pl-2528 Prolific Technology Inc., pl-2528 Datasheet - Page 5

• Manufacturer Part Number: pl-2528
• Description: Advanced Hi-speed Usb Flash Disk Controller Product Datasheet
• Manufacturer: Prolific Technology Inc.

Revised Date:
March 28, 2008
ds_pl2528-3A_v1.5.doc
1.0 Overview
PL-2528 is an advanced Hi-Speed USB Flash Disk controller that allows data transfer between
USB-equipped hosts (such as PC, PDA, MP3 Player) and NAND Flash Memory through USB port
interface at transfer rate of 480Mbps. Advanced mode design allows for PL-2528 USB Flash devices
to reach enhanced R/W performances of 34MByte/sec and 24MByte/sec respectively. It also allows
interface of up to 8 NAND Flash Memory. The PL-2528 is the best solution for low power, high
performance and compatibility, plug-and-play portable storage media.
The available NAND flash memories on board can generally be used as a normal single disk or
partitioned into a standard/open mass storage device and a secured mass storage device. The sizes
of the partitions can be easily configured and adjusted by end-users using the USB Flash Disk (UFD)
utility program. To access the secured mass storage device or disk, users must first enter the correct
password using the UFD utility program.
Two new features of the PL-2528 is the Read-Only and Hidden Partition (Optional). The PL-2528
allows vendors to create a read-only partition for preloading their software driver and application
program to save on driver CD cost and enhance user-friendliness. If a secured partition and password
is set, this Read-Only partition will toggle with the Secured partition disk after the password is
confirmed. When you plug-in the device, the Read-Only partition and the open partition will first
appear and after the end-user enters the password, the Read-Only partition will be removed and the
Secured partition will appear (refer to the partition configuration table on the succeeding page). The
Hidden partition allows vendors to put their own private application programs and using a special
utility to access it. This Hidden partition is not accessible and cannot be seen by end-users. Prolific
provides a vendor manufacturing kit utility to customize and preset these special partitions.
To take advantage of Plug and Play, the mass storage device is implemented according to the USB
mass storage device class. Since the default driver is included within most of the current OS, no extra
driver is needed for Linux, Mac OS, Windows Vista, Windows® ME/2000/XP/2003 Server and above.
Prolific provides a separate Windows 98 driver and supports driver and utility customization. PL-2528
also supports Vista ReadyBoost requirements for both SLC and MLC NAND flash configurations.
The PL-2528 also provides options to customize this chip in showing the vendor identity. Users could
modify the Vendor ID, Product ID, Language ID, manufacturer string, and product string of the final
product. Production configuration and test tool utilities are also provided by Prolific.
PL-2528 Product Datasheet
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Document Version 1.5