B-Board PRO
Embedded converter controller
Fully-programmable DSP+FPGA controller for product-embedded applications
The B-Board PRO is an embeddable digital controller that can be fully programmed using Simulink, PLECS, or C/C++. It is fully compatible with and operates identically to the B-Box RCP prototyping system.
 | your price |
A tiny converter control module
Our programmable control module, based on Xilinx Zynq, can have both its DSP and FPGA sections fully customized using our software development environment. It is ideally suited for demanding power electronic applications and advanced converter control techniques, which require powerful computational capabilities and complete software/firmware flexibility.
Typical applications include industrial inverters and rectifiers, motor drives, multilevel inverters, and all modular converter topologies. That said, our embedded converter controller can be involved in almost all applications where a fully-programmable controller is needed.
Use B-Box RCP for your R&D activities
Our rapid prototyping controller offers the very same capabilities and performance as B-Board PRO, but with some additional flexibility that is tailored for R&D purposes, contributing to accelerating product development.
Migrate easily to B-Board PRO
Thanks to the exact equivalence between both control hardware targets, control code that was previously developed on B-Box can be instantly ported on B-Board. In fact, the very same bitfile can be used !
Use B-Board PRO for your products
The B-Board PRO possesses just what is needed for embedded control applications. It is small enough to be integrated directly within power converters, yet powerful enough to support advanced applications.
Development phase
- Flexible hardware
- Rapid control validation
Production phase
- Cost-optimized hardware
- Product integration
B-Board PRO
Embeddable controller
B-Box RCP
Prototyping controller
The exact compatibility between B-Box RCP and B-Board PRO allows benefitting from the increased flexibility of the prototyping controller during developments, while using a product-embeddable variant during series production.
Development phase
- Flexible hardware
- Rapid control validation
Production phase
- Cost-optimized hardware
- Product integration
Development phase
- Flexible hardware
- Rapid control validation
Production phase
- Proof of concept
- Don't waste time
B-Box RCP Prototyping controller
The exact compatibility between B-Box RCP and B-Board PRO allows to benefit from the increased flexibility of the prototyping controller during developments, while using a lower-cost product-embeddable variant during series production.
Full bitfile compatibility!
B-Board PRO Embeddable controller
A converter controller, equivalent to B-Box RCP!
The embeddable converter controller possesses most of the features of its laboratory counterpart, except the configurable analog front-end and the software-independent protections.
It is meant to be a cost-optimized equivalent system for embedded applications, fully cross-compatible with its larger sister.
B-Box RCP | B-Board PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (Xilinx Zync) | 2x ARM 1GHz | 2x ARM 1GHz |
FPGA (Xilinx Zynq) | Kintex 7 125K | Kintex 7 125K |
Analog to digital converters | 16x | 8x |
C++ programming | ||
Simulink programming | ||
Programmable front-end | ||
Hardware protections |
| B-Box RCP | B-Board PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 2x ARM 1GHz | 2x ARM 1GHz |
FPGA | Kintex 7 125K | Kintex 7 125K |
Analog to digital converters | 16x | 8x |
C++ programming | ||
Simulink programming | ||
Programmable front-end | ||
Hardware protections |
Key hardware specifications
| System on chip | Xilinx Zynq XC7Z030-3FBG676E | Digital outputs | 16x Electrical (3.3V) |
| Processor | 2x ARM Cortex A9 1GHz | Digital inputs | 16x Electrical (3.3V) |
| FPGAs | Xilinx Kintex 7 125K (user programmable) | Fault inputs | 16x Electrical (1.8V) 1x Electrical interlock |
| Analog inputs | 8x 16bits @2Msps | Incremental decoder inputs | 4x 3-pins (A,B,Z) (shared with GPI inputs) |
| PWM outputs | 16x Electrical (1.8V) 16x Electrical (3.3V) | Communication | 1x USB 2.0 (computer) 1x Ethernet 1Gbps (RJ45) 3x SFP+ 5Gbps |
| User High-speed I/Os | 36x Electrical (3.3V) |
| System on chip | Zynq XC7Z030-3FBG676E |
| Processor | 2x ARM Cortex A9 1GHz 1GB DDR3 |
| FPGAs | Kintex 7 125K (user programmable) |
| Analog inputs | 8x 16bits @2Msps |
| PWM outputs | 16x Electrical (1.8V) 16x Electrical (3.3V) |
| User High-speed I/Os | 36x Electrical (3.3V) |
| Digital outputs | 16x Electrical (3.3V) |
| Digital inputs | 16x Electrical (3.3V) |
| Fault inputs | 16x Electrical (1.8V) 1x Electrical interlock |
| Encoder inputs | 4x 3-pins (A,B,Z) (shared with GPI inputs) |
| Communication | 1x USB 2.0 (computer) 1x Ethernet 1Gbps (RJ45) 3x SFP+ 5Gbps |
Embeddable controller design
The B-Board PRO is a small piggy-back control module meant to be assembled within a larger converter control system. It embeds the essential and application-independent part of a power converter controller and can be easily mounted on top of a system-specific carrier board.
