ADLINK LittleBoard 735 - Manual (Page 9)

LittleBoard 735 Reference Manual 3
Chapter 2 Product Overview
This introduction presents general information about the EBX architecture and the LittleBoard 735 single
board computer (SBC). After reading this chapter you should understand:
• EBX Architecture
• LittleBoard 735 Description
• LittleBoard 735 Features
• Block Diagram
• Major Components
• Headers and Connectors
• Jumper Headers
• Specifications (physical, environmental, power, cooling)
EBX Architecture
The “Embedded Board, eXpandable” (EBX) standard is the result of a collaboration between industry
leaders Motorola and Ampro to unify the embedded computing industry through a full featured embedded
single-board computer (SBC) standard. The EBX standard principally defines physical size, mounting hole
pattern, and power connector locations. It does not specify processor type or electrical characteristics. There
are recommended connector placements for serial/parallel, Ethernet, graphics, and memory expansion.
Derived from the Ampro LittleBoard form-factor originated in 1984, EBX combines a standard footprint
with open interfaces. The EBX form-factor is small enough for deeply embedded applications, yet large
enough to contain the functions of a fully embedded SBC (Single Board Computer) including CPU,
memory, mass storage interfaces, display controller, serial and parallel ports, today’s advanced operating
systems, and other system functions. This embedded SBC standard ensures that embedded system OEMs
can standardize their designs and that embedded computing solutions can be designed into space constrained
environments with off-the-shelf components.
The EBX standard boasts highly flexible and adaptable system expansion, allowing easy and modular
additions of functions such as USB 2.0 ports and Firewire or wireless networking not usually contained in
standard product offerings. The EBX system expansion is based on popular existing industry standards, PC/
10 4™ and PC/104-Plus™. PC/104 places the ISA bus on compact 3.6" x 3.8" modules with self-stacking
capability. PC/104-Plus adds the power of a PCI bus to PC/104 while retaining the basic form-factor. Using
PC/104 expansion cards, the PC/104 standard offers access to PC cards from the mobile and handheld
computing markets.
The EBX standard integrates all these off-the-shelf standards into a highly embeddable SBC form-factor.
EBX supports the legacy of PC/104, hosting the wide variety of embedded system oriented expansion
modules from hundreds of companies worldwide. PC/104 brings the advantages of the latest portable and
mobile system expansion technologies to embedded applications. See
Figure 2-1 on page 4 .
The EBX standard also brings stability to the embedded board market and offers OEMs assurance that a
wide range of products will be available from multiple sources – now and in the future. The EBX standard is
open to continuing technology advancements since it is processor independent. It creates opportunity for
economies of scale in chassis, power supply, and peripheral devices.
The EBX specification is freely available to all interested. For further technical information on the EBX
standard, go to the PC/104 Consortium web site at
www.pc104.org.