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QNX FastBoot Techniques for Advantech's x86 Architecture
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With the introduction of the Intel Atom processor, the x86 architecture has become a viable contender as a low-power embedded platform. However, x86 designs have traditionally relied onthe system BIOS to perform early initialization and the Power On System Test, referred to as POST. This approachresults in unacceptably long boot times for embedded devices. As a resultembedded developers whose systems must boot quickly need a way to bypass the BIOS. This paper explains the FastBoot technology developed by QNX that dramatically shortens the bootup-time.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
12/10/2009 |
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Connecting and Controlling the Food and Beverage Industries
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Summary: The food and beverage industries have a history of manual operations, from one end of the plant to the other, including lab and quality operations. In order to improve productivity and quality control, many food and beverage operations have begun integrating these operations and making them conform to automation standards.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/20/2009 |
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Under Pressure – Industrial Computers’ Ruggedized Solutions to Mission-Critical Operating Environments
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For the IPC sector, it’s a given that industrial computers and systems be able to operate reliably and steadily in
mission-critical environments. For these industrial systems, heat is the bane of system stability. Other elements,
such as vibration, shock, humidity, and corrosion also pose threats to product dependability. IPC makers are
hard-pressed to find proper solutions to these thorny issues.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/19/2009 |
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Switch with Confidence: Avoiding the Pitfalls with Industrial Managed Switches
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Summary:This white paper looks at how industrial managed switches, together with the right network topology and an understanding of failure modes, can lead to almost 100 percent network uptime.
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.Views:1 | |
.Date:
11/16/2009 |
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Software ProtectionTransparent, Reliable Security Functions
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No one likes copy protection, but sometimes it is simply necessary. If you're a systemintegrator you know how easy it is for the competition to copy embedded applications bysimply buying a system and then copying the embedded app. Those applications containinnovation, expertise, and valuable intellectual property. Protecting your work from pirateswithout inconveniencing legitimate users represents a fair and reasonable solution.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/6/2009 |
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Advantech eSOS- An Emergency Secondary OS For System Recovery
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One of the primary advantages of embedded systems is their reliability.They usually run 24/7 without any need for maintenance, and thatis what many mission-critical embedded applications require.Unfortunately, unanticipated problems can still happen andthen it is of crucial importance to quickly determine whatwent wrong.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/6/2009 |
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Software API (SUSI): Secure & Unified Smart Interface)Direct Hardware Access Made Easy
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If you are a software developer or a system integrator you are all too familiar with thefollowing problem: You are writing an application that requires direct hardware access.Unfortunately, that access is no longer available in modern operating systems. So youhave to locate and study reams of specifications to write the appropriate drivers, andthat is a complex and time-consuming job. To ease the burden, Advantech has createdSUSI (Secure and Unified Smart Interface), a suite of application program interfaces thatallows users to directly monitor and control digital I/O, I2C, CPU stepping speed,watchdog timers, smart fans and access hardware monitoring sensors.
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.Views:2 | |
.Date:
11/6/2009 |
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Manufacturing Must be Service-Driven
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Technological developments in the past decade have utterly transformed human lifestyles. Thanks to intelligent computer technologies and solutions, users can use RFID-enabled EasyCards to travel on mass rapid transits, buses, and park in outfitted garages with the greatest of ease; patrolmen can monitor every nook and cranny of a building from the security office without having to do any legwork. Intelligent computer technologies nowadays also make their presence felt in electronic appliances, with processors and internet connections; this is true for refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, and stereos. These appliances can log and analyze users’ needs to provide automatic switch-on and shut-down, modification, and messaging services.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/5/2009 |
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First Atom-based Samples to Customers
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To achieve time to market and first sample to the customer, Advantech kicked off a focused design team and integrated our internal resources to provide the proven hardware and software for the System Integrators.
