The MOST(R) Cooperation (MOSTCO) – the standardization organization for the leading automotive multimedia network Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) – introduces the new „Remote Control“ feature that is being added to the MOST specifications. The new feature allows the reduction of the number of microcontrollers and amount of memory in small and mid-size systems by obsoleting them in peripheral nodes such as displays and cameras, but also amplifiers and the like. Instead of having a microcontroller in each node, the other nodes can be controlled remotely by a central microcontroller – for example, the one in the head unit. Leaving out the other microcontrollers and memory can drive system cost down significantly. Performing all control centrally in the head unit also simplifies the development process considerably, as only one piece of software needs to be developed. Amplifiers and displays run without a local microcontroller and without local software.
„This kind of device architecture significantly lowers costs on the side of the remote devices and helps to optimize in the area of system partitioning, board space or even power dissipation in the remote device,“ explained Rainer Klos, MOST Cooperation Administrator. „Typical examples for peripheral devices are cameras and rear seat entertainment devices including auxiliary I/Os, displays, etc.“ At the MOST Forum, the new feature is shown in a demo that connects a head unit with several displays and an amplifier over MOST50 with unshielded twisted pair (UTP) copper wire as well as over MOST150 with coaxial cable. The whole system only has one microcontroller.
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