Hyperstone: F9 CompactFlash Memory Controller

Hyperstone GmbH introduces F9 CompactFlash memory controller.

The F9 is targeting industrial and high-end CompactFlash cards and embedded IDE disk-on-modules. In conjunction with the company’s hyMap Flash translation layer (FTL) and hyReliability firmware features, it provides enhanced endurance and data retention management, as well as power fail-safe features.

The F9 controller delivers a sequential read speed of over 120MB/s and can write at up to 120MB/s, supporting up to 4,000 random 4k write IO/s. It is compatible with CF 6.1 and ATA-7 standards with speed modes up to UDMA 6, supporting next-generation SLC, MLC and 3D NAND flash. Its features’s hyMap sub-page-based Flash translation layer (FTL), its ‘hyReliability Flash Memory Management’ and firmware architecture, and data refresh to maximize data retention. The device also provides S.M.A.R.T. health monitoring and lifetime estimation tools, and a secure boot feature for firmware security. A low-alpha package compound reduces soft errors caused by alpha particle radiation.

The company’s DRAM-less paged-based mapping technology, hyMap, – already successful in SD and USB applications of Hyperstone S8, U8, and U9 – has now been applied to CF/IDE applications.

“The hyMap FTL and hyReliability feature-set are now available for CF,” said Axel Mehnert, VP, marketing, Hyperstone. “Furthermore, the F9 is designed to deliver 120 MB/s sequential write and read performance without compromising reliability.“

Only through a page-based mapping FTL can 3D, MLC, or any flash with larger block sizes be used in a reliable manner. Users can now feel at ease in staying with their existing CF/IDE products.

“Hyperstone is dedicated to supporting CompactFlash and PATA solutions by offering up-to-date Flash support,” said Dr. Jan Peter Berns, MD, Hyperstone, “It is our mission to support our customers with highly reliable storage solutions for the longer-term and also for interfaces that have been in the market for decades.“

The F9 will initially be available in 144-ball TFBGA (9x9x1.2 mm) and 128 pin TQFP (14x14x1.0 mm) packages, qualified for the industrial temperature range (-40°C to +85 C). Mass-production samples and released firmware are available.