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TI Introduces Industryıs First Integrated Flash Media and Smart Card CardBus Controller for Laptops and Small PCs

Solution Lowers Costs, Enables Secure Transactions for e-Commerce Applications

The manufacturer says . . .

ChipCenter's Paul O'Shea says . . .

A new device from Texas Instruments reads multiple types of Flash media without costly adapters as well as providing smart card functionality for security and e-commerce applications. Designed for use in laptop computers and small PCs, the PCI1620 CardBus controller chip -- fully compliant with PCMCIA proposal 262 -- lowers end customersı overall ownership cost by up to 70 percent and solves the dilemma of multiple cards for Flash media and enables secure transactions in a host of existing and up-and-coming e-commerce applications. The complete functionality of the PCI1620 will be demonstrated next week at the Intel Developers Forum in San Jose, CA. More than 500 million Flash media cards including Smart Media (SM), Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick (MS) and MultiMediaCards -- which are all supported by the PCI1620 -- will be shipped by 2005, according to recent research reports. Some existing laptops have dedicated sockets, but they only support one type of Flash Media. ıTIıs UltraMedia technology integrates and simplifies the use of multiple Flash memory cards and smart cards in mobile PCs with a simple, low-cost passive adapter,ı said Andy Prophet, executive director of the MultiMediaCard Association (www.mmca.org). ıUsing this technology, the highly integrated PCI1620 serves as host controller for all these cards using a single, low-cost passive adapter that enables end users to switch among media types without the hassle or cost of active adapters or external readers.ı The PCI1620 is the first product available that is fully compliant to PCMCIAıs proposal 262, whose purpose is to allow connectivity of media cards and smart cards through the standard PC card form factor. Incorporating Gemplusı GemCoreTM smart card interface technology, the PCI1620 integrates a smart card reader that enables secure log-on to PCs and networks and encryption of sensitive data. Compliant with EMV2000, a set of global specifications for cards, terminals, and applications, it also provides security for online banking transactions, such as debit/credit services and online payments. "With the help of Gemplusı leading edge technology and support, our UltraMedia products will enable PC users to do business and perform transactions over the Internet with increased security, convenience and confidence," said Julie Holland, director of TIıs Connectivity Solutions group. "By working with Gemplus, we are able to offer our customers tremendous savings, ease-of-use and instant access to the inherent benefits of smart card technology, which we believe is poised for tremendous growth in the near future due to the need for more security and privacy." The PCI1620ıs smart card capability simplifies network security and e-commerce -- providing additional convenience to end users -- by keeping track of a variety of data types, including user IDs, passwords, name and address information, credit card numbers, and favorite Web site lists. Stored securely in the smart card, this information can automatically populate Web forms, such as login or checkout forms at an e-commerce site. Additionally, the smart card can store user profiles, allowing multiple users to share a PC, as each userıs personalized settings are applied with insertion of their smart card. Smart cards will also serve up-and-coming Internet applications, such as tracking purchases made on shoppersı cards, consumer JavaTM technology-based cards that allow access to private Web sites, and tracking video game records and points. Laptop and small PC OEMs can either provide dedicated sockets for different types of media cards (including a 4-in-1 socket), or a single low-cost, passive adapter can accommodate four types (MS, SM, SD and MultiMediaCards). In the latter case, the end user simply inserts the media card into a PC card adapter, and inserts the adapter into a laptop PC card slot. The PCI1620 supports two CardBus slots, and allows for two different kinds of media to be accessed at the same time. A separate adapter for smart cards is also available from numerous suppliers. Texas Instruments website

Flash media is growing rapidly; MemStat says they expect a compound annual growth rate of 23.9% through 2005. They are expecting more than 420 million of these cards to ship by 2005. The top four memory cards - Compact Flash (31%), Smart Media (22%), Memory Stick (20%), and Secure Digital (18%) make up more than 90% of the market. What that means to you and I is that these companies are entrenched in the market and we have to put up with having different media. TI now offers this PCI1620 CardBus reader to help users who want to use the same reader for all these card technologies and formats. The PCI1620 is the first chip that is fully compliant with the upcoming PCMCIA proposal 262, and supports both Smart Card media and Flash media. The genius of this TI device it that all the major memory cards are supported and customers that have this TI chip in their laptop are the winners. Imagine that you have a digital camera that uses one type of memory card and an MP3 player that uses another memory card. This scenario means that you have to buy additional devices to read each of those cards. This new chip allows you to use one passive adapter to read four of the five major formats. Currently, the SmartCard, because of itıs design, needs another adapter, but the reader is integrated onto the PCI1620. The reader is also compliant with PCSC (personal computer SmartCard) and EMV, (Euro pay Master Card and VISA). EMV is a European spec that dictates how online purchases are made. Right now there is nothing comparable in the US - but it is coming. The PCI1620 is a TI UltraMedia solution, which is TIıs name for solutions that meet PCMCIA proposals 262 and 275. The device has a 1.8V core, it is a two-slot CardBus, and supports all the mentioned medias through a dedicated socket or passive adapter in either PC card slots. So you could have a memory stick in one slot and a SmartCard in the other slot. The cards can also talk to each other if two cards are inserted in the PCMCIA slots. It also is compatible with the previous version of the TI CardBus controller, the PCI1520. That lets customers drop the chip into their existing solution and it will provide the additional capabilities of the PCI1620. Firmware can be customized because it has a microcontroller on it. This lets TI enable/disable functions via the firmware. This also allows TI to compete with manufacturers that donıt have a fully functional device but have a dedicated device at a cheaper price. The PCI1620 CardBus controller is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for October 2002. It is available in 209 GHK MicroStar BGA and 208-PDV packages. Planned pricing is $8.00 each in quantities of 10,000 Product Brochure

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