53
November 2016
I
ndustrIal
C
ontrol
& C
omputIng
consequently adapted to meet the increasing
need for miniaturization on a high perfor-
mance level: COM Express basic was comple-
mented by the smaller COM Express compact
and in 2008, Kontron introduced the techno-
logical basis for the credit card sized COM
Express® mini.
Further success came in February 2014 when
Kontron introduced the first ultra-low-power
SMARC Computer-on-Modules with Intel
Atom processors E3800 series. This was signif-
icant as at that time only ARM processors had
been available and therefore the new launch
opened up completely new possibilities for
developers in terms of the form factor scal-
ability, software re-use and compatibility. Now
firmly established, Kontron SMARC-sXBTi
Computer-on-Modules offer excellent graph-
ics, high processor performance and x86 com-
patibility on the smallest SMARC footprint
combined with very low power consumption
(5 to 10 watts). Both the flat profile of the
module and its mobile feature set are tailored
for the smallest portable handheld devices.
The modules can, however, be deployed in any
application where power consumption has to
be kept at just a few watts but high-level com-
puting and graphics performance are required.
SMARC2.0 - why the changes? In order to
assess the changes to the SMARC standard
it is necessary to first take a step back. Util-
ising the proven Mobile PCI Express Mod-
ules (MXMs) edge connector, SMARC was
originally established to define two sizes of
modules - a full-size module that measures
82 mm by 80 mm, and a short module for
more compact systems measuring 82 mm by
50 mm. In contrast to the PCI Express focus
of COM Express, SMARC provided the flexi-
bility for handling different types of video and
graphics output, serial buses, general purpose
SPI, client and host forms of USB, serial and
parallel camera interfaces, and support for
standard flash-memory card formats such as
SD and eMMC. Today, however, the 314 elec-
trical contacts of the SMARC connector need
to support and provide compatibility with not
only ARM, but also x86 - two distinct SoC
architectures. With ARM, for example, the
connector must guarantee a high degree of
signal integrity as required by the high-fre-
quency serial interfaces, as well as support a
parallel TFT display, MIPI display interface,
camera interfaces, multiple SPI links and
SDIO interfaces. At the same time it must
offer full compatibility with X86 requirements
such as many USB and PCI Express lanes,
LPC bus and more.
In response to this challenge SGET has been
able update the original specification based on
three years valuable market feedback from a
broad range of developers and users. As part
of its policy of continuous improvement this
has culminated in various modifications and
enhancements to be included in SMARC 2.0.
Furthermore, some interfaces which were
rarely used or considered as almost outdated,
have been removed from the specification
including the Parallel Camera Interface, Par-
allel Display Interface, PCI Express Presence
and Clock Request signals, Alternate Func-
tion Block, SPDIF, one I2S (out of 3) and
eMMC interface to the carrier. Throughout
this process, the goal of SMARC 2.0 has been
to create a new pinout version while main-
taining compatibility with the V1.1 pinout as
far as possible. Accordingly, there has been a
repurposing of selected, previously under-uti-
lized, V1.1 pins for accepting new interfaces.
Figure 2. IndraControl L45: Kontron COMe is an essential core element in the new PLC controller
of Bosch Rexroth
