SPI Bridge Processors Link PCI/PCI-X With SPI3 Or SPI4.2

The Golden Gate family of serial peripheral interface bridge processors provides a means to connect PCI and PCI-X buses to the SPI3 and SPI4.2 high-speed serial network interfaces. The processors offer rich packet manipulation capabilities in addition to the interface bridging function. Five chips comprise the family—the CN2B100, 200, 300, 400, and 500—that can handle a wide range of interface combinations. The CN2B100 offers PCI/PCI-X to SPI-3 connectivity, while the CN2B500 connects two SPI-4 interfaces to a PCI/PCI-X interface. All five come in "transparent" and "intelligent" versions, and include a large on-chip buffer that eliminates the need for external memory. Prices range from $97 to $175 each in lots of 10,000 units. Samples are immediately available.