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.Views:3 | |
.Date:
11/5/2009 |
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Innovative Applications in Embedded Storage Technology
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Advantech has always valued computer dependability and durability, and that inspired Advantech’s Embedded Core Service to prioritize customer data security in its R & D efforts. Embedded Core Service Assistant Manager, Miller Chang says that previously, companies looked to the market for existing storage technologies and products during project development.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/5/2009 |
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Advantech TaiwanEmbedded Core Solution Kit Training Program
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/5/2009 |
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Moving to the Next EraEmbedded Core Services
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For years, engineers spent too much time determining what hardware and software to use for their projects. But Advantech’s integrated services—from boards to modules to software—gives the customer a more cost-saving, quality, efficient, and faster time-to-market solution.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
11/5/2009 |
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Information on Screen: Video Surveillance in Industrial Automation
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Summary:This white paper will discuss the technology behind the improvements in video surveillance and how these can benefit industrial automation. Some example applications and products will be covered, as well.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
10/23/2009 |
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Stimulus Spending Brings Medical Applications to Life: Opportunities and Challenges in Digital Records
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Governments worldwide are pouring billions of dollars into health information technology. This is a huge new opportunity for embedded developers, but the opportunity comes with challenges. Medical settings have unique requirements in areas such as sealing, electromagnetic interference, and regulatory compliance.
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.Views:56,528 | |
.Date:
9/24/2009 |
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Comparing SLC and MLC Flash Technologies and Structure
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Technologies In simplest terms, NAND Flash memory refers to sequential access devices that are best suited for handling data storage such as pictures, music, or data files. NOR Flash, on the other hand, is designed for random access devices that are best suited for storage and execution of program code. Code storage applications include STBs (Set-Top Boxes), PCs (Personal Computers), and cell phones. NAND Flash memory can also be used for some boot-up operations.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
9/21/2009 |
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Wear Leveling Implementation on SQFlash
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NAND is similar to a hard-disk drive. It is sector-based (page-based), and fitted for storing sequential data such as picture files. The host system performs its data transfer (reads and writes) to LBA (logical block address) only. For example, the FAT information would also be stored from LBA X to LBA Y. The assigned allocation area for the FAT does not move in LBA, whereas the actual FAT table for the PBA (Physical Block Address) moves randomly from time to time. The PBA is the physical address of the NAND Flash. A mapping table is also required for the controller to remap the LBA to the PBA of the NAND Flash.
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.Views:1 | |
.Date:
9/21/2009 |
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The Benefits of PAC Solutions
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Summary: Since the introduction and use of the PLC as a relay replacement device, the uses of small, self contained automation controllers have mushroomed and have changed the complexion and even the architecture of the control system itself. This white paper discusses the benefits of using PACs to solve your company solutions.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
8/15/2009 |
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Innovative Applications in Embedded Storage Technology
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Unexpected breakdowns on computer storage devices cause users many headaches. Critical damage can occur, be it due to lifespan-related issues or flat out failure. Data security is of the utmost concern, both for automatic controls at factory facilities and for computers used by software proprietors; it is an absolute necessity for maintaining smooth operations.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
8/14/2009 |
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Advantech Ruggedized Products And SolutionsFor Extreme Environments
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Where are ruggedized products and solutions used? Basicallyanyplace where standard commercial or consumer gradeproducts simply won’t do. That includes military, avionicand astronautic applications; transportation; mission-critical and industrial control systems; outdoorsolutions; and any other application indemanding and/or hazardous environments.
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.Views:2 | |
.Date:
8/14/2009 |
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Using HMIs to Lower Your Cost of Ownership
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Summary:Thirty years ago, operator stations consisted of indicators, push-buttons, possibly a recorder, all mounted in the door of a large enclosure or on the face of a pedestal enclosure. Inside the box was the PLC, and each of the components of the operator station had to be hard-wired together by hand. Jump ahead to today. All of the features and functions of an operator station can now be done with a single device-the HMI.
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.Views:24 | |
.Date:
7/11/2009 |
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In-Vehicle Power Control and Power Design Criteria
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Recent innovations have made huge improvements in fleet management. Trucks, buses, taxis and other fleet vehicles are fitted with wireless satellite navigation systems that let dispatchers know the position, status, and fuel consumption of every vehicle, leading to great benefits in fleet operation optimization. Passengers are served as well. Display monitors provide entertainment, as well as useful, real-time information such as departure and arrival times, weather bulletins, and emergency notices.
