Luminary Micro launches Stellaris SBC Intelligent Display Reference Design Kit

Software development for the RDK-IDM-SBC is simplified by using Luminary Micro's comprehensive StellarisWare™ Graphics Library, USB Library, Peripheral Driver Library and ARM development tools from ARM tools partners. Stellaris IDMs are the first display modules available with the efficient performance and robust integration of an ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller, positioning the modules into building access controllers and security systems, intelligent white goods and home appliances, thin clients, and factory automation applications.



“The IDM-SBC represents the fourth open-tooled Stellaris Intelligent Display reference design that Luminary Micro has launched in response to direct customer feedback,” said Jean Anne Booth, Chief Marketing Officer at Luminary Micro. “The highly integrated RDK-IDM-SBC, along with Luminary Micro’s free StellarisWare Graphics, USB, and Peripheral Driver Libraries, significantly shortens the time-to-market advantage for OEMs looking to enhance new and existing products and systems with a network-connected graphical user interface.”



Cost-effective Touch-screen Module with Multiple Deterministic Connectivity Options

Featuring a 3.5-inch landscape-oriented QVGA 16-bit color LCD resistive touch panel display with white LED backlight, the compact Luminary Micro Stellaris® RDK-IDM-SBC design takes full advantage of the vast connectivity features included in the integrated Stellaris LM3S9B92 microcontroller. The connectivity options include 10/100 Ethernet RJ45 Jack, USB 2.0 Type A connector, CAN through a terminal block interface, and UART and I2C through an expansion header. In addition to the LM3S9B92 microcontroller’s integrated 256K of Flash memory and 96K of SRAM, the Single Board Computer Intelligent Display reference design offers extended board-level memories including 8MB SDRAM connected via the External Peripheral Interface on the LM3S9B92 microcontroller, 1MB of external Serial Flash, USB Host connector for external mass storage, and a MicroSD card slot for image, data and code storage. The design also features I2S Audio CODEC with power amplifier to drive an external 8 ohm speaker. The board is powered by a terminal block connection to a wide input range 12-40Vdc power supply with auxiliary 5V power output.



The software for the Single-Board Computer Intelligent Display Module includes the royalty-free StellarisWare Library suite, including the StellarisWare Graphics Library, StellarisWare USB Library, and StellarisWare Peripheral Driver Library. The libraries provide an easy C/C++ applications programming interface that generates graphical elements for the IDM, eases point-to-point connectivity using worldwide serial interface standards, and controls the peripherals found on the LM3S9B92 microcontroller, respectively. Perhaps even more enticing is that the library is completely stored in factory-programmed ROM on the LM3S9B92 microcontroller. In addition, the StellarisWare Library suite includes programming support for the IEC 60730 standard, especially useful for manufacturers of household appliances, including washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, and cookers/stoves. The software support also includes a board support package that provides software drivers for the touch screen, the SD Card interface, the relay output, the sound capability, in-system programming support, and the analog inputs.



The LM3S9B92 microcontroller used in the IDM-SBC reference design features the StellarisWare Bootloader in preprogrammed ROM, allowing users to download code to flash memory for firmware updates through a serial interface, such as UART, I2C, SSI, Ethernet, CAN, or USB. Other memory-saving options preprogrammed in ROM include cryptography and error detection with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) tables (covers all three key sizes: 128, 192, 256 bits) and the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) function.



The Single-board Computer Intelligent Display Reference Design Kit (RDK-IDM) includes the IDM-SBC board, a CAT5 cable for Ethernet interconnectivity, a USB stick, 8 ohm speaker, universal power supply, a debug adaptor that allows connection to the 10-pin JTAG interface on the board with a standard 20-pin ARM JTAG debugger, and CD containing all the module design information, including schematics, BOM, Gerber files, software source code, and documentation. All of the reference design information is openly available, NRE- and royalty-free, for use and modification on any Stellaris-based design.