Product category:
Memory Devices and Modules
News Release from: SMART Modular Technologies | Subject: Universal Flash Memory Card
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 03 October 2001
Card design takes most Flash
technologies
The SMART Universal Flash Memory Card provides a universal hardware/software interface between most linear-based Flash memory arrays and host operating platforms.
The SMART Universal Flash Memory Card provides a universal hardware/software interface between most linear-based Flash memory arrays and host operating platforms The Universal Card leverages advanced flash memory and controller technologies into a single design that is compatible with most types of OEM Flash
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 1 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Due to advancements in Flash technologies, OEMs are periodically required to redesign their platforms to maintain compatibility with the prevailing Flash memory technology and silicon supplier.
As Flash technologies improve due to changes in die size, lower voltage, multilevel cell technology, larger block size and other factors, many devices used to design initial Flash card product offerings have migrated toward near end-of-life status.
Production of these older devices has been severely cut in favour of today's higher-density and more robust Flash components.
In many cases, redesigning the host operating system firmware or retrofitting older platforms to support the latest Flash technologies is not a viable option.
The Universal Card avoids these conflicts by using an advanced controller design which translates the read and write commands specific to Flash from one silicon supplier and interprets them into corresponding commands specific to components from another supplier.
Consequently, SMART's card allows customers the flexibility to source components based on market price and availability rather than being constrained by flash vendor or flash type.
This solution also minimises the adverse impact that progress in NOR-based flash components may have on the functionality of their systems.
The Universal Card emulates the functionality of the most popular linear Flash cards on the market and helps ensure the continued availability of linear Flash cards to the OEM marketplace.
"The Universal Card marks the culmination of more than 10 months of engineering research and development efforts to develop a broad-based linear Flash solution.
This project was driven by SMART's strategic partnerships with key data and telecommunications OEMs, who are interested in a practical solution for legacy platforms and want the flexibility to choose a product based on economics and performance and not necessarily the component manufacturer", said Grady Lambert, Director of Engineering, SMART.
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