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.Views:3 | |
.Date:
6/29/2009 |
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Industrial-Grade Advantech Digital Signage Solutions for Mission-Critical Digital Signage Deployments
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Why is everyone so excited about digital signage, and why are you seeing new digital signage solutions pop up all over the place? Because it makes sense to replace static print displays with attractive and dynamically managed information.
Digital signage players are essentially specialized computers that display customized information in a variety of settings and locations. Since those locations are not always easily accessible they can be remotely controlled and managed via wired or wireless IP connections. This makes it possible to easily program, schedule and update playlists; remotely monitor player status; and issue remote commands no matter where the player is located, even if it is far away.
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.Views:6,820 | |
.Date:
6/17/2009 |
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Making the Smart Grid Work
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Summary: In order to bring down the cost of supplying power and reduce the carbon footprint of the power industry worldwide, many governments and industries have been moving the transmission and distribution of electricity to a new "smart grid" model. This model is expected to produce a real–time responsive electric system from power generation to end consumers. This white paper discusses making the smart grid work.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
6/12/2009 |
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Hardware and Software Development Greatly Improves Advantechs Embedded Technology
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The IT industry in Taiwan has a bias towards hardware, especially in the IPC field. Design and manufacturing of all kinds of customized cards have always been the main services provided by Taiwan manufacturers. Specifications for IPC and consumer PCs differ a lot because of their different applications and customers. For system integrators who are the main IPC customers, product stability is the primary criterion in choosing a partner. A partnership with a vendor can be enhanced if the quality of a system integrator’s product is directly influenced by that of IPC vendor, and the successful cooperation with an IPC manufacturer directly influences how fast the system integrators’ product can be launched onto the market. So there’s no doubt that initial choice of IPC manufacturer is very important for system integrators.
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Divide and Conquer: Multi-Core Processors and Automation Applications
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Summary: In this white paper, Advantech looks at why multi-core processors were developed, explores the characteristics of an industrial automation computer and then examines what features a multi-core system should have. The paper will then detail the advantages a multi-core system offers for automation applications, describe a real-world example and look at what the future holds.
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.Views:6 | |
.Date:
5/23/2009 |
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On the Road with Fleet Management
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Fleet management solutions that aid in many operational aspects of the business, including: routing, navigation, vehicle diagnostics, on-time delivery, and many others. This whitepaper examines the trends, technologies, and motivations behind implementing a fleet management solution which assists fleet operators in the operation, management, and administration of a fleet of vehicles and equipment.
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.Views:102,526 | |
.Date:
5/11/2009 |
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Network Application Platforms – Part 1 General Purpose or Specialized Processors
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The Network Applications Platform (NAP) is fast becoming the ubiquitous workhorse of both
infrastructure and enterprise networks. While NAPs often take on many guises, IP traffic is at the core of
all applications. Maximizing reuse and development efficiency, while creating innovate and feature rich
solutions is crucial for success. This paper, part one in Advantech’s Network Application Platform series,
examines the challenges of processor selection.
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.Views:1,939 | |
.Date:
5/4/2009 |
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Advantech Platforms for 10 GigE networking On Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series
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While we have numerous methods of measuring performance in terms of absolute values it is also a
matter of perspective and relativity. Driving at 70mph on the freeway is very fast relative to our own
walking or even running pace but pales in comparison to a 200mph race car, let alone a Mach2 fighter
plane. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and as such we are always striving to improve that
“weak link.” So it is with any computer or network system platform.
