Jennifer Calhoon

High-speed, PLC input isolators handle up to 8 channels

August 3, 2016 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Silicon Labs has introduced the industry’s first high-speed, multi-channel digital isolators designed to meet the demands of programmable logic controller (PLC) applications. The new Si838x PLC field input isolator family offers an unmatched combination of high-speed channels (up to 2 Mbps), exceptional channel integration (up to eight channels per device), bipolar input flexibility, high noise immunity and 2.5k VRMS safety isolation. The Si838x family provides a purpose-built solution for PLC applications including industrial I/O modules, computer numerical control (CNC) machines and servo motor control. The Si838x isolators are also ideal for process automation controllers (PACs) used in distributed process control systems.

Widely deployed in harsh factory floor environments, PLCs must be robust and compact. Many PLC designs scale up to 128 channels and have multiple high-speed inputs. While optocouplers have provided the default isolation solution for decades, they present major challenges to PLC designers. Lacking high-speed capabilities, optos are not fast enough for high-performance PLC applications such as servo motor control. Optos also lack high noise immunity, and their performance degrades over time and temperature, posing reliability risks in high-temperature industrial applications. The Si838x family addresses these challenges for the first time by providing a flexible, high-speed, multi-channel bipolar isolation solution in a compact QSOP package with much longer service life and higher reliability than opto-based solutions.

Silicon Labs’ Si838x isolators are highly integrated single-chip devices providing eight channels of 24 V digital field interface. This high level of integration enables significant bill of materials (BOM) and board space savings in PLC designs. By “daisy chaining” 16 Si838x isolators in a system design, developers can create PLCs with up to 128 channels supported by a single serial peripheral interface (SPI) port on the system’s embedded processor.

The controller interface can be eight parallel channels or a four-port SPI. Developers can configure the SPI for on-the-fly programming for custom de-bounce of noisy signals and for daisy chaining to support high-channel-density PLC designs. An optional de-bounce filter is either pre-programmed in a parallel configuration or programmable in a serial-out configuration.

Leveraging Silicon Labs’ groundbreaking CMOS-based LED emulator technology, the Si838x isolators feature a flexible bipolar input capability that gives developers a choice of sinking or sourcing inputs. The LED emulator input circuit supports up to eight sinking or sourcing inputs in a single isolator device with no power supply required on the field side. The output interface to the controller supports low-power operation with 2.25 V operation capability.

The Si838x isolators provide a high-speed capability of 1 MHz (2 Mbps), which is essential for servo motor control applications. The isolators also offer best-in-class noise immunity on high-speed channels (50 kV/µs CMTI typical) to enhance system reliability.

“Silicon Labs’ Si838x family addresses the unique challenges of PLC design by offering a compact, multi-channel, high-speed digital isolation solution,” said Ross Sabolcik, vice president of power products at Silicon Labs. “PLC developers can now easily migrate their optocoupler-based designs to state-of-the-art digital isolation technology providing the benefits of higher performance, greater design flexibility, higher channel density and long-term reliability.”

Si838x PLC Field Input Isolator Family Highlights

Bipolar input capability offers flexible design options for sinking or sourcing PLC inputs
Up to 8 channels in one package reduces board space for compact PLC designs
High-speed 2 Mbps channels enable reliable servo motor control
High noise immunity (50 kV/µs CMTI on high-speed channels) ensures reliable operation
Parallel or SPI interface provides flexible design options
Single SPI port supports 128 channels with 16 Si838x devices, saving control I/O pins
User-programmable de-bounce capability using SPI
2.25-5.5 V VDD capability reduces power consumption for low-power controller interface
Integrated 2.5k VRMS safety rated isolation

Samples and production quantities of the Si838x PLC field input isolators are available now in a compact 20-QSOP package. Si838x family pricing in 10,000-unit quantities begins at $1.91 (USD.) To simplify PLC application development, Silicon Labs offers the Si838xISO-KIT evaluation kit priced at $29.00 (USD MSRP).

