SD/MMC Card Interface Chip Runs Java with USB and Serial Interfaces

Sept. 7, 2007 - PRLog -- Pittsford, NY: ALFATxp brings FAT file system access to SD/MMC media from any USB port, but also includes a Java machine for handling additional tasks. ALFATxp acts as a card reader through a built-in USB peripheral port, so you can easily share files between a PC and your custom-design products.

ALFATxp is a complete solution for data logging applications and has an abundance of functionality. It communicates with SD/MMC cards and creates files and directories on them. Also it is a CDC device that can read and write data through a virtual COM port on your PC. In addition, a Java Virtual Machine is included. You can run Java programs on ALFATxp and perform communications as well as logging without the need for an additional microcontroller.

ALFATxp is viewed as a mass storage device on a PC, so the operating system can read/write data on an SD card, just like a conventional card reader. ALFATxp uses USB Mass Storage class to communicate with the PC. This class is standard and is supported by all major operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.) Also, by connecting ALFATxp through USB, users have access to two virtual devices: a mass storage device and also a CDC device (Communication Interface). This virtual interface is similar to other USBserial chipsets (e.g. Prolific, Silabs, FTDI, etc.) The difference here is that only one chip is needed to do both communication and file system tasks. Access to ALFATxp can be via UART, SPI or I2C (other chipsets are usually UART only).
This CDC device appears on Windows as a COM port and the user is able to use simple programs to read and write data through the CDC without the need for any extra drivers.

And furthermore, Java code can run from inside ALFATxp, with its built-in 10-bit ADC.  ALFATxp can be easily used to give SD/MMC data storage capabilities to any microcontroller, including PIC, AVR. Housed in an industrial-temperature-range small LQFP 64 package, ALFATxp requires very few external components. Applications such as data-logging, picture viewing, and automated machines, are ideal for ALFATxp. A development board for experimenting with ALFATxp is also available ($99.95).
Made by GHI Electronics, ALFATxp is available now at

Website: www.saelig.com