Bitfile compatibility
The B-Board PRO is guaranteed to work exactly the same way as the B-Box RCP, with the exact same performance. In fact, the very same bitfile can be used on both devices.
Small form factor
Despite its numerous I/Os, the B-Board PRO measures only 86×124 mm. This is small enough to be assembled in most industrial systems. It also fits within a headroom of 22mm only!
Processing power
The B-Board PRO is exactly as powerful as the B-Box RCP. Indeed, with its dual-core 1GHz processor, it features outstanding performance, especially for an embedded controller.
Extensive I/O connectivity
Over 120 user I/Os!
Our industrial control module is ready for the most demanding needs and has been specially designed with low- to mid-volume, complex applications.
With its high number of digital I/Os, there’s plenty of extension margin. The application scope is thus mostly defined by the available analog inputs.
Ideal for distributed control applications!
When needed, hierarchized or distributed control systems can also be implemented. This allows either building larger control systems or interconnecting several programmable controllers together.
Communication can be implemented easily over Ethernet, CAN, or our proprietary low-latency protocol running over optical fiber links (SFP).
The embeddable converter controller provides plenty of I/O connectivity with other industrial control equipment.
Benefits for industrial applications
The B-Board PRO converter controller brings most of the benefits of a rapid prototyping system directly into industrial applications. When compared to the B-Box RCP, it offers the same development environments, exact same performance, and same remote access capabilities.
Integrated with Simulink and PLECS
The B-Board PRO can be programmed using C/C++ code, or directly from simulation software, such as Simulink and PLECS. Thanks to a fully automated code generation toolchain, just one single click is all it needs to fully program the device!
The provided blocksets also embed simulation models so that the system can be accurately simulated and tuned before run-time is generated.
Absolutely no expertise in FPGA-based development is needed to work with this industrial control module. It operates readily with a highly flexible and highly configurable FPGA firmware.
Nevertheless, for the advanced users who require to alter the FPGA code, the B-Board PRO allows doing so. In this case, dedicated areas are provided, with straightforward integration within the existing DSP software kernel.
User-programmable FPGA
Up to 400kHz closed-loop rate
The B-Board PRO uses a dual-core processor. One core is dedicated to the execution of the closed-loop control tasks (bare metal, dedicated kernel), the other one to the system supervision and monitoring (linux). Most low-level tasks are also shifted in FPGA.
This results in the full dedication of a fast floating-point processor core to real time control tasks, with best-in-class performance, ranging up to 400kHz control frequencies in closed-loop operation.
In addition to being 100% compatible with the prototyping controller, the B-Board PRO benefits from the same software environment and tools. It, therefore, facilitates debugging and testing activities in the same way!
Overall, integration efforts are often limited to mechanical aspects, which are specific to the application anyway. All the rest is in direct continuity with previous work done with the B-Box RCP.
Quick product integration
Benefits for industrial applications
The B-Board PRO converter controller brings most of the benefits of a rapid prototyping system directly into industrial applications. When compared to the B-Box RCP, it offers the same development environments, exact same performance, and same remote access capabilities.
Integrated with Simulink and PLECS
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The provided blocksets also embed simulation models so that the system behavior can be accurately simulated and tuned before run-time is generated.
