Jungo and Wisair have collaborated on a complete Wireless USB solution for Linux-based and embedded platforms used in consumer electronics devices. One of the many products that debuted during the Consumer Electronics Show in January, this solution combines Jungo’s USBware protocol software stack with Wisair’s single chip-basd Wireless USB reference designs. The new offeing enables OEMs to embed Wireless USB into non-Windows consumer electronics devices such as set-top boxes, TV sets, smart phones, and DVRs, providing more options for consumers to connect external devices with a higher throughput delivered.

Jungo and Wisair have collaborated on a complete Wireless USB solution for Linux-based and embedded platforms used in consumer electronics devices. One of the many products that debuted during the Consumer Electronics Show in January, this solution combines Jungo’s USBware protocol software stack with Wisair’s single chip-basd Wireless USB reference designs. The new offeing enables OEMs to embed Wireless USB into non-Windows consumer electronics devices such as set-top boxes, TV sets, smart phones, and DVRs, providing more options for consumers to connect external devices with a higher throughput delivered.

The whole idea behind COM Express is to continually improve the price/performance point of modules in the same size and power footprint, and the Intel Atom processor has accelerated this trend. One of the latest Atom-based modules is congatec’s conga-CA945, which features a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor N270 coupled with a 945GSE Express chip and the I/O Controller Hub 7-M. The module typically consumes about 5 W and offers integrated I/O features including three PCI Express ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, two SATA ports, two ExpressCard interfaces, IDE, high-def audio, Embedded Panel Interface graphics, and more. The onboard embedded BIOS supports ACPI 3.0.

Embedded developers face constant pressure to do more with less - enhance application performance and connectivity, reduce costs, and speed time to market. To help developers successfully meet their design challenges, Freescale Semiconductor offers an industrial connectivity solution that combines its highly integrated 32-bit ColdFire MCF5225x MCU family with the MQX RTOS.

With on-chip USB, Ethernet, CAN, and encryption, the combined silicon and software solution gives developers exceptional design flexibility, connectivity options, and fast time to market backed by a full-featured, scalable RTOS platform. To ease the development process, Freescale provides a comprehensive ecosystem of software development tools, evaluation boards, reference designs, software examples, and webinars.

The automotive infotainment space is exploding, as demonstrated by Freescale’s introduction of its latest device, the i.MX35 application processor, at the recent SAE Convergence 2008. With an ARM1136JF-S core running at up to 532 MHz, the processor features an advanced image processing unit with optional OpenVG graphics acceleration, enabling vector graphics apps like Adobe Flash. The i.MX35 also features other improvements including a DDR2 memory interface, an Enhanced Serial Audio Interface and sample rate conversion, USB host and On-The-Go interfaces, a media local bus (per MOST), Ethernet, and MMC/SD/SDIO and CE-ATA/SDIO interfaces.

Although the current IEEE 802.3af standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE) delivers 13 W, there’s clearly a need for more power (see the article on IEEE 802.3at in the October 2008 issue of Embedded Computing Design for details). To fulfill this need, ON Semiconductor has extended the NCP108x family of devices. NCP1081 and NCP1083 provide up to 40 W of power and improved ESD robustness. These parts are available in an industrial temperature range, align with Draft 3.0 of IEEE 802.3at, and help designers create PoE powered devices like security cameras and industrial networking adapters.

The “last inch” in I/O can be one of the toughest problems to solve. In many cases, a system needs to do more than one thing with several different types of I/O interfaces involved. Technobox’s Micro Mezzanine System tackles these challenges head on using tiny Electrical Conversion Modules (ECMs) placed on a PMC or other carrier along with FPGA-based IP to provide the needed interface logic. Each ECM presents 16 pins to the carrier for I/O, and several different functions are available to mix and match.

Designers have a lot of options for 32-bit microcontrollers, but Texas Instruments’ recently announced Piccolo F2802x and F2803x family shakes things up a bit at a price point starting around $2 in volume. Besides a choice of package sizes and integrated peripherals, higher-end Piccolo devices feature a Control Law Accelerator (CLA) unit, which offloads 32-bit floating-point operations and runs independently from the main CPU core. According to TI, CLA use is achieving a 5x performance increase in some applications. The Microcontroller family’s integration, performance, and package size target lower system cost and better control with more energy efficiency.

NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are reportedly contributing more than 1.25 petaflops of processing power equaling about 42 percent of the total processing power for the Stanford University Folding@home distributed computing project (http://folding.stanford.edu), which models proteins and their effects on the human body. Stanford University teams developed the Folding@home client using NVIDIA CUDA in C. This application researches cures to life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease by combining the computing horsepower of millions of processors to simulate protein folding.

