Company description::
Wider bus width, highest clock frequencies available, and dual voltage operation are ideal for cell phones and digital cameras
~VISIT MMCA BOOTH D18 AT 3GM WORLD CONGRESS ~
Cannes, France, February 23, 2004 – Version 4.0 of the MultiMediaCard specification, offering wider bus width, dual voltage operation and the highest transfer speeds available, has been introduced by the MultiMediaCard Association (MMCA), a standards organization that promotes the worldwide adoption of MultiMediaCards (MMCs).
The new, feature-rich version 4.0 specification represents a major expansion of the MultiMediaCard standard, opening new levels of sophistication and marketing opportunities to the digital imaging and mobile phone industries.
To ensure smooth transition from previous versions of the MMC standards, the new specification defines backward compatibility paths for both legacy cards and host devices that accept MultiMediaCards. The specification is provided to all MMCA members.
Three key features of the new specification are:
• Wider bus-width: The new multiple (x1 bit, x4 bit and x8 bit) bus-width feature now allows for host design flexibility and higher data transfer bandwidth at a given clock speed, to accommodate the more data intensive content in cell phones and digital cameras;
• Higher clock frequency: Extending the maximum clock frequencies from 20 MHz to 26 MHz and 52 MHz allows higher data transfer rate and better compatibility to mobile phone architectural requirements. Operating at 52 MHz in x8 bit mode, data can be transferred at up to 52 Mbyte/sec., a 20-fold improvement from the previous standards. This is the highest data transfer rate of all flash memory card form factors available today.
• Dual voltage operation: The MMC specification is the first small form factor memory card standards to define both 3.3 V and 1.8 V operations. 1.8 V compatibility is especially important for the new generations of cell phones and small mobile devices that operate at lower voltages for lower power consumption.
Definition of the specification is the culmination of the work and major contributions from Nokia, Hewlett Packard, Renesas Technology, Samsung Electronics, Infineon Technologies Flash, Micron Technology, SanDisk, and other member companies in the Association. It was approved and adopted by the full body of the MMCA Executive Membership.
According to Joe Unsworth, Semiconductor Memory Analyst at GartnerDataquest, “The MMCA has made a strategic decision to target the mobile phone market, and because that segment is forecast to be the leading application for flash cards by 2006, it has given new life to the format.”
According to Juergen Hammerschmitt, President of the MMCA and Vice President, Business Development, Infineon Technologies Flash, “As a major driver of the mobile memory standards, the MMCA is again demonstrating its commitment to innovative customer solutions with this new specification. The market demands MMCs with high-speed data transfer, low power consumption and in minimum size. This specification, available to all MMCA members, will enable new services in attractive new devices for everyone in the growing mobile community.”
"This updated specification greatly expands the horizons for OEMs, network operators and content providers of mobile video and gaming applications,” said Yves Leonard, MMCA Board Chairman. “Consumers will soon see an explosion of multimedia content both on preloaded MMCs in stores, and downloadable from cell phone networks.”
According to Victor Tsai, MMCA Marketing Committee Vice-Chair and Segment Marketing Manager at Renesas Technology America, Inc, "Once again, the MultiMediaCard standard delivers what the market has demanded for next-generation mobile electronic devices -- small size, fast data transfer, low operating voltage, and above all, flexibility and compatibility. The new version 4.0 specification represents a comprehensive memory card roadmap that bridges the mobile digital storage applications of today, tomorrow and beyond.”
Gen Shueh, MMCA Marketing Committee Vice-Chair and Chief Strategy Officer of Power Digital Card adds, “Technology breakthroughs achieved by the combined efforts of MMCA members allow Version 4.0 MultiMediaCards to offer the fastest data transfer rate of all available flash memory cards today. This will open new horizons for advanced applications especially in the mobile and digital imaging industries, as transfer speed is no longer an issue. A lot of thanks should be given to the member companies who worked so closely to make this possible.”
“Both of our target markets, cellular communications and digital imaging, will benefit from the features in our new MMC specification,” said Andy Prophet, Executive Director of the MMCA. “Data transfer rate and operating voltage requirements of these applications have changed over time and, as in the past, we listen to the market and provide host manufacturers with solutions to their customers’ demands.”
The specification is available at no cost to MMCA members.
About MultiMediaCards
MultiMediaCards are the small (24mm x 32 or 18mm x 1.4 mm), removable solid-state memory cards designed especially for mobile phones and digital imaging, among other applications. These convenient, reliable, rugged and lightweight standardized data carriers store up to 1 Gbyte, or approximately 640,000 book pages. MultiMediaCards use ROM or flash technology for read-only applications, and flash technology for read/write applications. The cards are fast for excellent system performance; energy efficient for prolonged battery life in portable products; and cost-efficient for use in systems sold at consumer price points. They also have an easy-to-install serial interface.
About The MMCA (MultiMediaCard Association – www.mmca.org)
The MMCA is the open standard memory card organization, promoting worldwide adoption of a postage-stamp size, removable storage card designed especially for mobile phones and digital imaging. Founded in 1998 with 14 companies, the MMCA has grown rapidly and now has 120 members worldwide, representing all branches of mobile electronic applications, including semiconductor suppliers, software vendors and manufacturers of low power devices for storing and retrieving digital information.
The MMCA developed and regulates open industry standards that define all types of MultiMediaCards, ensuring full interoperability. The organization charges no royalties for using the membership-driven standard, although a nominal license fee is included in the membership dues. Specifications are easily available from the organization’s website. MultiMediaCards are becoming the industry standard for compact removable storage media across multiple host platforms and markets, including cell phones, digital cameras, PDAs, MP-3 digital music players, portable video games, GSM and laptop computers. MMCA headquarters are located at PO Box 2012, Cupertino, CA USA 95015-2012. More information is at www.mmca.org.
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MultiMediaCard is a trademark of MultiMediaCard Association (MMCA). MMC is a trademark of Infineon Technologies.
Company/product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.
Editors Note: It is now acceptable to use MMC as an acronym for MultiMediaCards.
Contact:
Tom Mahon
Thomas Mahon Associates
tmahon3@earthlink.net
925.937.4921
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