SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.) Announces Single-Chip Controller Targeting Portable Applications

Mobile Platform Controller Combines Keyboard Controller, Power Management Controller and 8 Mbits of LPC Firmware Flash

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- April 17, 2006 -- SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.), a leader in flash memory technology, today announced the industry's first single-chip, fully integrated mobile platform controller targeting mobile devices. The SST79LF008 Mobile Platform Controller enables designers to reduce overall system cost, enhance reliability and increase security protection by integrating into a single device 8 Mbits of LPC Firmware Flash along with a mobile platform controller for human input devices. The single-chip controller also features an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-compatible embedded controller for power management and system configuration controls. SST's Mobile Platform Controller builds on the company's history of providing leading-edge SuperFlash-based BIOS solutions.

"For mobile designers, board space, power consumption and reliability are critical success factors," said Michael Briner, senior vice president of SST's Application Specific Product Group. "SST leveraged its leading-edge BIOS flash and 8051 technologies in developing the Mobile Platform Controller. This device is fully compatible with the most advanced LPC specification and replaces designer's current two or three chip solutions with a single chip."

SST's Mobile Platform Controller offers higher performance than a standard 8051 microcontroller and enables significantly higher efficiency. Utilizing SST's proprietary SuperFlash technology, the Mobile Platform Controller features an 8-Mbit LPC Firmware Flash and an SST-enhanced high-performance 8051 microcontroller core with three or six-clock machine cycle and 33-MHz max operating clock frequency. An SST three-wire Alternate LPC (aLPC) interface allows for rapid factory programming of the entire flash memory with Auto Address Increment Mode (AAI).

The 8 Mbit on-chip shared SuperFlash memory in the controller provides storage for system BIOS as well as keyboard and embedded controller firmware. The 4-KByte sectors and 64-KByte blocks allow flexible erase capabilities. All standard LPC Firmware memory functions are supported in addition to advanced features such as LPC 1.1 multi-byte read/write protocols.

Enhanced Security

For increased security, the Mobile Platform Controller features a 4-KByte secure area with lock-down capability that can be unlocked in hardware only. The system software utilizes these advanced security features by selectively restricting access to different blocks of the flash memory, and protecting the flash memory from accidental or malicious code modifications. The on-chip integration of the microcontroller core and firmware flash memory enables notebook PC designers to implement cryptographic BIOS flash protection mechanisms in embedded controller firmware.

The on-chip keyboard controller modules in the Mobile Platform Controller offer a number of features for the management of human input devices. The device includes an industry standard 8042 compatible host interface, matrix keyboard scanner, and three generic PS/2 ports for internal pointing device, external keyboard and mouse.

Through the integrated SMBus, ADC, DAC, PWM and other ACPI embedded controller modules, SST's Mobile Platform Controller can manage thermal sensors, the CPU fan, platform power planes as well as battery usage and charging operation. The expanded set of configurable LPC I/O host interfaces (one 8042 style interface, two ACPI style interfaces, and one mailbox interface) eliminates synchronization problems in system driver communication with the embedded controller firmware. The device's GPIOs provide system wake-up capability, removing design limitations imposed by dedicated wake-up inputs, common with competing solutions.

The AAI fast-programming mode of the three-wire aLPC interface in the Mobile Platform Controller allows the entire flash memory to be programmed (12 seconds typical) without re-issuing subsequent addresses and with just one command. This advantage is especially useful during the manufacturing process, where fast production line throughput is essential. The innovative aLPC interface also enables field resurrection of a nonfunctioning portable device by simply flashing the BIOS.

Pricing and Availability

The SST79LF008 Mobile Platform Controller featuring 8-Mbit LPC Firmware Flash is available now in both LQFP and TFBGA 176-pin packages. Pricing for the Mobile Platform Controller is $3.50 in 10K unit quantities. For more information about SST and its family of products, visit the company's Web site at http://www.sst.com.

About Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, SST designs, manufactures and markets a diversified range of memory and non-memory products for high volume applications in the digital consumer, networking, wireless communications and Internet computing markets. Leveraging its proprietary, patented SuperFlash technology, SST is a leading provider of nonvolatile memory solutions with product families that include various densities of high functionality flash memory components and flash mass storage products. The Company also offers its SuperFlash technology for embedded applications through its broad network of world-class manufacturing partners and technology licensees, including TSMC, which offers it under its trademark Emb-FLASH. SST's non-memory products include NAND controllers, smart card ICs, flash microcontrollers and radio frequency ICs and modules. Further information on SST can be found on the company's Web site at http://www.sst.com.