Overview

 

Kinetis K70/K61 SOM and Linux Software Distribution


Emcraft Systems provides a Linux (uClinux) software distribution and a starter kit for the Freescale Kinetis K70 and K61 microcontrollers. Thanks to the sophisticated DDR controller and the on-chip cache of the Kinetis K70/K61, Linux performs exceptionally well on these devices. High performance, fast boot-up, perfect power consumption profiles at both dynamic and static times - all this makes Linux a very viable OS choice for today's microcontroller applications using the Freescale K70 and K61 devices. And of course, first and foremost, Linux supports pretty much all functional features one may desire in a modern embedded application out-of-box, all royalty-free.

The K70/K61 Linux starter kit is based on the K70 SOM, which is an Emcraft Systems' compact (30 mm x 57 mm) mezzanine module using the Freescale Kinetis K70 microcontoller. The K70 combines a 150 MHz 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 processor core with a powerful set of sophisticated I/O peripherals in a single chip. By combining the K70 microcontroller with 64 MB LPDRAM, 128 MB NAND Flash and an Ethernet PHY on a single module, the K70 SOM not only provides a perfect platform for evaluation and development of the Linux on the K70/K61 devices but is also a system-on-module immediately ready for integration into mid- to high-end microcontroller applications.

 


Click to enlarge

In addition to the K70 System-On-Module, Emcraft offers to its customers the K61 System-On-Module. The K61 SOM is a module that is pin- and interface-compatible with the K70 SOM, except that the K61 does not provide the LCD controller interface.

The K70/K61 System-On-Modules specifically target those embedded projects that are currently using a 8/16-bit MCU and would like to migrate to a next-generation microcontoller technology. By combining the two off-the-shelf blocks provided by Emcraft - the K70/K61 SOM for the hardware and the Linux distribution for the software - embedded designers are able to drive the project costs down and substantially reduce time to market.

Here you will find various demo materials illustrating use of the K70/K61 System-on-Modules.

 

K70/K61 SOM Demonstrations Download Version #
 Date
Videos
uClinux on Kinetis K70: QT GUI with touchscreen demo
Dec 11, 2012
Booting Linux in 500 msecs on Freescale Kinetis K70
May 2, 2013
TCP/IP Stack and Networking in Linux on Kinetis K70
May 31, 2013

Software

 

K70/K61 System-On-Module
Release Materials

 

Emcraft supports Linux (uClinux) as an operating system for the K70/K61 System-On-Module (SOM). This page provides the release files of the K70/K61 SOM Linux BSP (Board Support Package) and the Linux software development environment.

All K70/K61 System-On-Modules come preloaded with uClinux and U-Boot. Full source code of the Linux BSP and U-Boot is provided for free download, along with a Linux cross-development environment. Both U-Boot and uClinux are roaylty-free.

 

Resource Download Version #
 Date
Release Files
Release Notes. Read this to understand features supported by this release of the product. 1.14.2
Sep 4, 2015
K70/K61 SOM Linux Board Support Package (BSP) and software development environment
(requires registration and login)		 1.14.2
Sep 4, 2015
GNU toolchain for uClinux Cortex-M3/M4 2010q1
Prebuilt Linux image ready to be loaded to the K70/K61 SOM
(requires registration and login)
 1.14.2
Sep 4, 2015
Prebuilt U-Boot image ready for installation onto the K70 SOM
(requires registration and login)
 1.14.2
Sep 4, 2015
Prebuilt U-Boot image ready for installation onto the K61 SOM
(requires registration and login)
 1.14.2
Sep 4, 2015

Starter Kit

 

Kinetis Starter Kit
Not recommended for new designs

 

The K70 and K61 System-On-Modules have been obsoleted by Emcraft. Although we still supply the K70 and K61 SOMs to existing customers, we no longer sell the K70 and K61 Starter Kits. Contact Emcraft for additional information.

The K70/K61 SOM starter kit provides a low-cost ($179) hardware platform enabling development of embedded applications using the NXP K70/K61 microcontoller devices and Emcraft's K70/K61 System-On-Module (SOM). The kit includes the K70/K61 System-on-Module itself, a NXP Tower-compatible Development Baseboard (TWR-SOM-BSB), and a mini-USB cable for USB-based power and serial console.

As shipped, the kit can be used in standalone mode, without requiring any additional hardware equipment. The TWR-SOM-BSB baseboard is 90x86 mm in size and has the following main interfaces:

  • USB-UART interface connected to UART port of the K70/K61
  • 10/100 Ethernet interface and RJ-45 connector
  • JTAG interface
  • USB OTG connector for USB HS
  • MicroSD connector
  • User LEDs
  • User push button
  • Unused SOM signals available on a breadboard area
  • Other I/O interfaces of the Kinetis available on the Tower backplane connectors.


Click to enlarge

In addition to being able to operate in standalone mode, the development board included with the kit can also be used as part of the modular NXP Tower System development platform. The TWR-SOM-BSB can interoperate with all the standard peripheral modules of the NXP Tower System, such as TWR-SER, TWR-SER2, and TWR-LCD-RGB, providing the following additional interfaces:

  • Full speed OTG USB – with the NXP TWR-SER or TWR-SER2 boards
  • Color LCD with touch screen – with the TWR-LCD-RGB
  • CAN bus – with the TWR-SER or TWR-SER2 board.

 


Click to enlarge

The Linux BSP and the development environment targetting the K70/K61 SOM starter kit are available for free download from Emcraft's web site. Each starter kit comes preloaded with uClinux and U-Boot.

Specifications

 

K70/K61 System-On-Module
Hardware Resources

 

Here you will find hardware specifications, design files and various hardware materials describing the K70 System-On-Module and the Starter Kit.

Please note that although most materials below make references to the K70 device, those materials are applicable to the K61 as well.

If you would like to ask any question about the kit hardware architecture, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

K70/K61 SOM Resources Download Version # Date
Photos
K70 SOM top view 1A
 Dec 11, 2012
K70 SOM bottom view 1A
 Dec 11, 2012
High-Level Diagrams
K70 SOM high-level diagram 1A
 Dec 11, 2012
Hardware Documentation
K70 SOM hardware architecture specification
 1.7
Apr 6, 2016
K70 SOM environmental specification 1A May 28, 2015
K70 SOM power consumption 1A Jun 26, 2015
K70 SOM CE certificate 1A Jun 23, 2015
K70 SOM RoHS certificate 1A Aug 19, 2016
Hardware Materials
K61/K70 SOM 3D model
(requires registration and login)		 1A
 Oct 27, 2015
K70 SOM symbol and footprint (Altium Designer)
(requires registration and login)		 1A Dec 18, 2012
TWR-SOM-BSB schematics
(requires registration and login)		 2A
 Jul 15, 2014
TWR-SOM-BSB Bill-Of-Materials (BOM)
(requires registration and login)		 2A
 Jul 15, 2014
TWR-SOM-BSB baseboard CAD design package (Altium Designer)
(requires registration and login)		 2A
 May 4, 2016

Demos

Ordering Info

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