Risc Design-In Services - Advantech UBC-220 User Manual

5.1

RISC Design-in Services

With the spread of industrial computing, a whole range of new applications have
been developed, resulting in a fundamental change in the IPC industry. In the past
System Integrators (SI) were used to completing projects without outside assistance
but now such working models have moved on. Due to diverse market demands and
intense competition, cooperation for (both upstream and downstream) vertical inte-
gration has become a much more effective way to create competitive advantages. As
a result, ARM-based CPU modules were born out of this trend. Concentrating all nec-
essary components on the CPU module and placing other parts on the carrier board
in response to market requirements for specialization, provides greater flexibility
while retaining its low power consumption credentials.
Advantech has been involved in the industrial computer industry for many years and
found that customers usually have the following questions when implementing modu-
lar designs.
General I/O design capability
Although customers possess the ability for vertical integration and have enough
know-how and core competitiveness in the professional application field, the lack of
expertise and experience in general power and I/O design causes many challenges
for them, especially integrating CPU modules into their carrier board.
The acquisition of information
Even if the individual client is able to obtain sufficient information to make the right
decision for the specialized vertical application, some customers encounter difficult
problems dealing with platform design in general and communicating with CPU or
chipset manufacturers, thereby increasing carrier board design difficulties and risk as
well as seriously impacting on
Time-to-market and lost market opportunities.
Software development and modification
Compared to x86 architectures, RISC architectures use simpler instruction sets,
therefore the software support for x86 platforms cannot be used on RISC platforms.
System integrators need to develop software for their system and do the hardware
and software integration themselves. Unlike x86 platforms, RISC platforms have less
support for Board Support Packages (BSP) and drivers as well. Even though driver
support is provided, SIs still have to make a lot of effort to integrate it into the system
core. Moreover, the BSP provided by CPU manufacturers are usually for carrier
board design, so it's difficult for SIs to have an environment for software develop-
ment.
In view of this, Advantech proposed the concept of Streamlined Design-in Support
Services for RISC-based Computer On Modules (COM). With a dedicated profes-
sional design-in services team, Advantech actively participates in carrier board
design and problem solving. Our services not only enable customers to effectively
distribute their resources but also reduce R&D manpower cost and hardware invest-
ment.
By virtue of a close interactive relationship with leading original manufacturers of
CPUs and chipsets such as ARM, TI and Freescale, Advantech helps solve commu-
nication and technical support difficulties, and that can reduce the uncertainties of
product development too. Advantech's professional software team also focuses on
providing a complete Board Support Package and assists customers to build up a
software development environment for their RISC platforms.
UBC-220 User Manual 48