Rad-Tolerant SBC Boasts Low Operating Power

Space-based applications require a level beyond the typical definition of ruggedness. Aitech Defense Systems offers a high-performance, single-slot SBC that allows the user to initiate different power-saving options, depending on application requirements. Specifically designed for mission-critical space environments, the new 3U CompactPCI radiation-tolerant S950 functions using as little as 13.5W in full operation, less than 8W in nap mode and less than 10W with limited performance for less intense processing requirements, all based on a core processor speed of 733 MHz.

The S950 offers extreme protection against single event upsets (SEUs). The board incorporates the low-power PowerPCT 750FX Processor with a maximum power dissipation of less than 8W, 128 Mbytes of SDRAM arranged in a bit-wise triple voting architecture and 1 Mbyte of dual-redundant boot flash to store the onboard Boot firmware. The 32 Kbyte L1 cache includes a parity check for both tags and data, while the 512 Kbyte L2 cache provides a parity check on tags and ECC protection on data. A rad-tolerant anti-fuse FPGA maintains the memory controller to ensure data integrity for secure system reliability in harsh space environments. Also implemented on the FPGA is additional ECC protection for the board’s 64 Mbytes of user flash memory. Pricing for the S950 starts at $24,200.

Aitech Defense Systems
Chatsworth, CA.
(888) 248-3248.
[www.rugged.com].

DSP Card Marries TigerSHARCs and FPGA

FPGAs and DSPs working together form a powerful weapon for advanced signal processing applications. Exemplifying that trend is BittWare’s GT-3U-cPCI (GT3U), a ruggedized 3U CompactPCI board that has been designed for demanding multiprocessor-based applications. The GT3U features a large Altera Stratix II GX FPGA, one cluster of four ADSP-TS201S TigerSHARC processors from Analog Devices, a front panel interface supplying four channels of high-speed SerDes transceivers, and a back panel interface providing RS-232/RS-422 and 10/100 Ethernet. Simultaneous on-board and off-board data transfers can be achieved at a rate of 2 Gbytes/s via BittWare’s ATLANTiS framework implemented in the Stratix II GX FPGA. The board also provides a large amount of onboard memory including 1 Gbyte of DDR2 SDRAM or 64 Mbytes of QDR SDRAM, as well as 64 Mbytes of flash memory for booting the FPGA and DSPs.

The GT3U features a single cluster of four ADSP-TS201S TigerSHARC DSPs, which are interconnected by a 64-bit cluster bus running at up to 100 MHz. The ADSP-TS201 processor operates at up to 600 MHz, providing 3.6 Gflops of peak processing power. Because of its superscalar architecture, the ADSP-TS201 is also efficient at fixed-point processing, with each DSP supporting 14.4 Bops of processing. Along with 24 Mbits of on-chip RAM, each DSP also boasts four high-speed LVDS link ports. Each full-duplex link port is comprised of a 4-bit transmit and a 4-bit receive channel, and can support up to 500 Mbytes/s in each direction for a total maximum throughput of 1 Gbyte/s.

BittWare
Concord, NH.
(603) 226-0404.
[www.bittware.com].

SBC Serves Up Dual PMC/XMC, Core 2 Duo

The Core 2 Duo processor is quickly assuming the status of most designed-in CPU for embedded computer boards. Exemplifying that trend, Concurrent Technologies offers their latest single-slot CompactPCI dual-core processor, dual PMC/XMC, single board computer. The PP 452/03x uses a popular mobile dual-core processor from the Intel embedded roadmap, the 1.5 GHz or 1.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The board is ideal for low-power intensive processing applications where the dual processor cores can access up to 4 Gbytes of soldered DDR2-400 ECC SDRAM at up to 6.4 Gbytes/s. For I/O flexibility there are 2 PMC/XMC sites supporting both front and rear I/O, plus 2 SATA150, 1 RS232, 3 USB 2.0 and dual Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. The board also supports PICMG 2.16 (Ethernet fabric), PICMG 2.9 (IPMI) and PICMG 2.1 (hot swap). Commercial and extended temperature versions are now available, and ruggedized, conduction-cooled or air-cooled versions will be available shortly.

