GPS / GSM CompactPCI® Card for Wireless Communication in Vehicles
19 February 2007
On the occasion of the Embedded World 2007, MEN is, for the first time, presenting an interface card with GSM-R and GPS for use in mobile applications. The CompactPCI board in single Eurocard format is tested for a temperature range of -40°C to +85°C and is coated against humidity and dust. Long-term availability until at least 2012 and RoHS conformity guarantees that the user's project is future-safe.
Reliability for Wireless Communication
The F210 is a robust, combined GSM / GPS / UART card in single Eurocard format that needs only one slot on the CompactPCI bus. The board is equipped with a GSM-R controller (GSM-Rail) for application in trains. GSM-R was specified to guarantee safety in the railway area. The F210 supports the EGSM 900 and GSM 1800 frequency bands, as well as GSM 850 and 1900 in North America.
A GPS controller was also implemented on the card, to transmit current positioning data of a vehicle via mobile phone (SMS), for example. The highly sensitive GPS receiver supports the 12-channel GPS and AGPS technology, and it is capable of reliably receiving even very weak signals.
As an addition to the optically isolated GPS / GSM functionality, the F210 offers two serial interfaces that can be used in a flexible way with RS232, RS422 or RS485 line drivers.
As an option, further functions can be implemented as IP cores inside an FPGA on the F210 - for instance additional serial interfaces, fieldbus interfaces such as CAN bus or IBIS etc.
Robust reverse SMA connectors make the physical interfaces to the external GSM and GPS antennae.
