Kontron AG (Germany) - Kontron adds gateway and MVB controller to its comprehensive line of TRACe™ EN50155-certified transportation computers.

Addressing full breadth of train program profiles, ease of integration and configuration are ensured from platforms featuring ruggedized high performance, high reliability technologies with integrated health management.

Kontron, a leading global provider of Embedded Computer Technology (ECT), expanded its TRACe™, family of operational computers designed specifically for the transportation market with a gateway and multi-vehicle bus (MVB) controller. Kontron developed the comprehensive TRACe line to provide proven, feature-rich building blocks and ‘plug and play’ middleware that facilitate design flexibility that addresses any train program profile. Both the Kontron TRACe gateway and MVB controller feature a rugged design that ensures virtually maintenance-free operation in harsh environments, and are optimized for any rolling stock application such as passenger information and infotainment systems, video streaming and storage servers, security surveillance and train management systems. Kontron will showcase its entire TRACe portfolio at InnoTrans (International Trade Fair for Transport Technology) in Berlin, Germany September 23-26 in Hall 2.1b, booth 320.

The Kontron TRACe™ G304-TR transportation computer gateway offers excellent Wi-Fi connectivity capabilities making it well-suited for passenger infotainment or operator remote control and maintenance. The Kontron TRACe M304-TR MVB Class 4 controller is an Ideal computing solution for TCMS (Train Control Management Systems). Kontron’s two new TRACe products offer high MTBF, high reliability, long-term support of eight years or more and are EN50155 Class Tx compliant.

The Kontron TRACe™ family benefits from the inherent flexibility advantages of Kontron’s COM Express® Computer-on-Module (COM) that features the Intel® Atom™ E3845 processor with up to quad core 1.91 GHz performance. These platforms feature high performance density and low power consumption in a small footprint, low profile design that offers integrators higher flexibility in terms of the number of available I/O. The family also provides long-term support by design based on its modularity and seamless technology insertion of the processor, storage, I/O and power supply unit.

All Kontron’s TRACe™ transportation computing platforms integrate advanced health management tools, an intelligent Power-on Built-in Test (PBIT) solution, which provides a modular and scalable set of uniform test routines to assess the health status and configuration of the complete system. Equipped with a dedicated microcontroller to monitor all functions, TRACe enables operators to permanently, continuously and independently monitor and report the status of the application executed in parallel with normal operations. The result is enhanced security along with improved diagnostics and maintenance that, in turn, minimize the need for system debugging. This makes TRACe™ ideally suited for fleet management of a large number of units in the field. Its health management tools enable operators to monitor the entire fleet to better manage and anticipate maintenance, reduce turn-around times and increase the overall availability of the units.

“TRACe is a key solution to meeting the requirements of trends in transportation such as The Internet of Things (IoT) and enhanced connectivity. For example, rolling stock systems operate in wide ranging and varied landscapes where connections may or may not be possible. TRACe delivers the necessary excellent connectivity (3G/4G/Wi-Fi) along with health-management middleware to open new capability possibilities for operators while giving them increased reliability and maintainability in the field,” explained Robert Negre, Transportation Business Line Manager. “Because TRACe is a comprehensive family of EN50155-certified transportation computers it brings unique reduced support and maintenance cost deployment benefits. Furthermore, TRACe provides the essential technologies railway industry operators need with the added advantage of health management capabilities.”

The Kontron TRACe™ G304-TR in detail:
The Kontron TRACe G304-TR features 1x WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi network interface supplying ample support for high transmission data rates and reliable performance needed for streaming multimedia applications. It provides 3-stream MIMO configurations that are ideal for a broad range of wireless applications that include high-end mesh network, wireless monitor, and computer Wi-Fi applications. It also has integrated features that are perfect for video-over-wireless applications as well as digital networking equipment such as access points, routers, set-top boxes, and gateways.

The Kontron TRACe G304-TR enables WWAN network connection through its 2G/3G/4G cellular modem (dual SIM support) offering and the full range of LTE/HSPA+/GSM/GPRS/EDGE/EV-DO Rev A/1xRTT interfaces. It is also an optimal solution for GPS location systems due to platform’s A-GPS, GPS XTRA and GLONASS support.

In addition, the Kontron TRACe G304-TR features broad power supply support (from 24VDC to 110VDC). Its front plate is dedicated to the operational connectors (certified I/O according to EN50155 standard: Ethernet, USB, serial ports, audio, digital I/O). The rear plate hosts Display Port, USB, Serial, Ethernet maintenance connectors. Internally, the Kontron TRACe G304-TR also provides 2 x 2.5-inch SATA SSD connections.

The Kontron TRACe™ M304-TR in detail:
The Kontron TRACe™ M304-TR is an EN50155 certified fanless operational computer. Designed specifically for train management, the M304-TR is based on the Kontron COMExpress© CPU module that integrates the Intel® Atom E3845 quad-core processor with 1.91 GHz performance. It is optimized to ensure stable operation in harsh environments and offers MVB and Ethernet field busses. Its MVB Class 4 interface features process data, message data, bus administrator and EMD/ESD+ physical interfaces. It also provides two independent Gigabit Ethernet LAN connections through isolated and lockable M12 connectors so it can be used as an Ethernet-MVB gateway. In addition, TRACe M304-TR features 1x WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi network interface.

The Kontron TRACe M304-TR features a wide range power supply (from 24 VDC to 110 VDC). Its front plate is dedicated to the operational connectors (certified I/O according to EN50155 standard: Ethernet, USB, Serial ports, Audio, Digital Inputs and Outputs), whereas, the rear plate hosts maintenance connectors for DisplayPort, USB, Serial and Ethernet. Internally, the M304-TR also provides 2 x 2.5-inch SATA SSD connections.

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