May 17-18, 2000
Resort Suites - Scottsdale, AZ
Presentation Index - (All presentations are in pdf format unless otherwise noted. Presentation links are also provided in the text of the minutes. Links not highlighted have not yet been posted.)
Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Bob Downing called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM and asked members to introduce themselves. Bob presented the agenda for review. Several adjustments were made and the agenda was approved. The minutes from the previous VSO meeting were approved as presented.
John Rynearson, VITA, presented the ANSI and VSO Patent Policies. John asked if any patents needed to be disclosed. No patents were presented. John noted that Danny Cohen had provided the VSO with yet another example of interesting patents. This patent covers a method of using bar code tattoos to further commerce between buyers and sellers. However, after being issued Danny noted that prior art over 2000 years old was pointed out. See attachment. Danny also announced in his email that he is retiring from Myricom but would like to stay in touch with the VSO membership. Danny's new email is <dannycohen@ieee.org>
John noted that Warren Andrews was soliciting more detail articles on VSO standards efforts and that he had sent out an email to task group chairs. John urged task group chairs to take advantage of this opportunity to expose their work to a wider audience.
Dennis Terry, Artisyn, announced that this was his last VSO meeting and that he would be retiring from Artisyn. John Rynearson expressed the appreciation of the VSO for Dennis's efforts during his membership with the VSO and wished him well.
Ray Alderman reported on several VITA activities. VITA has consolidated its office space. Phone numbers and address will remain the same. Because VITA's has replaced much of its paper media with electronic media, much less storage space is required.
John Rynearson reported on the current status of specifications in the ANSI canvass process. See attached overheads.
John discussed a VME clarification issue brought to him by Bill Karet, Themis. This issue has come up several other times and needs to be resolved. It involves the 2.5 mm keepout area on the top and bottom of VMEbus modules. The 2.5 keepout area allows boards to fit into the subrack guides. The issue is whether or not the 2.5 mm keep out area extends in the 3rd dimension. Some manufacturers have designed boards with mezzanine modules that protrude into this area. These board do not cause problems in systems with narrow guide rails, but can cause problems in systems where the guide rail is thicker. Two other standards need to be examined: P1386 and IEEE 1101.1 to see if they have an impact on this problem. Ray Alderman suggested that a subcommittee of the VSO be formed to investigate this issue and report back to the VSO on their findings. John Rynearson will chair this subcommittee. See attachment.
John Rynearson reported that several VMEbus international standards, IEC 821 (VME), IEC 822 (VSB), IEC 823 (VMS) were up for 5 year reaffirmation. After reviewing the standards, the VSO voted to support the reaffirmation of IEC 821 and IEC 822. The VSO voted to approve the withdrawal of IEC 823 which is the VMS serial bus standard. It was never widely used by the VMEbus community. The VSO expressed no interest in the STE standard. The VIC bus standard will be handled by Chris Parkman, CERN. See attachment.
John Rynearson reported that several IEEE standards originally developed in the BASC (Bus Architecture Sub Committee) were now up for reaffirmation. Because the BASC is no longer in existence, these standards now fall under the MSC (Microprocessor Sub Committee). Don Wright, Lexmark, don@lexmark.com is the new chair of the MSC. See attached list of standard. After discussion the VSO asked John to circulate the list on the VITA reflector to determine which standards should be reaffirmed and which standard should be withdrawn. See attachment.
Hermann Strass, VITA Technical Coordinator for Europe, reported on European activities. The VMEbus technology logo, developed by European members as a way to increase VMEbus awareness, is now available for VITA members use. It can be used by any one who has a system with VMEbus content. Hermann presented a copy of articles that he has written for the European press on the VMEbus. Hermann presented a list of upcoming trade fairs and discussed his contribution to the PC•MIP effort. In the future Hermann plans to contribute addition information to the VMEbus FAQ.
*** BREAK ***
Bob Downing introduced Rich Jaenicke, Mercury, and Dan Bouvier, Motorola, who gave a presentation on Rapid I/O. Rapid I/O was developed by Mercury and Motorola to provide a high speed point to point data transfer method targeted specifically at on-board and interboard communications. See attached presentation. Rapid I/O does not specify a standard mechanical framework. Rich and Dan invited both VITA and PICMG members to consider developing such a mechanical standard. Rapid I/O has formed a trade association to promote the technology and will have its first meeting in about a month. Availability of the specification and membership requirements are being finalized. See http://www.rapidio.org.
*** LUNCH ***
The VSO reconvened at 1:20 PM and heard a presentation titled "Open Source Software in Military Systems" by Mike Macpherson and Frank McPherson both of MITRE corporation. Mike presented an overview of the work that MITRE does and Frank talked about the use of open source software. See attached presentations.
Greg Barlett, Teledyne, gave a presentation on rigid flex technology. This technology allows rigid circuit boards to be connected via flex circuit technology. Greg talked about their concept of VME Flex technology and showed a sample VME board with a large mezzanine module that was connected along the front panel edge with a flexible circuit. Greg discussed the advantages of this technique over the standard technique of using mating pins and connectors. Greg suggested that the VSO consider creating a standard to define this technology. See attached presentation.
