EPC/PPC-A9-070-C

Version 1.1

Product Overview

The Cortex®-A9 series EPC/PPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070) is a rugged, high-quality industrial panel PC. It features a 7.0” multi-point capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

It is available both as an embedded solution and as a device hosed in an aluminum casing with bezels, thus facilitating different installation options:

  • Installation on an industrial cabinet

  • Integration with the existing equipment

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC is based around the powerful CS-SOM-iMX6Q System on Module (SoM), powered by the i.MX6Q Arm® Cortex®-A9 quad-core Application Processor (APU). The i.MX6Q APU represents the latest achievement in integrated multimedia applications processors, delivering high-performance computing, an abundance of integrated peripherals, and high power efficiency.

This product also features a broad range of connectivity options, providing a high level of scalability for various use cases. It is the perfect solution for power-constrained applications on the Edge, acting as a robust control unit for collecting, processing, and aggregating field data. The i.MX6Q APU is part of NXP’s EdgeVerse™ edge computing platform.

The NXP i.MX6UL APU does not generate extensive heat, so even the thin aluminum housing on PPC version delivers sufficient thermal dissipation. With its junction temperature from -40 to +125°C, the APU itself is well suited for extended temperature range in both automotive and factory environments.

Ordering Options

Chipsee products can be customized during the ordering process. The product will be shipped with the pre-installed factory defaults if no extra requirements are specified. The table in the Hardware Features section provides information about the default options bundled with the product.

Note

You can order EPC/PPC-A9-070-C from the official Chipsee Store or from your nearest distributor.

Operating System

This product comes with a pre-installed OS of your choice. Please see the list below for the supported OSes, which can be also obtained from the Software Documentation section, along with the detailed installation instructions.

  • Chipsee Linux*

  • Android 4.3

  • Android 6.0

  • Android 8.0

  • Ubuntu 12.04

  • Ubuntu 14.04

  • Debian

*

Chipsee Linux is based on NXP Yocto framework that has been integrated with:

  1. Chipsee Hardware Test Application

  2. An initialization script for GPIO/Buzzer/Audio

  3. Multiple libraries, such as the libQt5Sql to develop Qt application with SQL

  4. Various packages, such as the ntfs-3g to use NTFS file system

Warning

The Software Documentation section provides a detailed instruction how to install different OS on your own. However, bear in mind that Chipsee can’t take the responsibility of inadequate installation procedure. If you “brick” your device, please contact Chipsee Technical Support at support@chipsee.com for further assistance.

Optional Features

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC does not include WiFi/BT module by default. The module is optional and can be selected at the Chipsee store during the ordering process.

Warning

Installation, repair, and maintenance tasks should be performed by trained personnel only.
Chipsee does not bear any responsibility for damage caused by inadequate handling of the product.

Hardware Features

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC offers a board range of performance and connectivity options for scalable integration, providing expandability according to future needs. Some of the key features are listed in the table below.

Table 1 Key Features

EPC/PPC-A9-070-C

CPU

iMX6Q, Arm® Cortex®-A9, 1GHz

RAM

2GB DDR3

eMMC

8GB

Storage

TF Card, Supports up to 32GB SDHC

Display

7.0” LCD, 1024 x 600, High Brightness: 500cd/m2

Touch

Capacitive Multi-Point Touch Screen

USB

3 x USB 2.0 HOST, 1 x USB OTG

LAN

1 x RJ45, GbE

Audio

3.5mm Audio In/Out Connector, Internal 2W Speaker

Buzzer

Yes

RTC

Yes, Powered by CR2032 Button Battery

RS232

2 x RS232

RS485

2 x RS4851

CAN

2 x CAN

GPIO

N/A

WiFi/BT

Integrated WiFi/BT Module

HDMI

1 x HDMI

SATA

1 x SATA II

Expansion Port

1 x 30-pin, 2.54mm DIL Header (PCB Footprint)

4G/LTE

N/A

Power Input

From 6V to 36V

Current at 15V

600mA Max

Power Consumption

6W Typical

Working Temperature

From -20°C to +70°C

OS

Multiple Choices (Operating System)

Dimensions

EPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070E): 190 x 107.8 x 27.7mm

PPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070P): 206 x 135 x 30.1mm

Weight

EPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070E): 380g

PPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070P): 680g

Mounting

EPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070E): Embedded

PPC-A9-070-C (PN: CS10600F070P): Panel
1

This product has 5 x UART channels in total. The default configuration is 2 x RS232, 2 x RS485, and 1 x UART for WiFi/BT module. UART can be swapped between RS232 and RS485 modes easily, so if you need different RS232/RS485 configuration, please get in touch with the Chipsee Technical Support at support@chipsee.com

Power Input

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC can be powered by a wide range of input voltages: From 6V to 36V DC. The power input connector is a 3-pin, 3.81mm terminal. The polarity and the pinout is clearly marked on the housing of the PPC version, as well as on the PCB itself of the EPC version, as shown in the figure below.

../../../../../_images/Power.png

Figure 1: Power Input Section (embedded/enclosed version)

Note that the “+” sign represents the positive power input, and it is printed both at the casing and as a silk-screen on a PCB of the embedded version. The “-” terminal is shorted to the ground.

Table 2 Power Connector

Power Input Definition

Pin Number

Definition

Description

Pin 1

Positive Input

DC Power Positive Terminal

Pin 2

Negative Input

DC Power Negative Terminal

Pin 3

Ground

Power System Ground

Note

The system ground “G” is connected to power negative “-” on board.

Touch Screen

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC uses a ten-point multitouch capacitive screen. Figure 2 shows the capacitive screen connected to the motherboard via the FPC connector.

../../../../../_images/TS_CON.png

Figure 2: Figure 2: Capacitive Screen Connector

Attention

A capacitive touch screen is susceptible to power noise and Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR). It may cause LCD ripples or even capacitive touch malfunction. If using a capacitive multitouch test application, you might notice the touch points float erratically across the display. There are several solutions to this problem:

  1. Use a high-quality Power Adapter Unit (PSU) with low EMR. You can also provide power from a battery.

  2. Make sure that the EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Power Input connector (pin 3) is properly connected to the Power System Ground to provide sufficient EMI shielding and eliminate the problem entirely.

  3. Bad GND problem can also be confirmed by touching pin 3 of the Power Input connector with one hand while operating the capacitive touch screen with the other hand. In this case, the operator’s body acts as the Power System Ground.

Connectivity

There are many connectivity options available on the EPC/PPC-A9-070-C industrial PC. It has 3 x HOST USB Type A connectors, 1 x USB OTG Type Mini B, 1 x network connector (RJ45) supporting up to 1 Gbps, and 5 x UART terminals (RS232/485). This device also features two CAN interfaces.

RS232/RS485/CAN

The serial communication interfaces (RS485, RS232, and CAN) are routed to a 16-pin 3.81mm terminal, as illustrated in the figure below. Serial communication on both RS485 and RS232 interfaces can reach up to 115200 kbps.

../../../../../_images/IO-Peripherals.png

Figure 3: Relation between serial pins on embedded vs. enclosed version

The table below offers more detailed description of every pin and its definition:

Table 3 Connectivity Section

RS232 / RS485 / CAN Pin Definition:

Pin Number

Definition

Description

Pin 1

CAN2_H

CPU CAN Channel 2 H signal

Pin 2

CAN2_L

CPU CAN Channel 2 L signal

Pin 3

CAN1_H

CPU CAN Channel 1 H signal

Pin 4

CAN1_L

CPU CAN Channel 1 L signal

Pin 5

RS485_2-

CPU UART2, RS485 –(B) signal 2

Pin 6

RS485_2+

CPU UART2, RS485 +(A) signal 2

Pin 7

RS485_5-

CPU UART5, RS485 –(B) signal

Pin 8

RS485_5+

CPU UART5, RS485 +(A) signal

Pin 9

RS485_4-

CPU UART4, RS485 –(B) signal

Pin 10

RS485_4+

CPU UART4, RS485 +(A) signal

Pin 11

RS232_3_RXD

CPU UART3, RS232 RXD signal

Pin 12

RS232_3_TXD

CPU UART3, RS232 TXD signal

Pin 13

RS232_1_RXD

CPU UART1, RS232 RXD signal

Pin 14

RS232_1_TXD

CPU UART1, RS232 TXD signal

Pin 15

GND

System Ground

Pin 16

+5V

System 5V output, up to 1A
2(1,2)

UART2 signal is used by the onboard WiFi/BT module, so the I/O port function is disabled by default. If you need the I/O port function instead, please contact Chipsee Technical Support at support@chipsee.com for assistance.

