Eurotech announced several Linux-friendly “CPU-180” COM-HPC modules with 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors that support 2.5GbE, TCC/TSN, quad displays, USB 4.0, and on some models, Functional Safety features.

Last month, Congatec unveiled a Conga-HPC/cTLU module that deploys a 10nm-fabricated 11th Gen Tiger Lake Core processor on the new COM-HPC form factor. Now Eurotech has adopted the same combination in its CPU-180-01 and CPU-180-02 modules. The two CPU-180-02 models differ from the three CPU-180-01 SKUs in that they offer Functional Safety (FuSa) features. In addition, some features that are standard on the CPU-180-02, such as MIPI-CSI, are factory options on the CPU-180-01.

All the CPU-180 series modules use the industrial “GRE” Tiger Lake models, which add Intel Time Coordinated Computing (Intel TCC) and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) networking features. The GRE parts also provide FuSa support, although Eurotech has enabled these features only on the CPU-180-02.

Intel’s 11th Gen Tiger Lake

Eurotech does not mention “Intel Safety Island,” Intel’s implementation of FuSa on the GRE chips, as well as the FE models of its Atom-class Elkhart Lake SoCs. Instead, the company says it implements FuSa via “proprietary extensions” that “allow the customer implementation of a safety agent.”

Intel Safety Island is compliant with IEC 61508 (SIL2) and ISO 13849 requirements and orchestrates Intel-on-chip diagnostics and reports errors while monitoring customer-safety applications. Eurotech supports the same FuSa standards.

None of the other products we have seen based on Tiger Lake GRE, including the Conga-HPC/cTLU and Aaeon’s COM-TGUC6 and Kontron’s COMe-cTL6 Compact Type 6 modules, have highlighted FuSa. (While the original Conga-HPC/cTLU announcement mentioned only the standard 11th Gen models, a follow-up announcement revealed support for the new GRE models as well as “E” models for the Conga-HPC/cTLU and a Compact Type 6 Conga-TC570.)

Like GRE, the E models offer extended purchase availability, wider temperature ranges, and slightly lower base and Turbo frequencies than the standard, similarly named 11th Gen UP3 siblings. However, they lack the TCC, TSN, and FuSa support of GRE.

COM-HPC specs (left) and dimensions
(click images to enlarge)
Source: Congatec

The new COM-HPC PICMG spec provides 800 interface pins, up from 440 on COM Express, which can fully exploit Tiger Lake’s new support for PCIe Gen 4 and USB 4.0 (Thunderbolt 4). Other COM-HPC modules include MSC/Avnet’s 9th Gen MSC HCC-CFLS. Eurotech is using the 120 x 95mm Client Size A spec used by the Conga-HPC/cTLU while the MSC HCC-CFLS uses the 160 x 120mm Client size C format.

 
Inside the CPU-180-01 and CPU-180-02

Eurotech supports its CPU-180 modules with its Yocto-based Everyware Linux distribution, as well as standard Linux and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise. Bare metal hypervisors are supported for FuSa applications. The CPU-180-02 also supports Eurotech’s Everyware Software Framework (ESF), a commercial, enterprise-ready edition of Eclipse Kura, the open source Java/OSGi middleware for IoT gateways. Everyware Linux and ESF are available on most of Eurotech’s products, including its Xeon-D based CPU-162-23 COM Express Type 7 module.

CPU-180-01 (left) and CPU-180-02 CPU and RAM specs
(click images to enlarge)

The higher-end CPU-180-02 models — the CPU-180-02-01 and CPU-180-02-02 — offer the same processors as the equivalent -02 and -03 SKUs of the CPU-180-01: the quad-core, 1.1GHz/2.6GHz Core i5-1145GRE and 1.2GHz/2.8GHz Core i7-1185GRE. There is also a CPU-180-01-01 model with a dual-core, 1.7GHz/3.0GHz Core i3-1115GRE. This the only model with standard Intel UHD graphics rather than the up to 96EU Iris Xe GPU, which is arguably Tiger Lake’s biggest breakthrough. All the GRE models have 12-28W configurable TDPs.

The Core i3 SKU is the only model limited to 8GB LPDDR4. The two i5 models have 16GB and the i7 models 32GB. All the SKUs offer soldered, 4267 MT/s RAM and support in-band error-correcting IBECC RAM.

Standard features on all the models include 2x SATA III and an up to 2.5GbE controller with TSN support. For displays, the modules provide 2x DDI (HDMI/DP++ and eDP) and 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4.0 with DP capability). There are factory options for swapping out the eDP for MIPI-DSI and another option to double the 2x Thunderbolt 4 to 4x. All the models support 4x concurrent independent displays and up to 4Kp60 resolution.

Other standard features include 2x UART, 3x I2C, 2x I2S/Soundwire, 2x SPI, eSPI, SMBus, and 12x GPIO. You also get an RTC, watchdog with tamper detect, temperature sensor, and TPM 2.0

Expansion features include PCIe Gen4 x4, PCIe Gen3 x4, 4x PCIe Gen 3, and PCIe Gen3 x1. It appears that the latter can be used as a baseboard management controller as a factory option “exclusive with LAN.”

The CPU-180-01 offers a few features as factory options that are standard on the CPU-180-02. These include HDA audio and 2x MIPI-CSI2 with DPHY 2.1 (2.5Gbps/lane). The CPU-180-01 ships standard with 2x USB 4.0 (Thunderbolt 4) and 8x USB 2.0 but offers factory options for what is standard on the CPU-180-02: 4x USB 4.0 and 10x USB 2.0.

The USB 4.0 ports are backward compatible with USB 3.0 and also support Type-C ports. The only other product we’ve seen that specifically lists Thunderbolt 4 support is the Conga-HPC/cTLU.

Power and ruggedization features are the same on all the modules. There is a 12VDC input with 8-20V support and a -40 to 85°C operating range with 5% to 90% RH humidity tolerance. Certifications include EN 62368 and UL 60950 for safety.

 
Further information

The CPU-180-01 and CPU-180-02 will be available in Q2 2021 with pricing undisclosed. More information may be found in Eurotech’s CPU-180-01 and CPU-180-02 announcements and CPU-180-01 and CPU-180-02 product pages.