Samsung Introduces Multi Host Interface Mode S-SIM Card Solution to Support USB and MMC Interfaces

(Auszug aus der Pressemitteilung)

Barcelona, Spain – February 12, 2007 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, today announced the introduction of a multi-host interface mode S-SIM(TM) card solution with forward compatibility, which enables customer experience in next generation multimedia intensive services.

The new S-SIM card solution will be demonstrated at Hall1, booth no.D33 at 3GSM World Congress 2007.

Samsung’s new S-SIM card solution is designed to support next generation SIM cards that are equipped with large density memory and high speed host interfaces for multimedia intensive services. The new S-SIM card solution is based on the original SIM standard to ensure compatibility with conventional systems and support high-speed host interfaces like USB and MultiMediaCard (MMC).

The multi host interface mode S-SIM card solution employs a new S-SIM controller (part number: S3FS9CI), which consists of an SC100 secure microcontroller, a 768Kilobyte (KB) flash memory, and a 50KB RAM to provide a high performance architecture for multiple applications.

The advanced controller provides new features such as multiple host interface, contactless interface, automatic host interface detection and configuration, flexible flash memory interface, and high-performance architecture to support increasing diversity in the user environment and increasing content demand.

The host interfaces supported by Samsung’s new S-SIM card solution include ISO7816-3, MMC, USB, and InterChip-USB. For contactless interface, it supports SWP (Single Wire Protocol) to interface with the NFC chip, and includes such multiple flash memory technologies such as SLC/ MLC NAND flash and OneNAND(TM) to ensure user convenience for additional memory accessibility.

The automatic host interface detection and configuration feature allows the S-SIM card to automatically detect which host terminal is being supported by the variants of USB (USB2.0, InterChip-USB) and MMC interfaces and to configure the card’s operating mode accordingly.

The flexible, diverse and user-friendly features of the new S-SIM card solution fully support mobile network operators (MNO), SIM card makers, and mobile terminal makers in developing next generation SIM based solutions that will support both currently-deployed MMC and standard-based USB environments. Since the multi-host interface mode S-SIM(TM) card solution automatically detects the host interface and configures itself, MNOs and SIM card makers can use current MMC interface-based mobile terminals for next generation SIM based services.

Once standard-compliant USB interface-based terminals become available in the market, the same multi-host interface mode S-SIM(TM) card will also support these USB interfaces automatically.

„This new S-SIM(TM) card solution, which supports multiple and flexible connectivity and high-performance architecture, demonstrates Samsung’s technology leadership and vision in providing the ultimate technology and solutions for fast- evolving mobile and IT environments,“ said Dr. Chil Hee Chung, Senior Vice President of the Chip Card and Microcontroller Development Team at Samsung Electronics, „The automatic host interface detection and configuration feature allows MNOs, SIM card makers, and mobile terminal makers to utilize currently deployed next generation SIM based services and ensure a smooth transition to the next generation standard of SIM services.“

„This card solution delivers fantastic, new functionality for our SIM+ project. Orange is leading the market in this new technology, which combines everything a normal UICC or SIM card can do, and a large amount of flash memory,“ said Yves Maitre, Vice President of Devices at France Telecom Orange, „All the SIM+ handsets we have launched to date have been MMC based, but in November 2006 ETSI finally agreed that the standard would be USB. ETSI have yet to decide whether USB Interchip or USB 2.0, or some other variant will be used, so these cards mean that we can support whatever is decided as well as the existing MMC cards. So for handset suppliers they are able to implement whichever protocol they wish, because together with this new Samsung card solution we can support them all.“

Samsung’s new S-SIM card solution with S3FS9CI controller will be available to SIM card makers in the first half of 2007.

S-SIM(TM) is the registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.