Tibbo PLUS1 Embedded Linux Controller (SP7021)

…with 10 outstanding features:

Developed by Sunplus Technology in collaboration with Tibbo Technology, the Tibbo PLUS1 (SP7021) offers all the elements typically found in modern industrial embedded Linux processors. The PLUS1 offers a wide range of functions for IoT and industrial control applications. A simple microcontroller-like package that requires few external components simplifies the schematic and reduces PCB complexity.


Feature 1: Quad-Core 1GHz Cortex-A7 CPU + A926 + 8051

The Plus1 boasts a quad-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A7 (CA7) processing unit plus two additional CPU cores: a 202MHz A926 core for executing real-time code and a low-power 202MHz/32KHz 8051 core for system management (including in low-power standby mode). All GPIO lines and peripherals are accessible from all cores of the chip.

Feature 2: Single 3,3V Supply

While many of its competitors require up to three different supply voltages, as well as complex and costly power management ICs, the Plus1 can run off a single 3.3V power source. All additionally required voltages — 1.8V, 1.2V, and 0.9V — are generated internally*. Only a few passive components are needed to complete the power circuits.

* Some limitations apply to the use of the internal 1.2V voltage regulator.

Feature 3: Integrated 512 MB DDR3-DRAM

The Plus1 incorporates 512MB of DDR3 DRAM. This dramatically simplifies the PCB layout — no more copying and pasting known-good DRAM traces from proven PCBs, worrying about trace impedances, or going through costly and time-consuming layout iterations. The DRAM is built-in, and it just works! Integrated DRAM also means that you will be able to reduce the number of board layers to four or even two. Finally, by putting the DRAM into the Plus1, we’ve made your sourcing work easier: DRAM prices and lead times are famously volatile, so the right parts are often hard to procure — with the Plus1, you have one less part to worry about!

Feature 4: Eight 8-bit 5V-Tolerant I/O Ports + One High-Current Port

The Plus1 has eight 8-bit I/O ports with 3.3V logic levels and 5V tolerance. This simplifies interfacing with real-life hardware and eliminates the need for level shifters and other glue circuitry. 5V tolerance is unheard-of on Linux processors, which usually cannot go over 3.3V and often have even less-convenient 1.8V or 1.2V-level I/O.

The Plus1 also has one more 8-bit I/O port, which has a higher driving current ability and hosts a console UART.

Feature 5: Flexible Peripheral Multiplexing (PinMux)

The I/O functions of many of the Plus1 peripherals are routed via a fully symmetrical multiplexor known as PinMux. PinMux allows you to connect any I/O line of any participating peripheral to any of the 64 GPIO lines of eight 8-bit I/O ports

Many Linux processors have PinMux functions, but they are usually minimal and only provide two or three alternative “routings” for each peripheral. The choices available for one peripheral often conflict with the options offered for other peripherals. As a result, developers are forced to play a complex optimization game that leads to uncomfortable sacrifices and convoluted pin mappings. There is no such pain on the Plus1 — any I/O line of any participating peripheral can be connected to any PinMux pin! What’s more, PinMux mappings can be altered on the fly and without rebooting Linux.

Feature 6: Two Ethernet MACs

The Plus1 incorporates dual PinMuxable 10/100Mb Ethernet MAC controllers and a built-in transparent Ethernet switch. More and more industrial products require dual MACs to daisy-chain Ethernet devices or to connect two independent networks for increased operational reliability. The Plus1 supports both configurations.

In the switch configuration, the OS will detect a single Ethernet adapter. The built-in switch fabric will transparently route external traffic between the two physical Ethernet ports — no processor involvement required. In the dual-port configuration, the OS will detect two independent Ethernet adapters.

All I/O lines of the MAC controller are PinMuxable and can be routed to any of the 64 GPIO pins managed through PinMux.

Feature 7: Four Enhanced UARTs (PinMux) + one console UART

IoT and industrial control devices always require multiple UARTs, so we paid particular attention to this part of the design. The Plus1 features four identical UARTs with 128-byte TX and RX buffers, automatic RTS/CTS flow control, and baud rates of up to 928Kbits/second.

All I/O lines of all four UARTs are PinMuxable and can be routed to any of the 64 GPIO pins managed by PinMux. There is also an additional console UART with fixed, dedicated TX and RX lines.

