FeaturePak Embedded I/O Expansion Card Standard
The FeaturePak I/O module standard provides a compact and low-cost method of adding I/O to board-level embedded computers. FeaturePaks can be used as snap-in customization modules for commercial, off-the-shelf single-board computers (SBCs) and computer-on-module (COM) baseboards, or as functional blocks on fully-custom embedded electronics. FeaturePak modules interface to the host system via a single low-cost, high-density, 230-pin connector, which carries PCI Express, USB, I2C, and several other host-interface signals, plus up to 100 points of application I/O per module. The host interface is CPU agnostic and is compatible with both Intel- and RISC-architecture systems. The modules can easily be integrated into embedded designs along with Qseven, COM Express, SUMIT, PCI/104-Express, EBX, and EPIC.
FeaturePak Highlights
- Compact, low profile form-factor — three-fifths the size of a credit card and one-third the size of a PC/104 module
- Single low-cost connector integrates all host and external I/O interfaces
- Provides up to 100 I/O points per module
- Leverages industry-standard buses such as PCIe, USB, and I2C
- Host processor and form-factor agnostic
- Coexists with PC/104, SUMIT, Qseven, ETX, XTX, COM Express
- Multiple FeaturePaks may be present within one system
- Open industry standard
- Rugged and reliable
- Shortens time-to-market
- Reduces board-level development costs and risks
- Simplifies system design
- Eliminates cables, resulting in higher reliability, lower cost, and faster assembly
- Enables scalable and reconfigurable system design
- Enables easy product upgrades
- Protects from component obsolescence
- Encapsulates intellectual property
- Suitable for SBCs, baseboards, and proprietary all-in-one hardware designs
- Ideal for rapid-prototyping through high-volume applications
- Ideal format for silicon vendor reference designs
- Open standard increases market acceptance
More information: FeaturePak
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