Archive for the ‘Embedded Systems’ Category

Centronics – USB Converter

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

USB Printer to parallel Centronics Interface
at the Embedded World 2010

USB-equipped printers are becoming increasingly popular on the industrial market.
Now, imagine yourself in need of spare parts for your conventional log printer when the suppliers are gradually running out of stock because the item is being
phased out – and this in times of growing reporting demands.
Well, thanks to the ipcas Centronics to USB Converter there is no need to worry
anymore:
The Centronics to USB Converter easily connects to existing printer interfaces, saving you time and costs for refitting machines or interfaces.
Moreover, it is ready to run and enables you to print all kinds of log and graphics formats with a standard USB printer in black and white or color.

The ipcas Centronics – USB Converter generally allows you to connect modern USB printers to older parallel interface machines or devices to file log reports.
All you have to do then is simply replace your conventional log printer with a standard USB or network printer – without having to install time-consuming
printer drivers.

You can also easily output data on a USB Stick and change over to a paperless logging system, thus saving time, costs, and material.
Moreover, the data can be archived in a database and made readily available for further processing at a mouse-click. Alternatively,
also available with RS232 / Serial Interface.

Photos of the Centronics to USB Converter:
Photographed today at the Embedded World 2010 / Nuremberg Germany
ipcas Printing Solution: Centronics to USB Converter
Centronics - USB Converter
RS232 USB Converter
Visitors viewing the Centronics to USB Converter in action

The video shows the Centronics – USB Converter at Embedded World (ipcas exhibition stand 555 in Hall 12.0).
The laptop in the background prints log data. The converter is connected to the parallel port, instead of a printer. The Centronics – USB Converter collects the print data and prints them here in parallel to an old dot matrix printer (with Centronics interface) and a USB printer.
The log data is printed line by line on the dot matrix printer. The converter buffers the data so long until a full page of A4, and prints them out on the USB printer. That saves paper. Each log line can be tagged with a time stampstamp.

Until Thursday, you can admire the USB printer replacement in Action, at the Embedded World 2010 (Hall 12.0 Stand 555).

LINUX Box LB3 – Intelligent IO Ethernet Solution

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

One device – Numerous possibilities, Embedded System
with digital and analog IO’s.

The LINUX Box LB3 is a full-fledged industrial PC with a pre-installed Linux operating system and a DIN rail case mounting design.
The LB3 has been specially conceived for installation in switching cabinets of machines, plants, and buildings. Windows CE or Free
Dos can also be used as alternatives to the Linux operating system. In its basic version the LB3 is equipped with 128MB RAM and
an additional 128MB ROM (CompactFlash) which can be optionally expanded. Due to its numerous integrated interfaces such as USB,
Ethernet, serial/parallel interfaces or the digital IO´s and the possibility to extend IO’s with an IO Extension Box, the LB3’s
function range covers most of the applications frequently requested by customers. Among them are notable applications such as:

  • Telecontrol devices (RTU’s / Remote Terminal Units)
  • Log converters
  • Offline / Online – data loggers
  • Offline / Online – event loggers
  • Property management systems
  • Network routers
  • Platform for individual solutions
  • customer-specific implementation

Speacial feature: Extended temperature range from -40° to +70° Celsius.

ipcas LINUX Box LB3

LINUX Box LB3 with digital I/O

Take the chance to see the Linux Box LB3 live at the Embedded World until Thursday.
Visit us at Hall 12, Stand 555.

embedded world 2009

Friday, January 9th, 2009

Visit us at embedded world 2009 in Nuremberg, Germany.

embedded world 2009 - Mach 3 to 5, 2009 - Hall 12, Stand 555

The embedded world is the leading international exhibition for the embedded community.

Inspired by the excellent results of recent years, we are going to present more innovative solutions in 2009.

embedded world 2008 embedded world 2008: ipcas Printing Solution ipcas at the embedded world 2008 ipcas at the embedded world 2008: Metering.Network
Photos from 2008
FAMOUS.Base With FAMOUS.Base, ipcas offers an integral solution for production (PDA) and machine (MDA) data acquisition and management.

Production data, working hours, process and cycle times as well as energy consumption can thus be efficiently recorded and analyzed.

