Embedded TCP/IP Stack Puts MCUs On The Web

The SX-Stack is a complete network connectivity protocol stack that's designed to provide direct Internet access for cost- and size-contstrained embedded applications, such as remote access and monitoring devices, industrial control systems, and Web-enabled appliances. The SX-Stack can communicate with any Web browser on the Internet and can also receive and send e-mail. The product includes the physical interface layer with the TCP/IP network protocols, enabling system designers to produce embedded Internet devices without external physical access chips or a gateway PC.The hardware platform for the SX-Stack is the firm's SX Series microcontrollers, which can provide up to 100 MIPS of performance. As a result, the MCUs can handle all the protocol functions and still can run application code. Contained within the SX-Stack are all of the standard Internet protocol layers: the network access layer, the Internet layer, the host-to-host transport layer, and the application layer. Protocols are implemented as Virtual Peripheral software modules stored in on-chip flash/EEPROM on the SX Series MCU. The modules can be implemented as a Web server and as an e-mail client. The SX-Stack is available for licensing.