Solvline Serial to LAN Embedded Module White Paper User Manual

Serial to LAN Embedded Module

White Paper

English ver 1.1

Mar 4, 2009

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16

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Serial to LAN Embedded Module White Paper

Overview

In the field of device networking, serial to LAN embedded modules have been playing a huge role in
providing network connectivity for serial devices. A serial to Lan embedded module connects individual
serial device to the network, working as a serial to LAN converter. It is composed of at least one LAN
port and one or more serial ports, so that serial devices can be connected to the serial to LAN
embedded module using their serial ports, and eventually can be connected to LAN with a single LAN
cable. Devices attached to the serial to LAN embedded module operate as if they were connected to
LAN directly, yet using serial communication internally. With the help of the serial to LAN embedded
module, devices are logically and indirectly, rather th an physically and directly, linked to the target
machine through LAN connection. Consequently, more effective and dynamic tasks can be performed.

There are many kinds of device servers available in the market, and they are slightly different in
features including extended temperature, serial port isolation, power requirement, etc. These could
be considered rather minor advancements, compared to the recent major trends in serial to LAN
embedded modules: wireless and embedded. With wireless serial to LAN embedded modules, now
serial devices can transfer data over the wireless network. Mobility can be significantly increased with
wireless products. With serial to LAN embedded module, device manufacturers can network-enable
their products in a built-in style. In a customized and an easier way, serial to LAN embedded modules
internally serve as device server , without an additional external device server.

This white paper focuses on the background of serial to LAN embedded module, key factors of
selecting a serial to LAN embedded module, SystemBase’s serial to LAN embedded module, Eddy and
its applications.

Serial to LAN Embedded Module White Paper

Serial to LAN Embedded Module

Nowadays, vast majority of electronic devices require data transfer over the network. They send,
receive, and share data with embedded network interface. In order to implement network interface
inside these devices, designers had to build the feature from scratch. This often led to delay in time­to-market, and engineers occasionally fell into trouble with hardware and software design issues.
Serial to LAN embedded modules provide device designers/engineers with an easy network-enabling
solution, helping them to concentrate on other design aspects. With serial to LAN embedded modules,
network interface can be simply added to the target device in a reliable, fast, and cost-effective
manner.

What are key factors in choosing the best serial to LAN embedded module?

System Integration

How easy it is to integrate the serial to LAN embedded module with user’s hardware and software
environment ? How can the serial to LAN embedded module be connected? By what kind of pins and
connectors ? How are the serial and LAN interface outputs provided? Are software / hardware manuals
and documents thorough and fully described ?

Customization

How much can the serial to LAN embedded module be modified to reflect user’s customized
environment ? SDK (Software Development Kit)/API (Application Programming Interface) can be helpful
for programmers.

Size

Since the serial to LAN embedded module is not a stand-alone device and therefore should be
embedded in another hardware case, size can be a major concern. Also, the shape and connection
options should not conflict with user’s hardware design.

Price

Since major customers for the serial to Ethernet embedded module is serial to LAN emb edded module
distributors and industrial device manufacturers, not end users, price does matter and volume pricing
can be effective.

Serial to LAN Embedded Module White Paper

Eddy™

Eddy is a programmable serial to LAN embedded module that users can easily modify to their own
requirements. Eddy has been designed to maximize user’s integration and customization needs.

Can Upload & Execute your own programmed applications.

Eddy is distinguished with other serial to LAN embedded module in that it can upload and execute
customized user applications. SDK (Software Development Kit), API (Application Programming
Interface) and an integrated development environment, LemonIDE is provided, enabling developers to
program their own socket/serial communication applications with least amount of effort.

Eddy Software Architecture

Powerful Specs

Tired of constraints on your serial to LAN embedded module ’s 8-bit CPU and 256KB memory ? Eddy
provides a simple and complete relief to these concerns by adopting a 32-bit ARM9 CPU with 180MHz
clock, 4MB Flash memory, and 32MB SDRAM. Y our applications can be large in size and will run faster, in
a more stable manner under the real time embedded Linux operating system, Lemonix. And all this
comes in a small sized board of 55mm * 38mm that would fit into just about any hardware.