130197 icc03 bas 2 march 1-28 um heft 27.03.13 10:17 seite 1files.iccmedia.com/pdf/basapr13.pdf ·...

Special Features

n Safety & Security

n Graphics & Video

n Lighting

n Development Tools

COVER STORY

NEW STANDARDS – MORE SERVICESSMARC & CompactPCI® Serial from Kontron

130197_ICC03_BAS_2_March_1-28_Um_Heft 27.03.13 10:17 Seite 1

http://de.kontron.com/


http://digikey.com/europe

3 April 2013

VIEWPOINT

Dear Reader,there is one huge trend in the embedded industry to connect anything via the internet. The keywords describing this trend are Internet of Things (IoT) and industry 4.0. According to a defi-nition by CERP the “Internet ofThings (IoT) is an integrated partof future Internet and could bedefined as a dynamic global net-work infrastructure with self configuring capabilities based onstandard and interoperable com-munication protocols where

physical and virtual ‘things’ have identities, physical attributes, andvirtual personalities and use intelligent interfaces, and are seamlesslyintegrated into the information network. In the IoT, ‘things’ areexpected to become active participants in business, information andsocial processes where they are enabled to interact and communicateamong themselves and with the environment by exchanging data andinformation ‘sensed’ about the environment, while reacting autonomously to the ‘real/physical world’ events and influencing itby running processes that trigger actions and create services with orwithout direct human intervention. Interfaces in the form of servicesfacilitate interactions with these ‘smart things’ over the Internet,query and change their state and any information associated withthem, taking into account security and privacy issues.” The IoT andcyber physical systems are building the basis of industry 4.0 an expression which describes the 4th industrial revolution and was presented to the public in 2011 at the Hannover fair.

But there is one big issue related with this future always andeverywhere connected world: security of data. If you listen to thenews you�ll hear more and more news about hacker attacks to compa-nies and international enterprises but also to publishing houses. A recent survey by VDMA revealed that 90% of companies are affectedby product piracy, and 48% of original equipment manufacturers seeentire machines and equipment of theirs fully replicated. The conse-quent sales shortfall and the damage to research and development activities cause extreme economic and innovation problems. Butthere are already strong joint and heroic efforts to ensure security inthe IoT. The German Federal Office for Information Technology Security (BSI) has founded the Cyber Alliance for Cyber Security, incooperation with BITKOM, the voice of the information technology,telecommunications and new media industry in Germany. The article“software integrity protection for the new Cyber Alliance initiative”starting at page 12 explains the purpose and highlights the security ofembedded systems.

I do hope that this initiative will succeed and the future will see asecure Internet of Things as well as secure production plants.

Yours sincerely

Wolfgang PatelayEditor


http://www.msc-ge.com

April 2013 4

CONTENTS

Special Features

� Safety & Security

� Graphics & Video

� Lighting

� Development Tools

COVER STORY


Viewpoint 3

Cover Story NEW STANDARDS – MORE SERVICES SMARC & CompactPCI® Serial from Kontron 6

Safety & Security Software integrity protection for the new Cyber Alliance initiative 12

SQFlash – the perfect storage solution for embedded applications 16

Graphics & Video Building a highly available storage solution for NVR applications 18

All set for high-performance video walls 20

Running towards the sound of gunfire with embedded video 22

High performance touch technology for mass markets 24

Product News 26-28

Cover Story:

NEW STANDARDS – MORE SERVICES PAGE 6

SMARC & CompactPCI® Serial from Kontron Kontron announced the extensionof its product portfolio with the sup-port of the SMARC specification ofthe SGET, the 3U CompactPCI Serial,and the PICMG 6U CompactPCI2.20. In addition to this strong stan-dards-based approach, Kontron isalso stressing the importance ofservices by positioning these along-side its standard building blocks.

Software integrity protection forthe new Cyber Alliance initiative PAGE 12

The German Federal Office for Information Technology Security(BSI) has founded the Cyber Alliance for Cyber Security, in coop-eration with BITKOM, the voice of the information technology,telecommunications and new media industry in Germany. Thisarticle explains its purpose and highlights the security of embed-ded systems.

All set for high-performance video walls PAGE 20

A reference board based on the COMExpress Computer-on-Module conceptfeatures an MXM graphics module foreasy integration into video wall installa-tions. Providing up to nine independentDisplayPort connections, it is designedfor maximum performance and cus-tomized video wall systems.

Running towards the sound of gunfirewith embedded video PAGE 22

Squeezing broadcast quality high definition video into limited band-width with the lowest possible latency is the principal challengefaced by news-gathering agencies operating on the front line.

High performance touch technologyfor mass markets PAGE 24

A new touch technology derivedfrom high-end touch applicationsmay be the breakthrough developersare seeking. The limitations of tradi-tional cost-effective sensing tech-nologies have prevented the use oftouch screens in demanding environ-ments, but PCT sensors such as Zyposenable this hurdle to be cleared.Kontron



http://www.ghs.com/s4e

n At the Embedded World trade fair, Kontronannounced the extension of its product port-folio with the comprehensive support of threenew standard specifications: the SMARC spec-ification of the SGET, the 3U CompactPCI Se-rial, and the PICMG 6U CompactPCI 2.20.In addition to this strong standards-based ap-proach, Kontron is also stressing the impor-tance of services by positioning these alongsideits standard building blocks for the develop-ment of open, networked and interoperableintelligent systems. Boards & Solutions metwith Norbert Hauser, Executive Vice PresidentMarketing at Kontron, to discuss the impor-tance of offering both standards and services.

Hauser: In the end it’s the sum of both factorsthat generates the decisive added value forcustomers. Embedded computer technologyhas become so powerful as an enabling tech-nology because it has managed to penetrateproprietary markets with open standard plat-forms, and to make the world more open andintelligent in doing so. Open standards are toall intents and purposes the success factor forembedded computer technology. But as stan-dards also call for interchangeability, it is notonly of the utmost importance that we createthe standards on which our customers canrely. It is also important that we differentiateourselves from our competitors through ouradded value services. This is why we are putting

such an emphasis on both factors. We are par-ticularly strong in both of these areas.

B&S: Why now in particular is it so impor-tant for you to stress the subject of standardsagain? Aren’t form factor standards regar-ded as being obvious anyway?

Hauser: What you say is to some extent correct.At the time when we still had to develop em-bedded computer technology, first and fore-most it was very important to set these stan-dards. This was the only way to offer customersinvestment security. In the meantime, however,embedded computing standards have been ac-cepted worldwide and it is obvious that thereare always second source suppliers involvedtoo. But it is also true that in all the industrieswhere embedded systems are used, majorchanges are currently occurring. With theenormous bandwidths created by the telecom-munications industry, completely new appli-cation fields like Industry 4.0, M2M, cloudcomputing and digital signage are being openedup. And for these fields, users also need aug-mented and decentralized ARM-based deviceswith multi-touch displays. Cyber-physical en-ergy networks and industrial production plantsare being planned, in which intelligence isalso in the cloud. Optimizing the potentialwhich arises from this future internet of thingsand from big data is so interesting that none

of our customers can afford to ignore it. Wehave to offer them reliability and at the sametime the most flexible platforms for this highlydynamic environment; and these are above allopen IT and TC solutions and standards thatthey can use both at the systems and at theboard level.

B&S: But what influence can you exerciseon the utilization of standards within thecontext of the internet of things for digitalsignage or even with respect to the layoutof cyber-physical energy networks?

Hauser: As an embedded computer manufac-turer we indeed have no major influence onthe products offered by the large OEMs andnetwork operators, as we can only provide theplatforms in line with requirements. But thehistory of embedded computer technologyhas shown that in the end there is a need for aworldwide standardization for the universalapplication of technologies. In addition, weneed open systems because currently we stillcannot see far enough ahead regarding theway in which our systems will ultimately bedeveloped. We would therefore be well advisedto establish configurable system platforms,which support a fully-fledged operating system.These could then, for instance, also be adaptedon the basis of the software to support theprogramming interfaces of the Java-based


COVER STORY

Kontron emphasizes the added value of standards and services

April 2013 6



http://www.adlinktech.eu

April 2013 8

COVER STORY

Open Services Gateway initiative frameworkor OSGi for short. There is also a lot in thesoftware in terms of heterogeneous system ar-chitectures, which are becoming clearly moreflexible to use with suitable abstraction, suchas OpenCL. Once again standardization playsan important role here. You see, standardizationis therefore a really essential building block inembedded IT. But, in addition, as I’ve said,services are also crucially important. We haveto work more and more closely with our cus-tomers in a development partnership to effi-ciently implement all of these new technologies.Also Kontron EAPI (KEAPI), which is builton the PICMG Embedded API (EAPI) specifi-cation and offers an extended scope on systemcalls, helps our customers to develop theirsoftware independently from the operatingsystem, processor or form factor.

B&S: How does this look, for example,specifically in terms of SMARC modules orthe modular 3U CompactPCI systems?

Hauser: Software support is quite clearly ofmajor importance for SMARC modules inultra-low power mobile or stationary applianceswith ARM Cortex A9 or A8 processors, suchas NVIDIA Tegra 3, Freescale i.MX or TISitara AM3874. Here we differ significantlyfrom the competition in that we offer softwaresupport in-house, meaning that there are nointerface or responsibility problems betweenhardware and software. OS compilation anddriver and boot loader assembly originatefrom a single source together with the modulesplus, as an option, individual carrier boards.

CompactPCI is basically the same. Here theconcept of assembling components to producea system is less recognized. Here we have toput more emphasis on the systems approachof our solutions. Based upon the CompactPCISerial standard, which supports system pe-ripheral boards via Ethernet, PCI, PCI Express,SATA and USB, at the Embedded World 2013trade show we introduced five boards and a

chassis onto the market in one fell swoop.OEM configurations can also thus be immedi-ately implemented at the systems level. Exam-ples of this are scalable multi-processor systemsand CPU clusters via PCIe or Ethernet for in-dustrial image processing, or RAID systemswith up to 8 SATA lanes for SATA hard diskshuttles for the data-recording of video-moni-toring systems. Multiple monitor systems withup to 32 displays can be implemented, for ex-ample, for control rooms. This is made possiblevia several graphics cards in the system, eachone of which supports four displays.

