Embedded Systems Conference: Many companies make announcements on first day

San Francisco, Calif. - There are many announcements with the first day of the Embedded Systems Conference at San Francisco's Moscone Center this week.

By Control Engineering Staff March 14, 2002

San Francisco, Calif. – There are many announcements with the first day of the Embedded Systems Conference at San Francisco’s Moscone Center this week.

Among them, I-Logix announced a new product packaging strategy for its Rhapsody Unified Modeling Language (UML) based visual application development platform. The new Rhapsody packaging strategy is based on a platform approach, allowing the engineer to select the appropriate level of functionality for their development needs. For users looking for UML modeling, Rhapsody Architect Edition provides a low cost, but comprehensive set of functions. For software designers who want to execute and validate UML models, Rhapsody Designer Edition will serve their unique needs. For software developers who want all the benefits of graphical software development, design-level validation, and production quality code generation in C, C++, Java, and Ada, the Developer Edition will serve their need.

I-Logix also announced an XMI-based UML bridge, which will unite systems engineering with software design and implementation. This bridge will enable both the system engineer and the software developer the ability to work in their own domain, then exchange data via a standard format. The XML based Model Interchange (XMI) standard maps functional decomposition based systems design to object-oriented software development for the embedded systems market.

Further, I-Logix and Accelerated Technology announced completion of Rhapsody and Nucleus Plus product integration. This integration provides developers with a complete solution from concept to code, reducing the overall time-to-market pressure involved in RTOS specific software development.

parvus Corp. unveiled six new PC/104 form factor computer boards.

Power Distribution Vx – A maximum-efficiency 90-watt DC-to-DC power conversion board, designed with intelligent power management features for systems requiring high reliability, zero down-time, and large, multiple voltage input stacks.

ipLINK Web Appliance Core – A low-cost I/O server capable of remote monitoring, maintaining and controlling Internet-enabled electronic devices (security systems, factory equipment, home appliances, networks, etc.).

GPS Interface – A carrier board for a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, i.e. Trimble ACE/ Lassen or Motorola Oncore, for use in such applications as vehicle navigation, security, or location systems.

PCMCIA Dual Interface – A two-slot PCMCIA connector and controller board that gives PC/104-based systems PCMCIA card functionality, i.e. fax/modem, networking (LAN, Ethernet, wireless), flash memory, video capture, GPS, gaming adapter, SCSI adapter, parallel adapter, serial adapter, ISDN, 1553, etc.

CDMA Carrier – A cellular modem carrier module for wide-spectrum (CDMA) communications applications with fixed, mobile or wireless devices. It supports standard cell phone features and includes dual serial control and data interfaces, Xilinx( programming logic chip, low power consumption, CDMA jack, and rugged environmental specs.

Compact Flash & IDE Adapter – Both a carrier for a Compact Flash disk drive and a supplemental controller for two IDE devices (i.e. hard disk or CD-ROM drives). It has an onboard Compact Flash socket, which can be jumpered for Master or Slave settings. A 2.5′ hard drive can be connected via its standard 44-pin 2mm connector.

SBS Technologies introduced PMC-Gigabit-ST2, a single-wide PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC) with a single Gigabit Ethernet interface controller port. The Ethernet network interface complies with the IEEE 802.3 specification for 10BaseT, 100BaseTX, and 1000BaseT over category 5 twister-pair cable. A 64 KB FIFO buffer memory allows back-to-back transmissions with minimal interface latency. The PMC-Gigabit-ST2 also features a 10BaseT, 100BaseTX and 1000BaseT auto-detection CSMA-CD interface controller. Drivers for VxWorks, Linux, and WindowsNT are available.

OSE Systems announced the launch of OSE Gateway, a software solution for enabling connectivity at the operating system level. OSE Gateway provides a way for Windows, Solaris, Linux, and VxWorks to participate in a heterogeneous distributed system. This design incorporates the same message-passing technology used by the OSE operating system and tightly integrates multiple operating systems into an efficient and fault-tolerant distributed system. A primary use of the OSE Gateway is in designs where an OSE communications device is managed by a Windows or Solaris workstation. Today, the interface between the device and its management console is implemented through software mechanisms from the Enterprise world such as TCP sockets or CORBA. OSE Gateway incorporates a library through which a client application running on a non-OSE operating system communicates with an OSE distributed system. This library, which is provided in source, interfaces with the OSE Gateway daemon running on that operating system. This Gateway daemon enables the client process to behave as an OSE process to the OSE distributed system and provides the ability for that process to appear identical to those running on the OSE operating system.

CodeWarrior Development System, Embedded Network Edition, from Metrowerks arms engineers with hardware and software tools from four providers of embedded development solutions: Metrowerks, Motorola , Lineo , and Embedded Planet.

The challenge for embedded systems developers is obtaining the necessary hardware, software, and development tools from multiple providers and ensuring that they are all compatible and interoperate properly. The product eliminates the need for piece-parts solutions by combining fully tested and integrated components.

The development system is available for Motorola ColdFire processors and Motorola microprocessors compatible with the PowerPC instruction set simulator. Each system includes CodeWarrior embedded development tools, an evaluation board (Motorola’s MCF5272, or Embedded Planet’s MPC850 or MPC860), the RTXC Quadros real-time operating system from Lineo, and a working, Internet-enabled sample application. Metrowerks has also provided the option of purchasing either an Evaluation Edition or a Fully Licensed Edition. This comprehensive package enables developers to quickly evaluate the hardware and software and begin developing their application immediately, all at an attractive entry price point.

Control Engineering Daily News DeskGary A. Mintchell, senior editor gmintchell@cahners.com