CAST IP Core Simplifies Smart Card Reader Integration

May 20, 2004 (IP Japan) Shinagawa, Japan — Semiconductor intellectual property (IP) provider CAST, Inc. today announced a new IP core that implements a Smart Card Reader interface and controller.

Smart cards embed a computer chip in a credit-card sized plastic card, and are gaining global popularity for personal identification, mobile phone personalization, credit/debit functions, satellite TV security, health care records storage, and other applications. The new CAST SCR-APB core acts as a communication controller, passing data between the host system and the smart card. It supports industry-standard specifications (SO/IEC 7816-3:1997[E] and EMV'96 3.1.1) and provides an interface to host systems using the popular AMBA™ Advanced Peripheral Bus (APB).

The SCR-APB is fully featured, and can activate and deactivate cards, execute cold/warm resets, handle ATR response reception, and perform other essential functions. Designed for ASIC or FPGA implementation, it produces efficient results, requiring for example just 6,500 ASIC gates (TSMC 0.13).

The SCR-APB core is available now; royalty-free pricing varies by configuration, and customers should contact CAST for details.

About CAST, Inc.

CAST provides nearly 100 different popular and standards-based cores including processors, interfaces, and application-specific functions for multimedia and encryption. ASIC, FPGA, and System-on-Chip (SoC) designers use these cores to significantly shorten their development time and reduce their overall costs.

The company has about 200 customers developing products in nearly every applications area. Privately owned and operating since 1993 with a focus on making IP practical and affordable, CAST has established a reputation for high-quality IP products, simple licensing, and responsive technical support. The company is headquartered near New York City, has a European office in the UK, and works with an international network of IP developers and distributors.