B&S: Would you say that this opens up acompletely new life-cycle for CompactPCI?

Hauser: Definitely! And that is precisely whatour customers are looking for: consistencywhen making changes. CompactPCI Serial isa perfect example of what an embedded com-puter manufacturer does for its OEM cus-tomers: despite frequent innovation cycles theyoffer industrial customers consistency. Andthey do so over a large number of years inorder to optimally safeguard investments madein dedicated peripheral cards and software.

B&S: Speaking of innovation cycles: wouldyou say that you now have your fingerright on the pulse with your Panel PCs,which support multi-touch and innovativegesture-controlled operating concepts? Andhow is industrial demand developing here?

Hauser: Currently we do see greater marketpotential in the field of resistive touch tech-nologies than in projected capacitive technol-ogy, which supports multi-touch. But this alsorelates to the fact that OEMs must first of alldevelop suitable software solutions. And thatwill naturally take time as currently not all ofthe software suppliers for HMI have finallyaddressed the multi-touch theme with all ofthe features. But it is important for us to beamong the first suppliers. So we are on-timewith all of the important design-in decisions,which will see the introduction of zoomingand rotating with two fingers or ten-finger op-eration of an on-screen keyboard as well.

B&S: What is the difference between thesePanel PCs and the great many products ofyour competitors? They too all have alarge screen, so what’s special about yourrange?

Hauser:We offer our customers a broad scala-ble, innovative and high-quality product port-folio with resistive or projected-capacitivetouch. Our systems are exceptional due totheir flexibility and integrated sophisticatedsolutions, which, for example, make the systemmaintenance-free. In addition, we offer, based

Figure 1. CompactPCI Serial is the latest high-performance standard for modular industrialdesign, which opens a completely new life-cycle for 3U CompactPCI and is used, for example, inhigh-performance vision systems

Figure 2. Kontron SMARC modules for ultra-low power applications are perfectly designed forlean, energy-saving control or HMI solutions; either for stationary or mobile appliances. Theycan also be used as network nodes in the internet of things



http://www.embedded-control-europe.com/bas-magazine

upon well-proven technology, a high level ofprocess reliability. Further to this, we installour own processor boards so that we can opti-mally design the systems. That also puts us ina position to supply customer-specified versionsrapidly and efficiently in series productionquality; and we do this not only with regardto the front panel configuration but also overthe whole integrated embedded computingfunctionality including driver integration forthe connected peripheral equipment. In addi-

tion we have a globally established organizationand this gives our large OEM customers theassurance that we can be on hand everywherewhen the need arises.

B&S: This is perhaps a somewhat unusualposition to adopt. This range is of overallinterest to the major OEMs in the automa-tion industry. But how many automationOEMs do you already count as beingyour customers?

Hauser: We have major OEM customers, bothat the board and at the module level as well asat the systems level. We recognize the need tointensify the integration support for both cus-tomer sectors. In this way, we can ensure aneven higher quality and more rapid time-to-market in a joint development partnership.This is also an added value that our customerscan obtain from our strengthened commitmentin the automation industry.

B&S: Finally let’s look at your portfolio inthe M2M computing field. What are youoffering here?

Hauser: That is a particularly interesting ques-tion because with respect to our M2M systemsthere isn’t actually just one product range,there are basically two different ranges. OurM2M Smart Services development platforms,which now also support application-readycloud development platforms from softwaresuppliers such as Cumulocity, are on the onehand applicable for the development of stand-alone solutions. OEMs can use them for ex-ample as intelligent gateways or aggregatorstowards cloud computing. On the other hand,OEMs also want to get different computersystems equipped with M2M interfaces; tosome extent because they are building a teleme-try or remote control system with open em-bedded computer technology and need theboard or system including M2M interfaces.Our know-how will therefore be used for thedevelopment of stand-alone M2M solutions.And here we can already show proof of ex-tremely successful reference implementationin the medical sector and in the industrialproduction sector. But our M2M platformalso serves as a reference design for future in-dividual and more highly integrated solutions.We can therefore offer both solution approach-es and provide already suitable building blocksfor the implementation into more highly in-tegrated systems via the M2M Smart ServicesDevelopment Kit and a multitude of standardboards and systems. The interaction betweencomplete solutions and individual develop-ment activities should also therefore be recog-nized here and it is important that the devel-opment partner includes both of these in itsportfolio: standards and services. n

April 2013 10

COVER STORY

Figure 4. The application-ready M2M Smart services Development Kit equipped withCumolocity cloud support is offered as a gateway and aggregator for Industry 4.0 applications aswell as telemetry and remote management solutions, and is a technology platform for the so-called internet of things

Figure 3. The new Panel PCs Micro Client 3 and OmniClient enable innovative operating con-cepts with their optionally projected-capacitive multi-touch such as, for example, rotation orzooming with two fingers. Classic resistive touch is offered in rugged 5-wire technology.

www.embedded-news.tv

Embedded-News.tvThe Video Portal for the European Embedded Market Technical Videos, Video Interviews, Demos & more about:

Chips & ComponentsTools & SoftwareBoards & Modules


http://www.embedded-news.tv

n Rutronik becomes European distributionpartner of DFI

Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente has nowbecome the European distributor for DFI,manufacturer of high-quality industrial mainboards, embedded boards and embedded systems. The distribution agreement comprisesDFI’s entire product portfolio of board solu-tions, add-on cards and complete systems,particularly for industrial automation, medicaltechnology and digital signage as well asPOI/POS applications.

News ID 16992

n DFI: microATX motherboard supports 10 COM ports

DFI announces a new desktop microATX industrial motherboard, the SB332-C, whichsupports 10 Serial COM ports. This microATXform factor board supports the 2nd and 3rdgeneration Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processorsthat feature 32/22-nanometer process tech-nology with the low-cost Intel H61 chipset.These processors provide higher performanceat lower power than previous processors. TheSB332-C microATX industrial motherboardalso supports the economical Intel Pentiumprocessors, 850 and 2120, for cost sensitiveapplications.

News ID 17013

n powerBridge: highpower MTCA powermodule with low ripple-and-noise

powerBridge announces a new 1.000W powermodule for MTCA applications. The powermodule offers a high efficiency and extremelow ripple and noise ratio. As such, the power module is proposed for all applications,which might need a very accurate and highmeasurement resolution. To achieve such ahigh power, the module was adopted to theMTCA specification, the power module fits inevery MTCA.4 compliant chassis.

News ID 16945

n Kontron: with high-speed to hybrid CompactPCI Serial applications

As part of its ‘High-Speed CompactPCI Initiative’, Kontron is presenting a 3U Compact-PCI Serial (CPCI-S.0) compliant chassis platform as well as peripheral boards for 10Gigabit and Gigabit Ethernet, XMC-based I/Oand SATA hard disks. These building blocksare already aligned to the new KontronCPS3003-SA processor board featuring theIntel Core i7 processor, so that pre-integratedmodular CompactPCI Serial system configu-rations with PCIe, GbE, USB and SATA overbackplane are also available to OEMs. Customers will also benefit from a rapid time-to-market and minimal integration efforts,

which Kontron can also provide as part of itsaccompanying service program.

News ID 16926

n Pentair: modular embedded systems between 19“ and COM

The gap between the classic 19“ system andthe small form-factor solution has now beenbridged by Pentair Equipment Protection withits family of new small form-factor modularsystems. These systems can be configured fromstandard parts to customer specifications. For

very specific customer requirements, the standard systems can also be adapted by meansof simple modifications. The new small form-factor modular systems are based either on a 1 U high, 250 mm wide AMC chassis or asmall, compact Schroff subrack that is 3 Utall, 205 mm deep and just 28 HP wide. TheAMC chassis has been developed from a SchroffmultipacPRO chassis with space for two horizontally mounted plug-in boards.

News ID 16997

11 April 2013

PRODUCT NEWS

Product News


http://www.ocsemea.com/windows8launch

http://www.embedded-control-europe.com/product-news/article/1-news-global/16992





n The goal of the Cyber Alliance is mainly tobuild a comprehensive knowledge base wheretechnological resources and successful businessexperiences are shared by leading vendors forthe benefit of a growing registered community.Enterprises, central and local government bod-ies, and even private users can then accesshighly informative best practices, adopt andadjust them to their own scenario, and enjoymore flourishing business.

Wibu-Systems, a company on the IT securityscene for more than two decades, has recentlyjoined the Cyber Alliance and is already con-tributing to the education of the member net-work. The first document that the companyhas specifically created for this purpose addressesthe security of embedded systems. As the com-pany’s CEO and founder, I am personally in-volved in international R&D projects and or-ganizations for standardization. I also serve aschairman in the Product Protection and Know-How Protection “Protect-Ing” committee ofVDMA, on the board of directors of BITKOM,and on the managing board of FZI at KIT.From my perspective, I have been able to seethat Industry 4.0, the current industrial revo-

lutionary wave, would prove particularly ef-fective in increasing efficiency and loweringasset costs thanks to the manufacturing agilityderiving from unprecedented M2M intercon-nectivity. At the same time, my vertically skilledbackground has enabled me to realize thethreats implicit in communications no longerrestricted within the plant alone, but extendingover the internet, sometimes with additionalservices over the cloud.

A recent survey by VDMA revealed that 90%of companies are affected by product piracy,and 48% of original equipment manufacturerssee entire machines and equipment of theirsfully replicated. The consequent sales shortfalland the damage to research and developmentactivities cause extreme economic and inno-vation problems. This is of such high impor-tance that the security methodology necessaryto withstand the most advanced attacks shouldencapsulate the smartest strategies.

