Toshiba's new LBA-NAND(TM) Flash Memory to Launch in
Global Market
2 August, 2006
TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has brought
logical block addressing (LBA) to NAND Flash memory, and that it would
launch LBA-NANDTM, a new line-up of
high-capacity devices integrating the new addressing method. LBA-NANDTM
are designed for use in mobile consumer products, such as digital audio
players and personal media players, and will support manufacturers in
developing products that can take full advantage of advances in NAND Flash
memory capacity while minimizing development costs. Toshiba will start
to release samples of the new NAND Flash from August 2006.
NAND Flash memory currently uses the physical address access method that
defines each physical page of a memory, from the chip to the block, to
the page and down to the cell. Product manufacturers have to develop host
side and driver specifications that can recognize and accommodate this
physical addressing, and must bear the R&D costs for developing new
product specifications and drivers to absorb advances in NAND Flash memory
capacity.
The logical address access method of LBA assigns each cell a unique address
that is not geometry dependent. The first cell is simply 0, and numbering
continues to cover every cell. Memory increases can be accommodated by
assigning a new address to each cell. This approach also allows block
management, error correction (ECC process) and wear-leveling, all of which
are conventionally controlled by the host side, to be handled on the memory
side by the LBA-NANDTM controller. LBA-NANDTM
are also fully compliant with the standard NAND Flash interface. As a
result, LBA-NANDTM supports developers
in minimizing development costs and improving time to market for new and
upgraded products.
Development Background
As digital consumer products make continued progress in image resolution
and quality and audio support, they increasingly rely on the high capacity
data storage offered by NAND Flash memory. In this fast growing market,
Toshiba is determined to remain in the vanguard in meeting global demand
for innovative NAND Flash solutions that support product advances and
end-product development. The Company will release a new solution product
integrating NAND Flash memory and controller interface. As it continues
to promote market-winning advances in NAND Flash technology and products,
Toshiba will pioneer innovations such as the fast addressing of LBA-NANDTM
.
Outline of New Products
| * |
LBA-NANDTM is Toshiba's trade
mark for a NAND interface controller and NAND flash memory that applies
the LBA logical address access method. |
Key Features
| 1. |
Adopts logical address access method
LBA-NANDTM controls the processes
of block management, ECC process and wear-leveling, and will contribute
to shorter R&D schedules and costs for the development of host
controller and driver software. |
| 2. |
While LBA-NANDTM are also fully
compliant with the standard NAND Flash interface, it is possible to
connect to the interface of current NAND flash memory controller. |
| 3. |
LBA-NANDTM supports capacities
of over 2GB, facilitating development of high capacity storage (35hrs*
of music recording for audio data) for digital audio players and
personal media player.
*Assuming 128kbps data rate
|
Specifications
|
