ADLINK Technology LitleBoard 800 Reference Manual

Contents

ADLINK Technology LitleBoard 800 Reference Manual Manual pdf 9 page image

LittleBoard 800 Reference Manual 3Chapter 2 Product OverviewThis introduction presents general information about the EBX architecture and the LittleBoard 800 singleboard computer (SBC). After reading this chapter you should understand:• EBX Architecture• LittleBoard 800 description• LittleBoard 800 features• Major components• Header definitions• Jumper Header definitions• Specifications (physical, environmental, power, cooling)EBX ArchitectureThe “Embedded Board, eXpandable” (EBX) standard is the result of a collaboration between industryleaders, Motorola and Ampro, to unify the embedded computing industry on a full featured embeddedsingle-board computer (SBC) standard. The EBX standard principally defines physical size, mounting holepattern, and power connector locations. It does not specify processor type or electrical characteristics. Thereare recommended connector placements for serial/parallel, Ethernet, graphics, and memory expansion.Derived from the Ampro LittleBoard form-factor originated in 1984, EBX combines a standard footprintwith open interfaces. The EBX form-factor is small enough for deeply embedded applications, yet largeenough to contain the functions of a fully embedded SBC (single board computer) including CPU, memory,mass storage interfaces, display controller, serial/parallel ports, today’s advanced operating systems, andother system functions. This embedded SBC standard ensures that embedded system OEMs can standardizetheir designs and that embedded computing solutions can be designed into space constrained environmentswith off-the-shelf components.The EBX standard boasts highly flexible and adaptable system expansion, allowing easy and modularaddition of functions such as additional USB 2.0 ports, Firewire or wireless networking not usuallycontained in standard product offerings. The EBX system expansion is based on popular existing industrystandards, PC/104™ and PC/104-Plus™. PC/104 places the ISA bus on compact 3.6" x 3.8" modules withself-stacking capability. PC/104-Plus adds the power of a PCI bus to PC/104 while retaining the basic form-factor. Using PC/104 expansion cards, the PC/104 standard offers access to PC cards from the mobile andhandheld computing markets.The EBX standard integrates all these off-the-shelf standards into a highly embeddable SBC form-factor.EBX supports the legacy of PC/104, hosting the wide variety of embedded system oriented expansionmodules from hundreds of companies worldwide. PC/104 brings the advantages of the latest portable andmobile system expansion technologies to embedded applications. See Figure 2-1 on page 4.The EBX standard also brings stability to the embedded board market and offers OEMs assurance that awide range of products will be available from multiple sources – now and in the future. The EBX standard isopen to continuing technology advancements since it is processor independent. It creates opportunity foreconomies of scale in chassis, power supply, and peripheral devices.The EBX specification is freely available to all interested. For further technical information on the EBXstandard, go to the PC/104 Consortium web site at www.pc104.org.