HFA3842B Datasheet, PDF (1/26 Pages) Intersil Corporation – PCMCIA/USB Wireless LAN Medium Access Controller

TM
PRELIMINARY
Data Sheet
HFA3842B
June 2001
File Number 8020
PCMCIA/USB Wireless LAN Medium
Access Controller
The Intersil HFA3842B Wireless LAN
Medium Access Controller is part of
the PRISM® 2.4GHz radio chip set.
The HFA3842B directly interfaces
with the Intersil HFA386x family of Baseband Processors,
offering a complete end-to-end chip set solution for wireless
LAN products. Protocol and PHY support are implemented in
firmware to allow custom protocol and different PHY
transceivers.
The HFA3842B is designed to provide maximum
performance with minimum power consumption. Package
pin layout provides optimal PC board layout to all user
interfaces including PCMCIA and USB.
Firmware implements the full IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN
MAC protocol. It supports BSS and IBSS operation under
DCF, and operation under the optional Point Coordination
Function (PCF). Low level protocol functions such as
RTS/CTS generation and acknowledgement, fragmentation
and de-fragmentation, and automatic beacon monitoring are
handed without host intervention. Active scanning is
performed autonomously once initiated by host command.
Host interface command and status handshakes allow
concurrent operations from multi-threaded I/O drivers.
Additional firmware functions specific to access point
applications are also available.
Designing wireless protocol systems using the HFA3842B is
made easier with the availability of evaluation board, firm-
ware, software device drivers, and complete documentation.
The HFA3842B is a WLAN MAC Controller IC, based on the
HFA3841. Pin-for-pin upgrade replacement for the HFA3841.
Applications
• High Data Rate Wireless LAN
• PC Card Wireless LAN Adapters
• USB Wireless LAN Adapters
• PCI Wireless LAN Cards (Using Ext. Bridge Chip)
• Wireless LAN Modules
• Wireless LAN Access Points
• Wireless Bridge Products
• Wireless Point-to-Multipoint Systems
• ISA, ISA PNP WLAN Cards
Features
• USB Host Interface supports USB V1.1 at 12Mbps, and is
an alternative to the PC Card host interface.
• New start up modes allow the PCMCIA Card Information
Structure to be initialized from a serial EEPROM. This
allows firmware to be downloaded from the host,
eliminating the parallel Flash memory device.
• Firmware can be loaded from serial Flash memory.
• Direct attachment to a typical x16 SRAM using five control
signals (RAMCS_, MOE_, MWEL_, MLBE_, and MUBE_).
• Low frequency crystal oscillator to maintain time and allow
baseband clock source to power off during sleep mode.
• Improved performance of internal WEP engine.
• On-chip execution can now be viewed while in debug
mode.
• Independent programmable cycle timing for external chip
selects allows attachment of slow memory devices without
compromising higher speed instruction execution.
• Pinout is backward compatible with HFA3841.
• IEEE802.11 Standard Data Rates: 1, 2, 5.5 and 11Mbps
• Part of the Intersil PRISM Wireless LAN Chip Set
• Full Implementation of the MAC Protocol Specified in IEEE
Standards 802.11-1999 and 802.11b
• PCMCIA Host Interface Supports Full 16-Bit
Implementation of PC Card 16 (1995), also ISA PNP with
Additional Chip
• Host Interface Provides Dual Buffer Access Paths
• External Memory Interface Supports up to 4M bytes RAM
• Internal Encryption Engine Executes IEEE802.11 WEP
• Low Power Operation; 25mA Active, 8mA Doze, <1mA
Sleep
• Operation at 2.7V to 3.6V Supply
• 5V Tolerant Host Interface Input/Outputs
• 128 Pin LQFP Package Targeted for Type II PC Cards
• IEEE802.11 Wireless LAN MAC Protocol Firmware and
Microsoft® Windows® Software Drivers
• Pin for Pin Replacement for the HFA3841 Supporting all
Functions and operations of the HFA3841
Ordering Information
PART
NUMBER
TEMP. RANGE
(^oC)
PACKAGE
PKG. NO.
HFA3842BIN
-40 to 85 128 Ld LQFP Q128.14x20
HFA3842BIN-TK -40 to 85 Tape and Reel
Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
PRISM® is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
PRISM and design is a trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
1
CAUTION: These devices are sensitive to electrostatic discharge; follow proper IC Handling Procedures.
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Copyright © Intersil Americas Inc. 2001, All Rights Reserved