3 software support to handle routing protocols like OSPF, RIP, InterVLAN, EIGRP, etc.; such a setup means further savings because a single SWaP-optimized embedded device can handle both highspeed switching and basic routing duties.

As the use of high-speed ISR sensors grows, the availability of 10 GbE Layer 3 switch technology will help eliminate data bottlenecks by bringing enterprise-class networking to the warfighter.

Mike Southworth is product line manager for CurtissWright Defense Solutions.

Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions www.curtisswrightds.com

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APPLICATION TRENDS

PC/104 adds processing power, dense I/O for the industrial IoT revolution

By Jeff Milde

The IIoT [industrial Internet of Things] is poised to reshape factory automation, transportation, energy, and other industrial markets through the application of intelligence and connectivity, but the embedded systems that power these segments are still hampered by concerns about longevity, reliability, and low power consumption. Meanwhile, the use of higher-precision sensors, growing demand for video and graphics capability, and the desire for local analytics processing are driving an exponential demand for performance.

As usual, it is the responsibility of embedded – and now IoT – designers to balance these wants with size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) thresholds.

In addition, critical industries typically call for solutions that can be integrated into existing systems without extensive reengineering.

At the intersection of these requirements lies the proven, compact, and easily expandable PC/104 standard. Aside from its small footprint and low power consumption, close cooperation between component suppliers and board designers

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has resulted in a stackable architecture that has risen to the design challenges of each of the last three decades (Figure 1). Now equipped with next-generation I/O and support for modern processors, PC/104 is primed to upgrade the installed base of industrial systems with IIoT capabilities.

The evolution of PC/104 from industrial to IIoT In keeping with Moore’s Law, the drive for more computational power, and therefore the need for faster data links, the PC/104 family of specifications has consistently incorporated new I/O technologies since its inception in 1987. As shown in Figure 2, this evolution has included the addition of PCI and PCI Express (PCIe) interfaces from the original ISA bus foundation.

The progression of PC/104 technology also coincides with rising bandwidth requirements in industrial systems, which now employ multicore systems-on-chip (SoCs) to support additional sensors and connectivity as part of the IIoT infrastructure. For

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

www.smallformfactors.com

designers looking to scale existing designs to support these capabilities, PC/104Plus and PCI/104-Express provide the ideal bridge technology.

PCI/104-Express, for example, supports not only PCIe, but high-speed interfaces like USB, SATA, and Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) as well. These interfaces, along with a higher level of signal integrity in the PCI/104-Express specification, ease integration of next-generation I/O peripherals and eliminate the need for reengineering when adding modules to the stack.

Additionally, with PC/104-compatible peripheral modules for almost any required capability, designers can move quickly from industrial to IIoT. Powering PC/104 into IIoT with peripherals The ability to add functionality by stacking peripheral modules on top of a processor baseboard has helped PC/104 maintain its popularity over the years.

In addition to providing a platform for new technologies, corner-mounting holes and stack-through connectors on each board – excepting the base – mean that legacy systems built on PC/104 technology can be upgraded easily, even across vendors.

Figure 1 PC/104’s rugged and modular architecture allows developers to add functionality by merely adding a board to the stack (Source: PC/104 and Small Form Factors).

For industrial engineers looking to transition their systems to IIoT readiness, today’s PC/104 peripheral modules offer features ranging from intelligent data acquisition and Wi-Fi connectivity to high-resolution imaging over GbE and more. Below are a few use cases that demonstrate how the compact and rugged PC/104 form factor can be leveraged to quickly add design capabilities.

Data acquisition PC/104’s flexible I/O architecture can be coupled with fast processors for high-capturerate data-acquisition systems. One example is a high-speed camera and frame grabber in which a PCIe/104 card can be used to connect multiple cameras while also controlling the high-speed bus. How? High-speed processing and specific peripheral circuitry can coexist on the same PC/104 board.

One PCIe/104 data acquisition I/O card that integrates analog I/O technology with a PCIe interface is the E104-DAQ1616 module from Diamond Systems Corporation.

The module supports all data-acquisition functions, including analog-to-digital (A/D), digital-to-analog (D/A), digital input/output (DIO), and counters/timers. The board also supports the PCI-104 connector footprint as an option for communication with PCI-104 cards within existing stacks.