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.Views:3,390 | |
.Date:
5/4/2009 |
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The Next Generation Industrial Chassis
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When considering the scope of a complete computing system, a chassis may not account for much in the total cost structure, yet it does play a crucial role in the system’s smooth operation. Fundamentally, a chassis houses each system component in a suitable position. It further protects system operation under a variety of environments and conditions; some harsh examples are extremely high or low temperatures (e.g., outdoor applications in Russia or the Middle East), continuous vibrations (e.g., land or marine vehicle use), and sudden impacts. Moreover, a chassis protects users from EMI (electromagnetic interference), a condition which may affect the human hormone and immune system, among other adverse effects. An industrial chassis is more mission-critical than a commercial chassis due to the greater variety of application environments it is most often located in and the more complicated environmental factors it is generally subjected to.
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.Views:4 | |
.Date:
4/30/2009 |
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Your Guide to Buying an Industrial-grade Computer Chassis
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To most users, an industrial PC case is just a sheet-metal housing that protects the PC innards from environmental exposure. Most cases or chassis are merely functional to the working of the computer while keeping out dust. Price therefore is a priority when users are in the market for chassis. Understandably, most users go for cheaper, serviceable chassis, as most consumer PCs are used for non-mission-critical document processing and web browsing, for which breakdowns aren’t a big issue. In industrial computing however, system stability takes precedence above all else – everything has to correct to ensure reliable operation. In light of such criteria, industrial-grade computer chassis require designs of a completely different class to accommodate mission-critical applications.
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.Views:18 | |
.Date:
4/30/2009 |
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Industrial Flash Storage Module
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Application Types: Recently, data storage applications for Flash products have been extended for both daily use and at the workplace. From early digital cameras to cell phones, and now even in industrial applications, flash storage products have been included in a diverse range of applications. Due to the particular environmental requirements of the industrial market, flash memory, with its solid state and shock resistant features, has proved incredibly versatile as for example, a startup HDD, to setup OS, for software updates and as regular storage modules among others.
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.Views:7 | |
.Date:
4/28/2009 |
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Power over Ethernet: Myths, Mystery, and the Facts
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Summary: Field–level wiring used to be very simple. A sensor was either powered or passive. But when networking PLCs and PACs into the control system network became both practical and popular, engineers started thinking about how to provide power over the same set of wires as the network connection. This white paper discusses how Power over the Ethernet is fast becoming the standard.
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.Views:4 | |
.Date:
4/20/2009 |
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Advantech Digital Video Solutions: Industrial Strength For 24/7 Operation
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Digital IP Surveillance—Speed, Safety, Efficiency. Find out how to integrate Advantech digital video technology into real world solutions.
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.Views:254 | |
.Date:
4/16/2009 |
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Converged Application Platforms–Enhance your bottom line; take one “to go”
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With the World's economies behaving like roller coasters, maximizing efficiencies and squeezing every last ounce of performance, value and profit from product implementations is crucial in order to remain competitive. The Converged Application Platform has emerged as the most flexible and cost effective solution to meet the demand for"Triple Play"service applications.
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.Views:4,683 | |
.Date:
3/10/2009 |
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Doing more with Less - A commitment to low power consumption from board to system level
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Systems integrators and embedded system developers frequently need to decide what hardware to use for their projects. Making those decisions requires a careful analysis of features, performance and costs, and how those factors relate both to the project at hand and to clients’ expectations. More is not always better, especially when it comes to embedded and mobile applications.
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Advantech Medical Computing Enabling Digital Healthcare
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Healthcare systems around the globe are experiencing tremendous pressure to improve services while containing costs. There is a trend towards real-time, paperless and film-free patient monitoring, nursing care and medical record tracking.
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.Views:118,992 | |
.Date:
3/5/2009 |
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Solution Integration Services (SIS) Outsourcing Empowers Business
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ABC is an access and ticketing system provider based in Italy. To build a competitive automated ticketing system, ABC needed a reliable computing platform to serve as the core of their system. A complete automated ticketing system consists of many components and integrated technologies. ABC was also interested in developing ticketing software to accompany the hardware system. To speed up product development, ABC decided to outsource the computing platform portion of their system to Advantech. Choosing Advantech as their hardware provider enabled ABC to focus their R&D resources on developing ticketing-relevant technology, thus increasing their core competence. This example scenario depicts a common situation among many for which Advantech provides solutions.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
2/25/2009 |
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Big Computing in a Small Package for Industrial Control & Automation
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Advantech 3.5-inch Biscuit SBC with the Intel® Atom™
Processor N270 and Mobile Intel® 945GSE Express Chipset
Packs Performance and Features in a Fanless Design
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.Views:35,059 | |
.Date:
2/5/2009 |
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Next Generation of Embedded Computing Platforms
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Summary: What does the current iteration of Moore's Law hold for embedded computing? Not only have speed and computational power gone up exponentially, and cost dropped the same way, but other improvements have increased too. This white paper discusses the history and future of embedded computing platforms.