CodeMeter is a technology that has alreadybeen promoting intellectual property and copyprotection, through the application of com-bined software and hardware tools aimed at

preventing illegal license duplication. Giventhe actual scenario, CodeMeter design hasbeen further expanded to become a sophisti-cated, scalable, multi-purpose system that safe-guards code integrity and guarantees protectionagainst reverse engineering of motion controland industrial automation processes. The cir-cumstances under which systems resources,programs and data can be manipulated arenumerous. Sabotage to cyber-physical systemscan take the form of a faked device, a unit thatcan easily be installed during machine service,looking like the original one but performingdifferent functions, thus causing the customerto lose all the warranty terms for the mainte-nance agreement he has signed up for. Alter-natively it is the software itself that is thetarget of the attackers. For instance, whetherthe SD card, from which the software is exe-cuted, is replaced or just tampered with, theresult will be a new piece of software being ex-ecuted. The related disservice will translateinto unauthorized data being shared, personnelsafety endangered, production line performanceslowed down, just to mention a couple of pos-sible typical scenarios. Or the threat mightcome through the communication interfaces.

Software integrity protection for the new Cyber Alliance initiative

SAFETY & SECURITY

By Oliver Winzenried, Wibu-Systems

The German Federal Office forInformation Technology

Security (BSI) has founded theCyber Alliance for Cyber

Security, in cooperation withBITKOM, the voice of theinformation technology,

telecommunications and newmedia industry in Germany.

This article explains its purpose and highlights

the security of embedded systems.

April 2013 12


http://www.embedded-control-europe.com/newsletter

13 April 2013

SAFETY & SECURITY

A violation of the protocols would possibly re-sult in the attackers getting possession of sen-sitive end users details, right up to the remotecontrol of the whole embedded system.

If a typical embedded system can be peeledlike an onion until its true core essence is ex-posed, Wibu-Systems conceived protectionmeasures that would protect the structurelayer after layer, with forward and backwardchecks to ensure the utmost integrity of thewhole architecture. Moreover it would rely on

a combination of encryption mechanisms thatwould mix symmetric (AES – Advanced En-cryption Standard) and asymmetric algorithms(RSA – Rivest, Shamir and Adleman, ECC –Elliptic Curve Cryptography) along with hashfunctions (SHA-256).

On the hardware side, CodeMeter comes inmultiple form factors (USB dongles with orwithout flash memory, SD cards, micro SDcards, and more), most of which embed asmart card chip; this would allow for the addi-

Figure 1. Basic structure of an embedded system

Figure 2. Encryption and signature of an application

Figure 3. Integrity verification (Forward Check)


http://www.powerbridge.de

tional use of digital certificates, a perfect matchto the cryptography schemes mentioned. Start-ing from the assumption that an outer shell ofthe embedded system can access the innerone, but not the other way round, the integrityprotection procedure of Wibu-Systems devel-ops through the following three steps. First,the boot loader verifies the integrity of the op-erating system and loads it after validation.The operating system only starts once theboot loader has been validated to be trustwor-thy through a reverse check. The operatingsystem verifies the integrity of the applicationand loads it only if it has been validated.Second, the application only starts if the oper-ating system has been validated to be trust-worthy through a reverse check. Third, the ap-plication verifies the integrity of the configu-

ration data, and only uses them if they are val-idated. Should the configuration data also con-tain executable code, a verification of the ap-plication level of trust is also possible.

Then it comes to implementing the integritychecks. CodeMeter offers a specific enginecalled AxProtector which signs and encryptsthe original software. In particular, AxProtectorwill: calculate the hash value of the originalsoftware, sign the hash value with the privatekey of the vendor, encrypt the original softwareusing a key that is generated from a seed valuewithin the original software, a secret key ofthe vendor and some other parameters thatthe publisher selects, and attach the publicportion of the signature certificate to the encrypted software. The checks are then per-

formed in two directions to offer the greatestsecurity ever. During the forward check, whichoccurs while the application is being loaded,the following actions take place: if a validlicense is present, the encrypted software is de-crypted, the certificate attached to the creden-tials or the certificate chain is verified againstthe public root key, the hash value of the de-crypted original software is calculated, andthe signature of the hash is verified using thepublic key.

There are additional options that might furtherpower up the protection system, such as a so-phisticated handling of certificates for the au-thorized use of a specific device, the verificationof a preset expiration date of the certificate,the setup of a certificate revocation list – CRL.But as previously mentioned there are back-wards checks too that come into place. Theyverify if the boot process was carried out cor-rectly by the operating system, or if the integritycheck of the operating system by the applicationis difficult to carry out because the subsequentstep has only limited access to the previousstep. To compensate for the missed access, astate machine in a trustworthy hardware isneeded. Such configuration is found in theTrusted Computing Group, TCG.

By using so-named Trusted Platform Modules(TPM), it is possible to save correct states inregistries. These registries include, for example,measurements of the boot loader, which willbe considered later by the operating system toverify the integrity of the previous step. Thetrusted device, e.g. a TPM chip or CodeMeterdongle, stores the status of the boot loader.Only when this is executed correctly can theoperating system start. This also applies to thesubsequent stages. CodeMeter offers thereforea secure status machine. This feature is calledenabling. The decryption of the operating sys-tem, for example, will not be released until theintegrity of boot process has been validated;moreover the shared secrets are stored andnot released until the previous step has beensuccessfully executed for the next step to occur.

A safe first step is essential, since all subsequentchecks depend upon its accuracy. Attackersmust in no case be able to decipher the code,or to extract secret keys. One solution is calledSystem-on-Chip (SoC), in which these codesand keys are stored permanently on the chip,safe from any reading or manipulation attemptfrom the outside. This compact pre-boot loaderhas little functionality and loads the actualboot loader. It is developed only once and can-not be updated on the system to preventattacks from the outside. To top it all off, thecleverest use of digital certificates is a chainstructure, where the root certificate alone isthe critical element to lock safely. It is actually

April 2013 14

SAFETY & SECURITY

Figure 4. Backward check with a Trusted Device

Figure 5. Graphic representation of a certificate chain


just used to create new Code Signing Root orConfig Signing Root certificates, respectivelycertificates that are used to generate Boot Sign-ing certificates, and certificates that are usedto create a certificate for configuration datasignature. In practice, private keys are usedfor signing the program codes and parameters.These are saved in a secure hardware device,like a Wibu-Systems CmDongle. The certificatesare saved as files. They contain: the public key,validity restrictions, e.g. expiration date orbinding to a specific device, purpose, for ex-ample, to sign the boot loader, the application,the configuration files, or to create other cer-tificates, and certificate of the key, which was

used to create this certificate. In addition, thedeployment of a certificate revocation listproves extremely effective. If need be, througha simple update of such list, the certificates ofall devices in the field could be easily revokedor invalidated.

Wibu-Systems masters encryption processesand makes them fully accessible to OEMs andISVs. The Graphic User Interface of CodeMeteris particularly intuitive. However recently thecompany has moved further down this pathand entered into a strategic partnership withWind River and Emerson Network Power. Theproduct supports in fact both standard con-

sumer computer platforms as well as WindowsEmbedded, Real Time Linux, VxWorks, somePLC-based like Codesys and more to come.Thanks to this agreement the three vendorshave recently jointly announced an EmbeddedDevelopment Kit. The EDK delivers the firstever out-of-the-box solution for IP protection,tamper protection and license management.It provides comprehensive security to all vir-tualized automation processes for real-timeand complex applications in medical, industrial,gaming, automotive, aerospace, and manyother markets. For every complex problem,there is a neat solution. It just takes time toclarify in details the full picture first. n

15 April 2013

SAFETY & SECURITY

Product Newsn TQ announces hardware collaborationwith Wind River

TQ-Systems has announced a hardware col-laboration with Wind River, a world leaderin embedded and mobile software. As partof the Wind River Hardware Partner AllianceProgram, TQ will offer solution packagesaimed at applications in the medical devicemarket segment. The solution packages willinclude state-of-the art CPU modules, suitedto match requirements of various applica-tions, as well as Wind River VxWorks real-time operating system or Wind River Linuxfor ARM and PowerPC applications. Thecurrent versions of VxWorks and Wind RiverLinux are currently running on the TQ starproduct TQMa28 and are in preparation tobe implemented onto the latest Minimodulesbased on Freescale i.MX6 and PowerPC.

News ID 16964

n DFI: Mini-ITX motherboard supportslow-power consumption

DFI launches the new Mini-ITX IndustrialMotherboard – CD101-N Series, offeringhigh efficiency with low-power consumptionin its Intel Atom product line. The CD101-NSeries is based on Intel Cedar Trail platform.These new dual core processors are built onIntel’s 32-nanometer process technology pro-viding low-power consumption and yet high-er clock frequencies and faster memory accessthan their predecessors that are built on 45-nanometer technology. For applications re-quiring a low-power solution with passivecooling, the CD101-N2600 uses the IntelAtom N2600 processor offering modest per-formance with 1.6GHz clock speed and hasan integrated graphics controller clocked at400MHz. The CD101-N2550 and CD101-N2800 with Intel Atom D2550 and N2800processors operate at 1.86GHz clock speedand 400MHz graphics frequency.

News ID 16943


http://www.ecrin.com



n Many flash storage devices in embedded ap-plications are used to save data but also func-tion as disks for the OS. Most users are blindto their operation and do not know when amemory device is wearing out, and often onlyremedy the problem after they have alreadybeen damaged. To cater to this demand, Ad-vantech has developed a software packagecalled SQFlash Utility, which can check thecondition of the memory device at an earlystage and inform users well in advance. Whenthe life of the memory device is lower thanthe specified level, the software will warn usersto back up and change to another device.SQFlash Utility is a flash management softwarepackage that contains utilities and APIs to ac-cess and configure Advantech SQFlash products.Life Monitoring (S.M.A.R.T.) features help tooptimize OS settings to better fit SQFlash, andsoftware protection (Security ID Read/Write)features are used for security purposes. An ac-cess code protected package provides userswith a safe environment, which not only pro-tects the application itself but also prevents se-curity information being read without thesame access code.

