The C0-UL is a small, cheap but versatile ARM NXP iMX6 UltraLite industrial CPU board. It has been designed and manufactured by CJB to provide an entry-level flexible industrial computing core to be used for small touch controllers.

A “Controller” is a system where CJB supplies the C0-UL together with an HMI unit (LCD + touch) and all the necessary software for the appliance’s process management:

PowerPLC-Bridge

CJB provides an extensive Graphic User Interface s/w support for QT-Library (Embedded Linux).

Despite the cheap and small design (PICO dimensions: 100x72mm only), the C0-UL drives a number of peripheral interfaces thanks to its versatile I/O features: Ethernet and serial COM port (RS485) for Modbus, CAN for CANopen modules (CAN port needs external signal conditioning and driver interface mini-board). The board has also 16 onboard GPIOs (TTL level) which can be easily conditioned (also externally) for local I/O management like relays. Two pin-headers which group both power supply rails, GPIOs and SPI/i2C buses allow the C0-UL to be plugged onto a customizable carrier-board (which could host all the I/O peripherals like relays, temperature interfaces, and so on), or they can carry a small piggy board with minimal I/O interface devices. The goal is to provide a small handy, cheap and highly reliable controller to be used in appliances where cost saving is mandatory.

The CPU Board design will allow some typical usages:

• Stand-alone controller with or without display to be used with side-by-side I/O modules in a daisy-chain connection. The modules can be connected each other by a short flat cable.
• Piggy-back over/under an I/O carrier-board or also stacked I/O modules. In this case the C0 can either feed power to the piggy board, or receive power from it.
• HMI Controller matched to a small LCD display (with RTP or PCAP touch, from 4.3” to 7”), remotely connected to I/O boards through RS485 Modbus-RTU. This can really be the best usage since the great versatility of the C0 matched to the cheap but performing LCD make a nice but cheap Touch-Controller, which can be used in small to medium appliances.

The power supply to the C0 is DC 5V +/-5% and the operating temperature is -40ºC ~ +85ºC (the actual range may be limited by the temperature range of the display).

All above features make the C0-UL the most reliable and versatile choice for low-end applications like:

• Professional food appliances
• Small Vending machines (especially outdoor)
• Parking, ticketing machines (especially outdoor)
• Small distributed touch-controllers for building & home automation

Features

The C0-UL NXP iMX6 UltraLite (ARM Cortex A7) CPU board has these features:

• Freescale iMX6UL (MCIMX6G2CVM05AA, i.MX 32-bit MPU, ARM Cortex-A7 core, 528MHz, 289BGA)
• 512MB (opt. 256MB) DDR3 RAM onboard
• 1x 64kB SPI-RAM (static) for permanent storage of data with unlimited write cycles, with battery backup (uses the same battery which keeps the Real Time Clock running)
• 2x UARTS: 1x RS485 (not insulated) and 1x general purpose TTL COM port with TX, RX, RTS and CTS (needs external signal conditioning; available from the Expansion Header) which can also become additional 4 GPIO’s
• 2x USB ports with 4-pin headers
• 1x Ethernet 10/100 with RJ45 90º socket
• 1x push-push socket for µSD flash card
• 1x 1x LCD Interface with a 40pin ZIF socket to support 40pin FPC cables of small TTL LCD panels (4.3” 480x272, 5” 480x272 and 800x480) with LED backlight and eventually with bonded resistive or capacitive touch
• 1x LCD Interface with a 40pin ZIF socket for 40pin FPC cables of 7” TTL LCD panels (800x480) with LED backlight and eventually with bonded resistive or capacitive touch
• 1x 4W resistive touch panel (RTP) interface for the touch screen (signals are in the same FPC cable of the LCD cable but also available on a separate pin-header)
• 1x i2C PCAP touch interface, with dedicated 8pin FPC cable ZIF connector (same signals are also available on a separate pin-header)
• 1x LED Backlight driver for the LCD with selectable current values
• 1x 44 pin header for functional expansion. It delivers power, GPIO’s and SPI & i2C buses to external conditioning boards (if needed)
• 16x TTL GPIO’s, software selectable as Inputs or Outputs. Need external signal conditioning.
• 2x CANbus interfaces, TTL, to be conditioned with external driver circuit, which can also become additional GPIO’s
• 1x AUDIO interface, with Audio-Codec and 3W integrated Amplifier for 4 Ohm speakers
• 1x ENCODER “Resolver” interface with pushbutton: this is a dedicated interface for a 5V powered resolver (knob rotation clockwise/counterclockwise detection device, with integrated pushbutton). This kind of knob is very common in small food appliances to be used for setting a value (e.g.: a time, a temperature), increasing or decreasing it and confirming the setting by pressing the pushbutton. The interface is fully protected against transients.
• 1x RTC (Real Time Clock) Low-Power. Based on the M41T0 it only drains 1 µA from the battery
• 1x CR2032 Lithium Battery with battery socket, to give power to both the RTC and the SPI Static RAM
• Power-Supply: single 5Vdc +/-5%. Power consumption depends on the LCD panel and the USB dongles attached to the board.
• Stand-by Mode: the C0-UL can be set to low-power standby mode with only 0.3W power consumption.
• Dimensions: “PICO” form factor, 100x72mm
• Operating System: Embedded Linux
• Certifications: CE. Verified for FCC-B.