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.Views:2 | |
.Date:
12/12/2008 |
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High Availability Architecture for Ethernet in Manufacturing
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Summary: Outside of craft manufacture, like blacksmithing, or custom jewelry making, it is no longer possible to manufacture anything in any quantity without automation. In some cases, such as semiconductor manufacture, it is not possible to manufacture without automation at all. This white paper discusses the architecture for using Ethernet in manufacturing.
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.Views:200,056 | |
.Date:
11/28/2008 |
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The Rise of the Programmable Automation Controller
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Summary: It was only thirty years ago that most industrial processes were controlled either by hardwired relay logic or analog loop controllers. In the last thirty years, we've come very far from hardwired relays and analog controllers, and computers have changed beyond the belief of anyone in the late 1970s. Today, this development continues with the rise in PACs. This white paper discusses this growth and what the future may hold.
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.Views:2 | |
.Date:
11/17/2008 |
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UEFI: A Better Firmware for Industrial Platforms
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Computing firmware change is coming to the embedded industry in the form of a new standard interface that replaces the proprietary lock between hardware and the
operating system. Known as the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), this new and open firmware standard is a well-designed, highly versatile and long-overdue
replacement for 25-year-old basic input/output system technology (BIOS).
Although it is virtually unknown in the embedded industry today, the UEFI is quickly replacing BIOS technology in the PC industry, where desktops and notebooks due out in
2009 are being developed with UEFI boot technology. The embedded industry is sure to follow in the very near future. In fact, Advantech and Intel are committed to facilitate
a complete transformation from legacy BIOS solutions to the UEFI standard within the next few years. Both companies are delivering UEFI solutions today, and more are planned.
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.Views:0 | |
.Date:
10/16/2008 |
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What would you do with a TDP of less than 5 watts?
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What embedded designers had long hoped for is now here: a low-power, high-performance, Intel® architecture (IA) platform with a thermal design power specification (TDP)1 of less than 5 watts (W) that’s powerful enough to run common embedded operating systems. With TDP of just 2.0W (versus 35 watts for a typical laptop), the Intel® Atom™ processors Z530Δ and Z510Δ are bringing IA to places it’s never been before. Embedded designers are rethinking how far they can push designs by extending the benefits of IA to meet the demanding requirements of new embedded applications.
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.Views:80,214 | |
.Date:
10/16/2008 |
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Benefiting from Industrial Ethernet at the Device Level with Smart Remote I/O and Peer-to-Peer Technology
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Summary: There can be too much of a good thing, or so goes the old saying. Fortunately, new technology can come to the rescue, at least in certain cases. For example, an industrial enterprise can grow too big for efficient automation control using traditional technology. However, advances in industrial Ethernet can provide a solution, if such techniques as smart remote I/O and peer-to-peer technology are implemented. The result could be better and more flexible control, along with a change in the way Ethernet is used. This white paper discusses the benefits of Smart I/O and Peer-to-Peer Technology.
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.Views:461,541 | |
.Date:
9/9/2008 |
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Cut Network Security Costs in Half
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Network threats require enhanced security for access control, user authentication, and attack protection, concerns which require a leap in performance—particularly VPN performance. VPN performance is critical, yet many medium-sized businesses have typically been priced out of VPN acceleration, resulting in compromised features and performance.