Basic disk information like model name, serialnumber, and firmware version will be revealedin this field. All available S.M.A.R.T. attributesare also displayed for users to monitor diskconditions.

1) Max program: max program and erase cycles in SQFlash.

2) Average program: average program anderase cycles in SQFlash.

3) Power-on time: power-on accumulated time.4) ECC count: error correction code numberof times counter.

5) Endurance check: endurance (%) of remaining life is the result of (average P/Ecycles)/(max P/E cycles). Disk health canbe monitored directly via the SQFlash Utilityor functions can be programmed into cus-tomized applications via the SQFlash API.

A life-span detection mechanism can then bedesigned accordingly. The standalone Life Mon-itoring utility is also available for easier access.Users are strongly recommended to evaluatewith SQFlash Utility to make sure a suitableflash storage solution is chosen.

Basically, most OS nowadays support SSD na-tively and are able to configure systems to fitSSD or HDD installation. However, some con-ventional OS (such as Windows XP) that arestill widely adopted in the industrial computingmarket were designed only for HDD. So usersare required to check some OS configurationsto make sure their SSD is working in optimalcondition.

Disable Hibernation. Hibernation moves alldata in RAM to storage and powers downwhile retaining its state. The system will be re-sumed to its original status before hibernationby reloading data into RAM. The function isdesigned to get devices back online faster thana regular re-boot. Due to the high performanceof SSD, resumption from hibernation is notmuch faster than a full boot but actually makessubstantial data writes into SSD.

Disable Virtual Memory (page file). Virtualmemory utilizes the storage device as extendedsystem memory to better handle multi-taskingand improve performance. However, industrialcomputers tend to be single-purpose and

SQFlash – the perfect storage solutionfor embedded applications

SAFETY & SECURITY

SQFlash Utility can checkmemory devices at an

early stage and inform userswell in advance if it is necessary to back up

and change to anotherdevice. It is well suited forindustrial-grade storage

applications where strongdata protection mechanismfrom illegal access is vital.

April 2013 16

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Embedded-Know-How.comThe Know-how Portal for the European Embedded Market Technical Know-how about Chips, Boards, Tools & Software:

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multi-tasking is not used very much. Virtualmemory in this case cannot boost performancebut make unnecessary program / erases onSSD. Disable SuperFetch (PreFetch). SuperFetchis pre-loading frequently used applicationsinto RAM and system temporary file foldersto shorten application startup times. SSD is ahigh performance storage media, it doesn’tneed the pre-fetching approach to boost per-formance. So the SuperFetch function is sug-gested to be disabled to avoid superfluouswrite actions to SSD.

Cancel “Hard Disk Defragmentation” in taskscheduler. Hard disk defragmentation is anoperation to optimize HDD performance thatconsolidates fragmented file sectors to becomeconsecutive file sectors. This action reduces“seek times” for the HDD actuator. However,the action is not needed for SSD since SSDdoesn’t have an actuator. Also, the action wouldrelocate files and additional program/eraseswould occur to diminish the life of SSD.

TRIM command allows an operating systemto inform an SSD which blocks of data are nolonger considered in use and can be wiped in-ternally. Delete operations are typically limitedto flagging data blocks as not in use in the filesystem, that means the operating system shouldperform an overwrite operation later to thoseblocks which have been considered as freespace. For traditional hard disks this is similarto writing to an empty sector, but for an SSD,an overwrite produces significant overheadwhich degrades read/write performance. TRIMenables the SSD to handle overheads in advanceto prevent noticeable slow down in futureread/write operations. However, TRIM is onlysupported by Windows versions later thanVista/7. To benefit older Windows versions, aTRIM tool is designed for SQFlash. It will

detect if the operating SQFlash supports TRIMand make sure the utility is running with thecorrect Windows version. The disk can thenbe optimized with a single click. In order tohelp protect customers intellectual property,Advantech has designed in a Security ID featurefor SQFlash Utility. Customers can easily im-plement security functions on their applicationsbased on an encrypted utility and library. TheFlash Lock feature helps users to lock SQFlashwith the motherboard it operates on to protectflash data from being read.

Security ID I can be a full run-time configura-tion. All read/write access can be performedimmediately. After Security ID I is enabled, alldisk management access would be disabled,e.g. Format, fdisk, ghost, etc. This is becausethe SQFlash controller protects the SID areaand does not allow any disk I/O to read orwrite to this area. If any tool or command triesto access this area, it will return a fail instruction.Security ID II: This SID will be located intothe firmware zone and all disk managementaccess will maintain the same behaviour.

Flash Lock is a mechanism to lock SQFlashwith the motherboard through the BIOS andmake SQFlash only operate with the corre-sponding platform. This can help to preventdata being stolen by reading the SQFlash withother computers and card readers. Since thefeature is a mechanism between the SQFlashfirmware and BIOS, it can work only on Ad-vantech products. If the target platform doesn’tsupport this feature, Flash Lock buttons willbe grayed out as follows.

Advanced Hardware Security Functions.SQFlash 820 series SATA III SSD is designedwith the Opal Compliant disk encryption stan-dard, which supports in-drive AES 256-bit en-

cryption. For even more critical applicationsthat may need emergency erase, the SSD isequipped with hardware GPIO pins for triggeringa high security level erase-at-once command.AES 256-bit Encryption Key. PS3108 is op-tionally embedded with a security controllerto generate an AES (Advanced EncryptionStandard) encryption key for real-time dataencryption before storing data into NANDflash. Since data is fully hashed with the 256-bit encryption key, once the controller orfirmware has failed, there is no way to accessdata stored in the NAND flash.

One Touch Emergency Erase. One Touch Emer-gency Erase is a hardware emergency erase.The low level erase command executed by thecontroller will be triggered once the GPIO hasdetected signal interruption. Three differenterase levels could be made with SQFlash 820series products. Data Erase. Firmware is keptintact in this mode so the drive is still usableafter an erase. It takes around 70 seconds tothoroughly wipe out user data on a 256 GBSSD. However, if the erase process is interrupted,data will not be fully deleted, and remainingdata could possibly be accessed after reactivatingthe device. Firmware Erase. The drive will immediately become unusable after executionsince firmware will be destroyed in just a fewmilliseconds. AES is enabled and the encryptionkey is stored in the firmware, none of the datacan be decrypted or recovered in such condition.

Global Elimination. This is the highest securitylevel erase mode, which is implemented onSQFlash 820 series. Once the erase command istriggered, the controller will proceed with afirmware erase first and follow up with a dataerase to make sure the drive is completely wipedand no data is left on the storage media. n

SAFETY & SECURITY


http://www.congatec.com

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

April 2013 18

n Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems arenow widely used in surveillance and securityapplications, such as building/factory securityor rolling stock video surveillance. BecauseNVRs need to store digital video files, theytend to come with substantial data storage requirements. Mass storage devices such asUSB flash drives, SD memory cards, or harddisks can be used to provide the necessarystorage capacity. To get an idea of the require-ments of NVR systems, let’s look at a commonsurveillance application, an IP-based train sur-veillance system. The system uses cameras lo-cated throughout the train to record video,has a network of Ethernet switches, and usescomputers to operate the cameras and storevideo data. Video servers may also be used ifthere are analog cameras in the system. A system display is available in the driver cabinfor real-time video monitoring or video play-back of specific files stored on the computers.

Data storage is a key limitation of this type ofNVR system, because the entire surveillancesystem generates a large amount of video datathat must be saved for potential review later.In addition, the train often must operate inde-pendently, because it is a fast-moving applica-tion platform that may not have a secure linkwith the ground-based network. This meansthat the NVR storage should be as self-sufficientas possible, and not rely too much on constant

off-site storage backups. However, mobility ofrolling stock applications poses a separate chal-lenge for the NVR data storage: this is an envi-ronment with high vibration and shock, whichis a very problematic environment for fragilehard drives to operate in.

It is difficult for NVR systems to deliver theright combination of storage capacity,vibration/shock resistance, and ease of mainte-nance at a reasonable cost. This difficulty iscompounded for NVRs on moving vehicles. De-livering sufficient storage capacity is a majorchallenge in deploying NVR systems nowadays.NVR systems that continuously record video require significant storage capacity, and a highervideo resolution requires more hard disk capacity.In addition, hard disks need to be replaced, especially if the system is required to maintain along-term video record. A long-term video surveillance database can be a valuable resource,but to keep this kind of record, hard drives thatreach their storage limit will need to be pulledand archived, and then replaced with new harddrives. This can be a time-consuming procedurethat substantially increases system maintenanceoverhead and costs.

Vibration and shock is a constant challengefor NVR systems, particularly those deployedon moving vehicles such as trains or buses.Commercial-grade storage media, such as hard

disks, cannot withstand the movement andshock that is commonplace on moving vehicles.Vibration and shock can lead to system insta-bility and reduce the lifecycle of the equipment.The most common approach to address thischallenge is to use industrial-grade hard disksor solid state drives (SSDs), both of which areextremely expensive compared to commercialhard disks. The price of SSDs also affects howmuch storage capacity system operators canafford, compounding data capacity limitationsin a system that is probably already starved formore data storage.

Maintenance is another ongoing challenge forNVR systems, and is related to the two chal-lenges listed already. Storage devices that mustbe repeatedly replaced impose substantial main-tenance costs. In addition, the system must beshut down during the hard drive replacementprocess. However, insufficient storage, or constant vibration and shock damage, canlead to unsustainable replacement cycles.