Each PMC site supports up to 66 MHz PCI-X operation as well as x4 PCI Express XMC interfaces, XMC site 1 can also support x8 PCI Express. This high-functionality board offers an array of functions–plus rear I/O consisting of 2 SATA150, 1 RS232, 3 USB 2.0 and dual Gbit Ethernet interfaces. To cater for embedded applications, there is an onboard 4 Gbyte flash disk. For a wider range of applications there is an onboard EIDE option for CompactFlash modules. As well as the industry standard PC interfaces, other features available include a watchdog timer, long duration timer and LAN boot firmware.

Concurrent Technologies
Woburn, MA.
(781) 933 5900.
[www.gocct.com].

Flexible I/O Scheme Enhances 3U Board

Space and weight constraints for embedded technology in military and aerospace applications have created difficult compromises between size and a full complement of I/O. The SCP/DCP-124P from Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing takes advantage of the compact 3U CompactPCI SBC format and I/O flexibility to overcome these challenges. Utilizing PICMG 2.3, the SCP/DCP-124P routes I/O signals and supports mapping of PMC I/O through the backplane. It features Freescale’s Altivec-enhanced 7448 PowerPC supported by 1 Mbyte of internal ECC L2 cache running at core processor speed and up to 1 Gbyte of ECC DDR SDRAM.

The board’s cPCI bus operates at 33/66 MHz and supports both 3.3V and 5V signaling. System expansion is provided by an onboard 64-bit, 100 MHz PCI-X-capable PMC site. The SCP/DCP-124P is available in both conduction-cooled and air-cooled versions with optional rear transition cable sets to facilitate system integration and development. Conduction-cooling is rated up to -40° to +85°C (Level 200). Ruggedization levels available include L0 and L100 air-cooled, and L100 and L200 conduction-cooled. Storage temperature is -50° to +100°C, and humidity rating is 10 to 95 percent RH non-condensing. Software support includes BSPs for VxWorks 5.5.x/Tornado 2.2.x and 6.x/Workbench 2.x for PowerPC, CWCEC Linux and Integrity. Support is also provided for SSSL, Curtiss-Wright’s Altivec-optimized signal processing library. Pricing starts at $6,030.

Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Leesburg, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
[www.cwcembedded.com].

6U SBC Delivers 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo

Compute-density is the goal of many of the latest military embedded computer applications. Along those lines, Dynatem is now shipping the Intel Core2 Duo based CRD CompactPCI/PICMG 2.16 SBC. The CRD is a 6U single-slot CompactPCI-compatible platform based on the Intel low-power Core2 Duo processor. The CRD takes advantage of the L7400 Core2 Duo’s low power consumption as a rugged SBC. Versions supporting the T7400 2.16 GHz Core2 Duo are also available. The CRD is a conduction-cooled module with wedge locks and a full-board heat sink for high shock/vibration environments and temperature extremes. Extended temperature and versions with conformal coating are available.

The CRD comes installed with 2 Gbyte or 4 Gbyte DDR2-400 memory, supporting ECC. Memory is BGA for the best shock/vibration spec. The E7520 Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and 6300ESB I/O Controller Hub (ICH) chips support PCIe and PCI-X expansion, respectively. Two or four onboard Gbit Ethernet ports are controlled by two PCI Express-based 82571EB dual 10/100/1000BaseTX controllers. Two Ethernet PICMG 2.16-compliant Gbit Ethernet ports are routed to the backplane. Standard conduction-cooled CRD boards have no front panel I/O due to the cooling plates. A special version has been developed with additional 2 Gbits of Ethernet routed through the front cooling-plates. The two onboard PMC mezzanine card interfaces are accessed through the 6300ESB’s 64-bit PCI-X bus. One of the two PMC sites also accommodates an XMC module supported by x8 PCIe. Pricing for the CRD starts at $6,938 in single quantity.

Dynatem
Mission Viejo, CA.
(949) 855-3235.
[www.dynatem.com].

