QuickLogic speeds hard disk drive transfers with new system block

As part of their ongoing commitment with regard to the mobile device market, the folks at QuickLogic have developed an UltraDMA (UDMA) system block for their Customer Specific Standard Product (CSSP) platforms. Created in conjunction with CSSP customers, the UDMA block speeds data transfers to mass storage while reducing system power requirements.

The UDMA Proven System Block (PSB) adds to QuickLogic's suite of hard disk drive (HDD) interface blocks for the company's CSSP platforms, including PolarPro and ArcticLink. The UDMA block quadruples the speed of parallel-ATA data transfers from 16 Mbytes/sec to 66 Mbytes/sec. It works in ATA/ATAPI-5 modes as well as multi-word DMA and PIO modes, and includes driver software for the Linux operating system. Development of a Windows CE based software driver is also planned for release.

QuickLogic's development of the UDMA PSB arose as the result of working with a customer on creation of a CSSP for a wireless HDD product. The customer wanted to make sure the actual data transfer rate between the HDD and the QuickLogic supplied USB High-speed On-the-Go (OTG) interface port was as fast as possible, at least 200 Mbits/second.

QuickLogic worked very closely with the customer – they jointly defined the system architecture to create this block – and the folks at QuickLogic say that the result exceeded the customer's performance expectations.

For more information about QuickLogic and their CSSPs and PSBs, visit www.quicklogic.com.