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.Views:1,568 | |
.Date:
8/28/2008 |
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Getting Data from Manual Processes in the Enterprise
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Summary: Manufacturing is about data. It is about collecting data. It is about analyzing data. It is about trying to understand the patterns in data that we collect. Only part of the data that a manufacturing enterprise needs comes from the control systems. There is a significant amount of “ancillary” data in every manufacturing plant, and it is becoming more important to use this data every year. This data can be used to improve the competitiveness and productivity of manufacturing facilities, especially older, brownfield plants.
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.Views:16 | |
.Date:
7/22/2008 |
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Best Practices for Networking Automation Computers
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Summary: Automation computers can be anywhere, and do very many things. Modern automation computers are connected to networks that may be connected to other networks throughout the plant, and via TCP/IP to the entire world.
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.Views:180,791 | |
.Date:
6/26/2008 |
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Enabling Serial Devices in High Availability Manufacturing
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Summary: Today, manufacturing organizations world wide are working on reducing complexity in the manufacturing process and increasing the transparency of processes throughout the enterprise. The ability to communicate data from any part of the enterprise to any other part of the enterprise is core to making modern manufacturing work. This white discusses the use of Ethernet serial devices in manufacturing.
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.Views:1,637 | |
.Date:
6/11/2008 |
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An Integrator's Guide to MicroTCA Part III – System management software
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In the previous article of this series we explained the basic processes of the start up of a Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) using the example of the insertion of an AMC module into a MicroTCA chassis. In this third part we will discuss system management software and the various implementation options available.
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.Views:13,639 | |
.Date:
5/27/2008 |
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What Does an Automation Computer Look Like?
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Summary: Every day, without thinking about it, we use hundreds of computers in every facet of our lives. Nearly every device with a display or a control in our homes, in our offices, and in our factories, has a computer in it. This white paper discusses the automation computer and what it looks like. This is the first of a three part series on automation computers. Look for chapter two in late June.
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.Views:2 | |
.Date:
5/20/2008 |
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Chasing Moore’s Law – The Truth Behind the OS and CPU Upgrades for Industrial PC Users
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SUMMARY: The COTS effect has been almost as big a revolution as that signaled by the phrase uttered by Alexander Graham Bell, “What hath God wrought?” COTS is a three letter acronym that stands for “Commercial, Off The Shelf,” and the COTS revolution has changed commercial computing, created personal computing, impacted telecommunications, and made huge changes in the industrial environment. Most of these changes have been incredibly beneficial. Some have made technologies practical and affordable for applications that were unthinkable thirty years ago. Some have been problematic and some have caused significant FUD. (FUD is another three letter acronym, standing for Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt.) This white paper discusses the effect of the ever-changing OS on industrial computers.
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.Views:5,928 | |
.Date:
4/23/2008 |
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The Advantages of Small Form Factor HMI
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SUMMARY: As embedded computers have become ubiquitous, so too the need for human machine interfaces has grown. Once found in only complex control systems, like distributed control systems in refineries and other process plants, HMI systems are now found in many guises and many locations, from games to industrial machines and tooling systems, with many stops in between. This white paper addresses the increased demand for Small Form Factor HMIs and how they are being used.
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.Views:5,915 | |
.Date:
4/16/2008 |
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Carrying Serial Devices into the Future
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SUMMARY: First in the laboratory, and then on the plant floor, serial digital communication was the earliest means of data transmission from device to device. What's the future?
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.Views:5,922 | |
.Date:
4/15/2008 |
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Save with the Right Distributed Motion Control
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SUMMARY: In today’s automation applications, it seems there’s no room for dumb machines and there’s plenty of space for intelligent choices. A case in point is distributed motion control, in which intelligence and control are pushed out from a central server to the edges of an automation system. There are some very good, bottom line reasons for doing this, as it can save significant time and money. This white paper addresses making the right choices on distributed motion control that will save you time, effort, and money.
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.Views:119,016 | |
.Date:
4/15/2008 |
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An Integrator's Guide to MicroTCA Part II– How a FRU starts up
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In the previous article of this series we covered the basic system management aspects and architecture of MicroTCA. In this second article we will explain the basic processes of the start up of a Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) using the example of the insertion of an AMC module aka Advanced Mezzanine Card into a MicroTCA chassis.
