Koan Software has certified a BSP (board support package) based on its GPL-only industrial embedded Linux distribution with an ARM-based half Euroboard SBC (single board computer) from Taskit. Klinux (formerly K-Linux) supports the Portux920T, based on an Atmel AT91RM9200 with a 180 MHz ARM-920T core.

(Click for larger view of Portux and Klinux CD)

PXB-USB card (Click to enlarge)

Taskit's Portux920T is a “half Euroboard” SBC measuring 3.9 x 2.8 inches (100 x 71mm). It is equipped with a “Portux extension bus” (PXB), a 96-pin connector that can be assembled either angled (Eurocard version) or in-line (sandwich version). The Eurocard version supports Taskit extension cards that are also half Euroboards, such that the board and extension card can be installed in standard housings, Taskit says, optionally with an available rack face for 19-inch racks. Alternatively, the Portux SBC can be used as a standalone SBC, since it has its own power supply, the company says.

Taskit's Portux920T, Euroboard version
(Click to enlarge)

Taskit Portux920T illustration (Click to enlarge)

Board specs include:

• CPU
  • Atmel AT91RM9200
  • ARM9TDMI instruction set
  • 200 MIPS at 180 MHz
  • 16 kB data cache
  • 16 kB instruction cache
  • MMU (memory management unit)
• Memory
  • 64 MB SDRAM
  • 4 MB Flash memory (max. 8 MB)
  • SD card slot onboard
  • Optional CompactFlash card via PXB
• Peripherals onboard
  • 2 x serial interfaces (USART 0 and 1)
  • MAC 10/100 Mbit ethernet
  • JTAG
• PXB (Portux Extension Bus)
  • 2 x serial interfaces (USART 2 and 3)
  • TWI (two wire interface
  • SPI (serial peripheral pnterface
  • PIF bus (universal 8-bit bus with 64 I/O addresses
  • USB host and client port
  • 32 individually programmable I/O ports multiplexed with parts of periphery (chipselect for EBI, USART 2, USART 3, SPI, TWI)
• Operating system
  • Linux kernel 2.6
  • U-Boot bootloader
  • Filesystem: JFFS
• Power management
  • 3.3 V

Klinux

Klinux is a GNU/Linux embedded distribution for industrial applications. It is based on Linux 2.6.15 or 2.4.27, and supports the RTAI real-time extensions. It includes an IDE (integrated development environment) based on Anjuta, along with “debugging instruments” for embedded and real-time systems, Koan says. It supports x86, ARM, and PPC processor families.

Koan founder Marco Cavallini states, “Klinux is the embedded Linux distribution market leader in Italy, and preferred by research institutes and universities worldwide [because] every component included in Klinux is released under GPL license.”

Availability

KLinux is available now as a Live CD download with a monolithic kernel. Commercial licensing options start at 300 Euros (about $384). Koan's services include customization, and drivers for ISA, PCI, and USB devices, on-board components, graphics cards, and input devices such as touchscreens and software keyboards.

Additionally, Koan offers a board certification service that has so far verified Klinux BSPs for a dozen boards, including Via and AMD Geode x86 boards, Freescale PowerPC boards, and various ARM boards based on Atmel processors.

 
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