Introduction

DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT 7/2023

i.MX RT based vehicle controller

RT1176

Draft documentation related to MR-VMU-RT1176 AKA, MR-FMURT7, FMURT7, FMURT, VMURT7, VMURT1176, FMU-RT117x FMU-RT1176, FMU-RT1172.

The above mentioned boards are all either the same board with different naming conventions, or fully compatible boards. This design is fully compatible with other variants of i.MX RT117x such as RT1172 for production cost savings. The RT1176 has features that are currently unused, it is however more ubiquitous and easier to procure.

RT1060

There is also an original older design that was done useing i.MX RT1062 as well. The detail of this was not published, but there could be mention of it in this gitbook for specific reasons. That board was a precursor to the RT1176 design. Since that time, and now that code (particularly NuttX and drivers) are stable, there is a low cost opensource design called TROPIC that can also run PX4 and Cognipilot. You can find links to that on a page at the end of this document.

This is DRAFT documentation only. It will/can include general notes helpful during developments There will also be production documentation for this found in PX4.io and Cognipilot.org

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Please either make pull requests against this doc in git

or comment back to me if the items below don't make sense. Any docs or additions or suggestions are welcome in any format.

Naming Background

This design was based on the Linux foundation DroneCode PX4 FMU V6x reference design. However the "Flight Management Unit" (FMU) is suitable for more than just flying vehicles, therefore we are preferring to refer to it as a VMU "Vehicle Management Unit".

The VMU nomenclature s more generic, and in particular applicable to AMRs and other robotics applications such as MR-Buggy3, MR-B3RB-M, or rovers.

PX4/NuttX Naming

In PX4 the software target currently is referred to as FMU-RT117x (possibly FMURT7 for short)

(This needs to be checked an updated regularly - 7/12/2023 Iain)

FMU SOM module naming

Technically FMU-RT7 or FMU-RT1172 name refers to the pluggable module (SOM - system on module)

Vxx carrier board naming

Also note that Vxx or Vxx7 refers to the carrier board that the actual VMU module plugs into . It is important to note that NXP version of this carrier board includes T1 Automotive Ethernet and a 3rd CAN port. The Vxx7 version of the carrier board also removes the IO processor that was on the baseboard and not used. Instead there are EXTRA PWM signals on the latest PAB standard bus which are generated and come directly from the RT1176 chip.

VMU-RT117x complete assembly naming

The combined FMU-RT7/FMURT1176 + Vxx board we will refer to as VMU-RT117x (or possibly VMURT7 for short).