One of USB’s hallmarks is that it can connect to many different devices. But sometimes, what you need to connect to is a long ways away or requires some type of electronic isolation - exactly the type of job a fiber interface excels at.

The 4166 from Electro Standards Laboratories converts USB 2.0 data to a serial asynchronous interface over fiber at user-selectable rates up to 3 Mbps. It has ESD protection at the USB connector as well as 3 KVDC isolation and runs on a 9-36 VDC supply. The unit is also available in a packaged system, the 4165.

Apple never ceases to amaze with how much they can put into one small package and still have a human-machine interface unmatched by anyone in the industry The iPhone 3G delivers UMTS, HSDPA, GSM, Wi-Fi, EDGE, GPS, and Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (10 radios total!) in one compact device using only two antennas. Clever iPhone engineering integrates those antennas into a few unexpected places: the metal ring around the camera, audio jack, metal screen bezel, and the iPhone circuitry itself. Intelligent power management technology provides up to five hours of talk time over 3G networks. The GPS unit powers on and off quickly so it won’t adversely affect battery life. An ambient light sensor automatically brightens the display in sunlight or a bright room and dims it in darker places. The proximity sensor immediately turns off the display to save power and prevent inadvertent touches. Apple accomplishes this with only four external buttons. All but the basic user interface is handled through a multitouch display that adapts to the particular application in use.

Having a solid migration path with significant performance and functionality improvements in each successive generation of products is essential for embedded computing systems. In a move that fulfilled this requirement, Freescale Semiconductor recently introduced QorIQ, a new brand of communications platforms designed to enable the next era of networking and promote embedded Multicore adoption.

The PowerQUICC series of communications processors has long been a successful product line for Freescale, with roots going back to the 68K processors. As the next-generation evolution of the PowerQUICC processor line, Freescale’s QorIQ platforms are designed to help developers migrate to multicore with confidence.

QorIQ platforms include single, dual, and many-core processors based on Freescale’s e500 Power Architecture technology. The platforms start with P1 and P2 levels, which consist of five package, pin, and software-compatible processors that can ease the transition from single to dual-core processing. The P3 and P4 platforms allow developers to move into the many-core arena and address more advanced processing. This is an impressive-looking roadmap with product families that promise to have something for everyone.

In-vehicle electronics have made huge leaps in the past few years to the point where we can now economically put substantial computing power in our vehicles. These infotainment platforms provide navigation systems, audio and video players, and wireless connectivity, making the driving experience more pleasurable.

American Portwell Technology, Inc. recently announced its PCS-8230, a low-power in-vehicle embedded PC infotainment system. Utilizing the Intel Embedded Compact Extended (ECX) form factor SBC, Portwell’s PCS-8230 is based on the Intel Atom Z510 series processor with an Intel System Controller Hub US15W chipset, delivering an excellent performance-per-watt ratio. Its fanless design, low-power output, and compact size make it suitable for in-vehicle infotainment as well as Point-Of-Sale (POS), medical, entry-level gaming, and digital signage applications.

The PCS-8230 has all the necessary features for today’s infotainment systems: DVB-T/FM tuner, Wi-Fi, two USB ports, three integrated SDIO sockets, support for dual-display (optional VGA or LVDS), standard multimedia audio and video functions, optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and USB-Disk Module (UDM), 5.1 channel audio, and open architecture for easy customization.

Touch interfaces are becoming more popular on many embedded devices as they eliminate the need for confusing buttons and complex manuals. Technology that improves the human experience is always welcome.

Synaptics’ ClearTouch product portfolio includes ClearPad and ClearArray sensors available for consumer electronics requiring transparent, touch-sensitive user interfaces. These sensors are designed for durability, low power consumption, and easy integration and can operate under glass or plastic, resulting in robust devices with slim form factors and sleek industrial designs.

ClearPad provides an intuitive, high-resolution touch-screen interface for today’s mobile devices, including cell phones, portable music players, and handheld GPS devices. The sensor can detect gestures such as single-finger tap, double tap, tap & hold/tap & slide, press, flick, and two-finger pinch.

ClearArray supports scrolling in fixed locations over a display and can be used in monitors and kiosk-style devices as alternatives to mechanical buttons. These transparent sensors enable manufacturers to differentiate their products according to their target price points, industrial design requirements, and desired end-user experiences.

