Acura Embedded PowerBrick 31 Manual

							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
PowerBrick™ 
 
User’s Manual  
Edition 3. 1 
 
 
 
Small footprint  rugged Intel® Core™ Duo    
                                                                                      Industrial Computer 
 
 
 
   
Disclaimer
 
 
Acura Embedded Systems Inc. takes every care in the 
preparation of this document, but no guarantee is given as 
to the correctness of its contents. Our products are under 
continual improvement and we reserve the right to make 
changes without notice. The manufacturer makes no 
representations or warranties  with respect to the contents 
hereof and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of 
merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. The 
manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication 
and to make changes from time to time in the cont ent 
hereof without obligation of the manufacturer to notify any 
person of such revision or changes
.  
In general, the manufacturer will not be liable for loss of 
data or other direct, indirect, special, incidental or 
consequential damages arising from the us e or inability to 
use the product or documentation, even if advised of the 
possibility of such damages.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
						

							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
 
Preface  
Copyright   
The material in this document is the intellectual property of Acura 
Embedded Systems Inc. This publication, including all 
photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under 
international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this 
manual, nor any of the material contained herein, may be 
reproduced without written consent of Acura Embedded Systems 
Inc.   
Version  3. 1  
Trademark Recognition  
 
Microsoft, MS -DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of 
Microsoft Corp.  
IBM PC is a registered trademark of International Business 
Machines Corporation.  
Intel, MMX, Pentium, Pentium -II, Pentium -III, Pentium -4, Celeron, 
Core ™ Duo are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.  
AWARD is a registered trademark of AWARD International Inc.  
Other product names used in this manual are the properties of their 
respective owners and are  acknowledged 
 
 
 
 
   
Table of Content    
1.  OVERVIEW................... ........................................ ................................. 
1 
2.INSTALLATION.............................................. ........................................ 
2 
    2.1 CONTENTS OF THE COMPUTER BOX ......................................... 
2 
    2.2 CONNECTING CABLE S AND GETTING STARTED...................... 
2 
    2.3  MOUNTING IN YOUR VEHICLE (FINAL LOCATION ).................... 
4 
    2.4 MOUNTING TOOLS ........................................................................ 
4 
    2.5  COMPUTER INSTALLATIO N........................................ .................. 4 
3.  TECHNICAL INFORMATIO N................................................................  5 
    3.1 BIOS SETUP............................................................... ..................... 5 
    3.2  OPERATING SYSTEMS........................................ .......................... 6 
    3.3  OPERATING SYSTEM RESTORE PROCESS...............................  6 
    3.4  WINDOWS EMBEDDED XP ............................................................ 7 
    3.5  LINUX EMBEDDED..........................................................................  7 
    3.6  APPLICATION SOFTWARE.............................................................  7 
    3.7  SPECI FICATIONS FOR POWERBRICK .......................................... 7 
    3.8  OPERATION AND MAINTE NANCE.................................................  8 
    3.9  WARNING ..................................................................................... ....  9 
    3.9A  POWER BRICK WIRING DIAGRAM. ............................................. 9 
4.  CONTACT NFORMATION.. .......................................................................10
 
  
						

							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
1.  Overview 
The PowerBrick is a  Intel® Core™ 2  Duo   system with  2.0  GHz processor 
speed. This small, rugged and powerful computer is the premium choice 
when desktop computer performance is required in industrial computing 
applications. Small size does not necessarily mean limitations in 
computing power.  
The state-of -the- art PowerBrick comes loaded with an impressive video 
c ard, fast hard drive (or optional  flash drive) and memory, all at a 
competitive price. It is designed and built for great performance in a variety 
of applications and environments. The design focuses  on elements 
essential for industrial use wile excluding unneccesary hardware. The 
architecture is modular which allows for easy upgrading and expansions.  
Areas of applications include:  
•   Fire engines and rescue vehicles  
•   Security and patrol vehicles  
•   Other em ergency or public safety vehicles  
•   Cash carriers  
•   Seaport terminal container yard management  
•   Fleet management  
The main features are:  
•   Intel® Core™ Duo  processor (2.0 GHz)  
•   Standard 2.5” hard disk, 160GB  
•   1 GB DDR2 RAM  
•   4 x RS232 Port  
•   4 x USB 2.0 Port  
•   2 x On -board 10/100/1000 LAN Port  
•   1 x Compact flash II Port  
•   Audio Jacks  
•   Built -in 8~30 VOLT DC  
•   Ignition controller (optional)  
•   Embedded OS (opti onal) 
•   Wireless 802.11b gn (optional)  
•   GSM/GPRS/WiFi/CDMA/CDPD options  
•   GPS/AVL options  
•   Dimensions: 7.6” x 5” x 4.13” (W x L x H)  
 
For installation, mounting and cable connections please see 
Section 2. Technical information is available in Section 3.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Page   1  
2. Installation  
2.1 Contents of the Computer Box  
 
 
 
Figure 2. 1 Box major components  
 
In the box you will find the following items: PowerBrick computer, power 
plug, mounting plate equipped with rubber suspension, 4 bolts   
If you have purchased Windows or Linux operating system with your 
computer, these CD’s should be included. Keep them in a safe place.  
 