VITA 31, Serial I/O on P0, Mike Thompson
Mike discussed whether or not the current 2 mm P0 connector would support 2.5 Ghz signals. The task group is awaiting more tests. If not, then the VSO would have to consider using another connector. The group discussed whether or not Rapid I/O pin assignments should be placed in VITA 31. The group discussed whether or not there should be one standard or a family of standards.
VITA 32, Processor PMC, Greg Novak, Motorola
Greg noted that he has not had time to finish revising the latest draft, but hoped to have it done for task group ballot before the July VSO meeting.
VITA 36, PIM, Greg Novak, Motorola
Greg reported that less work is required on this draft and that it should be ready for ballot by mid June.
The VSO meeting was adjourned for the day.
Thursday, May 18, 2000
Bob downing called the VSO meeting to order at 8:35 AM. No announcements were made.
VITA 1.4, Live Insertion, Mike Thompson, Pentair
Mike presented an issue that had arisen regarding the use of the Force Computer electronic daisy chain patent and whether or not it was appropriate for use in a hot swap environment. Mike described the circuit and a general discussion followed. See attachment. In the end it was decided to put the circuit up on the web and asked for additional comments from bus requestor designers to determine if the circuit could be used. Mike noted that he is still getting all of Jim Botte's comments into the next revision.
VITA 38, System Management Bus on VME, Mike Thompson, Pentair
Mike noted that PICMG has adopted the IPMB, Intel Platform Management Bus, for use on cPCI and asked whether or not the VSO could do the same thing for the VMEbus. Mike recommended that it be done in such as way so as to maintain as much compatibility between the two implementations as possible. Dick Somes, PICMG Technical Director, stated that he did not see any issues with the VSO using the PICMG specification to create its standard. Mike recommended the use of SERA and SERB lines on the VME connector to maintain compatibility with 96 pin only systems. Much discussion ensured as to whether or not compatibility with 96 pin systems was necessary or desirable. Ray Alderman noted that most new designs were using the 5 row connector to take advantage of the addition voltage pins.
Pins required to implement IPMB are as follows:
Pin 1 - SCL, Pin 2 - GND, Pin 3 - SDA, Pin 4 - Vsm, Pin 5 - ALERT#. VMEbus +5V standby could be used for pin 4 - Vsm.
One issue to consider is that VME uses more slots than cPCI so that the load capacitance would have to be partitioned differently. Mike asked that members consider what pins should be used for chassis connections and to email their suggestions to him.
*** BREAK ***
When the meeting resumed the Dick Somes noted that similar to the PICMG specification, IPMB was also a specification, not a standard and that the same issues would apply with its use in a VSO created standard as would the use of the PICMG specification. Frank Hom suggested that BgxIN pins in slot 1 could be used for IPMB chassis signals. Bob Downing again raised the issue of whether or not we should be concerned with 96 pin systems. Ray Alderman asked if we should consider dumping the DIN connector on VME and going to a 2 mm implementation (ie, VMEbus Plus????). Discussion ensured and it was decided to defer this issue to the VITA 34 task group. The task group took a straw vote on pin allocation and decided to select three reserved bus lines on Row D of P1. The task group will also look at the intellectual property issues involved with the use of IPMB and decide how to handle these. See attached notes.
Ray Alderman - IP Core Discussion.
Ray noted an email that he had recently sent to members regarding the growing interest in and availability of IP cores. He stated that he felt IP cores would become increasingly important to board manufacturers.
Ray informed the members that he had made a proposal to the VITA board to allocation some of the VITA's funds for special projects to benefit the members. Ray noted that one idea he had was to fund Wade Peterson to complete his VMEbus core product. Other ideas suggested were NRE funding to develop a new VMEbus interface transceiver chip and allocating funds to develop a standard software driver interface.
VITA 17.1, Serial FPDP, Ron Taulton, Systran
Ron stated that he was continuing to work on the draft and hoped to have it available for members review by June 5. He would like to give members several weeks to respond to the draft informally and then submit it to a task group ballot by the end of June.
VITA 20, CCPMC, Mike Macpherson, MITRE
Mike noted that the task group thought all sticky issues had been resolved when it was realized that the size of the secondary thermal holes was in dispute. Some members were using 2.2 mm and others were using 2.7 mm and both group had products in the field. Mike also discussed several other issues that were not as controversial. The task group will try to resolve these issues and present them at the July VSO meeting.
VITA 30.1, 2mm Conduction Cooled VME, Dick Somes, Force Computers
Minor revisions have been made to the draft. The task group would like to conduct a task group ballot and will coordinate this with the VITA office.
VITA 30.2, Separable Power Connectors, Elwood Parsons, Tyco/Amp
The current draft 0.5 is now ready for task group ballot pending several minor changes. When ready the draft will be submitted to the VITA office for a task group ballot.
Plenary Reports
John Rynearson reported that TI had notified him that due to project reprioritization, implement of a VITA 2.1 compatible transceiver chip would not be possible until Q3 or Q4 or 2001. The task group will consider this new date and provide comments to TI.
The next meeting is schedule for July 19-20 in Vancouver. The schedule for 2001 will be discussed at that meeting.
The being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 AM.
/s/ John Rynearson, VSO Secretariat