Seven-port USB SmartHub ICs expand data connections in displays
Believed to be the first seven-port USB 3.1 Gen1 hub ICs, Microchip announces the USB58xx and USB59xx families of SmartHubs. They offer manufacturers multiple direct interfaces to USB Type-C connectors enabling 5Gbit/s USB data rates in a single IC.
The USB58xx and USB59xx families are for monitors, docking stations, digital televisions, set-top boxes and computing peripherals and other applications which benefit from the expanded number of external USB 3.1 Gen1 ports available for data connections within a single, monolithic device. A hub IC that supports seven ports avoids having to tier two four-port devices to provide sufficient downstream ports, without power or cost penalties. A single chip results in a simpler design, cost savings and reduced component footprint, says the company. Its proprietary SmartHub technology can further reduce bill of materials cost by enabling I/O bridging and FlexConnect for expanded USB hub functionality without adding any additional components.
The devices can expand beyond seven ports through PortSplitting, which allows embedded applications to only use the interface needed for their internal USB connection. Each device also has built-in Billboard support for notifying users when an unsupported device has been connected in a USB Power Delivery application.
The USB58xx and USB59xx families are supported by the company’s USBCheck, a free engineering service for reviewing schematics and layout designs.
The USB59xx family supports direct upstream interface of USB Type-C, while the USB58xx provides support for legacy, non-USB Type-C interfaces. Both families support legacy battery charging including BC1.2, Apple devices and many non-standard devices available today.
The four USB58xx family devices and three USB59xx devices are sampling and volume production now, in 100-pin QFN packages in industrial and automotive grades.
