PC card to USB and UART controller creates high speed data ports for wireless modems

MILPITAS, Calif., June 6, 2006 - Oxford Semiconductor today announced a new controller that combines a 16-bit PC Card host interface, a USB 2.0 full speed host controller and a high performance UART. The OXCFU950 from Oxford Semiconductor provides the flexibility to support next generation, high speed PC and Compact Flash Cards for 3G cellular, mobile TV and wireless networking applications.

This cost effective chip complies with both PCMCIA revision 8.0 and Compact Flash revision 3.0 standards, and provides laptops and hand held devices with a low power, seamless interface to USB and serial port connected equipment.

Oxford's unique USB implementation integrates a USB 2.0 full speed host controller with an 8kbyte data buffer and Windows or Linux software stacks. This combination enables designers to produce fully OHCI-compatible PC Cards that make full use of Window's USB plug-and-play and multi-data pipe support.

The OXCFU950's ultra high performance OX16C95X synchronous UART offers baud rates up to 12Mbps. Its 128-byte deep transmit and receive FIFO ensures CPU overhead is minimized and data throughput is maximized. The UART is software compatible with the industry standard 16C550 type and others in the Oxford Semiconductor product line.

The OXCFU950 provides a complete, single chip, bridging solution that reduces system cost and board area. In a 9mm x 9mm 64-pin QFN package rated for an industrial temperature range of -40ºC to +85ºC, the device integrates configuration EEPROM, voltage regulator and four configurable GPIO pins.

Oxford Semiconductor is supporting the OXCFU950 with drivers for Windows 98, 2000, XP and CE and Linux operating systems, an evaluation board and comprehensive documentation. The chip is priced at $4.68 in 1,000 piece quantities and is sampling now.