Chips provide cheap connectivity

Virtually no additional coding or licensing commitment is necessary to enable powerful network connectivity into any product with a microcontroller.

Lantronix' DeviceLinx XChip SoC family enables original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to embed serial-to-Ethernet connectivity and web services into a whole new class of high-volume, price-sensitive products so they can be remotely managed over the internet.

With market-proven, royalty-free application and network firmware included, XChip speeds time to market as virtually no additional coding or licensing commitment is necessary to enable powerful network connectivity into any product with a microcontroller.

The XChip family's affordability, small size and application-ready networking firmware make it suitable for high-volume, cost-sensitive products.

It enables the host microcontroller to function at maximum capacity without the burden of network processing overhead.

This enables OEMs to use less expensive, less powerful host microcontrollers on their products without sacrificing performance.

"With the launch of the XChip, Lantronix now has a complete line of innovative device networking solutions", said Marc Nussbaum, CEO of Lantronix.

"The new XChip product family provides a series of compact, fully-functional SoC networking coprocessors that enable design engineers to quickly and cost-effectively network-enable high-volume products".

"OEMs can avoid the time and expense of separately purchasing chips, licensing software and performing complex integration by using the single chip solution from Lantronix".

"The innovative XChip family opens M2M technology to new applications making it easy for any device to speak on the network".

Potential applications for the XChip include consumer electronics, building automation, energy/metering, home automation, point-of-sale, RFID readers, sensors and controllers, vending machines and white/durable goods.

In addition to providing remote management and control over the internet, embedding network connectivity into products allows a range of value-add services.

OEMs can develop additional revenue streams through remote monitoring, configuration and servicing of equipment.

"As the market potential for network-enabled products expands and competitive pressures increase, OEMs are searching for new ways to quickly and easily snap-in Ethernet connectivity to their existing and new product lines without having to spend countless man hours in development", said Robin Duke-Wooley, Principal Analyst at Harbor Research.

"Also, many of these same OEMs are actively looking at ways to create new revenue streams by packaging value-added services around this connectivity".

"By leveraging its major market success of the XPort embedded device server module in the form of a SoC product family, Lantronix is once again bringing powerful networking capabilities within the reach of more manufacturers".

"With the wired Ethernet M2M market estimated to grow at over 20% annually, we see the launch of the DeviceLinx XChip line as instrumental in enabling OEMs to rapidly design-in networking and web server technologies to a wider range of devices - especially higher volume and more cost-sensitive consumer products".

Built using the industry-standard CMOS process, the XChip is a highly-integrated x86 class processor that includes a built-in Ethernet MAC and 10-100 PHY, 256Kbyte zero wait-state SRAM, up to 11 GPIOs and a high-performance serial UART in a compact 12 X 12mm 184 BGA RoHS-compliant package.

The design conserves board space and can reduce the overall product bill of materials by removing the need for an external MAC/PHY chip.

The firmware and network protocol stack includes TCP/IP, UDP, BootP, DHCP and AutoIP.

XChip also features a web server with support for three simultaneous web sessions, email triggering on in-band serial data patterns or configurable pins inputs, and variety of configurable options for serial-to-Ethernet tunnelling.

To speed prototype build and time to production, all XChip models come complete with a compact, four-layer reference design optimised for cost and performance.

The design package includes schematic and assembly diagrams, Gerber files, PADS PCB design files and fabrication drawing.

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