Please see your separate monitor packaging for installation and other 
information for the touch screen monitor.  
 
Do not turn power on until you have read the next section and 
all cables are connected.  
 
2.2 Connecting Cables and Getting Started  
In order to get familiar with y our system before mounting it in  your vehicle 
(or final location), we suggest you look at the connections on both ends of 
the computer such as shown in Figs. 2.2 and 2.3, connect up the unit, and 
place it into operation.  
 
 
 
 
 
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							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
 
 
 
 
                                                   
 
Figure 2.2: Front side of PowerBrick  
  Connect all applicable cables such as:  
 
•   Keyboard  
•   Mouse 
•   Monitor  
•   Power supply cable  
 
 
Optional device cables or units that you provide yourself could 
include the following:  
 
•   USB cable  
•   Speaker and microphone cables  
•   RJ45  Ethernet TP cable  
•   RS232 Serial port cable  
•   Ignition controller  
                
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Page   3   
                            
 
                                
 
 
 
 
Figure  2.3 : Backside of PowerBrick  
 
After connecting all  applicable cables it is safe to power -on the system. 
(Warning: use only DC from the dedicated power supply)  
2.3  Mounting in your vehicle or final location  
This chapter provides you with the information of fixed system mounting. 
Prior to that, please prepare t he installation tools and appropriate items. If 
you are not clear about the items, contact your dealer for information.  
2.4  Mounting tools  
For mounting your computer in a vehicle you need the following tools:  
•   Wre nch   
•   Screw driver 
•   Drill  
•   Bolts and nuts appropriate to mount the plate in your vehicle  
2.5  Computer installation  
Mounting screws or bolts and nuts for mounting to your specific vehicle are 
not provided, as there are many variations of thickness that the unit might 
be mounted to. If mounting in a vehicle that  is subject to vibration and 
shock, It Is important to use the mounting plate with attached shock 
absorbers where vibration could occur. The mounting plate should be 
fastened tightly with bolts and nuts. Please ensure that if you mount any 
bolts/nuts under  the computer, that they do not touch the computer itself. 
Otherwise, the shock absorbers will not protect the computer properly.  
 
Page   4 
 
 
RS232 COM Port4  
RS232 COM Port3 
RS232 COM Port2 
RS232 COM Port1 
VGA Port 
Audio Jacks 
Ethernet Port1 
Ethernet Port2 
4 x USB 2.0 Port 
GPS/WiFi/CDMA  Antenna 
Ignition 
Keyboard/Mouse 
Compact Flash II  
DC Input  
Main Power 
Power Button 
Power LED 
HD LED  
						

							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
 
Figure 2.4: Rubber -Mounting plate 
 
Connect all final wiring neatly , fastening it down with tie straps or 
other m eans to ensure that it does not get caught and broken 
accidentally. Your car electrician will know appropriate ways to do 
this.  
3. Technical Information  
3.1 BIOS Setup  
The single board computer uses the AMI BIOS ( Basic Input/Output 
S
ystem) for the system confi guration. The AMI BIOS in the single board 
computer is a customized version of the industrial standard BIOS for IBM 
PC AT -compatible computers. It supports Intel x86 and compatible CPU 
architecture based processors and computers. The BIOS provides critical  
low -level support for the system central processing, memory and I/O 
sub- systems. The BIOS setup program of the single board computer let 
the customers modify the basic configuration setting. The settings are 
stored in a dedicated battery -backed memory, NV RAM, retains the 
information when the power is turned off. If the battery runs out of the 
power, then the settings of BIOS will come back to the default setting. The 
BIOS section of the manual is subject to change without notice and is 
provided here for re ference purpose only. The settings and configurations 
of the BIOS are current at the time of print, and therefore they may not be 
exactly the same as that displayed on your screen. To activate CMOS 
Setup program, press  key immediately after you turn on the 
system. The following message “Press DEL to enter SETUP” should 
appear in the lower left hand corner of your screen. When you enter the 
CMOS Setup Utility, the Main Menu will be displayed as in Table 3.2. You 
can use arrow keys to select your functi on, press  key to accept 
selection and enter the sub- menu.  
 