Anything that reduces overall system power requirements and improves response times is bound to gain attention from the design community.

The new STMPE811 from STMicroelectronics is a four-wire resistive touch-screen controller featuring autonomous functionality to decrease demands on the host processor. For embedded designers, this frees valuable CPU cycles to relieve pressures on performance, power consumption, and response times.

Built-in features include an internal 12-bit ADC for high resolution and 128 x 32-bit FIFO data buffers for smooth position tracking. The controller is also equipped with accurate position identification and a window-masking function to support multiple sense windows. Special low-power design features achieve active current below 1 mA, idle current less than 1 microampere, and an ultra-low-power 150 nA hibernation mode. By combining these capabilities into a compact 3 mm x 3 mm QFN-16 package, the STMPE811 saves footprint and extends battery lifetime in portable applications such as PDAs, mobile phones, GPS receivers, game consoles, and Point-Of-Service (POS) terminals.

Gaming, digital signage, and other multimedia-intensive embedded applications demand high-performance processors with maximum power efficiency.

Boasting a performance-per-watt ratio that purportedly outperforms other products by as much as 30 percent, the S3 Graphics 4300E is a discrete HD video and graphics processor specifically tailored to handle the embedded industry’s rigid thermal requirements. Designed for DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 2.1, the 4300E helps system developers create an immersive 3D experience. The programmable video engine has media acceleration for H.264, VC-1, AVS, DivX, and MPEG-2 HD, plus display connectivity for HDMI with HDCP, dual-channel LVDS, and dual-link DVI.

Using low-leakage 65 nm process technology with an energy-efficient architecture that scales from 300 MHz to 600 MHz, the 4300E has graphics and HD video cores that can be coupled with the latest DDR2 and DDR3 memories supporting up to 256 MB of local graphics memory. The multimedia processor also has a high-speed serial link PCI Express 2.0-compliant bus supporting x1, x4, x8, and x16 lane widths.

Designers are constantly trying to find smaller devices that can be squeezed into the nooks and crannies of their designs. Mass storage is no exception to the usual space limitations.

SiliconSystems, Inc. and Samtec have collaborated to provide a turnkey embedded storage solution – the SiliconDrive II USB Blade and associated SiliconBlade Socket. The combination of innovative storage technology in the SiliconDrive II USB Blade and SiliconBlade Socket enables OEMs to easily incorporate advanced storage into space-constrained designs. SiliconDrive II USB Blade is an ultra-small form factor that complements SiliconBlade Socket’s robustness and locking mechanism. The postage stamp-sized USB solid-state drive is an ideal alternative to SD and MMC cards in telecommunication, embedded, industrial, military, and medical applications.

Available in capacities of 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB, SiliconDrive II USB Blade is designed for applications where board space, shock, vibration, temperature, and multiyear product life cycles are mandatory design considerations.

Designers are constantly trying to find smaller devices that can be squeezed into the nooks and crannies of their designs. Mass storage is no exception to the usual space limitations. SiliconSystems, Inc. and Samtec have collaborated to provide a turnkey embedded storage solution – the SiliconDrive II USB Blade and associated SiliconBlade Socket. The combination of innovative storage technology in the SiliconDrive II USB Blade and SiliconBlade Socket enables OEMs to easily incorporate advanced storage into space-constrained designs. SiliconDrive II USB Blade is an ultra-small form factor that complements SiliconBlade Socket’s robustness and locking mechanism. The postage stamp-sized USB solid-state drive is an ideal alternative to SD and MMC cards in telecommunication, embedded, industrial, military, and medical applications. Available in capacities of 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB, SiliconDrive II USB Blade is designed for applications where board space, shock, vibration, temperature, and multiyear product life cycles are mandatory design considerations

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) represent the next evolution in lighting products. Their widespread design capabilities may deliver significantly improved levels of efficiency and environmental performance with the same quality of illumination found in traditional products.

GE Global Research, General Electric’s centralized research organization, has successfully demonstrated roll-to-roll manufactured OLED lighting devices, a key step toward making OLEDs and other high-performance organic electronics products at lower costs than possible today. The demonstration leads the way to a possible cost-effective system for mass-producing organic electronics products, such as flexible electronic paper displays, portable TV screens the size of posters, solar-powered cells, and high-efficiency lighting devices.

The few organic electronics products available today are relatively high cost and made with more conventional batch processes. A roll-to-roll manufacturing infrastructure for creating high-performance, low-cost devices would allow more widespread adoption of organic electronics products. GE’s research program aims to introduce OLED lighting products to the market by 2010.