Ethernet switch provides up to 10 1G, 2.5G and 10G ports

May 27, 2016 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Microsemi Corporation (Nasdaq: MSCC), a provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, announced the availability of the latest member of its SparX-IV Ethernet switch product family, VSC7440 SparX-IV-34, designed to enable more cost effective, smaller form factor and lower power networking solutions with 2.5G and 10 gigabit Ethernet connectivity. The fully L2/L3 managed Ethernet switch, which provides up to 10 ports supporting a combination of 1G, 2.5G and 10G Ethernet ports, delivers a flexible and feature-rich solution for enterprise networking including small and midsize business (SMB), small and midsize enterprise (SME), and industrial Ethernet applications.

“Expanding our flagship SparX-IV Ethernet switch family with the VSC7440 enables Microsemi to increase its opportunities in the low bandwidth, high volume markets by offering the industry a much-needed cost-effective, small port count switch supporting much faster Ethernet rates,” said Larry O’Connell, director of product marketing for Microsemi’s Ethernet Networking Technology (ENT) group. “With up to 10 Gbps data service, customers can build a future-proof platform delivering video, storage and other data-intensive applications for users.”

Microsemi’s VSC7440 brings new capabilities to the networking communications market, as current switches of its kind are unable to support more than 1 gigabit Ethernet rate with similar power profile and features. The VSC7440 Ethernet switch integrates VeriTime™, Microsemi’s patent-pending distributed timing technology which delivers nanosecond accuracy IEEE 1588V2 time stamping. In addition, the device supports Microsemi’s comprehensive application software suite and programming interface (API) packages, accelerating time-to-market and increasing return on investment for Microsemi customers. The software API package integrates easily with third-party software, enabling a diverse set of applications while preserving existing software investments for customers.

According to market research firm IHS, the total available market (TAM) for fixed Ethernet switches with 1G, 2.5G and 10G ports is expected to grow to more than $14.2 billion per year by 2018. Microsemi’s new VSC7440 device is ideal for serving a number of applications in this expanding market, including multi-service operator (MSO) and telecom/internet service provider networks, next-generation router gateways for residential service, as well as small IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi aggregation switches for small office/ home office (SOHO) and SMB.

Other key features of the VSC7440 include:

Layer-3 routing
Up to four 1G, four 2.5G and two 10G ports
Up to two integrated copper PHYs and two 10G Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes)
Extended temperature range
Easy upgrade within SparX-IV family to higher bandwidth, including more 10GbE port support

Product Availability
Microsemi’s new VSC7440 SparX-IV-34 is available now.

LoRaWAN dev kits include sensors, gateway, and server

May 25, 2016 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, announced availability of the industry’s first complete LoRa® technology evaluation kits. The new kits provide customers with all required components to create a Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) in Europe (DV164140-1 for the 868 MHz band) or North America (DV164140-2 for the 915 MHz band). Each kit includes two Motes (LoRaWAN™ sensors) based on Microchip’s RN2483 or RN2903 LoRa modules, a LoRaWAN gateway and a local LoRaWAN server application.

Driven by the LoRa Alliance, LoRa technology is able to achieve a range of up to 10 miles and 10-year battery life. The technology targets low data rates and low-duty-cycle applications for tracking and monitoring such things as energy, location, utility infrastructure, smart city, environment, agriculture and public safety. Although predominantly used for the uplink of sensor data, bidirectional communications allow real-time acknowledgement of mission-critical data and downlink control of remote actuator nodes.

“These new LoRa evaluation kits deliver what many of our customers have been asking for since we announced the industry’s first certified module earlier this year,” said Steve Caldwell, vice president of Microchip’s Wireless Solutions Group. “These LoRa evaluation kits are another industry first and deliver everything needed for a developer to create a LoRaWAN network right at their desk.”

Each kit can serve as a building block for development of a long-range LoRa network where designers can expect up to 10 miles of range and 10 years of battery life using two AAA batteries. LoRa technology utilizes spread spectrum modulation which delivers excellent data robustness in a noisy environment and works through physical obstructions. Because the two Motes are European R&TTE Directive Assessed (DV164140-1) or FCC Certified (DV164140-2), time to market can be significantly reduced through simplification of standards and government regulatory certification.

Microchip
www.microchip.com

DeviceNet PCIe NICs include OPC server configuration and diagnostic tools

March 3, 2016 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Molex, LLC expands its line of interface solutions with the introduction of SST™ DN4 DeviceNet* PCIe Network Interface Cards (NICs). Utilizing a single-source manufacturing process for hardware and software, the PCIe NICs deliver outstanding reliability and performance. Applications for SST DN4 DeviceNet PCIe NICs include automotive and semiconductor automation devices and material handling equipment.

