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From: Mascarpone on 1 Aug 2010 08:27
Hello everybody,

I work for a small company that deals with automatic vending machines.

I'm investigating the possibility of developing an embedded system to
replace the actual controller.

I realized a prototype using a nettop, netBSD and a USB to RS232
adapter. Now I'm looking for some kind of ARM platform, to use instead
of the actual x86 machine, with the following requirments:

- Low power and low cost

- A wi-fi transceiver to share connection and offer a web interface
for local maintenance

- GSM/GPRS/UMTS connectivity for remote maintenance and logging

- A GPS chip for anti-theft purposes.

- Multiple RS 232 ports

- Eventual support for a graphic-touch interface

- Basically it is a mobile phone without a display

Is there any kind of maufacturer or designer that can realize such a
product?

I don't know really much about ARM platforms and embedded development/
design, so any advice is really appreciated.

Thank you very much guys
From: Stephen Pelc on 1 Aug 2010 13:54
On Sun, 1 Aug 2010 05:27:08 -0700 (PDT), Mascarpone
<nicola.calipari(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>I realized a prototype using a nettop, netBSD and a USB to RS232
>adapter. Now I'm looking for some kind of ARM platform, to use instead
>of the actual x86 machine, with the following requirments:
>
>- Low power and low cost
>
>- A wi-fi transceiver to share connection and offer a web interface
>for local maintenance
>
>- GSM/GPRS/UMTS connectivity for remote maintenance and logging
>
>- A GPS chip for anti-theft purposes.
>
>- Multiple RS 232 ports
>
>- Eventual support for a graphic-touch interface
>
>- Basically it is a mobile phone without a display

We dis something similar with an NXP LPC2148 some years ago.

>Is there any kind of maufacturer or designer that can realize such a
>product?

Yes, we can.

Stephen


--
Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX(a)mpeforth.com
MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time
133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England
tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691
web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads
From: linnix on 2 Aug 2010 10:57
On Aug 1, 5:27 am, Mascarpone <nicola.calip...(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everybody,
>
> I work for a small company that deals with automatic vending machines.
>
> I'm investigating the possibility of developing an embedded system to
> replace the actual controller.
>
> I realized a prototype using a nettop, netBSD and a USB to RS232
> adapter. Now I'm looking for some kind of ARM platform, to use instead
> of the actual x86 machine, with the following requirments:

What you need is just an ARM with USB host interface.

>
> - Low power and low cost
>

Will do.

> - A wi-fi transceiver to share connection and offer a web interface
> for local maintenance

USB wifi

>
> - GSM/GPRS/UMTS connectivity for remote maintenance and logging

USB serial GSM/GPRS

>
> - A GPS chip for anti-theft purposes.
>

USB serial GPS

> - Multiple RS 232 ports

or multiple USB ports

>
> - Eventual support for a graphic-touch interface
>
> - Basically it is a mobile phone without a display

The above or contradictions. What is graphic-touch without a display?

What you really need is a phone with optional display.

>
> Is there any kind of maufacturer or designer that can realize such a
> product?

Plenty.

>
> I don't know really much about ARM platforms and embedded development/
> design, so any advice is really appreciated.
>
> Thank you very much guys

From: Aaron Clarke on 7 Aug 2010 08:42
> - Low power and low cost
There are a few Linux distros you can use, take a look at OpenWRT,
possibly NetBSD since you have some experience with it, but you
might have trouble finding drivers.

> - A wi-fi transceiver to share connection and offer a web interface
> for local maintenance
> - GSM/GPRS/UMTS connectivity for remote maintenance and logging
> - A GPS chip for anti-theft purposes.
Take a look at Sparkfun Electronics, they have modules or development
boards for all of these. You can get started with the uberboard
(DEV-09735).

> - Multiple RS 232 ports
How many? Are some for debug?

> - Eventual support for a graphic-touch interface
Grayscale or color? What size/resolution?
You will need to increase cost just for this, an ARM9 and up should do
it.
I have used a Microchip PIC24/PIC32 for smaller displays as well...

> Is there any kind of maufacturer or designer that can realize such a
> product?
I can offer my services, or take a look at some ARM processor
websites
for lists of consultants, third party developers, etc.
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Linux_Consultants_and_Commercial_Linux_Providers

Aaron

http://AaronClarke.com
http://blog.EmbeddedCoding.com
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