FAMOUS.Base provides you with a cost-effective first base towards industrial processes monitoring and control. FAMOUS.Base can be combined in a modular fashion with any of our hardware products any time.

We also customize integrated solutions to meet your individual requirements.

Benefit from our 20 years of experience in the embedded field!

With our flexible converters upgrades of your machinery and equipment are hardly ever necessary.

According to our motto “Never change a running system” we prefer low-cost connecting to high-cost retrofitting.

Printing Solution Our Printing Solutions enable paperless logging of print and record data. On request, you may also connect a modern printer with a USB interface to a device with RS232 or Centronics interfaces.
Metering.Network Metering.Network helps you to keep your energy consumption under control. Cost-intensive cabling is no longer necessary, because we use the existing power grid for data communication.
I/O Solution - ipEther232.IO Our I/O solutions, ipEther232.IO and USB I/O, prepare analog and digital data fast and efficiently for further processing.
Ethernet Terminal The Ethernet Terminal adapts to its specific environment like a chameleon. Individual programming with an open XML structure makes it highly flexible. You may use one terminal for all kinds of applications. That means your Ethernet-Terminal can still be used under altered operational conditions. Once used as a PDA terminal it can be easily changed to a MDA or TDC terminal.
Embedded PC Linux Box 1 (LB1) Are you an industrial solutions provider? Then why not try our extremely energy-efficient embedded PC’s. The Linux Box 1 (LB1) is a ready-to-run embedded PC within a rugged aluminum casing that uses only 1,35 W at 100% CPU load.

LB1’s logical follow-up LB3 also provides a convincing choice due to its more powerful processor and its integrated digital I/O interfaces.

PPP Gateway - ipEther232.PPP ipEther232.PPP enables you to quickly and easily connect your PPP-enabled network devices with no Ethernet interfaces to your network. The ipEther232.PPP works like a PPP gateway for all serial RS232 devices. In other words, it is an external network adapter for PPP-enabled devices with serial (RS232) ports.
NTP Time Server - ipNTP ipNTP, the NTP Time Server, always gives you the exact time throughout the whole network.

Needless to say, we also customize solutions to suit your own individual hardware requirements.

Please visit us at embedded world 2009.

We would be more than glad to help you!

Mach 3 to 5, 2009
Hall 12, Stand 555
Trade Fair Center Nuremberg

Contact us:

Email: info@ipcas.de

Phone: +49 (0)9131/ 7677-0
Fax: +49 (0)9131/ 7677-78

LinuxDevices write-up on printing solutions

Monday, March 17th, 2008

A couple of weeks ago I introduced the ipcas RS232-to-USB Converter and the Centronics-to-USB Converter as gap-filling solutions to link up legacy port equipment with modern USB and network technology. Both legacy port servers are based on ipcas’s Linux Box LB1 hardware design.

This is just to tell you we got some excellent coverage in LinuxDevices.com

Micro PC with LINUX operating system

Friday, February 29th, 2008

The other day I mentioned that ipcas released a new embedded systems product this year – Linux Box 2.

The enormous range of applications the open source LINUX-based embedded system supports
– in short: its amazing versatility, ubiquitous connectivity, and its cost-effectiveness – make this new technology increasingly popular among all kinds of users and account for its speedy success on the global market.

"In just a few short years, Linux has exploded onto all aspects of the computing scene, offering a low cost, open source solution with strong support for open standards, networking, communications, Internet, graphics, … and more all the time." (Linuxdevices)

This leads me on to introduce another of ipcas’s embedded system solutions:
Micro PC with LINUX operating system
The budget-priced, low power input, and compact LINUX Box LB1

has been specially designed for peripheral tasks and connecting various devices and machines to the Ethernet.

LINUX Box LB1 with
extreme versatility

The integrated LINUX operating system and the combination of 32-bit CPU, various interfaces, real-time clock, and USB ports make the compact LINUX Box LB1 ideal for the implementation of peripheral tasks with wide-ranging functionality – from open- and closed-loop controlling, data acquisition, and remote maintenance, through to protocol conversion, and embedded computing.

