Advantech EPC-R7300 User Manual page 47

Advantech has been involved in the industrial computer industry for many years and found that
customers usually have the following questions when implementing modular designs.
General I/O Design Capability
Although customers possess the ability for vertical integration and have sufficient knowledge and
professional competence in the specific application field, a lack of expertise and experience in
general power and I/O design can cause challenges, especially when integrating CPU modules
with a carrier board.
Data Acquisition
Even if customers can obtain sufficient information to make the right decision for specialized
vertical applications, some customers encounter difficulties with platform design in general and
communicating with CPU or chipset manufacturers. This can increase the challenge and risks of
designing carrier boards and impacting the prod- uct's time-to-market.
Software Development and Modification
Compared to x86 architectures, RISC architectures use simpler instruction sets; therefore, the
software for x86 platforms cannot be used on RISC platforms. System integrators (SIs) must
develop unique software for their system and integrate the hardware and software themselves.
Unlike x86 platforms, RISC platforms have less support for board support packages (BSPs) and
drivers. Although driver support is provided, SIs are still required to integrate them into the
system core. Moreover, the BSPs provided by CPU manufacturers are typically aimed at carrier
board design. Thus, they may not be an appropriate environment for software development. To
address this issue, Advantech proposed the concept of streamlined Design-In support services for
RISC-based computer-on modules (COMs). With a dedicated 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 costs and hardware
investment. Because of our close relationship with leading CPU and chipset manufacturers such
as ARM, TI, and Freescale, Advantech helps solve communication and technical support
difficulties, which also reduces the uncertainties of product development. Advantech's software
team focuses on providing comprehensive BSPs and assists customers with establishing a
software development environment for RISC platforms. Advantech's RISC Design-In services help
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