Today at the Cartes Trade Show in Paris, Infineon Technologies announced a strategic technology collaboration for the development of optimized chip solutions for high-density (HD) SIM cards with Intel Corporation.
Under the terms of the agreement, Infineon will architect modular chip solutions with Intel offering memory capacities from 4MB to 64MB (Megabytes).
Infineon contributes its vast expertise in security hardware and will develop a 32-bit security microcontroller based on its existing SLE 88 family for use with HD SIM cards. Intel is contributing its leading-edge flash memory technologies, capabilities and manufacturing.
The close technical collaboration will allow Infineon’s HD security microcontroller to be optimally calibrated with Intel’s flash memory solutions for efficient integration into HD SIM cards. The initial development of the flash memory product line will scale up to 64 MB with NOR flash memory manufactured on 65-nanometer (nm) and 45-nm process technologies. The security microcontroller is currently produced on 130-nm process technology, which is state-of-the-art for chips used in smartcard applications. All HD SIM solutions operate across the voltage range of 1.8 V to 3.3 V according to ETSI specifications. The SLE 88 family concept allows the operating system software developed for existing SIM cards to be easily reused.
HD SIM cards to account for 6 to 8 percent of the total SIM card market in 2010.
U.S. market research company Frost & Sullivan predicts that in 2010 the high-density SIM cards will account for approximately 6 to 8 percent of the total SIM card market of nearly 3.8 billion units – growing from about 2.5 billion units in 2007.
“These two mobile application experts, joining forces through this technology agreement, have an opportunity to shape the HD SIM market in an exciting way,” said Anoop Ubhey, global program director, Smart Cards ICT at Frost & Sullivan market research company. “The NOR memory and microcontroller option for high-density SIM cards opens the door for new business models and a greater reach for mobile network operators.”
The SIM cards today handle network security and basic user functionality, such as standard phone book in a mobile device. By late 2008, the new USB interface of SIM cards will enable additional demanding and data-intensive mobile applications, services and over-the-air downloads. The mobile network operator (MNO) will require more memory in the SIM card than today’s typical capacities in order to launch these services. NOR flash technology is expected to be a primary memory solution for HD SIM cards. It provides low price points due to small cell size thus extending HD SIM solutions to a broader reach of subscribers. NOR flash solutions fit in the existing SIM card cavity, are customizable to a number of densities below 128MB, and require no Error Correction Code (ECC).
Samples of the Intel / Infineon HD SIM card solution will be available in the second half of 2008, with high-volume production expected in the first half of 2009. The products will be sold in die form or in a chip card IC package.
Source: Infineon
Related stories:
Samsung Introduces 90-Nanometer High Performance Smart Card IC
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in advanced semiconductor technology, announced today its 90-nanometer smart card IC with high data storage capacity for subscriber identity module (SIM) cards and mobile TV applications.
McAfee signs cellular anti-virus deal
M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. and anti-virus giant McAfee signed a partnership agreement on Sunday that will protect the new MegaSIM from viruses.
Company looks to mega-success with MegaSIM
M-Systems Flask Disk Pioneers Ltd. expects its new MegaSIM technology to be a blockbuster in the mobile market, the company's CEO said in an interview.
Prototyping a secure multipurpose, mobile chip
A powerful, high-capacity chip currently under development has the potential to revolutionise daily life, doing away with many of the identity documents, credit cards and passwords people have to use each day.
Due to end in June, the IST programme-funded project SM-PAYSOC has so far created a working prototype of the chip packaged in a smartcard, which in the future could also be incorporated into a USB token or a SIM card.
Leaner, Meaner Chip Card Package
Infineon Technologies AG and Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (G&D) have jointly developed an innovative production method for chip packages specifically for use in chip card applications. The FCOS (Flip Chip On Substrate) method unveiled today is the first in which a chip card IC is rotated or flipped inside the module housing it. The functional side of the chip is attached directly to the module by means of conductive contacts; conventional gold wires and synthetic resin encapsulation are no longer required. The new attachment technique saves space in the module; additionally, it is even more robust than the conventional wiring solution. This means that the whole module handles high mechanical stresses better like those encountered, for example, when a chip card is sent by post and passes through the postal system’s sorting machines.
UMC Expands Embedded Memory Portfolio to Target Fast Growing Smart Card Market
Foundry's first 0.25um embedded EEPROM delivers reliability and low power advantages
UMC, a world leading semiconductor foundry, today announced that it has developed the foundry's first true embedded EEPROM based on UMC 0.25um Logic and Mixed-signal Platform. The embedded EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory) targets the rapidly emerging
IC card market, which includes mobile SIM cards, debit cards, credit cards, ID cards, USB ID keys or any other application where secure identification is required and information needs to be updated and programmed frequently.
World's Highest-capacity Smart Card IC
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in advanced s emiconductor technology, completes a full line up of high performance, high-capacity
smart card technology with the introduction of the world's first 256-kilobyte (KB) EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) embedded smart card. The new smart card IC (part number: S3CC9EF) has a broad range of applications that include the User Identity Module (UIM) and Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) for
GSM/
GPRS and IMT 2000 handsets, Java cards, multimedia products, and electronic passports, demand for which has surged to ensure security measures in individual identification systems.
Japan's Toppan Printing Chooses ARM for Next Generation IC Card
TOKYO, JAPAN and CAMBRIDGE, UK - July 7, 2004 - Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. the world's second largest printing company, and ARM, today announced that Toppan has developed an IC card with high-speed cryptographic processing capabilities using ARM® SecurCore™ microprocessors. Toppan's IC card is ideal for SIM cards for mobile phones, and fits with government and corporate ID cards where supporting biometric authentication is essential.