With frequency scaling limited by power constraints, using Multicore processors traditionally was one of the best ways to improve processor performance and manage a reasonable power consumption budget. But when designers made their own chipsets, they had no other options for multicore processor IP – until now. MIPS Technologies, Inc. has introduced the MIPS32R 1004KT coherent processing system, purportedly the industry’s first embedded multithreaded multiprocessor licensable IP core. The new multicore offering provides performance efficiency and configurability in a multiprocessing system – up to four single or multithreaded processors integrated with advanced system coherency. The 1004KT core optimizes CPU performance on a shared memory system, enabling multiple functions to be implemented in a single product running concurrently under symmetric multiprocessing-based operating systems. The multicore Coherence Manager serves as the foundation block for intelligent system coherency, with an I/O Coherence Unit that provides optional hardware coherence for I/O peripherals. Several vertical applications, including digital home entertainment, home networking, and office automation can benefit from coherent multiprocessing using multithreading

While graphics chipset supplier ATI concentrated on PC desktops and gaming rigs, ATI-owned-by-AMD is looking a bit deeper into the embedded space. Long a player in embedded systems, AMD is targeting the ATI Radeon E2400 graphics processor at test and instrumentation, point-of-sale terminals, kiosks, ATMs, gaming consoles, and yes – even defense applications. Even better, similar to Intel’s embedded plans, AMD will back up their embedded support with a five-year availability promise, extra reliability, and other long-term support so essential in purpose-built embedded platforms.

On the technology side, the E2400 is a 65 nm device that supports Microsoft’s DirectX 10, 2D and 3D graphics, and multimedia loading. There’s 128 MB of on-chip GDDR3, which saves precious board real estate by eliminating external memory. There’s even a graphics PCB module called the MXM-II with 256 MB of GDDR3 DRAM that can either be used as a lab mule, or deployed in end-user applications.

With file storage and communications bandwidth becoming cheaper and more readily available, lossless audio formats – bit-perfect representations of original master sources – are gaining popularity as users clamor for ways to maintain permanent archives of their high-quality audio files.

To realize these consumer demands in the mobile phone environment, the AS3532 from austriamicrosystems offers full lossless audio format support. This innovative music player subsystem is based on an audio engine and audio postprocessor that act as coprocessors to an ARM central programmable unit. In a fully hardwired context, the audio engine decompresses and plays back most popular compressed audio formats using the least amount of power consumption with zero CPU load.

The audio postprocessor implements an asynchronous sample rate converter, multichannel mixer, and 10 band graphics equalizer and supports 192 KHz sample rates at 24 bits dynamic range. The audio subsystem also includes a stereo pulse density modulated digital microphone input, fulfilling all audio requirements for next-generation mobile phones.

Historically, many designers have dismissed USB-based storage solutions because they associated USB with the retail-grade thumb drive form factor, which falls short of rigorous embedded systems applications requirements. With the introduction of the SiliconDrive USB Blade from SiliconSystems, OEMs now have a USB-based advanced storage solution that meets their next-generation application requirements.

SiliconDrive USB Blade is ideally suited for space-constrained designs and as a boot drive for operating system storage or in event and data logging applications. An innovative edge connector has spring-loaded snaps at either end of the slot to ensure the SiliconDrive USB Blade is held securely in place, allowing installation vertically or at a right angle.

Other features include PowerArmor, which delivers enhanced protection from host system voltage and power anomalies, and SiSMART, a precise monitoring system that accurately forecasts storage system usable life. SiliconDrive USB Blade’s comprehensive suite of integrated security technologies can protect data from unauthorized access or IP theft.

Virtualization within the firmware layer on an embedded PC promises to enable enhanced security features in systems using a Windows operating system.

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. has announced Phoenix HyperSpace, a platform that could ignite a PC revolution by transforming the mobile PC experience. Using Intel processor technology, HyperSpace provides a unique computing environment that PC designers, security innovators, and content providers can use to create instant-on applications available before, during, and after Windows bootup and shutdown. Next-generation PC users will benefit from one-click remote system maintenance, repair, lower battery consumption, and embedded security. Possible applications and content include multimedia players, IP soft phones, e-mail, instant messaging, Web 2.0 browsing, and safe shopping.

The HyperSpace platform is enabled by an efficient hypervisor from Phoenix called HyperCore, which is embedded within the core system firmware or BIOS. HyperCore is a lightweight zoned virtual machine monitor that runs specialized core services side by side with Windows.