OpenEmbed announced a “SOM6330” module equipped with a Freescale i.MX6 SoloX SoC, with up to 1GB RAM, up to 32GB eMMC, dual GbE ports, and PCIe expansion.

Shenzhen OpenEmbed M&C Ltd (OpenEmbed), which has previously tapped Qualcomm’s Atheros AR9331 in its SOM9331 computer-on-module and the Atmel SAM5D34 in its SOM5360, has again chosen a low-power IoT focused SoC with its new SOM6330. The module runs Linux on a Freescale i.MX6 SoloX, which combines a 1GHz Cortex-A9 core with a Cortex-M4 microcontroller unit (MCU) specializing in real-time processing.

SOM6330 (left) and block diagram
(click images to enlarge)

No operating system support was listed on the SOM6330 product page, but Linux is the go-to OS for the SoloX, OpenEmbed notified us about the module directly, and the OpenEmbed modules listed above all run Linux. Other SoloX based COMs include the Efus A9X from F&S Elektronik Systeme.

The SOM6330 is very similar to the Efus A9X, but appears to lack the F&S module’s optional WiFi, RTC, audio interface, built-in touch support, or optional starter kit. It does, however, supply more standard memory, including 512MB DDR3L RAM and 4GB of eMMC flash, and it tosses in an extra serial interface.

Highlights of both modules include dual gigabit Ethernet controllers, PCIe expansion, a CSI camera interface, and a host of industrial I/O possibilities expressed via dual 120-pin connectors. Unlike with previous OpenEmbed modules, we saw no details on dimensions or operating temperature, but these may appear later.

i.MX6 SoloX block diagram
(click image to enlarge)

Specifications listed for the SOM6330 include:

• Processor — Freescale i.MX6 SoloX:
  • 1x 1GHz Cortex-A9 CPU core @ 1GHz
  • 1x Cortex-M4 MCU @ 200MHz
  • 2D and 3D multimedia accelerators
• Memory:
  • 512MB of DDR3L, expandable to 1GB
  • 4GB eMMC flash, expandable to 32GB
  • 32MB QSPI flash
• Networking — 2x gigabit Ethernet interfaces (onboard PHYs)
• Multimedia I/O (via 230-pin MXM connector):
  • 18-bit digital RGB
  • 24-bit LVDS (up to WXGA)
  • Analog/digital CSI camera interface (YUV4:2:2 CCIR-656)
• Other I/O on the AMP 2x 120-pin FH connectors:
  • 1x USB 2.0 host
  • 1x USB 2.0 device
  • 5x serial
  • 2x CAN 2.0
  • 2x I2C
  • 2x SPI
  • 2x SDIO
  • PWM
  • Optional 12-bit ADC
  • PCIe 2.0
  • JTAG
• Other features — watchdog
• Power — +5V

 
Freescale joins Real-Time Linux group

In other Freescale-related news, the chipmaker announced it had joined the Linux Foundation’s Real-Time Linux Project as a Gold Member. Last month, the Linux Foundation announced that it was assuming funding control over the Real-Time Linux project, which has previously been funded and overseen by the Open Source Automation Development Lab (OSADL). Google is the sole Platinum member of the RTL Project, while other Gold members include National Instruments (NI), OSADL, and Texas Instruments (TI). Silver members include Altera, ARM, Intel, and IBM.

 
Further information

The SOM6330 will ship in mass quantities in the fourth quarter of 2015 at a price of about $69 for Qty. 100. More information may be found at OpenEmbed’s SOM6330 product page.