Imagine a train that has been running forhours which has finally reached its destinationand is ready for some maintenance. The trainNVR system has been recording independentlyto local storage, because no consistent linkwith the trackside network as available. At thispoint maintenance engineers must check thesystem storage capacity and replace the hard

Building a highly available storagesolution for NVR applications By Stefan Palm, Moxa

Network Video Recorder(NVR) systems need to store large video files,

but it is difficult to deliver the right combination of

storage capacity,vibration/shock resistance,and ease of maintenance at a reasonable cost. This difficulty is compounded

for NVRs on moving vehicles.This article describes how Moxa has met these challenges.


19 April 2013

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

disk if needed. In a conventional embeddedcomputer, this procedure is laborious and timeconsuming. First the engineer must power offthe computer. Then he must use a screwdriverto remove the case. Then, he needs to use thescrewdriver again to remove the hard disk.And then he still must reverse all of the stepsmentioned to install a new hard disk. Becausehard disk replacement is such a tedious task, itis a costly and time-consuming part of themaintenance cycle. For NVRs on moving vehi-cles, maintenance can only be performed whenvehicles are not running, which decreases theoverall uptime and efficiency of the broadertransit system.

New technology can overcome the commonobstacles that confound NVR systems, and doso in a way that improves cost-effectiveness, ef-ficiency, and system performance. Solid statedrives (SSDs) are one way to create systemsthat can withstand the vibration and shock experienced by applications on trains and buses.However, this solution is very costly, especiallyin systems that need high storage capacity.

Adopting SSDs can lead to unaffordable systems,or to compromises on storage capacity in orderto keep costs down. An alternative and improvedsolution is to employ a hardware design thatreduces the impact of vibration and shock sothat commercial-grade, cost-effective, and high-capacity hard drives can be used without reser-vation. This will increase the cost-effectiveness

of the system without compromising on reliability or storage capacity. Moxa design engineers applied the laws of physics and asym-metrical design principles to design a harddisk protection mechanism for its railway com-puters that absorbs vibration and shock. Thissolid theoretical design was then subjected topractical real-world testing, verification, andrefinement that yielded constant iterative im-provements. Prototypes of Moxa computersare subjected to a battery of sophisticated andmeticulous testing to optimize the placementof all hardware components and minimizethe impact of vehicle movement. Because harddrive replacement can become such a hugepart of the overall maintenance workload, in-creasing the simplicity and efficiency of justthis one task can go a long way. A drive that ishot-swappable can be replaced without turningoff the computer. A similar convenience is adrive tray, which allows the technician to re-move, replace, and install hard drives withoutusing any extra tools.

Moxa V2416 embedded computers include adrive tray that allows maintenance staff toquickly replace hard drives. Additional softwaredevelopment allows this hard drive to be re-placed without even shutting down the com-puter. The crucial element is the programmablebutton and LED indicator of the V2416. Thebutton and LED can be customized by theend-user to automate commonly performedtasks. For example, the button can be config-ured to dismount the hard drive, with confir-mation from the LED indicator. By using thesefeatures, the technician can dismount the harddrive with a button press and replace the harddrive without any complex modification ofthe computer’s software configuration.

The button and LED can be customized tostreamline other commonly performed tasksas well. For example, the button can be pro-grammed to automatically perform a systembackup, or to automatically transfer certainfiles to another computer on the network. TheLED indicator can be programmed to provideneeded system alerts, such as when storage capacity is low, or when the hard drive is dismounted and ready for removal.

Moxa video products deliver the reliability, in-dustrial certifications, and unique technologyneeded to overcome common NVR obstacles.The V2416 embedded computer is a powerfuland versatile platform that is both ruggedenough to withstand vibration and shock andadvanced enough to include time-saving technology such as hot-swappable disks. Thecompany also provides video servers and camera products that are designed specificallyfor the rigors of industrial and vehicle-basedNVR systems. n

Figure 1. An asymmetrical hard drive bracketreduces the effects of vibration and shock.

Figure 2. Hard drive trays simplify drivereplacement, a common NVR maintenancetask.


http://www.ekf.com

http://www.ekf.com

n Leading OEMs from the display sector arethe key players in the video wall industrynowadays. But it’s important to look at whatlies behind the display screens - both literallyand figuratively. They hide an increasinglycomplex supply chain of vendors and solutionproviders, each contributing a critical elementto the overall experience. The growing use ofcomplex high-resolution displays and content;consumer demand for networking and up-to-the minute information; plus the OEM needto offer an experience that is fundamentallydifferent from other media in order to securecritical attention - all these requirements aredriving innovation at the software and hard-ware level. The opportunities for system inte-grators may be even greater: The capabilitiesof COM designs, the flexibility and scalabilityof COM Express, and continued investmentfrom companies such as AMD and congatecensure that a far larger range of developershas the chance to capitalize on the growth inthe video wall sector.

As a rule, video wall systems are based onhigh-quality videos and (3D) graphics, and re-quire a maximum number of graphics con-nections. The congatec reference board offersthe necessary interfaces in combination withan MXM graphics module and a COM ExpressCPU module. Both are equipped with AMDtechnology and provide outstanding graphicsand computing power. Applications that control

a large number of displays – such as airportcheck-in kiosks - benefit from this smart com-bination. Three panels are addressed via thecomputer module, a further six via the MXMgraphics unit. The video wall baseboard refer-ence platform is based on the new COM Ex-press specification 2.1 for pin-out Type 6 mak-ing it ideal for new designs. Displays can alsobe connected via additional VGA or LVDSports. Besides graphical interfaces, the newvideo wall baseboard includes a wide range ofmajor ports for embedded applications suchas 2x Gbit Ethernet, 4x SATA, 2x USB 3.0, 4xUSB 2.0, high definition audio and a 19Vpower supply for standard notebooks. Formass storage, a 2.5“ SATA hard drive or SSDcan be mounted directly on the baseboard.The baseboard also comes with an RF4CE(ZigBee) receiver enabling remote control.

Developers have the option to integrate an ad-ditional graphics unit via a complete MXM3.0 module. It is plugged into the appropriatesocket on the video wall baseboard using a314-pin connector and communicates with thecomputer module via PCI Express Graphics(PEG 2.0). This makes it easy to change thegraphics solution later on. Developers can up-grade the integrated graphics and computingpower of the COM Express module by addingthe graphics or processing power of the dedi-cated MXM module. This is a truly unique fea-ture in embedded computing. In combination

with the AMD Embedded R Series APU-basedconga-TFS, the MXM module offers particularlyhigh graphics performance. Ranging from thedual-core AMD APU R-272f to the quad-coreAMD APU R-464L, the COM Express moduleprovides a powerful compact two-chip solutionwith the AMD A70M controller hub.

The integrated graphics core of the conga-TFS supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.2 forfast 2D and 3D imaging. A third generationhardware universal video decoder providesseamless processing of H.264, VC-1, MPEG4Part 2 and MPEG2 video streams. The availablegraphics interfaces include VGA and 18/24Bitsingle/dual channel LVDS. In addition, thereare three DisplayPort 1.2, one HDMI 1.4 andtwo single-link DVI for the direct control ofthree independent displays. PEG Port 2.0, sevenPCI Express 2.0 x1 lanes, four SuperSpeedUSB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, four SATA6 Gb/s ports, a Gigabit Ethernet interface andhigh definition audio complete the compre-hensive feature set.

What better than to combine the performanceof CPU and GPU thereby realizing an extremelypowerful processor that can handle any task.AMD has done just that by introducing the ac-celerated processing units (APUs) that integrateCPU and a discrete programmable GPU onone silicon die. This allows efficient processingof both scalar workloads on x86 cores and vec-

All set for high-performance video walls

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

By Zeljko Loncaric, congatec AG

A reference board based on the COM Express

Computer-on-Module concept features an MXM graphics modulefor easy integration into video wallinstallations. Providing up to nine

independent DisplayPort connections,it is designed for maximum

performance and customized video wall systems.

Figure 1. Video wall graphic

April 2013 20


tor workloads on the GPU, resulting in an overall performance increasewhile minimizing power consumption. Thanks to the unique marketposition of AMD, which unites leadership in x86 processor technologywith world-leading AMD Radeon graphics, AMD APUs present a com-putationally powerful and energy-efficient processor platform with su-perior graphics capabilities. The AMD R-Series platform is based on aspace-saving two-chip solution: the APU and the associated controllerhub for the connection of peripherals.

The new R-Series platform is characterized by a combination of sharedand dedicated resources. Unlike previous processor architectures thereare now two x86 cores that have access to up to 2 MBytes of shared L2cache. Each core includes an integer unit plus 128-bit floating point unit(FPU). If required, two floating point units can be combined to form a256 FPU, leading to a significant increase in the floating-point processingpower of an application. Dedicated processing units provide additionalpower efficiencies: the revised unified video decoder reduces APU powerconsumption during video playback. With the AMD Embedded R-Series APU it can now also handle two independent 1080p videostreams simultaneously, and it supports Blu-ray 3D edition. The videocompression engine, which converts HD video in real time and withminimal CPU load to H.264 format, is a brand new feature. This isuseful, for example, in video conferencing systems or video surveillanceapplications. Another new feature is the Secure Asset Management Unitthat enables GPU-assisted encryption and decryption of sensitive data.

Another new and powerful addition is the integrated AMD Radeongraphics unit of the 7000 family. It offers 128 to 384 graphics cores witha clock speed of up to 686 MHz. Achieving a 3Dmark Vantage „E“result of 13,066, the AMD R-464L APU provides three times thegraphics performance of the most powerful G-Series APU. This far exceeds the performance class of previous integrated graphics units onthe market. One of the reasons why modules based on the new AMDEmbedded R-Series platform remain extremely power efficient is individual resource allocation: For example, the AMD R-464L APUallows developers of graphics-intensive or data-parallel applications toconcentrate the power allocation for high frequencies and voltages onthe GPU. This speeds up graphics processing by 38% while keeping tothe defined power consumption limits. For CPU-intensive applications,the power allocation can be concentrated on the CPU in order toachieve a 39% increase in processor speed. Overall, the AMD R-464LAPU achieves a maximum of 576 GFLOPS single precision performance.COMs that support these APUs therefore are an ideal platform forhigh-end embedded applications – such as gaming, digital signage,medical imaging, security and surveillance - that require high perform-ance in a power efficient solution. The new AMD Embedded R-Seriesplatform also supports up to four independent displays, or one extremelyhigh-resolution display with a resolution of up to 6000 x 2000 pixels.

