Software enhances flash memory performance

Spansion Inc. has announced it has released the Spansion FF, its new Flash File System (FFS) software for parallel and serial NOR Flash memory. Spansion FFS is a full-featured software suite that works with embedded software applications to automatically manage the complexity of reading, writing and erasing Flash memory with high levels of performance and reliability. The software is one the first file systems for serial NOR Flash memory, Spansion said.

According to the company, Spansion FFS provides optimal system performance that harnesses the maximum device performance, delivering fast read and write performance. Today's embedded designers are faced with the ongoing challenge of creating more complex designs in less time without sacrificing performance or increasing costs. By using Spansion FFS, Spansion claims that software engineers can extract the full value of Spansion NOR Flash memory and tune products to offer a better user experience and ensure very high levels of reliability.

"By combining the Spansion FFS with Spansion parallel and serial NOR Flash memory, customers have a complete system solution,"锟絪aid Max Willis,锟絛irector锟給f software锟絤arketing at Spansion. "Spansion FFS underscores our commitment to provide customers with value-added solutions to deliver differentiated products. With the rapid growth of serial flash memory, customers using Spansion FFS can get to market quickly with a proven solution."

Key features of the Spansion FFS include:
???Support锟絝or all existing Spansion parallel and serial NOR flash devices at no additional cost;
???Enables multiple volumes with concurrent operations;
???XIP,锟紽ull POSIX file system;
???Multi-threaded锟絝rom RTOS/OS to flash device interface;
???Dynamic锟絚reation/deletion of files and directories;
???Wear-leveling锟絝or prolonged device operation;
???Boot锟絪upport;
???Tunable settings for Garbage collection, File Fragmentation; and
???Power failure tolerant block driver