The SST55LC200 CompactFlash (CF) Card Controller is the core of a high-performance, flash media-based data storage system. The controller recognizes the control, address, and data signals on the CF bus and translates them into memory accesses for standard NAND-type flash media. Using both Single Level Cell (SLC) and Multi-Level Cell (MLC) flash media, this technology supports solid state mass storage applications by offering new, expanded functionality while enabling smaller, lighter designs with lower power consumption.

The CF Card Controller supports standard CF protocols with up to PIO Mode-6, Multi-word DMA Mode-4, and Ultra DMA Mode-4 interface. The CF interface is widely used in products such as portable and desktop computers, digital cameras, music players, handheld data collection scanners, PDAs, handy terminals, personal communicators, audio recorders, monitoring devices, and set-top boxes.

The CF Card Controller uses SuperFlash® memory technology, and is factory pre-programmed with an embedded flash file system. Upon initial power-on, the SST55LC200 recognizes the flash media devices, sets up a bad block table, executes all the necessary handshaking routines for flash media support, and, finally, performs the low-level format. This process typically takes about 3 second plus 0.5 seconds per gigabyte of drive capacity, allowing a 4 GByte flash drive to be fully initialized in about 5 seconds. For added manufacturing flexibility, system debug, re-initialization, and user customization can be accomplished through the CF interface.

The SST55LC200 high-performance CF Card Controller offers sustained read and write performance up to 30 MByte/sec. The SST55LC200 directly supports up to eight flash media devices with appropriate output loading and frequency.

The SST55LC200 offers added security protection for confidential information stored in the flash media. It allows up to four protection zones which can be set by the user to be Read/Write, Read-only, or Hidden (Read-disabled). The CF Card Controller can access the data within the protected zones through a password-protected command. The controller also provides a WP#/PD# pin to protect critical information stored in the flash media from unauthorized overwrites.

The CompactFlash Card Controller comes pre-programmed with a 10-byte unique serial ID. For even greater system security, the user has the option of programming an additional 10 Bytes of ID space to create a unique, 20-byte ID.

The CompactFlash card controller comes packaged in an industry-standard 100-lead TQFP package for easy integration into an SMT manufacturing process.