[Arm-netbook] EOMA68 interface update proposal: -GbE, +USB3.1, +GPIO

Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton lkcl at lkcl.net
Thu Sep 3 14:08:12 BST 2015


ok, soo...

i've been following the updates to USB3 (10 gigabit speeds now with
USB 3.1). in combination with:

* the development of both the tablet and the laptop not having room
for an ethernet port
* the development of lower-cost SoCs not really having ethernet
* the fact that the ethernet components cost around $2 when the SoCs
themselves are around $2 to $4

... i'm coming to the conclusion that Ethernet should be removed, and
the 9 lines used to

* increase the USB3.0 allocation (4 wires) to USB 3.1 (8 wires)
* this would leave 5 spare pins for GPIO.
* at least two of those should be EINT-capable GPIOs

this would make it possible to redesign the tablet PCB to a more
"standard" one - removing the need for the I2C GPIO chip for example.

if there are any products that need ethernet, it can be done as a USB2
or USB3 compliant external IC.

the IC3128 PCB can be reduced down to around a $12 BOM, the EOMA68-A20
PCB can be reduced by a further $2.50.

any thoughts or objections, much appreciated the input.

l.



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