Gigabit Ethernet Aside from advanced processors, industrial applications like remote surveillance and traffic monitoring demand high-speed video packet streaming. Support for GbE, USB readiness, and low power consumption in the PCI/104-Express and PCIe/104 deliver on these requirements in abundance.

Figure 2 | The PC/104 family of specifications has provided a steppingstone to higher-performance embedded systems since 1987. Now, it is enabling these systems to transition to IIoT (Source: PC/104 Consortium). www.smallformfactors.com

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APPLICATION TRENDS The LAN25222HR and LAN35222HR dual-GbE modules from RTD Embedded Technologies provide GbE communications over the PCI/104-Express and PCIe/104 architectures, respectively. Driven by the Intel 82574IT GbE controller, these modules each offer two GbE connections and 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 communications on each channel.

When deployed in video applications, the RTD boards perform tasks like data offloading and frame grabbing by providing desktop-level performance in a PC/104 form factor. Dual-GbE interfaces, a host of other I/O, and onboard Trusted Platform Module (TPM) make it a potential centerpiece for connected industrial designs that require high levels of data integrity and security.

Meanwhile, WinSystems’ PX1-C415 PCIe/104 SBC (Figure 3), based on the Intel Apollo Lake-I E3900 processor, delivers dual GbE and a range of additional I/O through the OneBank expansion. The boards also include a TPM, making it a seamless choice for small-form-factor, rugged IIoT communications systems that handle sensitive data.

Wi-Fi controllers Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming the communication channel of choice for non-realtime applications in industrial environments like factory floors. Here again, PC/104’s stackable architecture enables designers to seamlessly incorporate Wi-Fi modules or subsystems into existing industrial designs.

Figure 3 | The PXI-C415 is a PCIe/104 single-board computer based on the Intel Atom E3900 processor, offering dual Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) connectivity and a trusted platform module (TPM) for sensitive Industrial IoT applications (Source: WinSystems)

For instance, RTD Embedded Technologies offers PCI/104-Express and PCIe/104 Mini-PCIe card carrier modules for embedding Wi-Fi functionality into industrial applications: the WLAN25203ER (Figure 4) and WLAN35203ER. Both of these Wi-Fi solutions incorporate Atheros wireless LAN (WLAN) modules that are compliant with the 802.11a/b/g/n standards.

RADAR &

Electronic Warfare The Radar/Electronic Warfare monthly newsletter provides features, news, columns, and more covering radar and electronic warfare technology as well as hardware and software designs for systems in the defense and aerospace markets.

Subscribe to receive your copy of the newsletter: http://url.opensystemsmedia.com/radar_quarterly_subscribe Archived newsletters at: mil-embedded.com/radar-electronic-warfare

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

Figure 4 | Wi-Fi card carriers like the WLAN25203ER (shown) and WLAN35203ER from RTD Embedded Technologies can boost PC/104 stack capabilities by connecting them to wireless IIoT networks (Source: RTD Embedded Technologies).

The dual-slot Mini-PCIe card carriers support both Type 1, Type 2, and universal PCI/104-Express and PCIe/104 expansion pinout options. Type 1 features PCIe x1 and x16 links with USB 2.0, while Type 2 supports PCI Express x1 and x4 links with USB 3.0 and SATA for the latest peripheral devices. The universal pinout supports PCIe x1 and/or USB 2.0.

The PC/104 and x86 partnership continues At this time, when the world of graphics and displays is converging with IIoT designs, x86 processors with powerful CPUs and video-processing capabilities are becoming increasingly prominent.

These processors offer more compute performance, higher-resolution graphics, www.smallformfactors.com

promise of reliability and long lifecycle operation, PC/104 developers can depend on their investment well into the future. With an architecture that allows industrial designers to quickly deliver more performance and new functionality, there is no need to design new modules, source additional modules, or rebuild entire systems from scratch.

For organizations looking to take advantage of IIoT without massive investment or significant downtime, it’s time to get reacquainted with PC/104. To join the Industrial IoT revolution, visit the PC/104 Consortium at www.pc104.org.

Figure 5 | The Liger EPM-43 from VersaLogic is a PC/104-Plus expansion board that makes it easy to upgrade systems to seventh-generation Intel core processor technology (Source: VersaLogic Corp.).

