Network printer engine controller has highly flexible port/lane design
16 November 2005
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Typical enterprise local area networks provide one or more network printers for users. These printers are typically higher-end designs often with multiple types of functionality. The throughput requirements can often be very large, especially where applications such as high resolution colour graphics or medical imaging involving large bitmapped files. The printer's main controller card manages the flow of data from various network inputs including Ethernet network connections, scanners, and graphics through a processor and to the marking engine.
PLX Technology's ExpressLane PEX 8508 switch has an economical 8-lane/5-port design and large configuration flexibility that can be used to provide the embedded switching to interconnect all these components. The one x4-lane and four x1-lane option, shown in the figure, is just one of the many configurations supported. Additionally, its support for ultra low power operation with wake-up capability is valuable for 'green' considerations.
The PEX 8508 switch device has a selectable nontransparent port to isolate dual processors which may be present in higher end multifunction printers.
PLX Technology other PCI ExpressLane products include 16, 24 and 32-lane switches varying from four to eight ports, PCI to PCIe bridge and PCI-X to PCIe bridge products, with more to follow.
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