Note

120Ω termination resistors are not mounted or included with the device.

USB Connectors

There are 3 x Type A USB HOST connectors onboard, as shown on the figure below.

../../../../../_images/USB3.png

Figure 4: USB HOST Connectors (embedded/enclosed PC version)

There is also 1 x Type Mini B USB OTG connector, configured as slave by default.

../../../../../_images/USB_OTG.png

Figure 5: USB OTG Connector (embedded/enclosed PC version)

Warning

Be careful not to touch surrounding electronic components accidentally while plugging in USB devices into the embedded IPC version.

LAN Connectors

LAN (RJ45) connector provides Ethernet connectivity over standardized Ethernet cables. The integrated Ethernet interface supports up to 1 Gbps data throughput. Power over Ethernet (PoE) is not supported.

../../../../../_images/LAN.png

Figure 6: RJ45 LAN Connectors (embedded/enclosed PC version)

Note

Use CAT5 or better cables to achieve full data throughput over maximum distance defined by the 1000BASE-T standard (100m).

WiFi & BT Module

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC is equipped with the popular Realtek RTL8723 WiFi/BT module that supports BT/BLE 4.0 (with backward compatibility), as well as 802.11bgn 2.4 GHz Wireless LAN (WLAN).

../../../../../_images/WiFi_BT.png

Figure 7: RTL8273 WiFi/BT Module

The enclosed (PPC) variant of the product also includes an SMA connector for an external WiFi/BT antenna, as illustrated in the figure below.

../../../../../_images/Antenna.png

Figure 8: WiFi+BT Antenna

Expansion Port

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC has 1 x Expansion Port as shown on the figure below. It is an unpopulated PCB footprint with the standard 2.0mm pitch holes, labeled as P21 on the PCB. The Expansion Port provides direct access to some of the processor pins, as described in the table below.

../../../../../_images/expansion_IO.png

Figure 9: Expansion Port

Table 4 Expansion Connector Pinout

Expansion Connector Pinout

PIN

Function

CPU PIN

PIN

Function

CPU PIN

1

I2C2_SDA

T7

2

I2C2_SCL

U5

3

GPIO7_13

P6

4

GPIO7_12

R1

5

CSI0_PIXCLK

P1

6

CSI0_HSYNCH

P4

7

CSI0_VSYNCH

N2

8

CLKO

T5

9

CSI0_DAT19

L6

10

CSI0_DAT18

M6

11

CSI0_DAT17

L3

12

CSI0_DAT16

L4

13

CSI0_DAT15

M5

14

CSI0_DAT14

M4

15

CSI0_DAT13

L1

16

CSI0_DAT12

M2

17

VDD_5V0

5.0V Output

18

VDD_3V3

3.3V Output

19

GND

Ground

20

GND

Ground

21

GPIO1_29

W20

22

GPIO4_10

W4

23

GPIO1_28

V21

24

GPIO1_30

U20

25

I2C3_SDA

D24

26

I2C3_SCL

F21

27

GPIO5_2

H19

28

GPIO3_23

D25

29

GPIO3_30

J20

30

GPIO3_31

H21

Warning

Since the PCB traces of the port are connected to the processor directly, be careful not to cause electrostatic discharge or over voltage on the pins, as it may damage the processor. Take all the necessary precautions while working with electrostatic-sensitive equipment.

TF Card Slot

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC features 1 x TF Card (micro SD) slot. It can address up to 32GB of memory.

../../../../../_images/TF_Card.png

Figure 10: TF (micro SD) Card Slot

Note

The product does not come shipped with the TF Card by default

Audio Connectors

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC features some audio peripherals, as well. It has 1 x 3.5mm audio input jack and 1 x 3.5mm audio output jack.

On the embedded panel PC version, the pink connector is the audio input jack (line-in) and the blue connector is the audio output jack (line-out, typically around -10 dBV). On the enclosed panel PC version, both audio input and audio output are clearly marked.

