TDK Releases GBDriver® RA6 Series NAND Flash Memory Controller LSI

New Controller Supports the Latest Flash Memory Chips and Features Improved Security Functions and Higher Reliability for Applications Replacing HDDs

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TDK Corporation (NYSE:TDK)(TOKYO:6762) announces development of the GBDriver® RA6 NAND Flash memory controller LSI. Sales will begin in December.

As the storage capacity of NAND Flash memory increases rapidly with finer designs, memory cell structures and functions are undergoing extreme changes, making it increasingly difficult to maintain compatibility between generations. To address this issue, the GBDriver® RA6 series of controllers are fully compatible with earlier NAND Flash memory chips and can control the latest two-plane write Flash memories. GBDriver® RA6 controllers can control up to eight 8-Gbit NAND Flash memory chips for a maximum of 8 GByte.

The GBDriver® RA6 series features improved NAND Flash memory management methods, and even when data writing to the memory is excessively concentrated, data is not concentrated in one area of the memory, increasing multiple use and capacity of the memory chip and enhancing reliability even when NAND Flash memory chips are used in place of HDDs. GBDriver® RA6 controllers support Ultra DMA Mode 2, which achieves maximum data transmission speeds of 33.3 MByte/s, making them suitable for controlling the latest Flash memory chips with the industry’s fastest data transmission speeds.

Applications

The main applications are storage applications for operating systems, file systems, and user data on consumer and industrial embedded system devices and IT equipment, and applications with Silicon Disks including hybrid PCs and PCMCIA ATA cards are also anticipated.

Main Features

1. Supported Flash Memory

GBDriver® RA6 controllers support the latest two-plane write Flash memories.

2. Reliable NAND Flash Memory Control

3. Improved Power Interruption Tolerance

4. High-Speed Read/Write

5. Error Correction and Recovery

The GBDriver® RA6 is equipped with four-symbol (40 bit)/sector ECC on the fly.

6. Other Functions

-- Total cluster number setting function (clipping function)

-- Protection Functions.

-- Smart Command Support

Production and Sales Plan

● Sample price: about 2,000 yen/unit

● Production location: Japan

● Production capacity: 100,000 units per month (planned)

● Start of production: December 2006

GBDriver® is a registered trademark of TDK Corporation.