Jeff Milde is Executive Director of the PC/104 Consortium.

PC/104 Consortium www.pc104.org

and faster I/Os than previous-generation industrial CPUs while also consuming less power.

Originally designed with support for x86 processors in mind, PC/104 is already positioned to handle these workloads.

VersaLogic’s PC/104-Plus Liger board is a case in point, featuring a seventhgeneration Intel core processor based on the Kaby Lake microarchitecture. The mix of traditional I/O and advanced processing performance on the Liger offers the ability to upgrade legacy industrial designs while preserving connectivity with already-deployed modules or custom peripherals. The Liger also integrates a TPM security chip directly onto the PCB that provides hardware-level security and prevents unauthorized access for sensitive industrial applications. (Figure 5.)

Modular

Mission and Networking

Systems

CPU Gigabit Ethernet Custom I/O Design

The existing design infrastructure around x86 processors and associated software complements PC/104’s versatility by enabling emerging functionality and maintaining compatibility with existing solutions. The combined ecosystem also offers a powerful platform on top of which industrial developers can customize their designs to meet specific requirements.

PC/104: Reload, don’t rebuild A dense mix of I/O interfaces, wired and wireless connectivity mechanisms, and expansion options in a small form factor continue to enable designers to place PC/104 technology in embedded systems ranging from resource-constrained control systems to high-performance IIoT solutions. By providing support for advanced processors and high-speed interfaces while still delivering on the www.smallformfactors.com

Removable Storage

Optional Cisco Router MIL-STD 704 and 1275 PSU

Rugged construction designed for a variety of board form factors. Rugged performance, fast configuration upgrades and long term support

With you at every stage!

Elma Electronic Inc.

elma.com

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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❙ 17

COMs and PC/104 CONSORTIUM SOMs

History of the PC/104 Consortium The PC/104 Consortium was established in February 1992 by 12 companies with a common vision of adapting desktop computer technology for embedded applications. This consortium has had a tremendous, positive effect on the embedded computer marketplace. The initial release of the PC/104 specification in March of 1992 was an open design offering the power and flexibility of an IBM compatible personal computer in a size ideally suited for embedding. Simple and elegant in design, while small but rugged in performance, PC/104 technology bridged the successes of the past with the promises of future innovations.

The ISA bus of the original IBM PC –– as established by the IEEE P996 specification – is still fully supported today by PC/104 technology over two decades after it was created.

When demand for a faster, higher-bandwidth bus emerged, the PC/104 Consortium once again followed the desktop PC by adding a PCI bus to the ISA bus. Following on, PC/104-Plus was introduced in February of 1997. By keeping the ISA bus and adding the PCI bus, this specification became an addition to the technology rather than a replacement of any existing technology.

When desktop PCs stopped using the ISA bus, the PC/104 Consortium was ready with PCI-104 technology. The concept of PCI with no ISA was introduced in the original PC/104-Plus specification and was subsequently formally recognized with its own specification in November 2003. Once again, the PC/104 Consortium followed the desktop PC while keeping the legacy specifications intact.

This growth pattern underscores the PC/104 Consortium’s desire to support the legacy technology while developing new solutions for the future. Longevity is a requirement for embedded systems and remains one of the hallmarks of PC/104 technology. This aspect is proven time and again by the number of PC/104, PC/104-Plus, and PCI-104 products on the market today, as well as by the number of PC/104 sites on other form-factor boards.

To learn more about PC/104 Consortium organization and membership, please visit www.pc104.0g or email the organization at info@pc104.org.

PC/104 Consortium Founding Members

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Ampro

DMS Systems

Real Time Devices

Automation Instruments

Enclosure Technologies

Reflection Technology

BG Technologies

IOTech Inc.

Voice Connection

Diamond Systems

Quantum Software Systems

Xecom

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

www.smallformfactors.com

Types of PC/104 Specifications ❚ PC/104: Like the original PC bus itself, PC/104 is thus the

❚ EPIC: The EPIC specification defines a physical platform

expression of an existing de facto standard, rather than

for midsized embedded single-board computer (SBC) with

being the invention and design of a committee. In 1992,

multiple I/O expansion options. Its size is midway between

the IEEE began a project to standardize a reduced form-

the industry standard PC/104 stackable format and EBX

factor implementation of the IEEE P996 (draft) specification

SBC format. This size board will support larger processors

for the PC and PC/AT buses, for embedded applications.

requiring large heat sinks. The added space also allows for

The PC/104 specification has been adopted as the “base

combining features on an SBC which would normally be

document” for this new IEEE draft standard, called the

found on multiple PC/104 modules.

