APRIL 23, 2009 -- Network semiconductor supplier Mindspeed Technologies Inc. (search Lightwave for Mindspeed) has added a 160x160, 6.5-Gbps asynchronous crosspoint switch to its product lineup. The manufacturer says this device is the largest of its kind, providing 25,600 unique switching paths on a single die.
The fully nonblocking crosspoint switch is protocol agnostic, with each independent channel operating at any data rate up to 6.5 Gbps. The device is targeted for a variety of applications such as broadcast video routing and switching, blade server, storage, and DWDM. Implemented in small-geometry complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), the large crosspoint switch offers a low-power technology for large systems.
"This product represents Mindspeed's dedication to innovation in crosspoint development," says Kurt Busch, senior vice president and general manager of Mindspeed's high-performance analog products. "This state-of-the-art, low-power CMOS device is not only the largest crosspoint switch, but it also offers the highest level of signal integrity and performance."
Each input features individually programmable input equalization to compensate losses accumulated across the backplane. All outputs provide output de-emphasis, programmable on a per-lane basis. The signal conditioning features maintain signal integrity for high-speed system implementations.
The M21165 160x160 crosspoint switch can be configured to switch each channel as individual lanes (lane mode) or in a group of four channels (group mode) with low intra-channel skew. The various options of the crosspoint switch and the switch state can be configured with registers accessed through both two-wire and four-wire serial interfaces or through a parallel interface.
The device requires a 1.2-V core supply; input and output drivers may be powered by a 1.2- or 1.8-V supply. When a 1.2-V supply voltage is used, the device typically consumes 22 W.
The switch also features individual, per-lane loss of signal alarms, as well as integrated temperature sensors, to simplify failure diagnosis.
The M21165 is available for sampling with production sales targeted for the calendar 3Q09.
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