Palmchip introduces IDE host controller IP core

Using the BK-3709 core, the company said, system OEMs and fabless semiconductor companies can develop IDE host controller solutions faster and with lower development costs.

Palmchip claims the BK-3709 IDE host controller includes all of the digital circuitry needed to provide a complete interface between a host processor system and an IDE- or Atapi-compatible hard-drive subsystem or device.

The BK-3709 includes programmed I/O (PIO), multiword direct memory access (DMA) and Ultra ATA interface circuitry. It supports up to four separate hard-disk-drive device files.

The BK-3709 core also supports primary and secondary data channels with independent o r combined interrupts.

The design supports PIO modes 1 through 4; multiword DMA modes 0, 1 and 2; and synchronous Ultra ATA-33 and -66 modes 0 through 4.

An enhanced version, the BK-3710, featuring higher performance and Intel register-set compatibility, will be available in late June.

Palmchip said the BK-3709 IDE host controller core is shipped as RTL Verilog source code, but documentation, synthesis scripts and a testbench are also available.

The testbench includes the RTL source code, a simulation harness, models for the ATA slave devices, DMA and control interfaces, and test stimulus.

Palmchip and Altera Corp. also said last month that they would make the IDE host controller available this year through the Altera Megafunction Partners Program. Pricing for the Altera netlist version will be announced when the core is available through the program.

Visit www.palmchip.com.