[Arm-netbook] 4 GPL'd KiCAD boards released for A10 CPU system development

[joem]

Hi,

4 GPL'd KiCAD boards released for A10 CPU system development

http://www.gplsquared.com/SoM2/SoM2.html#03June2013

KiCAD is open source and free and so anyone can use
these GPL'd board designs to build their own systems.

Have fun!


From the readme.txt:

Date 03-06-2013
---------------

This particular release set consists of 4 KiCAD boards.

The directory motherboard_and_som_boards contains
a double motherboard that accomodiates 2 SODIMM sockets.
(The board thickness is 1.6mm.)
The idea is that one SODIMM socket will accomodate a
heavy weight CPU such as the AllWinner A10 that runs Linux.

The Linux computer will run Internet of Things (IoT) type
of applications while the second SODIMM will facilitate
the business end of the IoT device such as motor control,
sensing, high voltage control and so on.
It is not really the task of the Linux computer
to be doing this task because Linux used in IoT application
is a heavy weight OS designed for displaying information
to LCD panels and processing masses of data.
It can't at the same time be responsible for embedded
applications such as motor control and high voltage control
etc because it would be sluggish doing both tasks at the same time.

So, a second SODIMM socket will accommodate embedded
projects like smaller ARMs, PICs, AVRs etc.
There are various power supplies and sockets on the board
along with prototyping area.

In the same motherboard_and_som_boards directory is a second board.
It is an SODIMM board reference design containing 2 x LPC1748FBD100
CPUs that can be used to develop embedded applications.
The design also has templates to make custom SODIMM
boards that were previously manufactured and found
to be mechanically accurate and tested to work.
The board thickness is 1mm to
allow it to be inserted into an SODIMM socket.

The third board is in directory A10_CPU_breakout_som_board.
This board is a complete A10 with all the pins brought out
to pads from where they can be custom patched to the
SODIMM edge connector as needed.
The board thickness is 1mm to
allow it to be inserted into an SODIMM socket.
(The design file has been released a while back, but kept together in
this bundle of files to make it a more complete set.)
More of these types of boards are needed to allow electronic
design engineers to be able to experiment with bigger SoCs.
If anyone wants to make a similar board for the AllWinner A31
and the iMX6 series single, dual and quad core, they are welcome
to modify this file and make derivatives and send them for
everyone to benefit from it.

The fourth board is in directory esbc-final_2013_06_03.
This board is being made as of June 2013.
Most of this board was designed and contributed by:

 Dr. Ajith Kumar B.P.
 Scientist SH
 Inter-University Accelerator Centre
 Aruna Asaf Ali Marg
 New Delhi 110067
 www.iuac.res.in
 Ph: (off) 91 11 26893955 (Ext.230)
      (res)91 11 26897867
      (mob) 91 9868150852

http://www.iuac.res.in/%7Eelab/phoenix/SBC/

It is a complete expeyes board with a SODIMM patch
panel attached. It is designed in such a way
that the SODIMM portion can be broken away to leave
behind the expeyes board. The board thickness is 1mm to
allow it to be inserted into an SODIMM socket.
Alternatively, various IO pins from the expeyes board
can be patched to the SODIMM board. Together with
the double SODIMM motherboard, it can be used to
make complete IoT devices.
It does not have flash but it is designed to boot from
uSD card. The board does need to be built and tested - that work is
being undertaken now.
If you need NAND flash, there is a design released by

Stefan Enthoven
Email: stefan @ santiware . com
Telephone: (+27) 734619757
Website: www.santiware.com
Address: Suite 20-206, Waverley Business Park, Wyecroft Road, Mowbray,
7700, Cape Town.

http://www.gplsquared.com/SoM2/A10_nand_ddr_version3.tar.gz

that contains SODIMM patch panel, A10 CPU, NAND and DDR chips.
This can potentially be copied and worked on to add NAND to expeyes.

All the gerber files for the 4 boards have been generated for immediate
use
and can be found in their respective sub-directories.

Any errata, comments, wish list, and contributions, please
send to boronn at blueyonder.co.uk