Microchip announced USB3.0 Smart Hubs that enable host and device port swapping, I/O bridging and various other serial communication interfaces.
The USB5734 and USB5744 feature an integrated microcontroller (MCU) that enables new functionality for USB hubs while lowering overall bill-of-materials costs and reducing software complexity. The device family is USB-IF logo certified (TID 330000058) and features enhanced signal integrity to enable more robust PCB designs and reduce sensitivities to cable, connector and layout variations.
A Smart Hub is a USB hub that integrates system-level functions typically associated with a separate MCU or processor. Microchip’s new devices enable the upstream host controller to communicate to numerous types of external peripherals beyond the USB connection through direct bridging from USB to I&$178;C, SPI, UART and GPIO interfaces.
Microchip’s patented FlexConnect technology provides the USB5734 Smart Hub the unique ability to dynamically swap between a USB host and a USB device through hardware and/or software system commands, giving the new USB host access to downstream resources.
This same FlexConnect technology can also switch common downstream resources between two different USB hosts. Incorporating FlexConnect into a system simplifies the overall software requirements of the primary host, as class drivers and application software stay local to the device-turned-host.
System developers can easily configure ports and choose application settings with low-cost resistor bootstraps. If more advanced functionality is required, the USB5734/44 can be configured and programmed with the ProTouch2 configuration tool.
The new controller hubs serve a wide range of applications in the computing, embedded, medical, industrial and networking markets. Examples of end applications include HDTV, tablets, notebooks, eReaders, cameras, docking stations, monitors, handheld devices, point-of-sale equipment, ATMs, set-top boxes, break-out boxes and motion sensors, among others.
The chips are supported by Microchip’s USB 3.0 Controller Hub Evaluation Board (EVB-USB5734) and USB 3.0 Small Form Factor Controller Hub Evaluation Board (EVB-USB5744). The former includes mezzanine cards that can be used as preset application configurations for easy testing and development of a USB5734 system.
The USB5734 and USB5744 are available for sampling and volume production in 64-pin (9 x 9 mm) and 56-pin (7 x 7 mm) QFN packages, respectively.
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