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The Ngine miniature computer (Reference Designs)
Borthwick Pignon Solutions
Solution Description & Supported Functionality
Following on from the Integrated Surveillance Module (2005) built around the Ti C5509a processor and enabling long standby wireless covert surveillance in containers and other locations without external power, BPS went on to develop the Ngine, initially as a contribution to the SAMURAI project as the core module of wearable surveillance device (the BPS Ninja), but designed with more general functionality and options. The Ngine is a pocket-size battery (or externally) powered computer offering outstanding computation power/size ratio, long battery life, support for a wide range of peripherals, and allowing third-party software development. BPS also offers custom modifications tailored to users' requirements.
Benefits
- The Ngine finds use wherever a really small but powerful computer is needed, especially when external power is unavailable or unreliable. With the touch-screen option is convenient for local user control, while the addition of wireless adapters or wired links makes it ideal for remote or mobile locations. It is particularly suited to surveillance and/or sensor monitoring applications.
Reference Designs Details
| Has the complete system been tested? | Yes |
| Is working hardware available? | Yes |
| Is working software available? | Yes |
| Hardware Specifications | The Ngine features a Texas Instruments OMAP3530 (ARM Cortex+ C64x+ DSP) applications processor, 4GB NAND Flash + 2 GB DDR RAM PoP memory , a Ti MSP430 microprocessor, five USB connectors, a SD card slot, a 420x280 OLED touch-screen (optional), a 4.8/2.4 Ah swappable battery pack. Migration to the OMAP3530's successor, the DM3730, is currently under way. |
| Software Specifications | Embedded Linux (>=2.6.32-rc5) [or Win CE, custom] operating system running on the ARM Cortex processor. DSP Bios running on the C64x+. Software to handle USB-compliant video and audio peripherals, USB wireless (Wifi, LTE, Bluetooth) dongles. On-board web server allows external control/communication from web browser and/or ssh to a Linux terminal. |
| Trade-off Analysis | Wherever a small computer with multiple interfacing capability is required, the Ngine offers a packaged solution. If the application is mobile or easily installed static surveillance the BPS Ninja configuration comes ready-to-use. For other applications users can develop their own software with a convenient API or have BPS develop a custom package. More or less any USB 2.0 compliant peripheral can be incorporated. |
| Development Tools | Standard Linux development environment with cross-compilation for the ARM Cortex (such as provided by CodeSourcery). Applications can also be build directly on the Ngine, using the Linux terminal interface. The C64x+ DSP can be utilized either via the API's and signal processing library provided by Texas Instruments or/and by specially written code using Ti's Code Composer Studio. |
| Component Selection | Texas Instruments OMAP 3530/25/03 processor. The OMAP3503 is a cheaper option when the signal processing capability of the C64x+ is not required. On-board 3-axis accelerometer (optional), on-board loudspeaker (optional), OLED touch-screen (optional). |
Design & Manufacturing Details
Customized Engineering Design Services
Design services that apply to this solution
- Electrical Design
- Software (Application)
- Software (Embedded)
- Mechanical Design
- System Integration
- Certification - CE
Manufacturing Services
Manufacturing Services that apply to this solution
- Prototyping
- Low-Volume Or Pilot Runs
- Turnkey Product Design/ODM/CDM Services
Supported Business Model
Design License
Product Sale
Royalty
Documentation
A list and links to documentation relevant to the solution, including schematics, board layout suggestions.
- Datasheets - http://bps.co.ee
TI Product Family Used in the Solution
- 1 Series
- 2 Series
- 4 Series with LCD
- 5 Series
- 6 Series with LCD
- AM1x ARM9
- AM335x ARM Cortex-A8
- AM35x ARM Cortex-A8
- AM37x ARM Cortex-A8
- AM38x ARM Cortex-A8
- AND Gate
- Audio
- Audio ADC
- Audio DAC
- Battery Charger Solutions
- Battery Fuel Gauge
- Battery Management Products
- C6000 Power Optimized DSP
- DSP+ARM Cortex-A8
- DaVinci DM37x SOC
- DaVinci DM3x SOC
- DaVinci DM64x DSP
- DaVinci DM64x SOC
- DaVinci DM81x SOC
- Data Converters
- Digital Signal Processors
- Extended Temp
- FRAM Series
- Fixed Function
- Gate
- Headphone Amplifier
- High Output Current Amplifier (>=50mA)
- High Supply Voltage Amplifier (>=30V)
- Interface
- Logic
- Low Input Bias Current Amp (<=10pA)
- Low Noise Amp (<=10nV/rtHz)
- Low Offset Voltage Amplifier (<=500uV)
- Low Power Amp (<=500uA)
- Low Voltage Series
- MSP430 Ultra-Low Power 16-bit MCUs
- Microcontrollers
- OMAP™ 3 Processors
- OMAP™ Applications Processors
- OMAP3503/15 ARM Cortex-A8
- OMAP3525/30 SOC
- Power Management
- Power Management Multi-Channel IC (PMIC) Solutions
- RF SoC Series
- Single Supply Translator
- TMS320C2X DSPs
- TMS320C3X DSPs
- TMS320C4X DSPs
- TMS320C5X DSPs
- TMS320C8X DSPs
- Touch Screen Controller
- Value Line
- Voltage Level Translation