“The integration of master and slave operations on a single, half-height card with very low power requirements creates control and design flexibility,” said George Kairys, global product manager, Molex.

The PCIe NICs scan DeviceNet signals in 3 to 5 milliseconds, enabling real-time control. By combining master and slave functions, those operations can be executed simultaneously, enabling control schemes that require multiple functions. The combination also reduces customer NIC inventory requirements.

SST DN4 DeviceNet PCIe NICs provide backward compatibility with DN3 cards for legacy system connections. Also, the PCIe NICs are tested to ODVA Vol. 3, v.1.8 standards and support several operating systems and drivers, including Windows XP, Vista, 7 (32 and 64 bit) and 8 (32 and 64 bit). Value-added features include OPC server configuration and diagnostic tools.

Molex
www.molex.com

Ambiq Micro’s lowest power microcontroller is now in volume production

November 20, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Ambiq Micro announced that its Apollo MCU, which recently made microcontroller history by demonstrating that it consumes less than half the energy of rivals in real-world applications (EEMBC ULPBench benchmark), is now available for shipping into high volume consumer applications.

The Ambiq Micro Apollo MCU features active mode current in the order of 34µA/MHz when running from flash and sleep mode current less than 150nA. Built around an ARM M4 core with a floating point unit, the device is available with a range of memory options from 64kB to 512kB of embedded flash memory, includes a 10-bit ADC, and has a wide range of serial interfaces. It’s offered in both BGA and WLCSP package options.

Ambiq recently announced that wearables manufacturer, Misfit, selected the Apollo MCU to power its Shine2™ fitness and sleep monitor. Energy consumption was a key design criterion. The Ambiq microcontroller enabled Misift to create a 2nd generation device with several additional attractive functions without compromising the six-month battery life of its predecessor.

The Apollo MCU is available for immediate delivery with prices starting at $1.50 in 10k quantities.

Ambiq Micro
www.ambiqmicro.com

Network synchronizers feature low jitter, generate multiple output clocks

November 20, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Microsemi Corporation (Nasdaq: MSCC), a provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, announced three new devices in its portfolio of Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) products, which include two single-channel ultralow jitter network synchronizers, ZL30621 and ZL30622, as well as a dual-channel version,ZL30623. The new network synchronizers offer communications customers G.8262 SyncE compliance, leveraging the company’s more than 25 years’ experience in telecommunications network synchronization. In addition, Microsemi announced the availability of its ZL30182, a dual-channel, high performance line card clock translator for SyncE and Optical Transport Network (OTN).

Microsemi’s new ZL30621, ZL30622 and ZL30623 provide jitter performance of 0.25 pico seconds (ps) root mean square (rms) and integrated electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) for self-configuration at start-up. The single-channel devices also feature a compact 5×5 millimeter (mm) package. Combined, these features allow Microsemi to offer compelling solutions for space-constrained, high volume applications.

“By offering these small, easy to use devices with excellent jitter performance and low cost, we can expand our customer reach, as well as the range of applications our products can support,” said Maamoun Seido, vice president and business unit manager of Microsemi’s timing products. “As the leader in packet timing, with deep expertise in SyncE and IEEE 1588, our ZL30621, ZL30622 and ZL30623 devices provide a cost-effective solution for SyncE applications requiring full compliance with the ITU-T G.8262 standard.”

Microsemi’s ZL30621, ZL30622 and ZL30623 are ideal for a wide range of SyncE network synchronization architectures, with target applications including small cell routers and switches, broadband access, carrier Ethernet equipment and wireless backhaul equipment. As the insatiable demand for bandwidth at the edge of the network grows, access equipment is coming under mounting pressure to provide increased bandwidth at a lower cost. Market research firm Infonetics is forecasting small cell backhaul equipment revenues to reach $2.5 billion by 2019 at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 86 percent.

The ultralow jitter network synchronizers are all fully compliant G.8262 Ethernet equipment slave clock (EEC) option 1 and option 2, and G.813 SDH equipment slave clock (SEC) network synchronizers. The ZL30621 and ZL30622 have three input references and generate up to three differential, or six single-ended output clocks, while the ZL30623 has six input references and generates up to six differential or 12 single-ended output clocks.

