Lpc2000

--- In lpc2000@yahoogroups.com, "Frantz Robinson"
<frantz.robinson@...> wrote:
>... come up with unique demo boards for key technologies like the
LPC2K ...

The biggest problem I have is that I need to design interface logic,
motor control, etc. that does not have to be redone every time Philips
comes out with a cool new part.  It makes sense for me to design a
simple interface PCB, but I want that to work with current and future
Philips demo boards.

So I want the Philips board to have a connector that will be standard
for the whole family and last for more than one generation, so that
when I finally get my proto fully working, I can just order the latest
new Philips board to try it out, then quickly put it all together for
the final product.

That means the Philips board should have things like the USB connector
and any other interfaces specific to the processor, but bring all of
the pins to the standard connector.

For an example, see the Silicon Labs F120 board.  It has a 96 pin
connector with all of the pins, but has its own regulator, serial
connector, etc.  If that connector and pinout was standard, the next
board or others in the family might have a display or USB or whatever,
but I would not need to change my interface board to try them.

This method also lets me build two interface boards and buy two proto
boards.  Then when there is a problem, I can very quickly isolate to
find out which is at fault.

The 96 pin connector may not be the best one to use, but picking some
standard that is not too hard to route to (probably through hole)
would work.

You could provide a few mating boards, say with extra memory, proto
areas or even FPGAs.  Others might find them useful although I would
probably keep designing my own.

-- Bob