StackPC

Stackable Computers

June 1, 2012

StackPC General Board Layouts

• StackPC Expansion Connector A

• PCI/104 Expansion Connector B

• FPE Expansion Connector B

StackPC Expansion Connector AFunctionality:

• 4х1 PCIe - 4 root ports, 4 clocks

• 1x4 PCIe - 1 root port, 1 clock

• USB 2.0 - 6 ports

• SATA - 2 ports

• Gigabit Ethernet - 2 ports

• LPC

• FBUS - 2 ports

• SPI - 3 slaves

• SMB

• ATX power and control signals: +5V_SB, PS_ON#, POWERGOOD

• Power: +3.3V, +5V, +12V

Bottom Connector

Top Connector

FPE Expansion Connector BFunctionality

• 1x16 PCIe or 2x8 PCIe or 2x4 PCIe - 2 root ports, 2 clocks

• Display Port - 1 port

• Configurable Section - User Defined

• Power: +3.3V, +5V, +12V

Top Connector Bottom Connector

StackPC Approach

• StackPC specification defines only one direction for modules stacking. Following that definition, StackPC peripheral modules are stacked on top side of Host board (“Stack-Up only” configuration). This allows Host module to be more functional and more cost efficient. Host module may be on top or bottom of system stack depending from the whole system stack orientation.

• StackPC specification doesn’t limit Bottom side use. Additional Type 1 or Type 2 PCIe/104 connector can be used on Bottom side providing Stack-Down configuration option.

• Having most popular peripheral interfaces within stack connectors StackPC opens the door to the new area of Computer-On-Module (COM) like applications which were not addressed by other PC/104 family specifications

• Low speed SPI and FBUS ports allows cost effective peripheral modules which do not require speed of PCIe or USB. Ports can be used also as GPIO.

“Stack Up only” approach• Stack-up is a System level approach. Applicable for PC/104 and

StackPC Specification implementations.

• Provides more real estate on CPU’s PCB since there is no requirement for CPU module to have Q2 connector on Top and Bottom.

• Provides more real estate for peripheral modules, reduces power consumption, simplifies layout, since there is no need for PCIe, USB and SATA switches.

• Reduces Cost.

• Allows more standardized and cost effective heat sink solutions.

“Stack Up only” approach

“Computer-On-Module” application• Most popular peripheral interfaces are within stack connectors

StackPC

• Unique feature of using StackPC CPU as a COM module is a possibility to add StackPC peripheral modules to the system .

• Tall components can be used both on StackPC CPU module and on carrier board.

• Reduces Cost.

• Allows more standardized and cost effective heat sink solutions.

“Computer-On-Module” application

COM-application with standard StackPC Expansion Modules

COM-application without StackPC Expansion Modules

StackPC Interfaces –USB2.0

StackPC does support 6 USB 2.0

Type 3 Advantages:

• Multiple USB2.0 can be used as user interfaces for standard peripherals and as board-to- board interconnect

• USB 2.0 as interconnect can be used for I/O applications (see right side as example)

StackPC Interfaces –EthernetStackPC does support 2 GbE

Advantages:

• Less cables – easy to release at front / front panel

• POE support opportunity

• Match to COM Express specs and usage model

Example of add-on board for

application development with Ethernet

StackPC Interfaces – SPI

StackPC does support up to 3 SPI

Advantages:SPI is supported by Intel, AMD, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, AVR, PIC,…

SPI is used to talk to a variety of peripherals, such as:- Sensors: temperature, pressure, ADC, touchscreens, video game controllers

- Control devices: audio codecs, digital potentiometers, DAC

- Communications: USART, CAN, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11

- Memory: Flash and EEPROM

- Real-time clocks

- LCD displays, sometimes even for managing image data

- Any MMC or SD cards

Interfaces availability for Type 1, 2 PCIe/104 and StackPC

Feature Type 1 Type 2 StackPC

PCIe x 1 4 4 4

Express Card Interface - - 2

PCIe x4 2 2 1

PCIe x8/x16 1/2 - -

Ethernet - - 2

USB 2.0 2 2 2+4=6

USB 3.0 - 2 -

SATA - 2 2

LPC - 1 1

SPI - - 3

Fieldbus - - 2

RTC Battery - 1 1

Superior

StackPC targets everything “Stackable”

A) StackPC in PC/104 Form-factor Stackable Industrial Computers

B) StackPC as an expansion bus for Single Board Industrial Computers. (EPIC, EBX, 3.5”, etc. form-factors)

C) StackPC CPU card as the mezzanine Computer-on-Module mounted on carrier board.

Thank You