National Semiconductor Corp claims to have introduced the first system-on-a-chip part for color image and document scanners. The Santa Clara-based chip maker says the new LM9830 incorporates all the functions of a high-performance scanner, including analog front end, sensor-clock generation, micro-stepping motor control, data buffering, and parallel-port interface into a single integrated circuit. The product, one of the first successes the company has seen in its efforts to become a major provider of system-on-a-chip technology, is being described as a perfect example of National’s strategic direction. The company boasts that it enables superior image quality and significantly higher speeds than current multiple-chip systems, while also shortening the time to market for customers. NatSemi claims to have a taker for the part already, although no names were being divulged. With pricing pressures in the overall market for scanners having already pushed prices below $100, any way to cut costs by manufacturers will likely be well received. NatSemi is offering the new chip for $10 in 1,000-unit quantities.
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