Embedded board gains hard-real-time Linux

Arcom has further enhanced the features of its Linux development kit for the Viper PXA255 based single board computer by adding support for hard-real-time Linux from FSMLabs.

Arcom has further enhanced the features of its Linux development kit for the Viper PXA255 based single board computer by adding support for hard real-time Linux from FSMLabs.

Arcom now includes an evaluation version of RTLinux Pro, the industry leading hard real-time extension to Linux - straight out of the box.

The RTLinuxPro building block is a validated, hard real-time, Posix operating system that runs embedded Linux as an application platform.

The RTCore real-time kernel at the heart of RTLinuxPro provides consistently low interrupt latency and scheduling jitter plus seamless access to Linux.

The Viper is an ultra-low-power PC/104 form factor (3.6 x 3.8in) embedded processor board based on the 400MHz Intel PXA255 XScale RISC processor (ARM v.5TE compliant).

Zwane Mwaikambo, FSMLabs engineer and Linux kernel developer, notes: "The Viper is a great platform for hard real-time embedded applications - it's got full JTAG support, low jitter/low latency real-time operation and a lot of interconnect options, with Ethernet, USB, CompactFlash, audio and even optional TFT/STN flat panel support".

The Viper provides five serial ports, a 16-channel DMA controller, eight digital inputs, eight digital outputs, 64Mbyte of onboard RAM and up to 32Mbyte of Flash.

Combined with an extended operating temperature range of -40 to +85C, it makes for a dependable hard-real-time application platform.

Under heavy load, RTLinuxPro achieves an impressive 45us worst case system response (delay from interrupt to completion of context switch), compared with 320us under the standard embedded Linux implementation.

FSMLabs RTCore real-time operating system can use either Arcom's embedded Linux, or the embedded Linux supplied with FSMLabs standard XScale RTLinuxPro development kit.

Viper boards can be purchased from Arcom or through FSMLabs with RTLinuxPro pre-installed.

This comprehensive development kit includes the 400MHz Viper single board computer fitted with 64Mbyte DRAM, 32Mbyte of Flash and 256Kbyte SRAM, along with the Viper ICE (industrial compact enclosure), the Viper-UPS (uninterruptible power supply), serial and Ethernet cable set, an optional Q-VGA colour display and touchscreen as well as a quick-start manual.

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