Page 5  
 
Table 3.1:  AMI BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
3.2  Operating Systems 
The PowerBrick will generally be provided with a preinstalled operating 
system such as Windows XP Professional, Embedded  or Linux. To restore 
the operating system, follow the procedure outlined in 3.4. You can also 
use an external CD -ROM drive to change, reinstall or repair the operating 
system through a USB 2.0 port.  
 
3.3. Operating System Restore Process  
1.   Back up your exist ing drive C:\  files.  
2.   Restart the computer.  
3.   Hold down the F8 key to enter Windows Advanced Boot Menu 
options.  
4.   Select “Return to OS Choices” and press “Enter”.  
5.   Select “Quick Restore Option”, press “Enter” and follow the 
instructions.  
6.   After re -boot, Cl ick on the “Touchware”  Icon on desktop to 
Calibrate the touch screen by following  the instructions.    
 
 
 
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							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
3.4  Windows XP Embedded  
If you want to reinstall Windows XP Embedded, boot the computer, place 
the CD -ROM labeled “Windows XP Embedded Recovery” into the external 
CD-ROM drive, presses RESET and follow the instructions on the screen. 
We recommend that this be done by experienced computer users only.  
3.5  Linux Embedded  
If you want to install Linux, boot the computer, place the CD -ROM labeled 
“Acura Embedded Li nux” into the external CD -ROM drive, press RESET 
and follow the instructions on the screen. Note: this should only be done by 
an advanced user who has experience with Linux.  
3.6  Application Software  
You should be able to run all normal/generic application soft ware such as 
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe software etc. if you have 
Windows installed. See the relevant manual/help guides for the specific 
software. For Linux you will have to specifically select software designed 
for Linux. Acura is not responsible for failure of any software on your 
computer but if you have any particular software needs, please call Acura 
Technical Support or email 
[email protected].  
  3.7. Specifications for Power Brick  
Table 3.2: Input/Output  
 
15 Pin VGA 1 
PS/2  Keyboard & Mouse 1  
RS232 Serial Port   4 
USB 2.0 4 
RJ45 Gigabit  Ethernet Port  2 
Compact Flash II 1 
Audio Jacks 1 
Ignition controller (optional) 1 
GPS/WiFi/CDMA antenna  (optional) 2 
8 ~ 30V DC Power Jack  1 
 
 
 
 
 
Page 7  Table 3.3: 
System Features  
 
Processor  Intel® Core™ Duo 
processor (2.0 GHz)  
System FSB 667 MHz 
Memory   533MHz/667MHz DDR2 SO -DIMM up to 2GB 
Video  Integrated Intel® Extreme 945GM Graphic, support 
64MB DVMT 
Audio Audio Jacks 
Hard Disk   Standard 2.5” SATA hard disk, 160GB  
CD-ROM None 
LAN Two Broadcom PCIe GbE controllers 
USB 2.0 
Integrated 4 independent OHCI controller supporting 
USB 1.1 ports; Integrated 1 EHCI controller 
supporting USB 2.0 ports; Dynamic connection 
support to USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 devices 
Hardware Monitor  System temperature, voltage and fan speed monitor. 
Auto Thermal fan speed control 
Power 
Management ACPI 1.0b compliance and OS direct power 
management, Wake-on event: RTC/USB 
Keyboard/Modem/LAN/Keyboard/Mouse 
Dimensions 7.60“X 5“ x4.13“ (W x L x H)  
Power 8 ~ 30V DC 
 
 
 
3.8 Operation and maintenance  
This module requires no routine maintenance. The green LED indicator 
when lit indicates proper operation and health.  
The power supply must be protected by a 7A auto fuse on the input line 
from the vehicle battery.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Page 8 
  
						

							PowerBrick ™                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quick Reference Manual  
3.9 Warning   
Before power ing up the computer, make sure all cables connected to the 
computer and  the monitor.  
 
WARNING  
First hookup all cables then turn on computer power  s witch.  
Make sure monitor power led on or blinking .
 
   
3.9A Power Brick Wiring Diagram  
 
 
(Computer connector  : pin1 -orange, pin2-black, pin3-purple , for su re power 
make pin1 and pin3 toge ther) 
Page  9    
 
With the unique set of products, Acura Embedded Systems remains 
committed to its goal of providing trouble-free and customer
-friendly 
service. A special customer service unit has been set up specifically to 
cater to our esteemed customers' needs.  
Technical Support:  
  •  Phone:  1-866-502 -9666 
•   Email:  
[email protected] 
Mail address:  
Acura Embedded Systems Inc.  
 
Unit #1, 7711-128th Street  
Surrey, BC V3W 4E6 
CANADA  
 
Ph: (604) 502- 9666   Fax: (604) 502- 9668 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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