At ThinkCircuit Technologies, we offer services across various phases of embedded product design. With providing services for embedded software and hardware functionalities, we focus our core competencies on meeting customer�s product realization needs. Our pool of talented professionals with a broad fingerprint of expertise, excel at understanding customer requirements and efficiently providing technical support at every minuscule step of product development cycle. Our service horizon spans design and development, integration, verification, and technological consultancy.

Requirements Gathering Stage

In this stage, the requirements are collected in the form of use cases for the product. Most of the customers provide the product design with use cases for the various uses the product is supposed to perform. These use cases are further ranked in priority. As an example for a hand held point of sale the use cases could be like this. Use cases have to cover many classifications like user interface, ergonomics, certifications, costing, timelines etc.

Feasibility

The next stage in the electronic product design is the feasibility stage. The gathered requirements are converted in to the format so that the Engineering team can work on the feasibility part. In this stage, ThinkCircuit Technologies would analyze the following things for the customer:

• Is the product technically feasible?
• Is the OS chosen, the right OS for the application?
• Can the time lines be met with the deliverables proposed?
• Is the costing enough for the project?
• Is there any third party involvement in the project that has to be analyzed?

Acceptance Test Plan

We enter the design stage here. Here based on the use cases document initially presented, a detailed product design test cases is drafted. This also takes in to account the places where the device is typically used. For e.g. Remote monitoring unit might be in a warehouse or in a cell phone tower and it needs to be tested for rugged field conditions. Every product designed will include test cases for the field test that will be for duration of a minimum of 4 weeks. Test cases will involve hardware, software, vibration testing, drop testing, tumble testing and field-testing. Test plans would also take in to account of the ESD certifications and FCC/CE certifications.

Engineering design

In this design engineering stage, all the components for the hardware are finalized. The mechanicals are also finalized. Typically, ThinkCircuit Technologies presents the customer with a 2D/3D mechanical design model. The tools that are used here are e-drawings. Some customers prefer to do the mechanicals themselves and would want ThinkCircuit Technologies to design the product accordingly as per the specification. The 3D diagrams are important to get the volumetric specification of the product especially when there are multiple PCB's involved. The exact BOM is also finalized. At this stage the following things are completed.

• Mechanical 2D/3D diagrams
• BOM � 1K or 10K volumes
• Functional specification of the final product
• Design analysis � Detailed hardware design analysis including timing analysis for interfacing is done at this stage. Also software SDD is completed

Platform/Hardware Expertise:
Atmel AVR, ARM, ARM9, Intel PXA255, 8051, PICXX, Power PC, iMX31, MPCxxxx, x86 Based Embedded Micro controller, FPGA, CPLD.

Bus Protocol Expertise:
PCI, PCI-Express, 1553, Rapid IO, HT, USB, Gbit Eth, I2C etc.

Software Expertise:
RTOS: TNkernel, MicroC/OS-II, FreeRTOS, AVRX USB, Blue tooth, RF networking, LINUX porting, LINUX Device Drivers.

Firmware and Device Driver Development
ThinkCircuit Technologies offers firmware and device driver development services deriving from its extensive experience across myriad micro controller platforms and hosts. ThinkCircuit Technologies provides low-level firmware and device drivers across micro controller platforms like NXP�s LPC, Atmel, Microchip, Freescale I.MX3X, ARM and hosts including Linux and Windows respectively. Not limited to this, broad experience in industry standard tool chains enables us to deliver quickly.

Embedded Product Development
As part of ThinkCircuit Technologies end-to-end service offerings on embedded systems, we work to provide product development service to technology innovative firms. We provide on-time global delivery capability, in� house competency, engineering expertise, cost effectiveness and flexible workforce for your new product development and delivery.

Embedded Software Porting
ThinkCircuit Technologies specializes in porting embedded software across various targets and platforms. The service involves porting software, functional on its native platform onto a different platform.

Board Support Packages
Board Support Package (BSP) and board bring-up service forms an integral part of ThinkCircuit Technologies embedded sphere. Facilitating to realize an early customer product, ThinkCircuit Technologies BSP service includes framework, drivers, firmware, RTOS, tool chain facilitation, documentation, source code and libraries on custom as well as off the shelf board designs.