Feature 8: Easy-to-Use LQFP Package

The Plus1 is available in an easy-to-use 20x20mm LQFP176-EP package. Unlike BGAs, TQFP ICs are easily handled by humans; for example, they can be hand-soldered during the assembly of board samples. TQFP packaging also simplifies the PCB layout work and facilitates the use of lower-cost, four-layer or two-layer PCBs. This alone leads to substantial cost savings compared to six and even eight-layer boards often needed to accommodate BGA-packaged CPUs! In their simplicity, your boards will look more like a typical “microcontroller” rather than “typical Linux CPU” designs.

Feature 9: Industrial Temperature Range

The Plus1 is an industrial-grade design through-and-through. The chip supports an operating temperature range of -40°C to 85°C and is well-suited for demanding industrial applications.

Feature 10: Feature 10: 

When designing the Plus1 , we paid special attention to lowering EMI. It is no secret that some chips create EMI certification problems, which are notoriously difficult to overcome. This is because many IC vendors consider EMI issues to be board and device-level issues, and do not think that combating EMI is their responsibility.

This view is not entirely accurate. A sensible chip design can go a long way toward simplifying subsequent device certifications. We did our homework, and this makes doing yours easier.

Modern, Yocto-based Linux Distribution

Unlike competing chips that often come with outdated Linux distributions (meant only to prove that the IC can run Linux in principle), the Plus1 
is supported by a modern, Yocto-based Linux.

Yocto is a widely used framework for managing the pieces that go into a Linux build. According to Wikipedia, the Yocto Project’s goal is to “produce tools and processes that enable the creation of Linux distributions for embedded and IoT software that are independent of the underlying architecture of the embedded hardware.”

Ten-year Supply Guarantee

The Plus1 was created for industrial applications and devices. We understand that in the industrial space, many products have much longer lives compared to consumer products. Unfortunately, most semiconductor vendors, especially in Asia, primarily target consumer applications and force rapid upgrade cycles of their silicon. To industrial product makers, these rapid upgrades look like “unintelligible flickering” — the pace of change is too fast to even react to it! We understand that, as a designer of IoT and industrial devices, you cannot afford to redesign your product constantly. When you build your product around the Plus1, you choose stability over the “white noise” of other vendors.

And More…

Real Time Ethernet Gateway – Stack on Module-SoM

The SoM (Stack on Module) is a ready-to-use, pre-certified dual-port Ethernet module solution currently available for the real-time protocols PROFINET RT, EtherNetIP, EtherCAT, including an embedded 2-port Ethernet switch with further internal port for bus and ring network topologies.

The SoM RIN32M3 integrates a Renesas microcontroller running a protocol library supporting various types of real-time industrial Ethernet communication protocols. With a well-documented generic API (Application Programming Interface), the protocol library can be easily accessed by an application processor in order to exchange real-time network data with the user application via a lean SPI module interface.

Based on a RIN32M3EC CPU in combination with PORT’s GOAL technology, this SoM offers PROFINET, EtherNetIP, EtherCAT on board. Simply connect via the SPI of your host controller and your applications are multi-protocol capable.

The generic API is an abstraction platform for real-time communication and offers scalable multi-protocol solutions such as PROFINET RT, EtherNetIP and EtherCAT. The external application processor has full control over the protocol stacks running on the module CPU without interfering with the modules’ real-time communication or wasting CPU power to the host processor.

The currently available Industrial Ethernet protocols PROFINET RT, EtherNetIP, EtherCAT implementations correspond to the latest specification releases. An extensive tool chain consisting of evaluation boards (module and application processor), API source code and host application examples including extensive documentation makes integration into your target application environment very easy. All of this enables users to have a lean and independent connection to existing or new applications, products and networks while at the same time accelerating the time to market.

The advantages of SoM-RIN32M3:

  • nexpensive and easy to integrate
  • one module for all market-leading real-time communication systems
  • open interfaces for more flexibility in the connector area
  • works with RJ45, M12, M8 or MiniIO
  • extensive range of tools for administration and integration makes the design very efficient
  • Integrated update service – you always get the latest firmware

Integrate the popular Raspberry PI single-board computer into networks such as PROFINET, EtherNetIP and EtherCAT – no problem with the Raspberry PI expansion board from port.

The Raspberry PI Industrial Ethernet Extender with SoM-RIN32M3
Easy integration into your systems.

The already integrated SPI-LINUX driver enables very easy integration and commissioning. The software package also provides useful tools (such as the management tool) for configuration and integration. In addition, a design tool for creating and managing object files is optionally available.

If you register the Raspberry PI Industrial Ethernet Extender after purchase, you will receive updates and upgrades for the integrated tool and the stacks for free. We will inform you automatically. So you are always up to date. The certifications for PROFINET and EtherNetIP should therefore no longer pose a major problem.

