Custom module based on the new Intel® Atom™ processor

Stutensee, Germany – Based on the recently announced low power Intel® Atom™ processor Z500 series, MSC Vertriebs GmbH has already designed its first customer specific module. The powerful board is used in an industrial handheld PC with touch screen. Thanks to the new processor platform, the battery life of the MSC system can be extended by a factor of 3 compared to previous implementation with the Intel® 945 chipset-based platform under identical conditions. This was the determining factor for this design improvement.

In addition to the Intel® Atom™ processor Z530, MSC’s customer specific design uses the highly integrated Intel® system controller hub US15W chipset combines the traditional north bridge and the south bridge in a single package. The processor is manufactured using a 45nm process and both processor and chipset are housed in small form factor packages. The thermal design power (TDP) of the Intel® Atom™ processor Z530 is 2.3 watts.

The custom module provides a range of handheld PC specific interfaces for connection of external devices. Two displays, used for operation in a docking station, can be connected independently of each other via the CRT and TFT interfaces. Touch screen or mouse and keyboard are connected to the system via USB 2.0 ports. Furthermore, the compact assembly also supports both, Bluetooth and wireless LAN for networking in mobile operation.

The custom module offers support for new storage technologies. A solid state disk with a capacity of 2 GByte or 4 GByte from Intel, may be integrated directly on the customer specific module via the Parallel ATA (PATA) interface. The advantage: In most mobile applications, the rotating mass storage can be completely omitted.

For optimal use of the built-in smart battery system in mobile operation and in the docking station of a handheld PC, a special hardware monitor as well as intelligent battery logic was integrated by MSC.

As with all of MSC’s new COM Express™ platforms, this customer specific module also provides advanced security functions, which can safely protect the customer’s intellectual property (IP) and prevent unauthorized access. To achieve this, a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) was integrated on the assembly and, for the first time, the innovative "SecureBIOS" from Phoenix Technologies implemented.

In the fourth quarter of 2008, MSC Vertriebs GmbH will present a COM platform, based on the Intel® Atom™ processor. The energy saving modules are particularly suitable for mobile applications with battery operation as well as use in POS & POI systems, medical equipment and in automotive applications and many applications in which operation without active fan cooling is required.