Low-Power 3U cPCI SBC Targets Freescale MPC8572E

A new 3U CompactPCI single board computer is based on Freescale Semiconductor’s MPC8572E PowerQUICC III processor. In addition to the MPC 8572E dual core processor, the XPedite5330 from Extreme Engineering Solutions provides a PMC/XMC site along with Gigabit Ethernet and the traditional PCI bus. To provide a system designer with multiple hardware options, the XPedite5330 is available in a full range of convection- or conduction-cooled configurations.

The XPedite5330 operates with two 1 .5 GHz e500 cores based on Power Architecture technology, and supports two separate DDR2-800 ECC SDRAM channels with up to 2 Gbytes per channel as well as up to 4 Gbytes of NAND flash and 256 Mbytes of redundant NOR flash. It also provides two Gigabit Ethernet ports. The J2 connector I/O includes GPIO, I2C, PMC I/O and two RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 serial ports. Operating system support includes board support packages (BSPs) for Wind River VxWorks, QNX Neutrino and Green Hills Integrity as well as Linux 2.6.

Extreme Engineering Solutions
Middleton, WI.
(608) 833-1155.
[www.xes-inc.com].

3U Card Blends Dual PowerPCs, 1 Gbyte DRAM

3U CompactPCI continues to be a favored architecture in military applications where high performance is required in a constrained space. Feeding that need, GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms offers the rugged CM6 3U CompactPCI single board computer. Featuring a Freescale PowerPC MPC8641 operating at up to 1.33 GHz with either a single- or dual-core processor, the CM6 supports up to 1 Gbyte of DDR2 SDRAM ECC memory. Designed for applications including military/aerospace and simulation/training, both system mode and non-system mode are supported.

The CM6 provides two Gigabit Ethernet ports and two serial ports (RS-232 and RS-422/RS-485) together with eight general-purpose I/Os and flash memory. That mix of I/O frees the user to leverage the capabilities of the 64-bit/100 MHz PMC interface for application-specific purposes. In either the single core or dual core version, AltiVec support is provided for advanced floating-point applications. Each core is provided with its own Level 1 and Level 2 cache, allowing for a high degree of parallelism. To enable operation in harsh environments, the CM6 is available in three ruggedization levels with an extended temperature range of -40° to +85°C and optional conformal coating. Shock and vibration immunity is designed in with stiffener bars and wedge locks; conformal coating can also be applied on request.

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
Charlottesville, VA.
(800) 368-2738.
[www.gefanucembedded.com].

Health Monitoring Featured on 6U 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo Board

An increasing number of military applications are requiring computing that can operate autonomously. That means the system has to monitor its own health. With that in mind, General Micro System’s “2nd Coming” is the industry’s first 6U, 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo, Conduction-Cooled cPCI SBC to provide full System Health Monitoring and reporting to meet all PICMG 2.9 specifications, while adding a slew of additional health monitoring and reporting system status to an external device.

The C276 supports up to 4 Gbytes of 667 MHz DDR-2 memory and vast onboard I/O. The standard I/O included are dual Gbit Ethernet on PCIe bus with TCP/IP Offloading Engine, dual IDE, quad SATA with RAID (0, 1, 5, 10 and 50) capabilities, five USB-2.0, 1 Mbyte of user/Boot flash and two serial ports. Additional standard I/O included are: one PMC/XMC site with rear I/O, 16 bidirectional Digital I/O lines and dual COM ports with RS-232/422 buffers (jumper selectable). The C276 module is fully compliant to IEEE Std. 1101.2 and ANSI/VITA 2-0 2001. The 2nd Coming operates from -40° to +85°C at the rails with relative humidity of 5-95 percent at 40°C, and may be exposed to shocks of up to 100g for 5 ms, or 40g for 11 ms in 3 axis. The 2nd Coming supports extremes; vibrations range from 5 Hz to 2 KHz for up to 30 minutes at 15g RMS in each axis.

General Micro System
Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
(909) 980-4863.
[www.gms4sbc.com].