User-programmable FPGA
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Nevertheless, for the most advanced users who require to alter the FPGA code, the B-Board allows to do so. In this case, dedicated areas are provided, with straightforward integration within the existing DSP software kernel.
High processing power
| |
The B-Board PRO uses a dual-core processor; one core being dedicated to the execution of the closed-loop control tasks (bare metal, dedicated kernel), the other to the system supervision and monitoring (linux). Besides, most low-level tasks are shifted in FPGA.
This results in the full dedication of a fast floating-point processor core to real time control tasks, with best-in-class performance, ranging up to 200kHz control frequencies.
Quick integration
|  |
In addition to being 100% compatible with B-Box RCP, the B-Board PRO benefits from the same software environment and tools. It can be programmed from Simulink (or PLECS) and controlled from BB Control too!
Overall, most of the specific integration efforts are only those related to the mechanical aspects as well as the signal conditioning and protection, which are often tailored to the application anyway.
Specialized operating system
High performance and safety
The power converter controller embeds an ultra-light operating system (BBOS), specially tailored for hard real-time applications. This kernel simultaneously combines a high level of safety, very low overhead, and a very rigorous management of priorities.
Integrated monitoring capabilities
The B-Board PRO control module also benefits from the close interaction of BBOS and the second CPU core (Linux) for debug, monitoring and the related interaction with the remote computer. This non-invasive supervision can also be used for long-term remote surveillance.
Hardware independency
Thanks to its fully FPGA-based peripherals, the B-Board is built on a strong hardware abstraction layer. As such, any control code is guaranteed to keep working across future generations of hardware, facilitating system maintenance and upgrade.
Comprehensive computer software
Comprehensive design suites
Rapid control prototyping with our programmable controllers is supported by our software development kits (SDK), for either C++, Simulink or PLECS .
- Support for C++, Simulink or PLECS
- Code libraries / examples
- Free maintenance
Monitoring & control software
During operation, the BB Control Utility allows to observe, edit and log any variable present in memory. This allows for the rapid debugging and tuning of any converter control code.
- Real-time tuning of all variables
- 2 million points datalogging
- Free maintenance
The Evaluation kit allows to quickly assess
the tremendous capabilities of the B-Board PRO,
right from the top of your desk.
Evaluation kit
Discovery and development kit for B-Board PRO
The Evaluation kit enables development engineers to power up the B-Board PRO and get the first signals out of it within few minutes. It notably contains an easy-to-use carrier board that gives instant access to most analog and digital signals, normally located on the bottom of the embedded control module.
The kit also contains suitable documentation and getting-started examples as to best support a rapid evaluation of the hardware and software capabilities, featuring the very same performance as the larger B-Box RCP system.
carrier board signals
| x8 | Analog inputs | Full-differential inputs,16bits | Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | ± 5V |
| x4 | Analog outputs | 16bits, single-ended | Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | ± 5V |
| x1 | Fault input | Electrical | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| x1 | Communication | Ethernet, device programming and monitoring | RJ45 socket | |
| x16 | PWM outputs | Dedicated modulators, 4 differents time bases | Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | 3.3V |
| x8 | Digital outputs | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V | |
| x8 | Digital inputs | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V | |
| x36 | User configurable I/Os | Direct to FPGA, bidirectional | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| x8 | Analog inputs | Full-differential inputs,16bits Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | ± 5V |
| x4 | Analog outputs | 16bits, single-ended Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | ± 5V |
| x1 | Fault input | Electrical 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| x1 | Communication | Ethernet, device programming and monitoring RJ45 socket | |
| x16 | PWM outputs | Dedicated modulators, 4 differents time bases Phoenix 3.5mm (1989023) | 3.3V |
| x8 | Digital outputs | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| x8 | Digital inputs | 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| x36 | User configurable I/Os | Direct to FPGA, bidirectional 2.54 mm header | 3.3V |
| CONTENT | |
|---|---|
Carrier board (motherboard) | x1 |
| B-Board PRO | x1 |
| Power supply (20W / 12V) | x1 |
| Ethernet cable | x1 |
| Quick start guide (user manual) | x1 |
 | your price |
 | ACG SDK your price |
 | C/C++ SDK your price |