This is particularly important for large screens, which need to deliversharp images even at close range. Other special features include AMDDual Graphics technology: it combines the graphics performance ofthe integrated GPU with a discrete graphics unit, such as the AMDRadeon E6760 GPU. When using the discrete graphics unit, theintegrated graphics can focus on improving performance. Previously itwas only possible to use either one or the other graphics unit. For thefirst time developers can now efficiently scale the graphics performanceof their embedded application without negative effect on power con-sumption or costs. With AMD Eyefinity technology it is also possible tocontrol up to 9 independent displays with one APU and a separateAMD Radeon graphics unit. This enables video wall designs with unprecedented performance and power efficiency. n

21 April 2013

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

Figure 2. Video wall reference board fromcongatec

Figure 3. AMD Radeon E6760 MXM module Figure 4: conga-TFS COM with AMDEmbedded R-Series


http://www.elma.com

n A disconcerting habit of running towardsthe sound of gunfire, while perhaps those of amore sensible disposition are heading in theopposite direction, is the very definition ofthe front-line war reporter. Indeed, there canbe few applications for embedded video morevital than the often-harrowing reports theyproduce from conflict zones around the world,which are always hard-won and even potentiallycost the ultimate price.

Of course, not everyone can be as adventurousas a war correspondent but the requirementfor high speed and secure two-way video com-munications is at the heart of all modern tele-vision reporting. And whether in a war zoneor covering a local news angle, from Helmandto Hounslow the role of the television reportertoday depends as much on technology as itdoes on courage or capability. Recently con-tacted by a media company to help develop anelectronic news gathering solution, Cam-bridgeshire-based embedded video technologyfirm Advanced Micro Peripherals (AMP) aimedto produce a design that could support thismodern technology-led and robust news gath-ering operation. In this case, the media com-pany requirement was for a rugged high defi-nition video system that transmitted data overthe new 4G network. The electronics develop-ment firm set about producing an integratedsystem with a field end and studio end. This

system would be required to stream live videoand audio from a reporter in the field to thebroadcast studio. In addition, such systemsare typically required to transmit video andaudio from the studio back to the remote re-porter so that he or she can remain in two-way communications with the studio to receivestudio information and director’s instructions.This compressed data has to be broadcastquality but also ultra-low latency to ensurefeedback and direction from the studio canhave a real time effect.

The principal challenge in developing this system was squeezing broadcast quality highdefinition video into the limited bandwidth ofthe 4G network with the lowest possible latency.The low latency was a particular requirementas the service had to ensure perfect audio-visual lip-synchronisation for the two-way com-munications between reporter and studio. Withan existing range of embedded video hardwarewhich are matched with software developmentkits to capture, display, record and streammulti-channel NTSC/PAL video data, initiallyan off-the-shelf product was provided.

This device was a four channel, full frame rateH.264 compression-decompression (Codec)system for the PC/104-plus bus for capturingand compressing analog video to one of themost commonly used formats for high defini-

tion video. As a full duplex video streamingsystem, which makes use of wireless networkssuch as 3G and 4G LTE to send and receivethe data, it already allowed high quality real-time video and audio capture and compression.However, it soon became apparent that addi-tional functionality was required for this ap-plication, namely high definition video andaudio encode/decode for the new generationof streaming solution.

The company did have an existing board featuring an input resolution of up to 1080pin HDMI format and an operating tempera-ture range of -40°C to +85°C. This couldhandle the HD video encode and decode butit did not support audio or output of decodedvideo to HDMI/SDI/Composite specification,as preferred by the broadcast media industry.And, although supplied software developmentkits for video recording and video streamingare designed to significantly reduce develop-ment time in Windows and Linux - and alsoinclude libraries, drivers and example appli-cations to help developers - the additionalrequirements meant further developmentwas required. The standard SDKs supportedvideo only as well as video and audio stream-ing, but did not offer an audio only stream,which was required by this project as part ofthe communication „talkback“ link from thestudio to the reporter in the field.

Running towards the sound of gunfirewith embedded video

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

By Alan Smith, Advanced Micro Peripherals

Squeezing broadcast qualityhigh definition video into

limited bandwidth with thelowest possible latency is theprincipal challenge faced by

news-gathering agenciesoperating on the front line.

April 2013 22


n EKF: XMC compliant single-width mezzanine card

The DU1-MUSTANG is a XMC compliantsingle-width mezzanine card, equipped with aPCI Express to dual-UART bridge. Two highspeed RS-485 balanced line transceivers withinternal 5kV isolation barrier provide for opti-mum reliability and immunity against electro-magnetic noise and electrostatic discharge. TheUARTs (COM ports) are compatible with anyasynchronous serial application. Certified devicedrivers are available for Windows. The 16MbpsEIA/TIA-485 transceivers can be configuredfor full-duplex operation (4+1 wire cable) orhalf-duplex (2+1 wire cable), either point-to-point or multipoint applications.

News ID 17019

n Kontron: 6U CompactPCI Serial Mesh 10 Gigabit Ethernet processor board

Kontron is launching a 6U CompactPCISerial Mesh 10 Gigabit Ethernet processorboard together with a compliant chassis.The CompactPCI system supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet and PCIe over backplanein addition to the common interfaces suchas PICMG 2.16, SATA and HDMI. The Kontron CompactPCI processor boardCP6004X-SA is based on the latest genera-tion Quad-Core Intel Core processor andoffers high computing power and perform-ance-per-watt, which really comes into its ownin the CP-RAPID3 chassis with full-meshfabric configuration.

News ID 16968

23 April 2013

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

The underlying product had been designedwith dedicated high speed video bus ports fortransferring digital video data. These allowhaving additional plug-in boards to supportnew video interfaces as required. Workingfrom this initial brief, new specifications weredeveloped which led to a new board design towork in tandem with the existing product thatwould provide the audio functionality andthe required HDMI/SDI/Composite video en-coders to output the decoded raw digital videosignal. As part of this approach the softwaredevelopment kits were enhanced and newfunctions added specially to meet the addi-tional requirements of this project and easethe development work of the media company’sdevelopment engineers. This was the first timethe company had had this request, i.e.to deliveraudio talkback between field reporter/camera-man and studio anchorman/producer, but theway the software is implemented meant thisnew feature could be added and exposed in

the same way as video streams, and so waseasy for customers to use. With the issue of de-livering two-way broadcast quality high defi-nition video into the limited bandwidth avail-able from the 3G and 4G networks resolved,product software development, testing andcertification is on-going.

As part of its product development philosophy,AMP provides updates on new technologiesfor future improvements and revisions relevantto electronic news gathering. Moreover, by op-erating as an extension to the developmentteam and providing bespoke customisation ofexisting products, the company aims to accel-erate the time-to-market for tailored solutionsto novel problems. It is not necessarily frontline reporters who will benefit from low-latency,high bandwidth two-way video streamingacross 3G and 4G networks, but whoever theusers are, they can be certain that the technol-ogy they are using is leading from the front. n

Figure 1. Four-channel, full frame rate H.264 compression-decompression (Codec) system for thePC/104 Plus bus for capturing and compressing analog video to one of the most commonly usedformats for high definition video is the base for the new reporting system.

Product News


http://www.men.de



GRAPHICS & VIDEO

April 2013 24

n Touch screens allow users with little trainingto access the power of PCs to perform complextasks and make sophisticated choices. But tounlock the full potential of touch activation,sensing technology needs to evolve to delivergreater durability and reliability while observingestablished cost parameters. Easy availabilityof electronic flat panel touch displays, in arange of sizes and at commodity prices, is en-abling PC-based user interfaces to enhanceequipment for a wide range of equipment inretail, industrial, security, gaming, medical andother applications.

There are exciting opportunities for public ac-cess systems in particular, as PC technologycan deliver sophisticated choices for customersin transport booking halls, in airline departurelounges, in shopping malls, on fuel stationforecourts and in a wide range of other retailsituations. Point-of-sale equipment can bemore intuitive and easy to learn, as well as be-coming more flexible. Also, control panels forindustrial equipment are making increasinguse of graphical user interfaces to enhancecontrol and reduce training overheads. Andintuitive control panels for security systemsallow staff to assess situations accurately andrespond quickly to security alerts. Even thoughall user groups are quickly becoming more fa-miliar with computers, a touch screen is oftenthe most natural way to interact with the com-

puter. Users unfamiliar with computers alsofind a touch screen more welcoming and easierto understand; this is important to kiosk own-ers, for example, who need to appeal to thewidest possible customer base. Removing theneed for an external keyboard and mouse alsoenhances reliability and eliminates the incon-venience resulting from loss or damage tothese components.

Traditional touch screens are predominantlysurface (front-face-active) and consequently,designers have had to accept compromiseswhen choosing a sensing technology to servea particular application. For example, generaluse and accidental damage to front-face-activesensors - which occurs unavoidably duringthe screen lifetime - tends to degrade func-tionality and performance over time. The frontface coatings used in resistive and capacitivesensors, for example, are more vulnerable todamage caused by scratching, wear and tearand drift, and have a relatively short lifetime.This can ultimately lead to expensive servicingand replacement. Surface capacitive sensing isalso ineffective if the user is wearing gloves.This is a particular drawback if the terminal isintended for outdoor use, such as self-servicefuel pumps and public access terminals. Otherfront-face-active technologies such as surfaceacoustic wave (SAW) and infra red also havelimitations. Rain or water droplets hitting the

display surface can cause false detection, andSAW sensors can only be fully sealed into dis-plays at a high cost, rendering them unsuitablefor outdoor use. Infra red touch sensors relyon strips of optical transmitters and receiversmounted within a front face bezel. Touch per-formance can be reduced significantly if theybecome dirty or blocked as this will obscurethe optics, creating dead zones. In addition,when used outdoors, infra red sensors may be-come confused by strong sunlight.

