The QSeven Computer On Module concept is fairly simple to understand, but it's very difficult to see how Computer On Module technology might help improve time to market, reduce costs, provide increased product scalability and reduce legacy issues...
So why not just use a standard motherboard, isn't this much less trouble, than having to design and build a special carrier card for the COM Module?
Well yes, it might be for a one off solution, but for hundreds or thousands of products, with product variations and upgrade paths to consider, the Computer On Module concept becomes very clear...
Additionally, new Intel motherboards are now supplied with soldered in processors, which makes slaes and maintenance difficult as the entire motherboard must be replace if a different processor is specified. So QSeven is flexible in that the required module can be applied to the carrier, still allowing scalability over traditional mother boards.
A custom carrier may be much smaller than a standard motherboard, even as small as an ITX motherboard. However, with Computer On Module technology it's possible to fit different options of COM Module on the same carrier, allowing your products to be scalable for premium or high performance all the way down to low performance low power COM Modules, all running on the same carrier design.
The COM Module carrier can be designed by your team or an outside contractor might provide the end carrier solution, Solution Concepts can provide these services to the industry at highly competitive pricing for all processor architectures.
which makes it ideal for small form factor applications with Intel Atom
processor and system controller hub providing PCI Express, graphics, SATA, USB, High Definition Audio, various display connect options and 1Gbyte of RAM soldered to the QSeven board, as well as optional SSD or Solid State Disk that may also be soldered to the board, this makes the QSeven ideal for rugged embedded small form factor designs...
The PC104 form factor is specified and maintained by the PC104 Consortium, more information may be found at this web site,
http://www.pc104.org/
The PC104 interface was originally an EISA bus solution for small form factor solutions, the PC104 systems allowed processor and IO modules
to be stacked like a brick, reducing the system foot print.
PC104 evolved through PC104+ to PCI104, where the PCI or PCI Express bus interface is now supported. However, there are still a lot of legacy PC104 systems in the field.
PC104 systems are commonly used with Unmanned Vehicles, whether used in the Air, Sea or on Land. Their small foot print and low weight are ideal for such applications.
Connect Tech has now produced a PC104 custom carrier for a QSeven Module allowing the QSeven Module to be mounted in a PC104 system. The carrier supports only PCI technology as there are no legacy bus interfaces on the QSeven Module. ( www.connecttech.com )
The QSeven module with soldered RAM and Solid State Disk has now become a PC104 embedded processor card by using the Connect Tech carrier, capable of running with Windows and Linux OS, and perhaps other real time OS such as vxWorks?
It's important to note that Intel acquired Windriver in 2009, which must be good news for Intel processor users running vxWorks? Please look at this news release for further information on this acquisition, http://www.windriver.com/news/press/pr.html?ID=7081
Current QSeven Modules with Intel Atom, AMD G series and Freescale I.MX5 and I.MX6 processors may be considered for lower power applications within PC104 systems. The cost of the QSeven PCI104 processor is very competitive.
Please feel free to contact me Bob Pickles to discuss the possibility of using QSeven technology within commercial, industrial or even military projects.
Bob@solutionconcepts.co.uk or visit www.solutionconcepts.co.uk/html/embedded_computing
As always, if you liked this BLOG, please leave me a comment...
