Congatec has announced several computers-on-module (CoM) powered by Intel “Bay Trail” Celeron and Atom SoCs compliant with either QSeven (conga-QA3 CoM), or COM Express (conga-TCA3 CoM) standards to be used for embedded applications.
conga-QA3 and conga-TCA3 specifications:
- SoC (Processor + Intel HD graphics + Chipset)
- Intel Atom E3845 (4 x 1.91 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 10 W)
- Intel Atom E3827 (2 x 1.75 GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 8 W)
- Intel Atom E3826 (2 x 1.46 GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 7 W)
- Intel Atom E3825 (2 x 1.33 GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 6 W)
- Intel Atom E3815 (1.46 GHz, 512kB L2 cache, 5 W)
- Intel Celeron N2920 (4 x 1.86 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 7.5 W)
- Intel Celeron J1900 (4 x 2 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 10 W)
- System Memory
- conga-QA3 – Up to 8 GB onboard DDR3L 1333 MT/s
- conga-TCA3 – 2x SO-DIMM sockets for DDR3L memory modules up to 8 GB with 1333MT/s
- Storage – Optional eMMC 4.5 on-board flash (Atom only) up to 32GB, 2x SATA III, SD card interface
- Video Interfaces – LVDS 2×24, DisplayPort, HDMI
- Network connectivity – Ethernet Intel I210 Gigabit Ethernet controller
- I/O Interfaces
- USB
- conga-QA3 – 6 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0
- conga-TCA3 – 8 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0
- 1 x SDIO
- 5x or 3x PCI Express respectively for TCA3 and QA3
- I²C bus, LPC (Low Pin Count) bus, 1x SPI
- USB
- Sound – High Definition Audio Interface
- congatec Board Controller – Multi Stage Watchdog, non-volatile User Data Storage, Manufacturing and Board information, Board Statistics, BIOS Setup, Data Backup, I²C bus (fast mode, 400 kHz, multi-master), Power Loss Control
- embedded BIOS Features – AMI Aptio UEFI 2.x firmware in 8MB SPI flash with OEM Logo, OEM CMOS Defaults, LCD Control, Display Auto Detection, Backlight Control, Flash Update.
- Security (conga-TCA3 only) – Optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Hash and RSA algorithms, key lengths up to 2,048 bits, real random number generato
- Power Management – ACPI 5 .0 compliant with battery support
- Power Consumption – Typ. application 4.5W…12W
- Dimensions
- conga-QA3 – 70 x 70 mm (QSeven form factor)
- conga-TCA3 – 95 x 95 mm (COM Express Compact form factor)
The company supports and provides drivers for Microsoft Windows 7, 8 , and Embedded Compact, as well as Linux based operating systems. A user’s guide can be downloaded for each type of board (Qseven or COM Express). Several starter kits and evaluation kits are also available both for Qseven ad COM Express modules such as conga-SBM3/Qseven mobility starter kit, and contga-TEVAL evaluation carrier board for COM Express Type 6 modules.
The block diagram above now looks like very much like an ARM based CoM, as Intel Bay Trail “processors” are “SoCs” integrating the CPU cores, GPU with OpenGL 3.0, OpenGLES 2.0, DirectX 11, OpenCL 1.2, hardware video codec, as well as the chipset for I/O interfaces. There are still some differences as Ethernet is done via a GbE to PCIe chip which is rarely seen with ARM SoCs as Ethernet is usually built-in, and I can’t remember having ever seen an LPC bus in ARM SoCs, nor a “board controller”, except if we consider the PMIC (Power Management IC) to be a board controller.
More information is available on Congatec conga-QA3 and conga-TCA3 pages, and the company will showcase their new modules and kits at Embedded World in Nuremberg, Hall 1, Stand 358. You may also want to watch the introduction video below.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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