Prototyping:

This is the final stage in the product design implementation. Typically, 5 prototypes of the final product are done and this is called as Beta release. The 5 prototypes are analyzed for any hardware issues, mechanical issues and overheads and an alpha release is planned. In case of the hand held POS, some of the issues can be like the printer cutter does not align with the outer enclosure and has to be aligned etc. Typical alpha release numbers are 10-20. With this the implementation phase is completed.

Testing:

The acceptance test plan is used and all the test cases mentioned in the acceptance test plan are carried out. This also includes field-testing test cases. If there are any changes after field-testing, then one more revision of the product is done.

Library Management

TCTL also offers lone Library management services. Creating and maintaining the global/master database for customers. TCTL Library Management advantages are:

• All Libraries are built with IPC 7351 STD or Customer specific standards
• Three level of quality check before parts are moved to master library
• TCTL offers libraries in all major PCB design Tools

Schematic Capture

TCTL Offers Schematics Capture services. TCTL Schematic Capture advantages are:

• Schematics are built with ASCI/IEEE STD or Customer specific standards
• Hand drawn schematic to Logical schematics
• Netlist Verification
• TCTL offers Schematics Capture services in all major PCB design Tools

PCB Layout

TCTL Offers PCB Layout services. TCTL PCB Layout advantages are:

• Schematics driven placement of components
• Repeat and reuse techniques in placement to save time
• Signal Integrity and Thermal aspect considerations during placement and routing
• Constraint driven routing.
• Scripts and automation for clean up and post process steps.
• Checklist for verification.
• TCTL offers Placement and Routing services in all major PCB design Tools

Signal Integrity Analysis

TCTL Offers Signal Integrity Analysis services. TCTL Signal Integrity advantages are:

• Preroute and Post route Signal Integrity Analysis
• Cross talk, Reflection, Analysis
• Timing and delay Analysis
• Impedance controlled stack up build
• TCTL has Expertise in Signal Integrity Analysis services in Mentor Hyperlynx and Cadence Spectra quest Tools

Board Level Thermal Analysis

TCTL Offers Thermal Analysis services. TCTL Thermal Analysis advantages are:

• Data preparation for Thermal parameters of components
• Heat sinks Design and suggestions
• Pre and Post Layout Analysis
• Reports with Thermal output pictures and parameters and suggestions

EMI/EMC Analysis and Certification

TCTL Offers EMI/EMC Analysis services. TCTL EMI/EMC Analysis advantages are:

• Data preparation for EMI/EMC analysis
• Suggestions to reduce EMI/EMC in PCB design
• Reliability Testing and certification
• EMI/EMC Testing and certification

PCB Fabrication

TCTL Offers PCB Fabrication services. TCTL is tied with best manufactures in India, China and across the globe with:

• Attractive FAB cost and on time delivery
• Industry best manufacturing capability with latest equipments
• 100 percent Netlist and TDR testing
• Certified for ISO.Mil-PRF-5510F, UL and IPC1710

PCB Assembly

TCTL Offers Assembly services. TCTL is tied with best Assembly houses with:

• Support all type of circuit assembly construction
• Provide through hole to surface mount assembly
• Prototypes to mass volume
• Lead free PCB assembly
• BGA rework and rebelling
• Multiple BGAs and QFNs, Stackup BGA
• And can handle 0201 and fine pitch components
• Automated optical and X-ray inspection
• Analog, digital and RF functional test development
• FPGA and EPROM programming
• ESS, vibration and pressure testing
• Flying probe test service
• Box build / system integration

PCB Conversion

TCTL Offers PCB Conversion and PCB re-engineering services:

• Migration from one tool to another tool
• Re-Engineering of Gerbers to PCB Layout

PCB Training

TCTL Offers PCB Design Training services. TCTL PCB Design Trainings offerings are:

• PCB design Library development training
• PCB Design Schematics and Layout specific Tool training
• PCB Design domain foundation series
• Signal Integrity and Thermal analysis Tools training
• PCB constraints setting short course for High Speed Designs
• Signal Integrity and Thermal analysis Foundation course
• TCTL offers Preparation for IPC Certification for PCB design