– Proven System Blocks close I/O support gaps for non-traditional PC processors
– Simplifies OEM/ODM design while saving power in battery-powered consumer products
Sunnyvale, CA – October 14, 2009 – Continuing its commitment to meeting the needs of mobile device developers, including those targeting the high growth “smartbook” and “netbook” PC market, QuickLogic Corporation has expanded its line of Smart I/O Proven System Blocks (PSBs) for use in Customer Specific Standard Products (CSSPs). Among the PSBs now available are an I2C master controller, a pulse width modulator (PWM), a PS2 controller, and a low-power matrix keyboard controller.
“Many developers of smartbooks and netbooks are approaching the market from the smartphone point-of-view,” said Brian Faith, QuickLogic’s vice president of worldwide marketing. “They are utilizing ARM processor architectures, which in many cases do not have all of the required I/O that consumers have come to expect from computing products. QuickLogic’s CSSPs with Smart I/O PSBs close these gaps quickly, with low BOM cost and PCB space.”
New Smart I/O PSBs Added
QuickLogic’s extensive PSB library already includes highly desirable I/O functions such as USB 2.0 High Speed Host/Client/OTG, various memory card and HDD mass storage interfaces, general-purpose I/O (GPIO), and LCD display controllers featuring QuickLogic’s Visual Enhancement Engine (VEE™). Now, PS/2 interface, PWM control, matrix keyboard, and I2C host controller functions have been added and, due to their configurable nature, can efficiently connect these critical I/O functions to whatever processor architecture the developer chooses. These I/O functions are especially valuable in the emerging smartbook/netbook market:
PS/2 interfaces are commonly used for controlling touchpad pointing devices.
I2C master controllers provide efficient control of position and orientation sensors such as electronic compasses and accelerometers, ambient light and proximity sensors, as well as touch-screen controllers.
PWM controllers provide backlight intensity control as well as on-off and variable brightness control for indicator LEDs, including the new “breathing” functionality.
A matrix keyboard controller provides a low-power interface for low-cost full-function keyboards, and includes support for high-end features such as 3-key rollover and ghosting detection.
Power Savings Available
QuickLogic’s Smart I/O PSBs enable developers to reduce system power demands. The I2C controller, for instance, can aggregate positioning information and send it to the CPU on a schedule rather than being interrupt-driven, allowing the CPU to spend more time in a low-power sleep mode. The matrix keyboard controller eliminates the need for active elements in the keyboard – also reducing power consumption. Finally, a tightly coupled Power Management Unit (PMU) allows for clock multiplexing on a PSB-by-PSB basis to ensure PSBs run from a very low frequency 32 kHz hibernate clock, when not in use.
Availability
All of these Smart I/O PSBs are available immediately and can be embedded in all CSSPs utilizing the PolarPro®, PolarPro II, ArcticLink® and ArcticLink II solution platform families.
About QuickLogic
QuickLogic Corporation (NASDAQ: QUIK) is the inventor and pioneer of innovative, customizable semiconductor solutions for mobile and portable electronics OEMs and ODMs. These silicon plus software solutions are called Customer Specific Standard Products (CSSPs). CSSPs enable our customers to bring their products to market more quickly and remain in the market longer, with the low power, cost and size demanded by the mobile and portable electronics market. For more information about QuickLogic and CSSPs, visit www.quicklogic.com.