P996.1 Standard for Compact Embedded-PC Modules. ❚ EPIC Express: Its size is midway between the ❚ The key differences between PC/104 and the regular

industry-standard PC/104 stackable format and the EBX

PC bus (IEEE P996) are compact form factor, with size

SBC format. This board emphasizes I/O connector area.

reduced to 3.6 by 3.8 inches; unique self-stacking bus,

The added space also allows for combining features

which eliminates the cost and bulk of backplanes and card

on an SBC which would normally be found on multiple

cages; pin-and-socket connectors, in which rugged and

PC/104 modules.

reliable 64- and 40-contact male/female headers replace the standard PC’s edge card connectors; and relaxed bus

❚ EBX: The EBX form factor, combining a

drive (6 mA), which lowers power consumption to one or

standard footprint with open interfaces, is small

two watts per module and minimizes component count.

enough for deeply embedded applications, yet large enough to contain the functions of a full embedded

❚ PC/104-Plus: This specification establishes a standard for

computer system: CPU, memory, mass storage

the use of a high-speed PCI bus in embedded applications.

interfaces, display controller, serial/parallel ports, and

Incorporating the PCI bus within the industry-proven

other system functions.

PC/104 form factor brings many advantages, including fast data transfer over a PCI bus, low cost due to PC/104’s

❚ EBX Express: Allows easy and modular addition of

unique self-stacking bus, and high reliability due to

functions not contained in standard product offerings.

PC/104’s inherent ruggedness.

This EBX system expansion is based on popular existing industry standards — PC/104, PCI, PC/104-Plus,

❚ PCI-104: To accommodate the gradual replacement of ISA

PCI-104, and PCMCIA.

bus devices with PCI devices, the PCI-104 was approved by the PC/104 Consortium. PCI-104 is a PCI-only architecture

❚ “Adopt-a-spec”: Any group or individual(s) having

that accommodates the advances of PCI devices in a small,

a specification for an embedded technology that

rugged form factor.

implements and/or supports PC/104 technology may present the specification to the Consortium for

❚ PCI/104-Express: Incorporating the PCI Express bus

consideration as a standard.

within the industry-proven PC/104 architecture brings many advantages for embedded applications, including

Please see website (http://pc104.org/hardware-

fast data transfer, low cost due to PC/104’s unique self-

specifications/adopt-a-spec) for additional information.

stacking bus, high reliability due to PC/104’s inherent ruggedness, and long term sustainability. www.smallformfactors.com

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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❙ 19

PC/104 CONSORTIUM

PC/104 Consortium Members at Embedded World February 26-28, 2019

| Nuremberg, Germany

| www.embedded-world.de/en

PC/104 CONSORTIUM MEMBER

BOOTH NUMBER

AAEON Technology Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-350 ADL Embedded Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-554 ADLINK Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-540 Axiomtek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-456 bplus GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-438 Connect Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-430 Diamond Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 2/2-350 ept Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 3/3/510 Fastwel Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-512 iBASE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 2/2-140 OpenSystems Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 3/3A-528 PEAK System Technik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 1/1-483 Samtec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 4/4A-240 Versa Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 3/3-257 Win Systems Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall 2/2-620 Listings and locations are as of 10/2018; subject to change