Dual 1.4 GHz PowerPCs Reside on 6U CompactPCI

CompactPCI has passed the test of longevity and maturity, making it one of the accepted form-factors in today’s military applications. Feeding that trend, Interface Concept has unveiled a high-performance 6U CompactPCI board, the IC-xe6-cPCIb, powered by one or two Freescale 1.4 GHz MPC7448 PowerPC processors. This new single or dual processor SBC is PICMG 2.16-compliant and blends low power consumption and large communications capabilities. The board implements a Marvell Discovery III chipset (MV64460).

The memory banks are made of up to 2 Gbytes of DDR-ECC SDRAM, up to 256 Mbytes of mirror flash and up to 1 Gbyte of soldered NAND flash. A quad UART provides four additional asynchronous channels available on P2 connector. The 64-bit PCI/PCI-X bridge allows the IC-xe6-cPCIb to handle two PMC slots with PnIO routed to J3/J5. Thanks to its SATA controller, the IC-xe6-cPCIb can manage directly four storage devices. The IC-xe6-cPCIb provides one Gbit Ethernet, one console, one USB-2 and two SATA ports on the front panel. This board has been designed to meet the most severe environments–standard, extended and rugged grades. Prices start at $3,950.

Interface Concept
Briec de l’Odet, France.
+33 (0)2 98 57 30 30.
[www.interfaceconcept.com].

Rugged Conduction-Cooled 3U cPCI Board Sports PowerPC

CompactPCI, particularly in its 3U flavor, is now entrenched as an accepted military embedded computer form factor. Kontron offers a new PowerPC-based Rugged Conduction-Cooled (RC) board. The Kontron CP3210 provides a faster clock rate of 733 MHz, accelerated DDR SDRAM (266 MHz, + 33.3 %), double the amount of system and user flash and a Gigabit Ethernet port for faster data throughput and overall greater system performance. The Kontron CP3210 CompactPCI CPU board is an enhanced version of the highly reliable and powerful Kontron PowerEngineC7.

The Kontron CP3210 CompactPCI CPU board offers an extensive range of standard functions and expansion options including the new powerful PowerPC G3 750FX RISC processor clocked at 733 MHz, onboard user memory of 512 Mbytes DDR SDRAM with ECC clocked at 266 MHz, 128 Mbytes of system flash memory, 256 Mbytes of user flash memory and 128 Kbytes of nvSRAM with realclock. It also offers two onboard serial lines, two Ethernet channels–one Gigabit and one 10/100 as well as one 33/66 MHz PMC expansion slot. The Rugged Conduction-Cooled (RC) design of the Kontron CP3210 enables reliable operation in temperatures ranging from -40° to +85°C according to VITA 47 recommendations.

Kontron America
Poway, CA.
(858) 677-0877.
[www.kontron.com].

2 GHz Pentium M CPU Rides 6U SBC

Military and aerospace applications such as aircraft monitoring, visualization and control all have something common. They demand a blend of high-performance compute muscle, with a ruggedness suited to harsh environments. Along those lines, MEN Micro offers an Intel-based conduction-cooled cPCI SBC that employs a low-power Pentium M processor operating at up to 2 GHz and a 915GM chipset. Called the D601, this 6U card components are soldered directly to the board, eliminating the need for socketed components and providing exceptional temperature, shock and vibration properties according to the current DIN, EN and IEC industry standards.

In addition, the versatile SBC only needs one bus slot and can be used in fanless embedded computing systems. Other Intel processors, such as the low-voltage 1.4 GHz Pentium M or the ultra-low-voltage 1 GHz Celeron M, can be used on the D601, enabling operation at an extended temperature range of -40° to +85°C (-40° to +185°F). The board’s rear I/O includes graphic support via VGA connectors for display of the same or different images on several monitors, two Gbit Ethernet interfaces connected via PCI Express and three USB 2.0 interfaces. The board also features two SATA interfaces for mass storage connection, and a PATA to connect a robust IDE-driven CompactFlash device, providing nearly unlimited space for user applications. Pricing for the D601 is $6,644.

MEN Micro
Ambler, PA.
(215) 542-9575.
[www.menmicro.com].