ADLINK cPCI-3720: 3U CompactPCI Low Power Pentium III CPU Module

Important note: COM2, keyboard, mouse, and LAN2 support both front and back panel I/O, but the front and back panels cannot be connected to devices simultaneously. Simultaneous connection may cause damage to I/O ports or system modules, and void the warranty.

Compatibility between software and operating system

1. Operating system support

CPCI-3720 is compatible with all mainstream PC operating systems, including:

Windows 95/98、Windows NT 4.0、Windows 2000。

VxWorks (a real-time operating system widely used in the telecommunications and military industries).

Linux (supported by the community).

2. BIOS

Adopting Award PnP BIOS, based on 2Mb (256KB) Flash ROM, supporting:

DMI (Desktop Management Interface): allows users to query hardware level information such as CPU type, frequency, and memory size.

PXE (Preboot Execution Environment): Supports remote system boot or installation of operating systems over a network.

Remote console support: Remote BIOS configuration and system management through serial port.

BIOS write protection: Provides antivirus capabilities.

Power Management and Thermal Design

1. Low power design

The low-power characteristics of the Mobile Intel Pentium III processor and 440MX chipset are one of the core advantages of cPCI-3720. The measured power consumption data is as follows:

Load condition 3.3V current 5V current Total power consumption

Idle load 0.919A 1.268A~8.46W

Average load 1.465A 2.587A~16.85W

Full load (100% CPU+HCT test) 2.488A 2.801A~21.27W

Such low power consumption allows cPCI-3720 to operate stably in a 3U chassis with almost no need for special heat dissipation design, even in a sealed chassis. This greatly simplifies system design and improves reliability.

2. Hot swappable support (PICMG 2.1)

The hardware design of cPCI-3720 fully complies with PICMG 2.1 CompactPCI hot swappable specification Rev. 2.0:

Power ramp circuit: controls the orderly rise of voltage and eliminates high voltage or current spikes during hot swapping.

Hot swappable operation: In a single SBC operating environment (without peripherals), users can remove or insert cards without the system being powered on. Pull the pop-up lever to trigger the power shutdown sequence, the green power LED will turn off, and the blue hot swappable LED will light up to safely remove it. After successful insertion, the blue LED will turn off and the green LED will light up.

Caution: If the hot plug function is not required, it is recommended to disable it in the BIOS to free up interrupt resources.

3. Hardware Doctor

Through the Winbond W83L784R hardware monitoring chip, cPCI-3720 supports:

CPU temperature monitoring

System temperature monitoring

System voltage monitoring (3.3V, 5V, 12V, etc.)

CPU fan speed monitoring

ADLINK provides the Hardware Doctor Utility (supporting Windows 98/NT), which pops up a warning to remind users to take appropriate measures when any monitoring parameters exceed the normal range. This is particularly important for unmanned equipment.

Best Practices for Application Scenarios

Scenario 1: Telecommunications access equipment (SS7 signaling gateway)

The SS7 signaling gateway of a telecommunications equipment manufacturer uses cPCI-3720B/P72 as the main control CPU module. The processing power of Pentium III 700MHz is sufficient to run signaling protocol stack and routing management software; Dual Ethernet ports are connected to the signaling network and management network respectively, achieving physical isolation; CompactFlash stores embedded Linux operating systems and configuration files to ensure quick system recovery after power failure; Hot swappable support allows for on-site maintenance without interrupting the entire machine service; Low power design (<17W average power consumption) reduces the noise of chassis cooling fans and is suitable for deployment in operator data centers.

Scenario 2: ATP onboard system for rail transit

The automatic protection (ATP) system of a certain train needs to integrate CPU, digital I/O, and communication modules in a 3U cPCI chassis. The low power consumption characteristic (<10W) of cPCI-3720A/C42 (1 slot, Celeron 400MHz) allows it to operate in a closed car chassis without the need for an active fan. COM1 is configured to communicate with remote diagnostic terminals in RS-422 mode, while COM2 is connected to the train bus gateway. 2.5-inch HDD records operation logs and CF card stores system firmware. The hardware monitoring function tracks the CPU temperature in real-time to ensure the reliability of train operation during high temperature seasons.

Scenario 3: Military Industry Data Collection and Processing System

The data acquisition system of a certain national defense project needs to operate in a multi vibration, wide temperature environment, and has strict limitations on power consumption. CPCI-3720A/C42, combined with CompactFlash solid-state storage, has no mechanical moving parts and excellent vibration resistance. Its industrial grade operating temperature range and low-power design meet military standards. The GPIO (GPO1-4, via slot DB-9) of Winbond W83977EF can be directly connected to external status sensors without the need for additional I/O cards.