System-on-module in credit card format

Paul Boughton

The independent German distributor acceed introduces a new board PC in credit card format. With high processor power, high-capacity on-board memory and low electricity consumption, the M-9G45-A is the optimum hardware for demanding embedded applications and multimedia applications.

Miniature board PCs, so-called System on Modules (SOMs), are suitable for space-critical applications in industrial and medical technology, for example for portable devices, monitors or vending machines. The new
Linux-based M-9G45-A from acceed is based on an ATMEL 400 MHz processor and is equipped with 128 MB DDR2 random access memory (DRAM) as well as NAND flash memory with 128 MB. The memory can be extended via an SD interface for  memory cards with up to 32 GB. Thanks to its compact size of a mere 80 × 50mm, the board PC is easy to fit into the smallest of housing or surroundings with restricted space.

The M-9G45-A offers a variety of further interfaces: 4 × UART, 1 × USB-2.0 (480 MBit/s), 1 × I²C, 1 × I²S, 1 × SPI, 1 × Ethernet and an interface for audio output. With its  TTL/LCD monitor interface incorporating brightness control, the M-9G45-A supports TFT monitors up to a resolution of 1280 × 860
pixels. Touchscreens can also be connected. Fifteen GPIOs offer adequate flexibility for input and output programming. It consumes less than 2 watts' electricity.

The pre-installed operating system Linux 2.6.38 is supplemented by the GCC/GLIBC/GNU tool chains and also enables beginners to develop their own software. The eeb-based administration works well using the pre-installed program 'webmin'. Should the application software work uncontrolled at any point in time, the integrated watchdog timer independently ensures a safe system reboot.

For more information,  www.acceed.de