Intel readies new I/O module family

Electronic News, Dec 13, 1993

FOLSOM, CALIF.-- Intel this week will take the wraps off a new I/O device integrating its floppy disk controller core, a multi-function parallel port, two serial ports, game-port support and IDE interface. The first member of what Intel calls its modular family of Advanced Integrated Peripheral (AIP) products, the I/O products, the I/O device resides on the ISA or S-bus and will work on any PCI, ISA or EISA system.

"Intel is developing a comprehensive portfolio of advanced I/O solutions," said Ron Smith, general manager of Intel's Integrated Micro-computer Division. "Our first offering, the 82091, is designed to meet the growing demand for power-managed solutions and incorporates important new technology for advanced power management in a cost-effective, single-chip solution."

The 82091 I/O device offers power-management features, and can operate in 3.3, 5, or mixed 3.3/5V modes to support notebook and energy-saving PC desktop platforms. The device, packaged in a 100-lead MQFF, is priced at $9.70 in 1,000-unit quantities. Intel plans follow-on products in early to mid-1994.

The new I/O device's floppy disk controller is based on Intel's 82078 floppy disk controller, which features a built-in analog phase locked loop (PLL) data separator. The 82078 controller supports up to four 4MB floppy disk drives, with a data transfer rate of up to 1Mbps. A 16-byte FIFO buffer provides added speed.

The AIP 82091's multifunction parallel port facilitates communication with peripheral devices such as printers, CD-ROM drives and scanners by providing compatibility with the industry-standard Centronics and EPP (enhanced parallel port) interfaces, as well as the new ECP (extended capabilities port) interface.

The EPP interface, originally defined by Intel, Zenith, Data Systems and Xircom, is frequently used for the portable computer market. EPP provides for transfer rates up to 2MB/s. The ECP interface, developed by Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, extends the capabilities of the parallel port to interface with new ECP printers that are expected to appear in 1994.

The parallel port also supports multiple peripherals such as C-ROM drives, scanners, removable hard drives and tape backup units which may be daisy-chained off to a single parallel port.

The AIP 82091's two serial ports are based on industry-standard 16550 universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART), which operates at up to 256Kbps and features a 16-byte FIFO buffer.

An IDE (intelligent drive electronics) interface allows the AIP to support IDE devices such as hard disk and DC-ROM drives. In addition, the AIP 82091 features support for fast DMA (direct memory access) in PCI bus systems.

kim Hage, Intel's AIP product marketing engineer, said although the 82091 doesn't hook up to a local bus, it provide the integration needed for high- performance systems based on the Peripheral Componenet Interconnect (PCI)local bus.

"The benefit in a PCI system is that you have all the I/O functions on one part," Ms. Hage said. "That will save users real estate; it saves board space by integrating four functions on one chip, and each of our modules are the most advanced available now.

"You have all your standard I/O parts on a single part, and PCI systems have to have those standard features on them. PCI is high-performance. Consequently, you want the highest performance I/O or you are jsut creating a bottleneck. Each of the modules on the AIP is high-performance," Ms. Hage added.

Intel's AIP 82091 is compatible with all processors and chipsets in the market today, and is suitable for all PC platforms, the company said.

Industry research firm Dataquest said the use of integrated I/O devices in the desktop and portable computer markets will double in the next two years from approximately 20 million desktop units and six million portable units in 1993 to about 41 million desktop units and 15 million portable units in 1995.