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.Views:73,308 | |
.Date:
1/22/2008 |
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High Bright Displays...Get The Picture!
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SUMMARY: In the old adage, seeing is believing. In today’s modern industrial applications, seeing is more than that. It’s the essence of control, since the human machine interface (HMI) involves the presentation of visual information. That’s why there’s such a demand for high bright displays in highly customized industrial computers and in stand alone industrial monitors.
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.Views:5,912 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Get on the Bus: USB in Industrial Applications
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SUMMARY: For industrial automation users, technology giveth and taketh away. On one hand advances in semiconductors and software result in smarter and more capable computer and machines, making the job of automating a process easier and more robust. On the other hand, those same advances spell trouble. The answer to this question maybe the USB.
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.Views:3,162 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Gigabit Ethernet: Meeting the Future with Increased Bandwidth
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SUMMARY: Much has been written about the use of Ethernet in manufacturing. Ethernet has been around a long time. For computers and networking, it has been around practically forever. One of the great benefits of this fact is the time-tested and de-bugged nature of the Ethernet protocol for networking. Since the mid-1990s, Ethernet networks have become ubiquitous. They are used in offices, in homes, in workplaces, in building automation, and with increasing dominance, not just frequency, on the factory floor.
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.Views:5,915 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Windows XP for Embedded Applications
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SUMMARY: The embedded version of Windows XP is a componentized version of the well-known Windows XP Professional operating system. Instead of everything being wrapped tightly into a single package, XP Embedded breaks the OS down into more than 10,000 individual components, allowing developers to create systems that have the functionality and familiar features of XP.
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.Views:5,915 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Programmable Automation Controllers Find Their Niche...Everywhere!
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SUMMARY: In the beginning there was the relay and the timer. And in the process industries, there was the hardwired controller. Then, there was the Programmable Logic Controller (PAC). Today, it's the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC).
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.Views:5,914 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-based Platforms
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SUMMARY: Everywhere we look we find computers. Many of them don't look like traditional desktops, or laptops. In industrial infrastructure, we find them in displays, in networking appliances, in machine controllers, in HMIs and in industrial controllers and PACs (programmable automation controllers). We find them in low power, portable devices, and even in field transmitters.
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.Views:5,913 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Don’t Get Run Over: The Evolution of PC Bus Technologies
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SUMMARY: Over the last decade, there's been an increasing trend toward the use of PC-based automation solutions. In the early 1990's, large automakers and other manufacturers began using standard PCs for machine control.
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.Views:5,918 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Thanks for the Memories - Storage Media in Industrial Applications
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SUMMARY: When it comes to data storage for industrial applications, users no longer have to go around in circles. They now have a choice between rotating magnetic media – hard disk drives with spinning platters – and flash memory
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.Views:4,549 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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The Evolution and Elements of Robust PC-Based Control
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SUMMARY: The combination of declining PC prices and increased robustness of operating systems and softlogic control applications have resulted in enormous growth in PC-based control since the mid-1990s. But while the basic PC is standardized, not all PCs are equal – particularly when it comes to operating reliably in industrial environments...
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.Views:5,917 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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Production Monitoring and Data Mining - No Strip Mining Allowed!
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SUMMARY: Any manufacturing or process plant has many sources of production data, and that data, if kept, very soon becomes voluminous.
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.Views:3,161 | |
.Date:
1/7/2008 |
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An Integrators Guide to MicroTCA Part I - Platform management overview
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In this first of a series of three Articles written by Tom Kastner, Peter Marek and Paul Stevens of Advantech, we take a deeper look at MicroTCA technology and provide some insight for potential System Integrators into the functionality of the MicroTCA Carrier Hub (MCH). Part 2 will focus on the startup sequence of a typical system in order to explain the importance of E-keying and Power budgeting. Finally in Part 3 we will discuss the various management software options available.
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.Views:69,776 | |
.Date:
12/5/2007 |
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