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Embest Technology.
Copyright ©2016 Embest Technology
SOM-PH8800
User Manual
Chapter 2 Introduction to
Hardware System
This chapter will introduce in detail the structure, expansion and peripheral interfaces
of SOM-PH8800 hardware system.
1 Overview of CPU
TI AM437x is a high performance processor based on ARM Cortex
–A9 Core
.
The processor has enhanced 3D graphics acceleration , a rich graphical user
interface, a co-processor for deterministic real-time processing, such as industrial
communication protocols EtherCAT, PROFIBUS, EnDat and so on.
These devices support systems for the low power operations like Kernel Upgrade,
and firmware update for peripherals, including QSPI-NOR and LPDDR2 memory.
The processor contains the subsystem shown in Figure 2-1, and a brief description
of each subsystem is given below
.
ARM based Cortex-A9 Processor as CPU, POWERVR SGX graphics accelerator
subsystem provides 3D graphics acceleration function for display support and advanced
user interface controls.
The Programmable Real-Time Unit Subsystem and Industrial Communication
Subsystem (PRU-ICSS) is separated from the ARM core, allowing independent operation
and clocking for greater efficiency and flexibility. PRU-ICSS supports more peripheral
interface and EtherCAT, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, PROFIBUS, Ethernet Powerlink,
SERCOS, EnDat, real time protocol.
The PRU-ICSS enables additional peripheral interfaces and real-time protocols such
as EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, Ethernet Powerlink, Sercos, and
others. Additionally, the programmable nature of the PRU-ICSS, along with its access to
pins, events and all system-on-chip (SoC) resources, provides flexibility in implementing
fast, real-time responses, specialized data handling operations, custom peripheral
interfaces, and in offloading tasks from other processor cores of SoC.
High performance interconnection for multiple initiator to provide internal and
external memory controller and high bandwidth data on transmission. The device also
provides the clock with comprehensive management mechanism.
An on-chip analog-to-digital converter (ADC0) can be combined with the display
subsystem, providing integrated touch screen solutions. Another ADC (ADC1) can be
combined with the pulse width module, create a closed-loop motor control solution.
Real time clock (RTC) provides a separate power domain base of the clock, and the
clock can achieve the clock battery backup reference benchmark.
