Controller and PC in one device

B&R Hypervisor saves space in mobile machines

B&R equips its X90 PC for mobile machines with B&R Hypervisor software. This allows the PC to simultaneously serve as a powerful controller and a Windows or Linux PC, so that "smart farming" applications can be realized with just one device.

The General Purpose Operating System (GPOS) and the real-time operating system are connected through a virtual network interface. For example, cloud-connected Windows software can be used to calculate the optimal path a mobile machine should follow, while the real-time operating system converts this information into specific commands for the drives. Combining two control systems on a single device lowers equipment costs. It also enables a more compact design and makes more efficient use of available hardware resources.

Option card for an external I/O connection

B&R also offers a new optional card for connecting external I/O modules or sensors in conjunction with hypervisor software. It is equipped with three CAN POWERLINK interfaces and one real-time POWERLINK interface.

Standardized communication

B&R also offers an optional card with four additional Ethernet interfaces to network the PC in the mobile machine. In this way, external devices such as GPS receivers or mobile modems can be connected to the PC. The interfaces feature the Ethernet extension TSN, making them optimally prepared for the OPC UA over TSN communication standard.