PC/104 Consortium 2018-2019 Member Directory AAEON Technology Inc. www.aaeon.com

EVOC Intelligent Technology www.evoc.com

Red Wave Labs Ltd. www.redwavelabs.com

ADL Embedded Solutions www.adl-usa.com

Fastwel Corp. www.fastwel.com

RTD Embedded Technologies www.rtd.com

ADLINK Technology www.adlinktech.com

General Standards Corp. www.generalstandards.com

Samtec www.samtec.com

Advanced Micro Peripherals www.ampltd.com

Hivertec www.hivertec.com

SBS Science & Technology www.sbs.cn

Alpha Project Co. www.apnet.co.jp

iBASE www.ibase.com/tw

Sealevel Systems www.sealevel.com

Axiomtek www.axiomtek.com

MicroMax Computer Intelligence www.micromax.com

Sundance Multiprocessor Technology www.sundance.com

bplus GmBH www.b-plus.com/en.home.html

MPL AG www.mpl.ch

Tri M Technologies www.tri-m.com

Connect Tech www.connecttech.com

PEAK System Technik www.peak-system.com

Umezawa Musen Denki www.umezawa.co.jp

Diamond Systems www.diamondsystems.com

Perfectron www.perfectron.com

Unicorp www.unicorpinc.com

Douglas Electronics www.douglas.com

PC/104 and Small Form Factors www.smallformfactors.mil-embedded.com

Versa Logic www.versalogic.com

Dynamic Engineering www.dyneng.com/pc104.html

RAF Electronic Hardware www.rafdwe.com

WinSystems www.winsystems.com

ept Inc. www.ept.de

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Fall 2018 PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

Listings and locations are as of 10/2018; subject to change www.smallformfactors.com

Hardware and Peripherals

Apex Embedded Systems LLC

PEAK-System Technik GmbH

STX104-1MFIFO-DAQ The STX104 is a COTS PC/104 16-bit 200KSPS analog module. The STX104 offers many data collection methods and relaxed high-speed sampling all utilizing a one million sample FIFO. The STX104 can be synchronized to periodic sources to allow sampling at crucial portions of analog input signals.

The STX104 includes a wide input range from ±10V down to 0-1.25V. Additional features include polarized connectors, free of tantalum and electrolytic capacitors for fire avoidance and vacuum conditions, legacy compatibility with many other cards and standard -40 °C to +85 °C operation.

PCAN-PC/104-Plus Quad The PCAN-PC/104-Plus Quad card enables the connection of four CAN networks to a PC/104-Plus system. Up to four cards can be operated, with each piggy-backing off the next. The CAN bus is connected using a 9-pin D-Sub plug on the slot brackets supplied. There is galvanic isolation of up to 500 Volts between the computer and CAN sides.

The PCAN-PC/104-Plus Quad is supplied with the CAN monitor PCAN-View for Windows® and the programming interface PCANBasic. Device drivers are available for Windows® and Linux.

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

The STX104 has long-term availability, optional 2mm connector & cables and is assembled in the USA. https://apexembeddedsystems.com/collections/pc104-small-form-factor http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374807

www.peak-system.com/quick/PC104-3 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p367584

Hardware and Peripherals

Hardware and Peripherals

PEAK-System Technik GmbH

PEAK-System Technik GmbH

PCAN-PC/104

PCAN-PCI/104-Express

The PCAN-PC/104 card enables the connection of one or two CAN networks to a PC/104 system. Multiple PCAN-PC/104 cards can easily be operated using interrupt sharing. The CAN bus is connected using a 9-pin D-Sub plug on the slot bracket supplied.

The PCAN-PCI/104-Express card enables the connection of 1, 2, or 4 CAN busses to a PCI/104-Express system. Up to 4 cards can be stacked together.

The CAN bus is connected using a 9-pin D-Sub plug on the slot brackets supplied. There is galvanic isolation of up to 500 Volts between the computer and CAN sides. The card is available as a single, dual, or four-channel version.

The card is available as a single or dual-channel version. The opto-decoupled versions guarantee galvanic isolation of up to 500 Volts between the PC and the CAN sides.

The PCAN-PC/104 is supplied with the CAN monitor PCANView for Windows® and the programming interface PCAN-Basic.

Device drivers are available for Windows® and Linux.

The card is supplied with the CAN monitor PCAN-View for Windows® and the programming interface PCAN-Basic. Device drivers are available for Windows® and Linux.

www.peak-system.com/quick/PC104-1 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p343616

www.peak-system.com/quick/PC104-4 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p373188

Hardware and Peripherals

Hardware and Peripherals

PEAK-System Technik GmbH

PEAK-System Technik GmbH

PCAN-PC/104-Plus

PCAN-PCI/104-Express FD

The PCAN-PC/104-Plus card enables the connection of one or two CAN busses to a PC/104Plus system. Up to four cards can be operated, with each piggy-backing off the next. The CAN bus is connected using a 9-pin D-sub plug on the slot bracket supplied.

