Silicon Interfaces’ MAC core for Wireless LAN is compatible with 802.11 a b and g IEEE Standards. It is designed to handle packetized DSSS transmissions; the software implementation supports all Data Rates. The MAC Management or Control Functionality is implemented in hardware.

IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g are “High Rate” standard Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating in the 2.4 GHz/5GHz unlicensed Radio Frequency (RF) band and can transmit up to 54 Mbps and 11 Mbps respectively.

Applications:

- Wireless Home Networking Devices

- Wireless Audio, Video, Consumer Electronics

- Wireless LAN Adapter

- Wireless LAN STA Terminal, e.g. laptop PC

Product Highlights

- Fully Compliant with IEEE 802.11a IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g MAC Layer Functions and Frames.

- Customize to work with all the PHY’s (IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g).

- Supports the role of Station(STA).

- STA operates in both Infrastructures BSS as well as in Independent BSS (IBSS).

- Data rates up to 11 Mbit/sec (802.11b) and 54 Mbit/sec (802.11a and 802.11g).

- Performs CSMA/CA Algorithm to sense the medium.

- AHB Bus Interface.

- Includes WEP based 64-bt Encryption/Decryption Algorithm.

- Supports both Active and Passive Scanning Mode.

- PHY Interface Module handles different Clock Domains between MAC and PHY.

- Optimum Hardware-Software partitioning for reduced gate count as well as lower MIPS requirements.

- Software configurable.

- Synthesizable RTL code for Hardware Component and Csource code for MAC Firmware.

Product Specifications

- Fully Synthesizable Register Transfer Level (RTL) VHDL.

- Test Bench Environment: VHDL.

- Targeted to Altera Excalibur EP 20K with Embedded 922T ARM Processor at 200 MIPS.

- Clock – 24 MHz for FPGA (Standard: 11 MHz).

Options

Add-ons : - AMBA AHB Interface
- PHY Interface

SI24WLAN11 MAC based on SoC design, supports ARM922T processor for Management Level Functionality to address the needs of complex design system, low power consumption and high performance. A shared RAM shall be used for the management operations done by the ARM processor. The AMBA AHB architecture is used for transferring management operations to the ARM processor and the data to the Host Layer through PCI-AMBA Bridge.

Brief description of Infiniband - SI19IB20 LPE

MAC : Centrally controls the MAC operation. Takes the decision of which packet to be transmitted next. Interacts with MAU, Transmitter, Receiver and HAU for the MAC operations to be performed.

MLME : MAC Layer Management Entity controls all the management related activities.

HAU : Header Assembly Unit prepares the Header of the Packet as indicated by the MAC.

MAU : Implements CSMA/CA and Distributed Algorithm Function (DCF) to sense the medium.

Flags and Timers : Contains the Status Flags and Timers used to watch the management activities.

Transmitter : Transmits the frame by sequentially arranging the Packet Fields and appending it with CRC bytes.

PHY Interface : The Frames are passed and received from the PHY Layer to the MAC Layer.

AMBA AHB Interface : The Frames from the MAC Layer are transferred to the AMBA AHB Bus through the Interface.