
MultiMediaCard Flash
Preliminary MultiMediaCard Product Manual;
1998 SANDISK CORPORATION
Page 11 of 79
1.5.8.3 Card Acquisition and Identification
The MultiMediaCard bus is a single master (MultiMediaCard host) and multi-slaves (cards)
bus. The host can query the bus and find out how many cards of which type are currently
connected. The MultiMediaCard’s CID register is pre-programmed with a unique card
identification number which is used during the acquisition and identification procedure.
In addition, the MultiMediaCard host can read the card’s CID register using the READ_CID
MultiMediaCard command. The CID register is programmed during the MultiMediaCard
testing and formatting procedure, on the manufacturing floor. The MultiMediaCard host
can only read this register and not write to it.
1.5.8.4 Card Status
MultiMediaCard status is stored in a 32 bit status register which is sent as the data field in
the card respond to host commands. Status register provides information about the card’s
current state and completion codes for the last host command. The card status can be
explicitly read (polled) with the SEND_STATUS command.
1.5.8.5 Memory Array Partitioning
Although the MultiMediaCard memory space is byte addressable with addresses ranging
from 0 to the last byte, it is not a simple byte array but divided into several structures as
depicted in Figure 1-2.
Memory bytes are grouped into 512 byte blocks called sectors. Every block can be read,
written and erased individually.
Sectors are grouped into erase groups of 16 sectors. Any combination of sectors within
one group or, any combination of erase groups can be erased in a single erase command.
A write command implicitly erases the memory before writing new data into it. Explicit
erase command can be used for pre-erasing of memory which will speed up the next write
operation.
Figure 1-2 Memory Array Structure