The PCAN-PCI/104-Express FD allows the connection of PCI/104-Express systems to CAN and CAN FD busses. Up to four cards can be stacked together. The CAN bus is connected via 9-pin D-Sub connectors to the supplied slot brackets. There is a galvanic isolation between the computer and the CAN side up to 500 Volts. The card is available as a single, dual, or four-channel version.

The card is available as a single or dual-channel version. The opto-decoupled versions guarantee galvanic isolation of up to 500 Volts between the PC and the CAN sides.

The PCAN-PC/104-Plus is supplied with the CAN monitor PCANView for Windows® and the programming interface PCAN-Basic.

Device drivers are available for Windows® and Linux.

www.peak-system.com/quick/PC104-2 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p345620 www.smallformfactors.com

The monitor software PCAN-View and the programming interface PCAN-Basic are included in the scope of supply and support the new standard CAN FD. Device drivers are available for Windows® and Linux.

www.peak-system.com/quick/PC104-5 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374535 PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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Hardware and Peripherals

PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

IOT

SBCs and Boards

RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc.

Alphi Technology Corporation

Managed Scalable GigE Switches The LAN35MH08HR is an 8-port 10/100/1000 scalable Managed Ethernet switch. This switch module has a total of 10 ports: 8 ports are provided to I/O connectors, one port is available to the host CPU through a x1 PCI Express GigE controller, and one port is used as a stacking switch expansion port allowing full compatibility with RTD’s managed and unmanaged StackNET® Ethernet switch family. This also allows the CPU to use the switch without external cables. The onboard CEServices Carrier Ethernet switching software provides a rich Layer 2 switching solution with Layer 3-aware packet processing. Operational from -40 to +85°C.

PCIe-Mini-DIO16/32 16 Channel RS-422/485 or 32 Channel LVTTL The PCIe-Mini-DIO16/32 is PCI Express Mini board that uses an Altera Cyclone IV FPGA to provide a combination of size and I/O capability that is unique in today’s marketplace. Its 32 I/O channels can monitor or control the on/off (high/low) status of up to 16 RS-422/485 differential devices or up to 32 LVTTL channels, selectable in groups of 2. Inputs can be configured to detect channel state changes or voltage levels. The RS-422/485 input threshold includes hysteresis for increased noise immunity.

A separate transition module is not required.

Size: 30mm x 50.95mm Operating temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C

www.rtdstacknet.com http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374464

www.alphitech.com/doc/PCIe-Mini-dio16.pdf http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374795

SBCs and Boards

SBCs and Boards

Acromag

Advanced Micro Peripherals

XMC610 Quad-port GbE XMC Mezzanine Modules XMC610 Series modules provide four independent gigabit Ethernet interface ports when used on VME, VPX, PCIe or other embedded computing carrier boards. The industry-leading Intel® I350 Ethernet Controller interfaces with the PCIe bus via four high-speed serial lanes on the XMC P15 connector. Two models offer either four RJ45 connectors on the front panel for copper cabling or four SFP connectors to additionally support fiber optic media. The rear I/O model routes four 1000BASE-T connections to the P16.

Designed for COTS applications, these XMC modules are ideal for use in defense, aerospace, industrial, and scientific research computing systems.

nanoGrabber-HD-SDI - miniPCIe HD-SDI Video Frame Grabber The nanoGrabber-HD-SDI is a high-performance, high definition, raw video frame grabber on a single Mini PCI Express card. The nanoGrabber-HD-SDI provides a powerful and flexible solution for capturing HD-SDI digital video for local system display or software analysis and processing. The small form factor of the nanoGrabber-HD-SDI makes it ideal for embedded Situational Awareness systems in the most demanding environment.

