Embedded Networking

New Embedded Ethernet Controller from Silicon Labs is World's Smallest

AUSTIN, Texas – Feb. 22, 2006 – Silicon Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: SLAB), a manufacturer of high performance,  mixed-signal semiconductor, today announced the 5 x 5 mm CP220x, the industry’s smallest single-chip 10-Base T Embedded Ethernet controller.

By reducing board space and overall system cost and complexity, the CP220x Embedded Ethernet controller enables designers to add embedded Ethernet connectivity to any embedded system.

Target applications include:

• POS terminals
• Access control devices
• Security panels
• VoIP adapters
• Vending machines
• Industrial monitoring
• Industrial control

CP220x Block Diagram

Available in a tiny 5 x 5 mm package, the CP220x Embedded Ethernet Controller includes an integrated IEEE 802.3 compliant 10 Base-T Ethernet MAC and PHY. 8 kB of on-board Flash memory in each device is factory preprogrammed with a unique 48-bit MAC address. The on-board user-programmable Flash can be used to store user data or web server content.

The devices has an external 30 Mbps parallel interface for interfacing with a host microcontroller. The embedded Ethernet controller is spec'ed at -40 to +85ºC with an operating current of 70 mA.

The CP220x Embedded Ethernet controller also supports auto-negotiation, which informs the network of the controller's complete Ethernet capabilities. Without this mechanism or user control of the switch, the relevant network segment defaults to its lowest common capability resulting in a lower bandwidth communication solution.

"Due to the ease-of-use and low maintenance costs, Ethernet has become broadly used in  applications as varied as facilities management and utility and vending machine monitoring,"  said Derrell Coker, vice president of Silicon Laboratories. "As the industry’s smallest, highest  performance embedded Ethernet controller, the new CP220x simplifies our customers’ task of  adding embedded Ethernet capability to any product that has access to an Ethernet network."

Embedded Ethernet Development Tools
Silicon Laboratories offers an Embedded Ethernet development kit that provides all of the hardware and  software necessary to develop real-world embedded Ethernet solutions with the CP220x. The kit sells for $199 and includes:

• C8051F120 microcontroller target board
• CP2200-based Ethernet development board
• USB debug adapter
• AC to DC power adapter
• All necessary cables
• CMX Micronet Embedded TCP/IP protocol stack,

The CMX Micronet Embedded TCP/IP stack is the best embedded TCP/IP stack on the market for small microcontrollers and is strongly endorsed by Microcontroller.com. Developed specifically for embedded processors, it includes a TCP/IP configuration wizard to select and customize user-selected embedded TCP/IP protocols. The wizard generates both the framework code required to use the library and a project file that can be loaded into the Silicon Laboratories software development system.

Pricing and Availability
The CP220x is available in a 5 x 5 mm 28-pin quad flat no-lead (QFN) package or a 48-pin thin  quad flat package (TQFP). Pricing for the CP220x family begins at $3.32 in quantities of 10K.  Samples are available now with production quantities available Q2 2006.

About Silicon Laboratories Inc.
Silicon Laboratories Inc. is a leading supplier of high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) and microcontrollers. The company has design, engineering, marketing, sales and applications offices throughout North America, Europe  and Asia.