Oxford Semiconductor Development Kit Simplifies Design of Linux Based Device Networking Products

Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley 2007

Booth 2007

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oxford Semiconductor has introduced a software development kit for its OXETHU954 network connectivity controller chip aiming to dramatically simplify the design of Linux based device networking products. Comprising a feature-rich development board, Linux OS and Eclipse-based IDE tools, the kit provides a complete hardware and software development environment tailored to the needs of factory automation, point-of-sale and building management applications.

Embedding an ARM926 processor, memory management unit and Wind River Platform Linux operating system, the OXETHU954 is Oxford’s first connectivity platform to offer Ethernet, PCI, USB2.0 (dual) and UART (quad) connectivity in a single package. The development board included in the DS-OXETHx954 software development kit provides all respective connectivity sockets along with two PCI slots, a MiniPCI slot and an on-board Gigabit Ethernet chip. This combination of resources supports a wide range of system configurations, from high density serial to wireless 802.11 and dual redundant Ethernet.

The development kit includes Wind River Platform CD Linux, the company’s Carrier Grade Linux platform, and bundles together the Wind River® Workbench and CodeSourcery Sourcery G++™ development tools for evaluation on 30-day free trial. Preconfigured with the Linux OS and Oxford’s Board Support Package and Root File System, the kit ensures developers have immediate access to all resources of the OXETHU954 chip and communication stacks required.

The development board features a wide range of support facilities designed to make hardware prototyping as fast as possible. As well as the in-depth PCI expansion capability, I2C access is also provided to on-board E2PROM, a Real Time Clock for date/time dependent applications and a port expander for multiplication of the chip’s standard GPIO capability. GPIOs are supported by an array of on-board pushbutton switches, LEDs and header strips. For system debug, the chip and board offer full JTAG support.

In terms of memory resources, the board carries 64Mbytes of SDRAM (accessible via the chip’s DDR1 SDRAM interface) and 16MBytes of Flash (accessible via the chip’s static memory interface). The development kit comes complete with Ethernet, USB and 9-way D to RJ45 serial cables, power supply and power cord.

Adrian Braine, Oxford Semiconductor’s Marketing Manager of Connectivity Solutions, said, “In designing the development kit our prime aim was to give users the best possible ‘out-of-the-box’ Linux experience. We wanted to offer what we regarded as the most stable Linux platform available today and combine it with tools that made the development of Linux based device networking products as simple as possible. We also wanted to provide a flexible hardware platform that could be used to create prototypes that would enable software development to get underway well in advance of final hardware delivery. We believe we achieved our goals.”

The DS-OXETHx954 software development kit is available from April 2007 and is priced at $1,995.

Oxford Semiconductor will be demonstrating the OXETHU954 network connectivity controller and other connectivity solutions at the Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose, California, April 3-5. They are located in booth 2007.

About Oxford Semiconductor:

Oxford Semiconductor is a global leader in connectivity technology and provides a broad portfolio of products enabling electronic devices to exchange or back-up data and share resources.

The company’s high performance connectivity solutions are an essential ingredient in a diverse range of highly differentiated end products, from external data storage and mobile phones to printers and point-of-sale equipment.

Oxford’s market leading product portfolio includes:

* Direct-attached (FireWire / USB) and network-attached storage controllers.
* Serial communication bridges for PCI, miniPCI, Compact Flash and PC Cards.
* USB host, peripheral and On-The-Go controllers.
* Network connectivity controllers.

Founded in 1992, Oxford Semiconductor is a privately held fabless company headquartered in San Jose, California. It operates design centers and regional offices worldwide. For more information visit http://www.oxsemi.com.