The nanoGrabber-HD-SDI supports real-time video capture at up to 1080p30. The flexible capture engine also supports other common HD-SDI resolutions allowing data to be captured from a wide range of sources and sensors. The nanoGrabber-HD-SDI is supported by drivers and example applications for Windows and Linux.

www.acromag.com http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374677

www.amp-usa.com/products/mini-pcie-video-nanograbber-hd-sdi/ http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374802

SBCs and Boards

SBCs and Boards

Acromag

Datasound Laboratories Ltd

XMC730 Multi-function I/O XMC Mezzanine Modules

VDX3-6754

The XMC730 provides flexible, high-density I/O with highperformance DMA to solve a variety of SWaP-challenges. The XMC730 performs analog input, analog output, digital I/O and counter/timer functions. Three models provide front 68-pin SCSI-2 I/O connection or rear P16 and P4 I/O connectors.

These boards are designed for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) applications providing an abundance of I/O options to save I/O slots. A variety of carrier cards are available to host up to two XMC730 modules on VPX or PCI Express computer platforms.

www.acromag.com http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374795

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

Due to the sky-rocketing cost of DDR1 memory and the availability of the CPU, the VDX3-6754 is designed to replace the aging AMD LX800 based processor cards as it nears EOL. The VDX3-6754 PC/104 offers increased performance whilst reducing power consumption and cost over LX800 equivalents.

With a large coverage of I/O including 1x 10/100 Mbit Ethernet, 4x Serial ports, 16-bit GPIO, Mic In, VGA/LVDS support, SATA, and even a parallel port.

The VDX3-6754 is also available with an extended temperature range of -40°C – 85°C for particularly harsh environments.

www.dsl-ltd.co.uk/product/vdx3-6754 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374742 www.smallformfactors.com

Systems

RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc.

RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc.

Intel Atom E3800-Based SBC

HiDANplus® HDP1011

The CML24BT is an advanced PC/104 single board computer and controller with a PCI/104-Express stackable bus structure. This Intel Atom E3800-based CPU is exceptionally suited for intelligent systems requiring low power consumption in harsh thermal conditions. The CML24BTseries CPUs are available in passively-cooled quad-core, dualcore, and single-core configurations. Surface-mount Type 2 PCI Express connectors enable users to stack multiple peripheral modules above and below the CPU. All models include 4GB surface-mount single-channel DDR3 SDRAM and a 32GB industrial grade surface-mount SATA flash drive. -40 to +85°C standard operating temperature. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) onboard for secure storage of cryptographic keys.

RTD's HDP1011 embedded computer system provides an IP67 and IP69 robust Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) solution enabling rapid uptime for mission-critical applications. The system includes a high-reliability Intel Core i7-based single board computer with surface-mount DDR3 SDRAM, a robust synchronous power supply, and room for an additional peripheral module without increasing the enclosure size. Additional configuration options include a removable SATA drawer. The milled aluminum enclosure with advanced heat sinking delivers passively-cooled performance from -40 to +85°C. Integrated tongue-and groove architecture with EMI gaskets create a watertight solution with excellent environmental isolation.

www.rtd.com/atom http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p373421

www.rtdstacknet.com/hdp1011 http://smallformfactors.opensystemsmedia.com/p374466

OpenSystems Media webcastS Leveraging Open Standards and C4ISR for Multi-domain Challenges in Modern Warfare Sponsored by Elma Electronic and Pentek For any military force, the key to victory is dominance in multiple battlefield domains – ground, sea, air, space, and now cyber. To achieve that dominance militaries must leverage communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) technology across those domains.

This webcast will cover how embedded electronics and open standards enable superior C4ISR – from sensors to signal processing to real-time communications.

Expert Speaker: Ray Alderman, Chairman of the Board, VITA http://ecast.opensystemsmedia.com/816

Designing for Medical Applications Presented by Kontron From the outside, a medical device very closely resembles any other embedded system: Medical devices have a processing element, an operating system, some type of I/O, and the like.

However, the similarities end there. The world of medical devices carry a number of constraints that traditional embedded systems do not. Most importantly, they can never fail. Moreover, security for equipment used in medical devices must be extremely tight.

In this webcast, we’ll examine what’s needed for a medical device to operate properly in the field; we will look specifically at power issues and security.

Expert Speaker: William (Bill) Betten, President, Betten Systems Solutions LLC http://ecast.opensystemsmedia.com/804

THE AUTHORITY on MINIATURE BUILDING BLOCKS

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

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PC/104 and Small Form Factors Application Guide

SBCs and Boards

Connecting Global Competence

November 13–16, 2018

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