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New 16Mb FWH & LPC high density FLASH for BIOS code storage applications
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ST has recently expanded its broad range of Firmware Hub (FWH) and Low Pin Count (LPC) Flash memories with the introduction of higher density and higher performance 16Mb Flash devices:the M50FW016 (2Mb x 8, FWH, Uniform Block) and M50LPW116 (2Mb x 8, LPC, Boot Block). |
ST is the first company to offer a complete range of Flash memories for PC BIOS from 2Mb to 16Mb. The new 16Mb devices are also the first on the market to be compliant with Low Pin Count Interface Specification, 1.1 Revision, allowing the M50FW016 to support multi-byte Firmware Memory Read/Write cycles, with the M50LPW116 able to support Read/Write memory cycles. Thanks to the multi-byte Read operation, the transfer rate can grow up to 15.6 Mbytes per second, faster than any existing serial Flash Interface.
The devices are developed in state-of-the-art 0.15m process technology and they can both be electrically erased at a block level and in-system reprogrammed on a byte basis using a 3.0 to 3.6 supply voltage.
Technical Highlights
The main common features of the 16Mb Flash devices are the following:
Supply Voltage:
- Vcc=3V to 3.6V for program, read and erase operations
- Vpp=12V for fast read and erase operations
Two Interfaces:
- FWH and LPC interface for embedded operations with PC chipsets
- Address/address Multiplexed (Mux) interface for programming equipment compatibility
FWH and LPC hardware interface mode:
- Five signal communication interface supporting read and write operations
- Hardware write protect pins for block protection
- Register based read and write protection
- Five additional general purpose inputs for platform design flexibility
- Four identification inputs allowing up to 16 devices to be connected to the same bus (IDO-ID3)
- Synchronized with 33MHz PCI clock to improve system performance
Programming Time:
- 10s typical
- Quadruple byte programming option to program four adjacent bytes in the memory array at one time
Erasing Time:
- 0.75s typical for 64Kbyte block erase
- Chip erase option
Package:
- TSOP40 (10x20mm)
- PLCC32 package can be offered on demand
Additional common features for 16Mb FWH and LPC memories are: double block protection (the first in hardware, through write protect pins and the second in software, through lock registers) and identification pins, allowing up to 16 devices to be connected to the same bus.
The block addresses are different for the two products:
The M50FW016 has 32 uniform blocks of 64Kbyte each.
The M50LPW116 has 50 Multi boot memory blocks:
- 4 blocks on top addresses: 32Kbytes, 8Kbytes, 8Kbytes and 16Kbytes
- 16 blocks on bottom addresses: 16x4Kbytes
- Other blocks: 30x64Kbytes
Main Application Areas
The M50FW016 and the M50LPW116 specifications have been defined in co-operation with motherboard designers to ensure full compliance with their requirements. These devices are suitable for computer applications, such as servers, PCs and workstations to store system and video BIOS, embedded operating system/application software, configuration parameters and more. In addition, these Flash memories are ideal for code storage applications, such as printers, digital still cameras, set-top boxes and DVD RW drives, taking advantage of a fast serial interface.
The introduction of these new 16Mb devices means that ST is now the first company to offer a complete Flash memory portfolio for computer applications, ranging from high-end servers and notebooks to low cost personal computers. Moreover, due to the high bandwidth these devices can reach, they also represent a faster solution to store codes for all those applications requiring a serial Flash interface.
For more information on the full range of ST products available from Anglia please call +44 (0)1945 474747 or email info@anglia.com.
