Major Players in Embedded Computing Form New PICMG COM Express Subcommittee

Subcommittee to Create New COM Express Base Board Design Guide for Optimal Interchangeability of Computer-On-Modules

Eching, Germany, October 17, 2007 – Kontron announces that an impressive line up of companies have come together to create the COM Express Base Board Design Guide. This is a joint effort to ensure the optimal interchangeability of COM Express based Computer-On-Modules. Along with Kontron, Aaeon, Adlink, Advantech, Congatec, Continuous Computing, Curtiss Wright, Diversified Technology, Foxconn, IEI, NMS, Nokia Siemens Networks, PICMG Japan, RadiSys, Trenton Technology and VIA Tech have formed the PICMG COM Express Subcommittee. The Base Board Design Guide is scheduled to be published at the Embedded World 2008 trade show in Nuremberg, February 26-28, 2008

Adlink’s Jeff Munch will chair the Subcommittee whose work is being followed by Dick Somes and Joe Pavlatt of PICMG. Stefan Milnor from Kontron has been elected as one of the subcommittee’s two Draft Editors responsible for compiling the new COM Express Base Board Design Guide. Stefan Milnor previously served as the Draft Editor of the COM Express Specification and has many years of experience in COM Express technology as well as writing technical specifications. Christian Eder from Congatec is the second Draft Editor.

This first Design Guide draft will be based on the COM Express Extension’s Design Guide that has been brought to subcommittee by the COM Industrial Group. This draft incorporates Computer-On-Module related as well as baseboard related design roles. Due to its similarity to the baseboard related design roles, the PnP Design Guide from Congatec also will be incorporated into the first draft. The subcommittee will standardize the two guides and add further requirements as proposed by the rest of its members.

This is the first step to transforming the COM Industrial Group’s effort into the PICMG Standard. The COM Express Extension contains the Base Board Design Guide as one of its key features, along with numerous definitions for the standardization of Computer-On-Modules and base board designs. All of the new COM-IG members who support the COM Express Extension consider this an essential proactive move by the new COM-IG to ensure that all COM Express solutions continue to be interchangeable, no matter which vendor provides them.

Further information about the COM Express Extension is available at: www.com-ig.org