Advantech EPC-R4710 User Manual page 42

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 enable customers to effectively distribute
their resources while reducing R&D, HR, and hardware costs.
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. Our services reduce product development
uncertainties. Advantech's professional software team also focuses on providing a
complete Board Support Package and assists customers in creating software devel-
opment environments for their RISC platforms.
Advantech RISC design-in services helps customers overcome their problems to
reduce time to market through a streamlined RISC Design-in services.
Along with our multi-stage development process which includes: planning, design,
integration, and validation; Advantech's RISC design-in service provides comprehen-
sive support through the following phases:
Planning stage
Before deciding to adopt Advantech RISC COM, customers must go through a com-
plete survey process, including product features, specification, and compatibility test-
ing with software. Advantech offers a RISC Customer Solution Board (CSB) as an
evaluation tool for carrier boards which are simultaneously designed when develop-
ing RISC COMs. In the planning stage, customers can use this evaluation board to
assess RISC modules and test peripheral hardware. Advantech provides standard
software Board Support Package (BSP) for RISC COM, enabling customers to
define their product's specifications while simultaneously verifying I/O and perfor-
mance. We not only offer hardware planning and technology consulting, but also soft-
ware evaluation and peripheral module recommendations (such as Wi-Fi, 3G, and
BT). Resolving customer concerns is Advantech's main goal at this stage. As product
evaluation is the key task in the planning period, especially for performance and
specification, we try to help our customers conduct all the necessary tests for their
RISC COM.
Design stage
When a product moves into the design stage, Advantech will supply a carrier board
design guide for reference. The carrier board design guide provides COM connector
pin definitions with limitations and recommendations for carrier board design, so cus-
tomers can have a clear guideline to follow during development. Regarding different
form factors, Advantech offers a complete pin-out check list for different form factors
— such as Q7, ULP and RTX 2.0. These checklists enable customers to examine
their carrier board signals and layout design accordingly. In addition, our team assists
customers with reviewing the placement/layout and schematics to ensure the carrier
board design meets their full requirements. For software development, Advantech
RISC software team can help customers establish an environment for software
development and evaluate the amount of time and resources needed. If customers
outsource software development to a 3rd party, Advantech can also cooperate with
the 3rd party and provide proficient consulting services. With Advantech's profes-
sional support, the design process becomes easier and product quality is improved.
Integration stage
This phase comprises of HW/SW integration, application development, and periph-
eral module implementation. Due to the lack of knowledge and experience on plat-
forms, customers need to spend time analyzing integration problems. In addition,
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