The CP2101 is a single-chip USB to UART Bridge from Silicon Laboratories that converts data traffic between USB and UART formats. The chip includes a complete USB 2.0 full-speed function controller, bridge control logic and a UART interface with transmit/receive buffers and modem handshake signals.
The device also features on-board EEPROM, a voltage regulator, a USB transceiver and an integrated internal oscillator, eliminating external components generally required in USB applications. System development is further simplified by the CP2101EK evaluation kit.
The CP2101 is offered in a 28 pin MLP (5 x 5 mm) consuming 33% to 66% less board space than the area of competitive offerings, making it ideal for smart cable applications, says SiLabs.
When used for RS485 no external hardware is necessary but considerations need to be taken based on the RS485 transceiver and the system configuration. If the CP2101 is used in half-duplex mode (which is usually the case for RS485 systems), then RTS line on the CP2101 can be tied high and that is all the configuration necessary. If the communication is full duplex, then the RtsControl field in the PCB structure in the user's software application will need to be set to TransmitActive. The PCB structure is used to configure the COM port created by the CP2101.
The CP2101EK evaluation kit simplifies system development and includes an evaluation board, all required cables, USB and RS232 connectors, a CP2101, an RS232 transceiver and a software CD. With the purchase of a CP2101EK, Silicon Laboratories provides royalty-free drivers for PC, Macintosh and Linux (specific versions). These virtual COM port (VCP) device drivers integrate readily existing COM port applications.
For more information contact NuVision Electronics, +27 (0)11 894 8214, [email protected]
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