Controller ousts NOR Flash from mobile designs

Novel solution enables mobile processors to boot directly from managed NAND devices and memory cards, eliminating the need for NOR Flash.

QuickLogic has come up with a novel solution that enables the application processors in mobile products to boot directly from managed NAND devices and memory cards, eliminating the need for NOR Flash and thus reducing BOM cost and PCB area.

The solution is a unique combination of QuickLogic's proven SDIO host controller and additional intellectual property that performs the boot sequencing function, managed NAND is an emerging trend in Flash storage technology that integrates both NAND Flash memory and a controller device that handles the complexities of error correction (ECC) and other vendor-specific housekeeping operations associated with using the memory.

By handling these complexities on the managed NAND device itself, the mobile product's application processor can focus on running the operating system and software applications.

This new capability will become especially important as NAND Flash devices reduce cost and increase capacity by moving to multilevel cell (MLC) designs.

Managed NAND also provides a simplified and standardised interface to the memory that allows QuickLogic's solution to help reduce BOM cost by expanding competitive supply options, allowing companies to mix and match memory from different vendors.

"This managed NAND solution gives our customers the best of both worlds", says Judd Heape QuickLogic's Director of Systems Architecture.

"This added capability allows mobile product designers to eliminate the NOR Flash they typically use to hold bootable system software in their designs".

"Now for the first time they can use a single type of memory for both data and boot program storage".

"Designers will gain the density of NAND Flash with the bootability of NOR Flash, all with the simplicity and flexibility of a managed interface".

QuickLogic's boot from managed NAND solution is available now with boot software support for Linux and Windows CE operating systems.

The solution can be implemented in QuickLogic's PolarPro and Eclipse II programmable device technology, as well as in the programmable fabric of the company's latest ArcticLink solution platform.

The managed NAND solution will be priced for as little as US $1.20 in high volume, depending on the platform used.

Back to top