The ARDUINO/PMOD-Board is available for evaluating the SoM-RIN32M3

Based on the ARDUINO/PMOD-Board, there are also the following complete evaluation systems:

  • ARDUINO – PMOD Board for RENESAS Synergy S5 / S7
  • ARDUINO – PMOD Board for STM32F4 (Nucleo)
  • ARDUINO – PMOD Board and Raspberry-Pi (LINUX)
  • ARDUINO – PMOD Board for LINUX

1700 V-Rated InnoSwitch3-EP ICs with SiC Switches Simplify Industrial Flyback Power Supply Designs

Suitable for industrial markets, these 1700 V-rated devices replace discrete controller-plus-MOSFET designs, saving space, time and cost while increasing reliability in applications such as renewables, industrial motor drives, battery storage and metering. SiC-based InnoSwitch3-EP ICs deliver up to 70 W of output power while reducing the number of components required to implement a power supply by up to 50%. The inclusion of synchronous rectification and a quasi-resonant (QR) / CCM flyback controller achieves greater than 90% efficiency and less than 15 mW no-load consumption.

Light Pipe Protection for Rugged Harsh Environments

The need for product illumination is increasing as design engineers develop technology products used in new and different internal and external locations. Designers require various levels of protection to ensure circuitry is safe and will perform continuously. Bivar IP Rated Light Pipe products and systems solve problems and offer design options for strength and protection from the ingress of particulates, electrostatic discharge, vibration, and physical impact.

IP stands for Ingress Protection which is a system for classifying the degrees of protection provided for electrical equipment that has been developed by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). These standards are designed to numerically rate an electrical product on the level of protection its afforded. The classification is represented by the prefix, IP, along with two numbers. The first number is for protection against solids while the second number is for protection against liquid.

See how Bivar can help you plan in the early stages of design to get the most from your product illumination.

Common Feature Definitions


IP Rated Rigid Light Pipes: Panel Press-Fit

RHD
IP67 heavy-duty threaded retention for maximum protection in industrial-grade applications.

SGLC
IP68 Rated Sealing Gasket Lens Cap designed to provide ingress protection to LED status indication for applications exposed to harsh environments.

PLTR
Rigid Front Mounting Press Fit light pipe includes threaded retention so when properly tightened with a torque wrench will provide a secure fit for harsh environment protection.

PLP5
Rear-mount 5mm lens size round shaped single station short distance light pipe.

PLW5
Wide-capture lower body provides micro-lens to capture and emit more LED light..


IP Rated Flexible Light Pipes – SMD LED Systems

SZ IP54
IIP54 ZeroLightBleed™ adapter system for Bivar SMD LED and flexible light pipe.

SMFLP-System (SF1, SF2)
Board mount adapter system for Bivar SMD LED and flexible light pipe.


IP Rated Flexible Light Pipes – Through-Hole LED Systems

ORFLP-System (OR1)
Board mount adapter system with built-in Bivar 4-pin Through-Hole Superflux LED and Flexible Light Pipe.

FLP-System (FR2, FR3, FR4, FV2, FV3, FV4)
Board mount adapter with built-in Bivar Through-Hole LED and Flexible Light Pipe.

First Industrial Capable WiFi 6 / 6E Tri-band Module

Module Solutions

WPEQ-268AXI(BT)WNFQ-268AXI(BT)
ChipsatzQualcomm Atheros WCN6856Qualcomm Atheros WCN6856
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6/6E DBDCWi-Fi 6/6E DBDC
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.2
InterfacePCIe/USBPCIe/USB
Form factorHalf Size Mini Card (TBD)M.2 2230 E-Key
MIMO/Antenna2T2R2T2R
Frequency bands2412-2484 MHz
5150-5850 MHz
5925-7125 MHz
2412-2484 MHz
5150-5850 MHz
5925-7125 MHz
Bandwidth20/40/80/160 MHz20/40/80/160 MHz
CertificationCE, FCC (TBD)CE, FCC (TBD)

Product images WPEQ-268AXI(BT) and WNFQ-268AXI(BT)

First Industrial Capable WiFi 6 / 6E Tri-Band

The Tri-band solution from Qualcomm brings DBDC features to M.2 2230 and Half Mini PCIe formfactor. WNFQ-268AXI(BT) / WPEQ-268AXI(BT) are powered by latest Qualcomm WCN6856 chip, provide industrial lifecycle, industrial temperature capability, and true SparkLAN technical support.