../../../../../_images/Audio.png

Figure 11: Audio I/O (embedded/enclosed PC version)

In addition, EPC/PPC-A9-070-C features a miniature 2W embedded speaker for audio reproduction, as well as a small buzzer for alarm/notification sounds.

../../../../../_images/Speaker_Buzzer.png

Figure 12: 2W Micro Speaker and Buzzer

HDMI Connector

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC is equipped with 1 x HDMI connector. The HDMI connector allows connecting an additional (external) monitor. HDMI output resolution can be configured by the software.

../../../../../_images/HDMI.png

Figure 13: HDMI Connector

Boot DIP Switch

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC supports boot from SD card. If you want to re-flash the Operating System (OS), you can use the TF card for that purpose, combined with the DIP switch settings.

There is no need to alter the DIP switch settings during regular operation. However, if you need to reinstall the OS, please refer to the table below. Detailed information on how to re-flash the OS can be found in the Software Documentation.

../../../../../_images/BootSW.png

Figure 14: Boot DIP Switch

Table 5 Boot Configuration Selection

Boot Config Select

DIP SW

1

2

3

4

SD

1

0

0

0

eMMC

1

1

0

1

Download

0

1

1

0

Mounting Procedure

The EPC/PPC-A9-070-C Industrial Panel PC can be mounted with 4 x M4 screws, enabling simplified installation onto any standard mounting fixture. Other mounting options might also be supported according to the table in the Hardware Features section.

You can find detailed information about mounting in the Mount IPC Guide.

Mechanical Specifications

EPC-A9-070-C

The outer mechanical dimensions of EPC-A9-070-C are 190 x 107.8 x 27.7mm (W x L x H). Please refer to the technical drawing in the figure below for details related to the specific product measurements.

../../../../../_images/EPC-A9-070-C-TD.jpeg

Figure 15: EPC-A9-070-C Technical Drawing

PPC-A9-070-C

For PPC-A9-070-C, the outer mechanical dimensions are 206 x 135 x 30.1mm (W x L x H).

Panel Mounting

../../../../../_images/Mount.jpeg

Figure 16: Fixing PPC-A9-070-C industrial PC into panel

Note

With the PPC-A9-070-C industrial PC, the operator can fix the PC into the panel by pushing it from the front inside the panel as described in the figure above. The recommended maximum thickness of the panel material is 8mm.

  1. Make sure the Panel PC is configured correctly. The Boot Switch is sitting inside the housing. To use it, the Panel PC has to be unmounted from the panel.

  2. Push the Panel PC straight into the Panel Hole until the unit sits flat on the panel as shown in the figure above.

  3. Use the mounting fixtures to lock the Panel PC into it’s place.

Caution

  • When you use product EPC-A9-070-C, you should not touch the circuit board on the back of the product if the product is powered ON.

  • Also, when the product is powered OFF, please take anti-static measures before touching the circuit board.

3D Model

As of Mar 23, 2024, the 3D asset of the product is being actively prepared, and will be available soon.

EPC/PPC-A9-070-C 3D model can be viewed in the online doc in a web browser, if you are reading from the PDF version, please visit the online doc EPC/PPC-A9-070-C, select hardware documentation, drag the navigation bar to the 3D Model section.

View PPC 3D Model View EPC 3D Model View AIO 3D Model

Disclaimer

This document is provided strictly for informational purposes. Its contents are subject to change without notice. Chipsee assumes no responsibility for any errors that may occur in this document. Furthermore, Chipsee reserves the right to alter the hardware, software, and/or specifications set forth herein at any time without prior notice and undertakes no obligation to update the information contained in this document.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, this document is not guaranteed to be error-free. Further, it does not offer any warranties or conditions, whether expressed orally or implied in law, including implied warranties and conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. We specifically disclaim any liability with respect to this document, and no contractual obligations are formed either directly or indirectly by this document.

Despite our best efforts to maintain the accuracy of the information in this document, we assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, nor for damages resulting from the use of the information herein. Please note that Chipsee products are not authorized for use as critical components in life support devices or systems.

Technical Support

If you encounter any difficulties or have questions related to this document, we encourage you to refer to our other documentation for potential solutions. If you cannot find the solution you’re looking for, feel free to contact us. Please email Chipsee Technical Support at support@chipsee.com, providing all relevant information. We value your queries and suggestions and are committed to providing you with the assistance you require.