TI has announced the industries first Open Host Controller Interface Link Layer Controller and a family of 400Mbps Physical Layer Devices. The new 1394 OHCI controller, which will be known as the OHCI-Lynx, provides link layer functionality by coordinating the reception, transmission, and routing of data over the 1394 bus, and managing the bus interface to memory. OHCI-Lynx conforms to the interface specification as defined by Apple, Compaq, Intel, Microsoft, National Semiconductor, Sun Microsystems, and TI as well as the PCI bus (version 2.1) and IEEE 1394.A specifications. In addition, OHCI-Lynx meets all of the requirements of Microsoft's PC 97 and PC 98 guidelines for designing PC systems that will result in an optimal user experience with typical Windows applications. Other features include a 8 KByte FIFO, PCI BUS Power Management Interface Specification 1.0 compliant, and a 100-pin TQFP package.

TI's family of 400Mbps physical layer interface chips performs the transceiver functions of initializing the 1394 communica- tions link, arbitrating for access to the channel and actually placing data packets on the media. To meet the different needs of host PCs, hard disk drives, printers, and other types of peripheral equipment, the 400Mbps devices in the family will offer two, three, four, or six 1394 ports.

The product family features several power-saving capabilities, such as a device power-down mode and inactive port disable, that make it well suited to portable and hand-held systems. The family of 400Mbps PHY devices also conform to the Device Bay initiative.

TI is now sampling the OHCI-Lynx as well as the first device in its family of 400Mbps physical layer interface chips. Production volumes will be available during the second quarter of 1998.