Texas Instruments Delivers Frame Processing Solutions with New Multi-Channel Controller Devices
DALLAS (Nov. 10, 1997) -- Texas Instruments (TI) today announces a family of multi-channel communications controllers (MCC) which will bridge the gap between the core public wide area network (WAN) infrastructures and the local loop. Designed for the central office, the devices enable Internet service providers (ISPs) and local exchange carriers (LECs) to increase the number and diversity of lines they can support, allowing them to offer more service options to a broader range of customers. Additionally, the MCC allows for varied protocols and data formats, higher performance and a Host Parallel Interface (HPI) to allow configuration of a digital signal processor (DSP) or framer.
According to industry analysts, growth in the remote access market is projected to increase 75 percent to $4.5 billion by the end of 1997 and to $12 billion by the year 2000. Two factors support that growth - increased demand for higher bandwidth and crippling congestion on the existing voice infrastructure. TI's MCC devices bridge the gap between the existing WAN and the successful implementation of remote access technology.
The MCC family consists of two products: the TNETC2040 for TDM (time division multiplexed) lines, e.g., TI/E1 transmission lines, and the TNETC2080 for high data throughput serial lines, e.g., Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL). To round out the tailored, end-to-end solution, TI will also provide evaluation software, evaluation modules and programmer's reference guides to enable
high-density telecommunications equipment manufacturers to design a complete product.
"Offering a robust family of multi-channel controllers is only the first step in meeting the needs of our remote access equipment customers," said James Collinge, marketing manager of TI's Networking Business Unit (NBU) Access Products Organization.
"Our goal is to provide system-level solutions which enable our customers to address very diverse applications with new, highly-differentiated products that reach the market quickly."
TNETC2040 - A TDM Network Controller for Bandwidth on Demand
The TNETC2040 device combines the functionality of four separate high-level datalink control (HDLC) processors into a single chip. By having four HDLC processors on a single chip, TI is able to provide ISPs and LECs with a solution that allows them to support more users and decrease the overall cost of ownership. With four full-duplex Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) ports, the TNETC2040 accepts channelized data streams with up to 32 time slots operating at up to 2.048 Mbps. By allowing "timeslicing" across many HDLC links, the TNETC2040 gives designers a broad range of internetworking solutions that supports non-contiguous time slots on a single interface. Multi-channels can share a single interface, enabling the device to support applications like frame relay switches, frame relay access devices, ISDN controllers, and X.25 over T1/E1 interfaces while saving board space and increasing system reliability. In addition, the TNETC2040 features a direct PCI bus interface and configurable logical channels for a broad range of internetworking solutions. The PCI interface can be used for applications such as WAN uplinks for Ethernet controllers and Token Ring Controllers or WAN interfaces for ATM to Frame Relay links. TI is also able to leverage its ATM data-structures to efficiently move data from a frame-based link and a cell-based infrastructure. This robust multi-channel controller provides a comprehensive HDLC solution through the use of an HPI. The HPI can provide an interface to program and monitor external devices such as TI's TMS320C6x family of DSPs and T1/E1 framers. These on-chip features allow data transfers between the buffer memory and the serial interfaces with minimum host processor intervention. This reduces the load on the host processor and allows the processor to concentrate on higher layers of protocol stacks, ultimately increasing overall system performance. By using an HPI, the MCC is able to leverage TI's strengths in digital signal processing.
TNETC2080 - Multiple Ports for ADSL Applications
The highly integrated TNETC2080 provides the same robust HDLC packet processing with eight programmable, full-duplex serial interface ports. Each port supports unchannelized data streams operating at up to 10 Mbps per interface. In addition, each interface integrates an internal FIFO to synchronize inputs to the clock system. The TNETC2080 is designed for use in several applications
including DSLAMS, access servers and access concentrators for ADSL.
"The data structures of both these devices afford significant ease of use for designers, an important benefit as equipment manufacturers attempt to address the varied forms of data which are prevalent in today's data communications," said Collinge. "TI's expertise in ATM edge devices, our ability to integrate multiple technologies and complex functionality onto a single chip, and our understanding of the complex requirements of the access market, translate into the most flexible, robust HDLC processors available today."
Pricing and Availability
Samples of the multi-channel controllers are scheduled for availability in December 1997 with volume production scheduled for first quarter 1998. The TNETC2040 device pricing will be planned at $145 per unit in quantities of 1,000. The TNETC2080 device pricing will be planned at $40 per unit in quantities of 1,000. Both devices will be housed in a 208-pin quad flat pack (QFP). TI will provide an evaluation module, schematics, data sheets, and a performance report from TI's Network Technology Center. Additional information on TI's family of multi-channel controllers can be found
at 
http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/network/nbuhomex.
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