ESC Boston 2002: WinSystems’ embedded SBC provides extended temperature operation

Boston, MA - Small size, wide operational temperature range, and x-86 compatibility combined with connectivity are the basic elements required for an industrial single board computer (SBC). To meet these needs, WinSystems introduces its SAT-520Plus, PC/104-expandable embedded computer.

By Control Engineering Staff November 20, 2002

Boston, MA – Small size, wide operational temperature range, and x-86 compatibility combined with connectivity are the basic elements required for an industrial single board computer (SBC). To meet these needs, WinSystems introduces its SAT-520Plus, PC/104-expandable embedded computer. It combines an AMD SC520 processor with a 10/100 Ethernet controller, 4 serial COM ports, and CRT/flat panel video controller, which is ideal for thin-client and other industrial network-enabled applications. The board supports Linux, Microsoft Windows, and DOS Sockets software along with their network data transmission protocols. It measures 4.5- x 7.1-in. (114 mm x 180 mm), and operates from -40°

”Embedded system designers have shown keen interest in utilizing well-known, inexpensive PC technologies for industrial internet and intranet applications. Since the SAT-520Plus’ architecture is PC-compatible, it supports a vast software tool set including operating systems, web servers, device drives, libraries, languages, and debugging tools. By standardizing hardware and software around the broadly supported PC architecture, embedded systems designers can save substantial development costs, risks, and human resources plus shorten their time-to-market if they use an off-the-shelf single boards computer solution,” said Bob Burckle, vp of WinSystems.

The SBC is based on the 32-bit, x86-compatible AMD SC520 CPU operating at 133 MHz. The CPU core includes a floating point unit plus enhancements to the PCI controller and Synchronous DRAM controller to optimize it for applications requiring high throughput combined with low latency. The board has a 32-bit PCI interface that is connected to the 10/100 Ethernet controller, CRT/flat panel video controller, and PC/104-Plus connector.

Up to 256-Mbytes of SDRAM can be mounted in a standard SODIMM socket plus up to a 1Gigabit M-Systems’ DiskOnChip Flash memory in a 32-pin socket. Four independent, full-duplex, 16C550-compatible UARTs provide serial data communication up to 115,200 bits per second. Twenty-four lines of digital I/O, floppy disk controller, IDE hard disk interface, keyboard controller, line printer (LPT) interface, and mouse port rounds out the SAT-520Plus’ major system features.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Gary A. Mintchell, senior editor
gmintchell@reedbusiness.com