Depending upon the application and the mar-ket, a touch sensing technology must meet anumber of criteria before being selected. Atypical developer’s touch wish list is likely torequire that the touch screen satisfies the fol-lowing. Is robust and able to withstand attack– for purposes of theft or fraud, or simplycasual vandalism - as well as accidental damage.Does not suffer from drift, eliminating theneed for periodic maintenance. Offers longtouch life – preferably unlimited. Can be oper-ated with bare and gloved hands. Is able to dif-ferentiate between the stylus or pointer andany object such as a hand or drinks cup placedon the screen. Is wipe-clean and solvent-resis-tant. Is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Iseasy to integrate, Offers both a competitivepurchase price, and total cost of ownershipadvantages. One solution to meeting the de-veloper need is to use a different sensing tech-

High performance touch technologyfor mass marketsBy Mark Cambridge, Zytronic

A new touch technologyderived from high-end touch

applications may be thebreakthrough developers are

seeking. The limitations of traditional cost-effective

sensing technologies haveprevented the use of touch

screens in demanding environments, but PCT

sensors such as Zypos enablethis hurdle to be cleared.

Figure 1. The new PTC touch technology Zypos enables long termfunctionality without degrading.


25 April 2013

GRAPHICS & VIDEO

nique, such as projected capacitive technology(PCT), to enable a highly robust, drift-freetouch screen solution. Employed as a provensolution in a broad range of applications thatrequire ultra-durable touch screens, projectedcapacitive sensing is achieved by embeddingan array of near-invisible capacitors within alaminated screen behind a protective frontsurface. The capacitors can be up to 20mmbelow the screen surface, allowing them to bewell protected from accidental damage. Lami-nated screens built using polycarbonate or ar-moured glass serve high security applications,and are capable of withstanding casual van-dalism as well as criminally motivated attack.In addition to its high resistance, projected ca-pacitive sensing is not prone to drifting, andtherefore requires minimal maintenance.

Due to the fact that it is not a surface-activetechnology - coupled with the robust nature ofthe screen - it is able to withstand general wearand tear as well as careless but well-meaninguse (which can be expected in public access ap-plications). PCT offers one of the highest lighttransmission levels available in a touch sensor(up to 91% through a standard sensor) and of-fers the option to add anti-reflective coatingsand other filters and enhancements to increaseperformance even further. Combined with soft-ware techniques to subtract the effects of a sta-tionary object resting against the screen, a PCTtouch sensor, such as the Zytronic Zytouchsensor, answers the performance demands out-lined above. As a result, Zytouch is proven in awide range of applications which include ATMs,video jukeboxes, outdoor digital signage unitsand many industrial applications.

Zytronic has now developed a new manufac-turing process, using the same fundamentaltouch technology, that enables PCT touchsensing to bring the mentioned advantages tothe higher volume and more cost-sensitiveapplications, including retail, medical, indus-trial and gaming environments. The sensortechnology, which is known as Zypos, deliversmany of the inherent benefits of PCT but at alower price point than has previously beenpossible. Zypos is manufactured using a

process which has fewer stages compared withZytouch, resulting in a sensor with a singlelayer of glass approximately 3mm thick. Thesensing element remains embedded, ratherthan upon the surface, meaning that Zyposstill offers many of the unique benefits of Zy-touch. These include a fast and accurate re-sponse time of <10ms, and continual per-formance that remains unaffected by harshenvironmental conditions such as snow, rainand very hot sun. The technology is also in-sensitive to surface contaminants such asgrease, debris and cleaning agents. Zypos canalso be operated with a gloved or unglovedhand and is drift-free, which means that norecalibration is required.

Zypos therefore retains many of the advantagesof the Zytouch product, combined with afaster manufacturing process that enables PCTto become increasingly competitive with es-tablished surface active sensing technologies.Significantly, the inherent durability of theproduct also means that its appearance andfunction are not degraded by normal use overa long period of time. Zypos-enabled equip-ment can be expected therefore to remainfully functional and look better for longer.

To maximise the usable screen area, the inte-grated control electronics featured on Zytouchsensors has been redesigned as a discrete andinterchangeable module, which occupies asmall, credit-card-sized footprint. The Zyposcontroller is self-contained, and its associateddriver is compatible with a wide range of op-erating systems, including Windows CE, XP,2000, Vista and Linux. The advent of pervasivecomputing is no longer dependent on theavailability of processing power, but the abilityto make that power accessible to the majorityof potential users. Touch screens have the po-tential to enable this revolution, but the per-formance limitations of cost-effective sensingtechnologies have traditionally prevented theiruse in some of the more demanding environ-ments. With the arrival of next generationPCT sensors such as Zypos, alongside estab-lished high-end versions of the technology,this hurdle has been cleared. n

Figure 2. Construction of Zytouch PCT sensors

Figure 3. Cross-section construction of Zypossensors


http://www.peak-system.com

n DATA MODUL: Pico-ITX SBC withFreescale Vybrid CortexA5 and CortexM4

The PicoITX form factor with armStoneA5 isperfectly suitable for the development of pow-erful applications. The Dual Core Vybrid fromFreescale has a CortexA5-500MHz core unitand a CortexM4-167MHz core. With the arm-StoneA5 DATA MODUL is offering a small,strong and extremely cost efficient SBC.

News ID 16883

n PCI/104-Express and PCIe/104 specification update approved

The PC/104 Consortium announces that thePCI/104-Express & PCIe/104 specification,with provisions for PCI Express Generation 2and Generation 3, was approved in Februaryby member vote. The additions and enhance-ments to the specification align it with per-formance improvements to PCI Express 3.0.Transfer rates of up to 2 GB/s, 8GB/s, 16 GB/sand 32GB/second are now possible on its x1,x4, x8, and x16 links. The connector technologyand foot-print is preserved in the specification.Layout examples for the different PCI Expresslinks, USB 3.0, and SATA were added to assistdevelopers.

News ID 16901

n Kontron launches ‘High-Speed CompactPCI Initiative’

At Embedded World, Kontron has announcedthe launch of its ‘High-Speed CompactPCIInitiative’. Kontron will extend its support toinclude two CompactPCI standards, Com-pactPCI Serial (CPCI-S.0) for 3U form factorswith PCIe, GbE, USB and SATA over back-plane, as well as CompactPCI Serial Mesh(based on PICMG 2.20) for 6U form factorswith 10GbE over backplane. This initiativegives the CompactPCI bus architecture a nextgeneration product enhancement providingCompactPCI applications with an enormousperformance boost, and extending the invest-ment security of CompactPCI technology foranother decade.

News ID 16975

n MEN: Box PC with AMD G-Series APU fordata-intensive applications

MEN presents another member of their familyof modular box and panel PCs. Offering ahigh-performance processor from the AMDEmbedded G-Series, the I/O required in themarket, a wide-range PSU with 16 to 36 V anda robust, maintenance-free enclosure, the BC50Iis especially suited for demanding industrialapplications. A conduction-cooled, scalableenclosure (with or without display) togetherwith a CPU board and a freely configurableI/O board – these are the features characterizingMEN’s customized „off-the-shelf“ box anddisplay computers.

News ID 16956

n SECO: COM-Express Type 6 module withAMD Embedded R-series platform

SECO presents the SECOMExp-Rseries, a COM-Express TYPE 6 (basic module) based on thebrand new Accelerated Processing Unit by AMD.The product is designed for digital signage,gaming and multimedia applications and sup-ports up to 4 independent displays and up to2560x1600 resolution. The APU technologyrepresents an excellent solution for powerfulmodules, able to offer DirectX11, OpenGL 4.2and OpenCL support, and unprecedentedgraphics performance per watt through ad-vanced graphics and hardware acceleration

News ID 16996

n Eurotech expands distribution agreement with Avnet

Eurotech has announced the expansion of itsdistribution agreement with Avnet ElectronicsMarketing Americas adding its M2M Platformto Avnet’s line card. This contract extensionincludes Eurotech’s Everyware Software Frame-work, a device application framework, and theEveryware Cloud, an integrated M2M deviceand data management platform. Eurotech isdistributed through the Avnet Embedded divi-sion of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas.

News ID 16990

n ADL: 3rd gen Intel Core i7 Quad/DC 3.5” SBC

ADL Embedded Solutions has announced its New3rd generation Intel Core Ivy Bridge 3.5” SBC –ADL3GQM67HDS. The ADL3GQM67HDSincorporates 3rd generation Intel Core Quadand Dual-Core socketed processors with Intel’snew HD4000 graphics engine. Platform featuresinclude mini-PCI and PCIe expansion ports,support for up to 16GB DDR3 DRAM andvideo ports including DisplayPort, HDMI,DVI and VGA. Extended temperature operationof -40C to +85C with ADL Embedded Solutions’ thermal solutions is also available.

News ID 16929

n BVM: PCIe mini-card CANbus interfaceThe BVM Group has introduced the MPX-2515, a new mini-PCIe card, which provides aCANbus interface from an embedded com-puter. While CANbus was originally developedfor automobile use, its low cost, robust per-formance, simple architecture and interconnectrequirements has made it an increasingly at-tractive technology for communicating withsensors, actuators, ECUs and other controldevices in industrial, medical, automation andprocess control systems. The MPX-2515 mini-PCIe card implements the ISO-11898 StandardPhysical Layer requirements, supporting up to112 nodes at up to 1Mb/s operation. It providesreceive buffers, masks, filters, and data bytefiltering and supports one-shot mode.

