SBC extends to life on the rails: News from MEN Mikro Elektronik

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Based on the Transmeta Crusoe processor, the F8 single-board computer has been designed and manufactured entirely within the requirements of railway standard EN50155 - including availability for -40 to +85C operational temperature. Nonetheless, operation and software availability are no different from an Intel-based PC. The F8 is a high-performance, robust industrial PC for multimedia and infotainment applications - either static or in a vehicle - and is suitable for trains, buses, commercial vehicles and even aircraft.

The computer meets all reliability requirements regarding temperature, humidity, shock, vibration etc.

in accordance with EN50155.

It is built in single Eurocard format and may be used either as an independent computer unit or as a system-slot board in a CompactPCI system.

The application software runs under Windows or Linux.

The computer will be available for at least five years, or more depending on individual agreement.

The heart of the F8 is Transmeta's Crusoe TM5900 processor, an x86 CPU similar to the Pentium III with an integrated Northbridge, which consumes a mere 5W at a clock frequency of 800MHz.

Because of their high heat dissipation, no high-performance CPUs with x86 architecture are offered in the extended temperature range up to +85C - except for Transmeta's.

The use of the TM5900 allows the F8 to meet the stringent demands of EN50155.

The graphics controller on the F8 supports monitors with resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 pixel (235MHz, 24bit RAMDAC) and controls two independent digital screens with different or identical images.

Simultaneously, it can also drive two DVI and one CRT monitor (DualMon).

There are two digital video interfaces (DVI and DVI-I) on the front panel, for long-distance connection.

Other PC-typical functions of the F8 include a DDR RAM up to 1Gbyte, a CompactFlash slot for scalable program memory, a serial interface and two Fast Ethernet ports via RJ45 (or the D-sub connector required by EN50155) as well as a USB connection.

The three-slot (12HP) standard version can also accommodate a 2.5in hard disk equipped with shock absorbers.

A real-time clock and watchdog round off the board's functionality.

In addition to PC functionality, the F8 offers considerable expansion options that can be perfectly tailored to the application.

This facility is offered by the inclusion of a 250,000-gate Altera Cyclone FPGA, which can be used for a wide variety of application-specific I/O.

All I/O modules are written in VHDL and are internally linked using a standardised Wishbone bus.

The external bus of the FPGA is the PCIbus of the CPU.

The contents of the FPGA can be programmed in the application software and can be dynamically loaded at runtime.

Small I/O boards (SA adapters) make the physical interfaces for the FPGA functions accessible at the F8's front panel.

A typical expansion would be RS232, RS422/485, HDLC, binary I/O, CAN, AC97 audio or PS/2.

The F8 has space for up to eight SA adapters.

The card will then become eight slots (28HP) wide.

The FPGA itself is also available in the temperature range of -40 to +85C, and all of the functions implemented by it are independent of the product life cycles of individual components.

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SBC extends to life on the rails

Based on the Transmeta Crusoe processor, the F8 single-board computer has been designed and manufactured entirely within the requirements of railway standard EN50155.