Block speeds data transfers to mass storage

The UDMA Proven System Block adds to QuickLogic's suite of hard disk drive (HDD) interface blocks for the company's CSSP platforms.

To support the development of mobile devices, QuickLogic has developed an UltraDMA (UDMA) system block for its customer specific standard product (CSSP) platforms.

Created in conjunction with CSSP customers, the UDMA block speeds data transfers to mass storage peripherals while reducing system power requirements.

The UDMA Proven System Block (PSB) adds to QuickLogic's suite of hard disk drive (HDD) interface blocks for the company's CSSP platforms, including PolarPro and ArcticLink.

The UDMA block quadruples the speed of parallel-ATA data transfers from 16 to 66Mbyte/s.

It works in ATA/ATAPI-5 modes as well as multiword DMA and PIO modes, and includes driver software for the Linux operating system.

Development of a Windows CE based software driver is also planned for release.

"The performance enhancement that the new UDMA PSB gives our ATA interface will support the design of mobile devices that stream movies from a hard disk drive", says QuickLogic's Principal Architect and Senior Director of Systems Engineering, Judd Heape.

"Designers can also translate this performance increase into power savings by putting the HDD into a low-power sleep mode in between data transfers".

"The higher transfer speed means that the HDD spends more time asleep".

QuickLogic's development of the UDMA PSB arose as the result of working with a customer on creation of a CSSP for a wireless HDD product.

"The customer wanted to make sure the actual data transfer rate between the HDD and the QuickLogic supplied USB High-speed On-the-Go (OTG) interface port was as fast as possible, at least 200Mbit/s", says Heape.

"QuickLogic worked very closely with the customer and jointly defined the system architecture to create this block, which exceeded their performance expectations".

"This solution highlights QuickLogic's complete approach to fulfilling customer needs and how QuickLogic can successfully work directly with customers to create and combine PSBs to address their most challenging requirements".

The UDMA PSB is available immediately as part of QuickLogic's CSSP support package.

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