News ID 16974

n Vecow: PoE controller operates underharsh environments

Vecow announces a fan-less Power-over-Ethernetembedded controller ECS-7800-PoE supports3rd Gen Intel Quad-Core series processor (6MCache, up to 3.30 GHz), DDR3L and DDR3maximum dual channel 16GB ram, 4-port IEEE802.3at PoE+, 5 display (2 DP, DVI-D, VGA,LVDS), isolated DIO, 2 GbE LANs, CFast, two2.5” SATA 6Gp/s SSD/HDD trays, 4 COM, 4USB 3.0 ports, JST connector, and 2 miniPCI-express, plus with overvoltage protection andTrusted Platform Module which making ECS-7800-PoE stands out from others in machinevision and GigE imaging, intelligent traffic sys-tem, machine vision, surveillance and security,AOI, and most of embedded applications.

News ID 16908

n MicroMax: error-free rugged computer foron-board and off-the-shelf applications

MicroMax announced that the field testing oftheir latest system for railroad Automatic TrainControl application has been successfully com-pleted. The Max 400 ST/USO is an error-freerugged computer for on-board and off-the-shelf applications.

News ID 17002

n DSM: flat embedded system of the thirdgeneration

DSM Computer presented at embedded worldfor the first time the NanoServer NN-QM67embedded system. The 58 mm flat industrialcomputer is based on Intel Core processors ofthe third generation and on the energy-savingIntel QM67 mobile chipset. With the compact,slot-less NN-QM67, DSM augments itsNanoServer family whose models differ in thenumber of slots and in the performance class.A sophisticated ventilation concept ensures alow internal temperature of the extremelycompact housing and so increases significantlythe service life of the system despite its highperformance. DSM Computer has specifiedthe maximum full-load temperature of thehigh-performance NanoServer NN-QM67 notjust 45 °C, but 50 °C.

News ID 16875

n TQ: modular data logger and gatewayfor fast systems solutions

In the form of the new TinyBox TBa53, TQ ispresenting a modular data logger, based on theTQMa53, which can also be used as a gateway.The data logger, which consists of a mainboard,module and casing, allows a cost-efficient andquick implementation of customer-specific sys-tems solutions. Two system slots are availablefor expansions. The TinyBox TBa53 can also beintegrated directly into the switchboard as aDIN rail device and thereby forms the basis fora system solution which can be realised quickly.

News ID 16983

April 2013 26

PRODUCT NEWS














n IBASE: modular Panel PCs with 3rd gen Intel Core processorsIBASE Technology releases modular panel PCs IPP17A9-RE andIPPC19A9-RE that powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core Processorsbased on the 22nm manufacturing process, also known as Ivy Bridge.These latest panel PCs fits into a wide range of applications such asmedical, hospitality, retail, transportation and factory automation. Themodular IPP17A9-RE and IPPC19A9-RE utilizes a module that housesthe system platform with a 17-inch and 19-inch display panel respectively.This standardized combination allows easy construction and affordsbetter inventory control.

News ID 16928

n ADLINK: 15.6’’ ultra-slim smart touch computer in stylish aluminum alloys fits

ADLINK launches the brand-new 15.6” Smart Touch Computer BFS-15W02. With low-power Intel Atom D2550 processor, it allows fanlessoperation up to 50°C while guaranteeing longevity support. Unlikeconventional panel PCs, this ultra-slim Smart Touch Computer doesnot only look appealing, but also provides IP54 protection and out-standing reliability. Sleek full-flat touch screen, chemical resistance,ease of maintenance and cleaning are just a few examples among itsoutstanding features, arm-mount capability and an optional integrateddesktop stand designed specially for this product make it fit anywhere– on a working bench, on the wall or on a swing arm, and still stay con-nected via built-in WiFi or dual Gigabit Ethernet.

News ID 16885

n TQ presents COMSys x86 multi-talentsTQ presented hardware kits, BoxPCs and PanelPC with the latest IntelCore processors at embedded world. The multi-touch all-in-onesolutions with projected capacitive touch and multi-monitor support,based on the COMSys embedded PC solutions of TQ-Systems are bestequipped for Windows 8 and Windows Embedded 8. For example adisplay can be connected to another display with an integrated embeddedPC via VGA/DVI/HDMI, allowing extremely efficient solutions to beachieved. With these solutions TQ relies on robust metal constructionswhich also work reliably in industrial environments.

News ID 16896

n congatec: WEC 7 Qseven module based on i.MX6 ARM Cortex A9 CPU

congatec announces a Windows Embedded Compact 7 version of theconga-QMX6 Qseven module based on the Freescale i.MX6 ARMCortex A9 processor. Windows Embedded Compact 7 (WEC7) is thelatest generation of Windows CE operating systems designed for inno-vative embedded applications such as those based on the Qseven formfactor. WEC7 provides a 32-bit hard real-time operating system withSilverlight support, a customizable user interface, a new multimediaplayer, Internet Explorer with Flash 10.1 and a powerful developmenttool. In addition, it provides customized development and design toolsfor programmers; XAML and C++ can be used.

News ID 16921

n SECO unveils new range of Qseven Rel. 2.0 compliant modulesSECO unveiled the QuadMo747-x2000, based on the newest IntelAtom family, N2000 and D2000, a series of Dual Core CPUs withHyper Threading capability and 64-bit instruction set. Integrating ahigh performance 2D and 3D GPU, along with the NM10 ExpressChipset, which gives the support for most PC-like interfaces, thisfamily of processors offers a very high level of performance for all kindof applications, from graphics to industrial automation. Also new is the�Q7-i.MX6, a �Qseven Rel. 2.0 compliant module that offers top com-putational and graphical performance delivered by a low-power CPU.

News ID 17000

n DAVE: CPU module in SODIMM format with ARM Cortex-A8Dave launches on the market Maya, the new CPU module in SODIMMformat based on the “DaVinci” DM814x/”Sitara” AM387x microprocessorfamilies from Texas Instruments. Maya is a CPU module of the Lite line,based on high-performance 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processors and itoffers great computational power, thanks to the rich set of dedicated co-processors (NEON Media Technology, PowerVR SGX 530 3D accelerator,High DefinitionVi deo Co-processing Engine, HD Video ProcessingSubsystem), in a standard SO-DIMM 204-pin form factor.

News ID 16954

n Curtiss-Wright adds event analysis tool to CHAMP-AV8 Continuum Insights suite

Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions has announced the additionof a powerful new Event Analysis tool to its CHAMP-AV8 ContinuumInsights 5.1 suite of GUI-based system monitoring, system managementand multi-processor debug software tools for developers of applicationsoftware for multiprocessor embedded multicomputer systems.

News ID 16980

n Fastwel: COM Express Type II (rev 2.0) computer on moduleFastwel announces the mass production of CPC1310, the COM ExpressType II (rev 2.0) computer on module. This new product is based onthe dual-core processor Intel Pineview 1.6 GHz. All module components,including 1 GB memory and 4 GB SSD, are soldered thus providinghigh shock and vibration resistance. Thanks to HD slots, the systemdevelopers are provided with a wide range of high-speed interfaces,such as Gigabit Ethernet, 8 USB 2.0, 2 SATAII and 4 PCIExpressx1.

News ID 16963

27 April 2013

PRODUCT NEWS


http://www.pc104.org









n MAZeT: Android based solutions for embedded system

MAZeT present their new Android based so-lutions for embedded systems. Modern re-quirements for embedded systems are that de-fined tasks need to be solved at maximum ef-ficiency. This is at limited usage of operatingsystems and at minimal hard- and softwareeffort. Price performance-radio, reliability andflexible data rates are high in demand. Em-bedded systems often use modified versionsof operating system, such as Embedded Win-dows, Linux or Android. For systems withhigh requirements on performance and relia-bility it is also recommended to use customizedFPGAs or ASICs.

News ID 16948

n Kontron: fanless data concentrator forSCADA and control room systems

Kontron presents the new Passau II, a fanless,intelligent data concentrator for SCADA andcontrol room systems. The 2U rackmountserver, which can be extended on a modularbasis, is designed to meet the highest require-ments in electromagnetic immunity. It fur-thermore excels with its scalable number ofprotected GbE LAN, CAN and galvanicallyisolated serial interfaces for surge protection.These features enable its deployment in heavycurrent environments while also allowing forthe direct control of devices with live current.

News ID 16962

n congatec: Qseven Mobility Kit includessmart battery module

congatec presents the Qseven Mobility Kit, acomplete starter package for the rapid proto-typing of battery-powered embedded systems.Qseven embedded computer modules are anideal solution for virtually any low-power orultra mobile embedded PC application thanksto their compact size and minimum powerconsumption. To minimize development costsof such systems, congatec has combined allnecessary components in a comprehensivestarter kit.In addition to a compact Qsevencarrier board and a 7“ LVDS single touch dis-play with LED backlight, the starter kit includesa battery manager and smart battery module.

News ID 16977

n SECO unveils SECOpITX-x2000 SBC withAtom Cedar View processors

SECO has launched the SECOpITX-x2000, aSingle Board Computer in pico-ITX form fac-tor (just 100 x 72mm), based on the newestIntel Atom family of CPUs, N2000 and D2000,

a series of Dual Core CPUs with Hyper Thread-ing capabilities and 64-bit instruction set. In-tegrating a high performance 2D and 3D GPU,along with the NM10 Express Chipset, thisfamily of processors offers a high level per-formance for all kind of applications, fromgraphical to industrial automation.

News ID 16998

n TQ: Cortex A8 module with PRU supportWith the TQMa335, based on the ARM proces-sor family AM335x from Texas Instruments,TQ-Systems has created a high-performanceminimodule with two integrated PRUs. Astarter kit consisting of a mainboard, moduleand accessories will support customers in thedevelopment of diverse system solutions. Onthe TQMa335 it is intended that all availableCPU versions – from AM3352 to the AM3359– will be able to be used. They differ fromeach other primarily in the processing poweroffered as well as in their functioning.

News ID 16937

April 2013 28

PRODUCT NEWS

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