Because the customer can profit from both, individual configuration of the system and moderate cost, mezzanine concepts are very popular for industrial grade computers. Based on the PC•MIP module standard, EKF presents the CMA-USB, an USB host controller.

The PC•MIP electrical characteristics are derived from the well known PCI specification. With respect to the mechanics, PC•MIP modules represent an improved successor to the M-Module technology.

The USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface is a very popular I/O standard, combining different classes of peripheral devices on a single 4-wire bus.

Built-in with any recent PC, USB will replace more and more classical interfaces as RS-232 and parallel port. Industrial users profit from USB hot plug capability and the effortless way to connect a broad range of peripheral devices.

With its data transfer rate of up to 12Mbps, USB 1.1 is a medium speed interface. However, all devices attached to the same controller have to share the available USB bandwidth. Hence, for time critical applications it is therefore recommended to spend an individual USB host controller, as the CMA-USB, to any fast peripheral device in order to provide as much as required additional bandwidth.

The USB controller CMA-USB is housed on a single-size type II PC•MIP module. It is provided with an type A USB connector, according to the USB specification 1.1. The board is compliant with Microsoft OHCI specification 1.0a. Users of Windows 98(SE) and Windows 2000 will find all driver support needed already embedded in their operating system.

The CMA-USB has been designed with rugged environment in mind. The USB data transmission lines are protected against transient voltages by a special suppressor circuitry. The power line of the USB connector is overcurrent limited and short circuit proof (with thermal shutdown). These measures are important, because USB allows for hot plug operation (life connect/disconnect).

For use in a CompactPCI® system, EKF recommends e.g. the CM1-COMBO or CM6-SEXTET as PC•MIP module carrier boards.

The CMA-USB cares for effortless and low-cost attachment of USB peripheral devices to industrial computers. An individual controller as the CMA-USB dedicated to time critical devices guarantees for fastest response and highest possible data throughput.