LINUX Box LB1 with
wide-range network ability

The other crucial feature the LINUX Box LB1 offers is network ability, thus opening the gates to the new world of high-end online working environments. To network your machines/devices, LINUX Box LB1 additionally enables the user to benefit from immediate access to a wide range of network services such as the HTTP, FTP, SSH, PPP, and TELNET servers as well as the FTP, SSH, and DHCP clients. Of course, users also have the option to develop their own software solutions for specific applications wherever required.

The LINUX operating system and extensive network services such as the web server HTTP, SSH, FTP, and Telnet are all pre-installed. And, that goes without saying, the LINUX Box LB1 is immediately ready to run without time-consuming software installations. Last but not least, the embedded system provides fast boot times and safe operation. See for yourself and view the specifics of LINUX Box LB1

Centronics to USB Printer Converter

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

In our last Industrial Solutions entry (Refer to "Old interfaces …")we tried to show you how convenient it is to connect your old serial interfaces to modern printing technology with the RS232 to USB Converter, enabling you not only to link up and print but also to network your log data.

Centronics to USB Printer Converter

But what if you have or need parallel interfaces to be linked up?
Well, fortunately we’ve got good news for you!
The ipcas Centronics – USB Printer Converter does just the job allowing you to connect your legacy parallel interface equipment to modern USB printers.
Here are some of the advantages of the Centronics – Printer USB Converter:

  • Supports virtually unlimited selection of USB printers, graphics, formats, etc.
  • No machine/interface refitting!
  • No time-consuming installation drivers required!
  • Easy to configure – no IT expertise required!
  • Dynamic data buffer memory – no more data loss!
  • USB Stick to configure, retrieve and/or output log data on your office PC!
  • Optimized printing process helps you save paper!
  • LAN 10/100 BaseT Ethernet interface enables network access to print data!

For details view
Centronics – USB Converter

Its an embedded world!

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

We are exhibiting at embedded world 2008

In case you didn’t already know, ipcas is exhibiting again at the Embedded World 2008 trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany, from 26 to 28 February 2008. Come and join us at Hall 9, Stand 567. We’d be delighted!

You will find us here:

ipcas - ebdedded world hall 9, stand 567

HALL 9, STAND 567

Embedded World is regarded as the world’s largest exhibition of its kind, and is treated as the place to meet by the international embedded community. “Welcome to a smarter world!” is this year’s exhibition motto.

Embedded technology is used everywhere – whether in car, data, or telecommunication systems, industrial or consumer electronics, military or aerospace systems. Embedded PCs are being sold worldwide with great success. Over the next few years, strong growth is forecasted particularly in the area of small, compact box and panel PCs with embedded operating systems and without rotating parts. (Trade fair’s Embedded News)

We are proud to announce that ipcas has added at least 2 new products to its portfolio!

LINUX Box LB2 – the intelligent IO Ethernet solution

LINUX Box LB2
One of ipcas’ new embedded PC models on display this year is the LINUX Box LB2.

Among its most salient features is its outstanding versatility: Due to numerous integrated interfaces, the LINUX Box LB2 can be used for an astounding number of different applications such as converting, recording, alerting, counting, etc. in a great many of areas:

  • MDA/PDA (machine data acquisition / production data acquisition)
  • Industrial automation
  • Telemetry
  • Interface conversion
  • Building automation
  • Data/Event logger
  • Telecontrol device
  • … and more …

The IO modules can be populated customer-specifically, thus providing you with large scope to develop your own ideas and solutions. Moreover, it is immediately ready to run (no refitting, no installation drivers, and a cinch to configure!) and, what’s more, it’s highly cost-effective!

For details view LINUX Box LB2

Metering.Network – the universal online utility management system

Metering.Network

Another new ipcas product highlight is the Metering.Network.

This universal measuring device is ideal for the effective, via Ethernet recording, storage, and visualization of measuring data from electronic S0 supply meters (electric, gas, water, heating, etc. meters) in all areas of industrial, commercial, and private resource consumption.

Locating, compiling, analyzing, and evaluating the sources of consumption – which consumer/device consumes which amount at which times (peak loads) – is a crucial requirement for developing conservation plans or loading schedules. Therefore, thanks to Metering.Network, leading edge supply metering technology can be used to produce systematic cost-saving effects which will reduce your utility bills substantially!

For details view Metering.Network


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