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Carrier Board Design Guide

This guide provides recommendations for designing custom carrier boards that interface with Alp Lab E1M Edge AI modules through the SODIMM connector.

Overview​

E1M modules are designed as system-on-module (SoM) products that plug into application-specific carrier boards. The carrier board provides:

  • Power regulation and distribution
  • Physical connectors (USB, Ethernet, camera, display)
  • Application-specific circuitry (sensor interfaces, motor drivers, etc.)
  • Mechanical mounting and enclosure integration

SODIMM Connector Placement​

Keepout Zones​

Maintain the following clearances around the SODIMM connector:

  • Above connector: Clearance for the E1M module height (5 mm minimum)
  • Around connector: Clearance for insertion/removal

Mounting​

Power Supply Design​

Input Power Requirements​

RailVoltageTypical CurrentNotes
VCC_3V33.3V--Main module power supply
VCC_1V81.8V--I/O power supply

Decoupling​

Place bulk and high-frequency decoupling capacitors close to the SODIMM connector power pins:

  • Bulk: 100 uF electrolytic or polymer per power rail
  • High-frequency: 100 nF + 1 uF MLCC per power pin group

Power Sequencing​

Signal Routing Guidelines​

High-Speed Signals​

For MIPI CSI-2, MIPI DSI, USB 3.0, and Ethernet signals:

  • Route as differential pairs with controlled impedance (100 ohm differential)
  • Minimize stub lengths
  • Length-match within differential pairs to within 0.1 mm
  • Use ground-referenced stripline or microstrip

SPI / I2C / UART​

Standard digital interfaces can be routed as single-ended traces:

  • Keep trace lengths under 150 mm
  • Add series termination resistors (22-33 ohm) on clock lines if needed
  • Pull-up resistors for I2C: 2.2k to 4.7k ohm to VCC_3V3

GPIO​

  • Maximum load capacitance per GPIO pin: 15 pF
  • Drive strength is configurable via the ALP SDK

Reference Designs​

Alp Lab provides reference carrier board designs for evaluation and as starting points for custom designs. Contact your Alp Lab representative for access to reference design files.

Design Review Checklist​

Before sending your carrier board design to fabrication, verify the following:

  • SODIMM connector footprint matches the recommended land pattern
  • All power rails are present and properly decoupled
  • Power sequencing requirements are met
  • High-speed differential pairs are impedance-controlled and length-matched
  • Keepout zones around the SODIMM connector are respected
  • ESD protection is present on all externally-accessible connectors
  • Thermal management is adequate for the target environment