Lantronix and Internet of Things - IoT.

Related to recent blog entries on Internet of Things - IoT tools, Ethernet internal bus, and Serial Coprocessing. Mariano Goluboff at Lantronix has a great article on using xPico interface with various IoT tools. Lantronix + dweet + freeboard.

Lantronix has already shown commitment to IoT: Lantronix IoT

Lantronix blog has good stuff: http://www.lantronix.com/blog/

Recent of note in Lantronix blog:  SOEST , SLB  and Google Analytics

Ethernet as an Internal Bus for Internet of Things, IoT, Embedded Devices.

Ethernet and TCPIP are already regularly used as internal buses in large NAS systems. What about taking this model to embedded devices for IoT?

Backplane = Ethernet hub/switch - ala D-link GO-SW-5E (5VDC powered - roughly $15)  (or even a Mikrotik 750 router)

CPU with direct Ethernet = SoC ARM or x86 based compute and database engine - Intel based (Galileo, Minnowboard), Beagle Bone, 86duino, Raspberry Pi...

Bus controllers = Lantronix xPico classic.

The last part is the key piece. It can even in some cases be the CPU too. Platform specification for IoT often gets into nitty gritty I/O capabilities. This sometimes diverges into onboard or outboard coprocessors like TI Sitara's PRU, serially connected Atmel or PIC microcontrollers, special function chips like advanced application specific UARTs or communications units (think oddities like ARCNET, HomePNA, unusual RF, etc.)... and sometimes even to FPGAs. Usually these pathways take one to very specific/special specifications.

Ethernet is a natural actually - having:

• Isolation.
• Variable bandwidth.
• Wide "driver" support.
• TCPIP support - for web GUI and standard protocols/frameworks like XML, REST and layerable security and filtering.
• Various forms of pre-existing transparent, web configurable, "driver-less", pass-through devices.

Ethernet was formerly too expensive. Look at the price of xPico. And Ethernet suffers from being thought of as a LAN bus (distances of 1-100M). Instead think of it like CAN, I2C or SPI.
 
Bus power? One can go:

• Power over Ethernet 802.3af on the high end.
• Passive Power over Ethernet (with 3V-12V over short distances).
• 5V - USB being the current best flavor of 5VDC - Common EPS.

Alternatively, think of the xPico as a replacement for a PLX PCI9030 or a PLX PEX8112
or various forms of "bridge as IP cores" to be fabbed on demand. Without the fabbing, minimums, BGA assembly, and so forth.

Minimal portable PC – USB3, HDMI, 10G Ethernet, 5V (internal battery), 10G RAM, 100G SSD, Under 1kg, Under 15W.

Had previously sought a minimal PC.

http://albertputnam.blogspot.com/2010/12/small-portable-brick-computer-without.html

Still looking.

And, okay, will take an integrated display if one is forced into the package. This is almost a reality with the Microsoft Surface and related tablets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Pro_2

USB3 but sadly no devoted Ethernet... but via USB3 is possible.

CuBox is close but not USB3 (yet?). And not yet well Windows supported. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CuBox

But it is very much within technical reach to meet the specs. Staying rather firm about no WiFi, Bluetooth, nor other wireless. Want the assurance of physically disconnecting those interfaces. See separate blog on WiFi tracking.

http://albertputnam.blogspot.com/2013/11/wifi-tracking-any-rf-tracking.html

Basically run full latest modern OSes with all I/O (except network and video and those “could” be USB3 too – if the OSes could accept the USB3 devices at boot).  To repeat:

- Ethernet (up to Gigabit speeds – maybe 10G)

- USB 3

- HDMI

- 6hr+ battery. No fan.

- Form factor of small brick like book/tablet. Under one kg.

- Power over Ethernet (PoE) 802.3af, or power from a USB outlet.

- 8+G Memory, 100+G SSD, i7 based?