PC Card UART Bridge Boosts Serial Options

An embedded compatibility mode has been added to this 16-bit PC Card UART bridge chip. The OXCF950B’s embedded compatibility mode allows generic device drivers to access the 15 Mbps asynchronous UART and a Local Bus interface. By incorporating a bridge to an 8-bit Local Bus, the OXCF950B gives PC Card designers the ability to expand their products through the addition of peripherals to the bus. Using indirect addressing, Local Bus mode is pin selected and supports PCMCIA and complex embedded applications. For add-in card circuits requiring more room, an ultra-small 48-ball BGA version of the OXCF950B has also been added as an alternative to the TQFP packaged device. The operating input voltage range has been extended from 2.7V to 3.6V. A choice of power-down modes has been added to help minimize power consumption. Assisting add-in card manufacturers in the differentiation of product designs, the OXCF950B’s Microwire programmed EEPROM enables modification of attribute memory, UART and Local Bus configuration registers during power-up or hard/soft reset. For further information, contact James Foster at OXFORD SEMICONDUCTOR, Abingdon, UK. +44 (0)1235 824 900.