Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. Licenses Arasan's Standard SD/SDIO Host IP Core

April 21, 2005 -- Arasan Chip Systems today announced that Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) has licensed Arasan’s Standard SD Host Controller IP Core. Arasan is a leading provider of bus interface IP, which includes SD/SDIO, MMC 4.0, USB 1.1 and 2.0 and PCI/Cardbus.

The Standard SD Host IP supports MMC Ver. 3.31, SD Memory Card Ver. 1.01 and SDIO Card Ver. 1.10 and is compliant to the Standard SD Host Controller Specifications Ver. 1.00.  Multi-Slot support and security features (CPRM) are available as options.  

"SDIO Host 1.0 expands our already broad library of intellectual property blocks for ASIC and custom SoC design.  We are excited that we were able to move very quickly and are going to tape out a custom chip that incorporates Arasan’s SDIO IP," said Bob Uvacek, director Design Engineering SoC Development, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.

Arasan also sells its Host Controller in the form of a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) with BSquare drivers for Win CE 4.2 and full compatibility with Microsoft Win CE 5.0, Win 2K and XP SP2.  Over 20 customers worldwide currently use the HDK as a driver development platform and a production tester.  Arasan also provides its own SDIO Linux stack with the HDK.

Arasan participates in the interoperability sessions conducted by the SDA and tests its host with the latest SD and SDIO Cards to ensure a wide range of interoperability and compliance to the standard.

Some of the other licensees are LSI Logic, nVidia, Centrality Communications and Sigma Designs.

About the SDA
The SD Association (SDA) is an open industry standards organization established in January 2000 by leaders Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), SanDisk, and Toshiba, supported by a consortium of over 500 companies. The SDA's mission is to set industry standards for the SD Card and promote its wide acceptance in a variety of applications. The SD Card is a highly sophisticated memory device about the size of a postage stamp. SD Cards stand to revolutionize information, entertainment and communication by putting advanced digital storage technology quite literally at your fingertips. The SD Card standards are currently being built into a wide range of new digital products such as cellular phones, audio players, automotive multimedia systems, handheld PCs and video and digital still cameras.
 
About Arasan
Arasan Chip Systems Inc. founded in 1995, is a leading supplier of Reusable Intellectual Property (IP) cores, semiconductors and electronic design services. Arasan’s product portfolio is focused on Bus Interfaces and includes IP for USB 1.1 & 2.0, PCI and SD/SDIO and MMC technologies. Arasan’s products and services enable businesses to develop and leverage product design and development. Arasan Chip Systems is an executive member of SD Association (SDA) and Multimedia Card Association (MMCA).  Arasan is headquartered in San Jose, California, with design centers in India and support options available in Taiwan, China & Europe.