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| Services > Android Services |
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| Android Services for Handhelds and Industrial Applications |
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Android is an open-source software framework that includes an operating system, middleware and applications.Given the success of Android, e-con Systems strongly believes that Android would spread its wings out of consumer devices to Industrial Handhelds, Industrial Automation, etc.
The entry of Android into the Car Infotainment Market further substantiates this thought process.
Android has addressed some of the principle challenges with the open source software but still maintained the open source advantage, thereby providing a win-win combination. |
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| e-con Offerings |
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| Having a dedicated Android team working on the Android for Industrial Handhelds and Devices, e-con Systems Offers the following, |
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| The Android framework provides the scope to customize it for any product/platform. However this involves work to be done at the various levels of the Android Architecture. e-con Systems with its expertise in Linux and Industrial Handhelds have experimented with Android for Handhelds and Industrial Devices. |
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| For Industry Handhelds and Devices, |
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| Android BSP Porting |
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e-con Systems offers Android BSP porting services for customized ARM target boards. Porting the base Linux kernel required for Android and the complete Android stack for the target boards is done by e-con Systems. e-con Systems’ Android BSP team has experience with Android on development platforms based on the Marvell XScale, TI OMAP/Sitara processor. The Android architecture contains various layers on top of a slightly customized Linux Kernel. |
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When this Android is used for Industry handhelds, the following challenges crop up. |
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There may be a need for standard interface or API in Android for a particular peripheral such as in industrial handheld |
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there is an ADC. Android SDK does not have a standard ADC API, nor a ADC support built-in. |
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An Industrial Handheld may not need a phone application or address book and definitely not the same desktop |
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appearance, locking, etc. How to remove this? |
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e-con addresses these concerns for customers who want to port Android onto Industrial Handheld and devices. e-con has developed the lower level drivers and Android middleware for various peripherals like ADC, CAN, GPIO Controls, RS485, etc. |
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| Android Device Driver Development |
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e-con Systems is an expert in Linux Driver Development and has proven track record for the past 7 years. e-con Systems has extended its Driver expertise to Android platforms as well. |
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Android driver development involves developing/porting drivers for customer chosen peripherals that are already supported by the Android Stack. Some of these devices are |
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GSM/GPRS Module |
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GPS |
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Camera |
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USB Devices |
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SD Memory Card |
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Bluetooth |
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WiFi |
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Audio |
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LCD & Touch Screen |
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e-con can port or develop drivers for Android that work in cohesion with the Android Middleware and Applications seamlessly. |
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The driver development for Android, especially for Industrial Handhelds and devices may involve developing complete drivers and Android HAL, Libraries and Applications for some peripherals. These peripherals are not inherently supported by Android. Some of these peripherals include |
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CAN Controller |
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ADC |
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GPIO lines |
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RS485 |
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Related Links |
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e-con Systems develops the necessary low level drivers, Android HAL, libraries and Applications to support these custom devices. |
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| Android Reference design |
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| The Alioth - PXA300 Reference Design is a dual board solution which features a piggy back eSOM300 - computer on module and carrier board. The computer on module consists of XScaleŽ/ARM PXA300 ultra low power microprocessor, MDDR SDRAM, flash memory, power management IC, LCD Daughter card with 4.3" / 7" TFT, Ethernet, Camera Interface. |
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| The Alioth kit can be used as a rapid product development platform and customers can use this kit to test their application on the Android, Windows CE BSP, Linux (Ångström Distribution) provided by e-con. In addition to the BSP e-con provides reference schematics for the carrier board and hence carrier board design can be done in few weeks time thus enabling the customers to speed up time to market. |
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Android on Alioth |
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| Android Application Development |
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e-con has an Android Application Development team that develops custom Android Applications. The Application team’s focus is to develop customized applications for Android Handhelds and Industrial Control Devices based on requirements from customers. The Android application team does not develop applications for the Android Marketplace.
Some applications developed by the Application Team are as follows |
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Voltage monitoring Application |
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Industrial data collection Application |
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Custom Camera Application |
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| Android Based complete product Development |
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| e-con does complete product development services for a number of different kind of handhelds. e-con can design & develop devices as per customer specification and be with the customer from finalizing product specification to design development and prototype manufacturing. e-con can help in the following: |
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Choosing the right Android components |
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Writing the suitable Android Applications for the device |
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Porting the necessary device drivers etc |
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| e-con Systems offers end-to-end product engineering services for embedded product design and development helping to build affordable solutions in emerging markets. For more information, please visit e-con's Product design services page |
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| Why e-con for Android Industrial |
| Handhelds? |
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Team well placed and Focussed on |
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Android for Handhelds |
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Alioth – e-con's customized Android |
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BSP with CAN, ADC, etc. |
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Expertise with Rugged handheld and |
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development. |
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Strong Embedded Linux Background |
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Download Android Services Profile 
