The
MultiMediaCard
System Specification
MMCA Technical Committee
Version 3.31
MultiMediaCard System
2 MultiMediaCard System Specification Version 3.31 Official Release (c) May 2003 MMCA
Revision History
Version Date Section/ Page Changes compared to previous issue
1.0 09-09-96 all Initial version of system specification
1.1 27-09-96 Chap. 4,6,10 Complete revision
1.2 15-11-96 all
1.4 25-2-98 all Complete revision. Added new chapters
2.0 1/99 all Several changes in SPI mode (chapter 7). Smaller changes in chapters
2, 4, 5. All references to “MMC” changed to “MultiMediaCard”.
2.1 5/99 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 Several new features introduced:
• Data interchange format
• Password locking
• Application specific commands
Several clarifications and minor corrections for MultiMediaCard
mode (chapter 4) and SPI mode (chapter 7). Backward compatible
change of card dimensional tolerances (chapter 9).
2.11 6/99 4 Corrections in the status/command cross reference table (chapter 4)
2.2 1/00 7, 9 ESD tolerance, SPI status bits, Definition of card top side.
3.0 1/01 All This is a major upgrade of the spec that contains new mechanical,
electrical as well as protocol changes. See appendix for details.
3.1 6/01 5 The CSD version identification fields in 3.0 version are not compati-
ble with old versions. 3.1 fixes the issues, replaces and obsoletes 3.0
3.2 1/02 4, 5, 6, 9 Definition of Low Voltage MultiMediaCard completed. Some details
added to the mechanical form factor of the card. Erase and Group
write protect classes defined as mandatory for Read/Write cards and 2
CSD bits where allocated for application specific use.
3.3 3/03 2, 3, 8 Introduced the reduced size MMC. The high voltage range is now
mandatory for all cards, as well as OCR register and CMD1 imple-
mentation. Corrected some typos in the wording.
3.31 5/03 A Corrected connector order in figure 72
MultiMediaCard System
MultiMediaCard System Specification Version 3.31 Official Release (c) May 2003 MMCA 3
You acknowledge that the attached standard (the “Standard”) is provided to you on an “AS IS” basis.
MULTIMEDIACARD ASSOCIATION (“MMCA”) MAKES NO EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR
STATUTORY WARRANTIES AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-
INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. MMCA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR (I)
TECHNICAL OR EDITORIAL ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED WITHIN THE
STANDARD, OR (II) ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOST PROFITS OR LOSS OF USE)
RESULTING FROM THE FURNISHING, PERFORMANCE OR USE OF THE STANDARD,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Copyright (c) May 2003 MultiMediaCard Association P.O. Box 2012 Cupertino, CA 95015-2012
USA. World rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be transmitted, reproduced or distributed in any way, including but
not limited to photocopying, electronic copying, magnetic or other recording, without the prior
written consent of MMCA.
MultiMediaCard System
4 MultiMediaCard System Specification Version 3.31 Official Release (c) May 2003 MMCA
MultiMediaCard System
MultiMediaCard System Specification Version 3.31 Official Release (c) March 2003 MMCA 5
Table Of Contents
1 General Description ..........................................................................................................11
2 System Features ................................................................................................................ 13
3 MultiMediaCard System Concept .................................................................................. 15
3.1 Card Concept ...................................................................................................................... 18
3.1.1 Form Factors .................................................................................................................................... 19
3.2 Bus Concept ........................................................................................................................ 20
3.2.1 Bus Lines ......................................................................................................................................... 20
3.2.2 Bus Protocol ..................................................................................................................................... 21
3.3 Controller Concept ............................................................................................................. 24
3.3.1 Application Adapter Requirements .................................................................................................. 25
3.3.2 MultiMediaCard Adapter Architecture ............................................................................................ 25
4 MultiMediaCard Functional Description ....................................................................... 29
4.1 General ............................................................................................................................... 29
4.2 Card Identification Mode ...................................................................................................30
4.2.1 Card Reset ........................................................................................................................................ 30
4.2.2 Operating Voltage Range Validation ............................................................................................... 30
4.2.3 Card Identification Process .............................................................................................................. 32
4.3 Interrupt Mode .................................................................................................................... 32
4.4 Data Transfer Mode ............................................................................................................ 34
4.4.1 Data Read ......................................................................................................................................... 35
4.4.2 Data Write ........................................................................................................................................ 37
4.4.3 Erase ................................................................................................................................................. 39
4.4.4 Write Protect Management .............................................................................................................. 39
4.4.5 Card Lock/Unlock Operation ........................................................................................................... 40
4.4.6 Application specific commands ....................................................................................................... 42
4.5 Clock Control ..................................................................................................................... 43
4.6 Error Conditions ................................................................................................................. 43
4.6.1 CRC and Illegal Command .............................................................................................................. 43
4.6.2 Read, Write and Erase Time-out Conditions ................................................................................... 44
4.6.3 Read ahead in Stream and multiple block read operation ................................................................ 44
4.7 Commands .......................................................................................................................... 45
4.7.1 Command Types .............................................................................................................................. 45
4.7.2 Command Format ............................................................................................................................ 45
4.7.3 Command Classes ............................................................................................................................ 45
4.7.4 Detailed Command Description ....................................................................................................... 46
4.8 Card State Transition Table ................................................................................................52
4.9 Responses ........................................................................................................................... 53
