Table of Contents
Advertisement
1. Introduction to the CompactFlash Memory Card
The SanDisk CompactFlash
electrically complies with the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association ATA (PC Card ATA)
standard. (In Japan, the applicable standards group is JEIDA.) The CompactFlash Memory Card Series also supports
a True IDE Mode that is electrically compatible with an IDE disk drive. CompactFlash Memory Cards provide up to
1 Gigabyte of formatted storage capacity in the CF Type I form factor. The original CF form factor card can be used
in any system that has a CF slot, and with a Type II PCMCIA adapter can be used in any system that has a PCMCI A
Type II or Type III socket.
The CompactFlash Memory Cards use SanDisk Flash memory, which was designed by SanDisk specifically for use
in mass storage applications. In addition to the mass storage specific Flash memory chips, the CompactFlash
Memory Cards include an on-card intelligent controller that provides a high level interface to the host computer.
This interface allows a host computer to issue commands to the memory card to read or write blocks of memory.
The host addresses the card in 512 byte sectors. Each sector is protected by a powerful Error Correcting Code
(ECC).
The CompactFlash Memory Card on-card intelligent controller manages interface protocols, data storage and
retrieval as well as ECC, defect handling and diagnostics, power management and clock control. Once the
CompactFlash Memory Card has been configured by the host, it appears to the host as a standard ATA (IDE) disk
drive. Additional ATA commands have been provided to enhance system performance.
The host system can support as many cards as there are CompactFlash and PCMCIA Type II or III card slots. The
original form factor CompactFlash Memory Cards require a PCMCIA Type II Adapter to be used in a PCMCIA
Type II or Type III socket. Figure 1-1 shows a block diagram of the CompactFlash Memory Card.
Host
Interface
®
CompactFlash
Memory Card Product Manual, Rev. 10.0 © 2002 SANDISK CORPORATION
®
Memory Card (CF) products provide high capacity solid state flash memory that
SanDisk
Single
Chip
Controller
Figure 1-1. CompactFlash Memory Card Block Diagram
Data
In/O ut
SanDisk
Modules
Control
SanDisk CompactFlash
Flash
1-1
Advertisement
Table of Contents