The ZL30621 and ZL30622 feature an integrated fractional-N analogue phase-locked loop (APLL) and the ZL30623 features a dual, independent fractional-N APLL. This generates ultralow jitter output clocks programmable to any frequency between from 1 hertz (Hz) to 1,035 megahertz (MHz). The devices’ integrated digital phase locked loops (DPLLs)provide G.8262 compliance with programmable loop bandwidths down to 0.1 Hz, hitless reference switching, holdover and jitter filtering.

About Microsemi’s New Dual-Channel, Ultralow Jitter Line Card Device
After winning the 2014 “Product of the Year” award from Electronic Product China for its single-channel line card device, ZL30169, Microsemi is announcing the availability of the dual-channel version of the device,ZL30182. The high performance ZL30182, with its six-input and six outputs, provides output clocks with jitter performance of 0.25 ps rms and targets applications requiring ultralow jitter and a wide frequency range to support both OTN as well as SyncE.

The device integrates dual, independent DPLLs, dual analog PLLs and EEPROM. With programmable loop bandwidth from 5 Hz to 500 Hz, the DPLL provides hitless reference switching, holdover and jitter filtering. These capabilities are necessary to ensure no phase hits are seen on the output of the line card clock, unlike the case with simple digital circuitry or APLL only implementations. The integrated APLLs generate the ultralow jitter output clocks programmable to any frequency from 1 Hz to 1,035 MHz. The integrated EEPROM provides up to four automatic self-configurations of the device at power-up.

Product Availability
Microsemi’s new ultralow jitter network synchronizers and line card device are available in volume production quantities now.

Microsemi
www.microsemi.com

Position sensor interface ICs handle analog and digital devices

November 20, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Texas Instruments (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) announced the industry’s first on-chip solution supporting both analog and digital position sensors. The new TMS320F28379Dand TMS320F28379S microcontrollers (MCUs) are an expansion to TI’s C2000™ Delfino™ MCU portfolio and, when combined with DesignDRIVE Position Manager technology, enable simple interfacing to position sensors. This solution improves system performance by completing the decode tasks on-chip and reducing the communication latency, enabling faster control loop performance. In addition, it allows developers to decrease system cost by reducing the board area required in FPGA or ASIC-based solutions. Position Manager gives developers access to the base functionality needed to interface to EnDat2.2, BiSS-C, Resolver and SIN/COS sensors, saving time in development, support and testing. Based on the real-time control architecture of TI’s C2000 MCUs, the DesignDRIVE platform is ideal for the development of industrial inverter and servo drives used in robotics, computer numerical control machinery (CNC), elevators, materials conveyance, transportation and other industrial manufacturing applications.

Eliminate a complex stage of the industrial drives development cycle
DesignDRIVE is a single hardware and software platform that makes it easy for engineers to develop and evaluate solutions for a variety of industrial drive and servo topologies. Position Manager, a new technology within DesignDRIVE, allows developers to interface easily with digital and analog position sensors. The TMS320F28379D and TMS320F28379S MCUs are the first MCUs within the C2000 portfolio to support the Position Manager technology on-chip. As a key part of DesignDRIVE solutions, Position Manager allows industrial drives system designers to eliminate the engineering effort needed to develop, support and maintain the FGPAs or ASICs required to connect to these sensors today.

Solving position sensor interface compatibility challenges
TI’s Position Manager technology is compatible with both digital and analog position sensors, which allows a single C2000 Delfino MCU the flexibility to support multiple sensor types. This includes EnDat 2.2, BiSS-C, Resolver, SIN/COS and incremental encoders including Clockwise/Counterclockwise protocols (CW/CCW). Texas Instruments is the only semiconductor vendor that supports both digital and analog position sensors for industrial applications. TI worked with HEIDENHAIN, a leading developer of position sensors, to test this on-chip solution to ensure compatibility. “We approve of Texas Instruments’ successful implementation and testing of Position Manager to our EnDat specifications,” said Herbert Reiter, HEIDENHAIN’s Senior Product Manager “and we look forward to working with TI as they enable new EnDat capabilities for our customers.”

Get started quickly with integrated support:

The C2000 DesignDRIVE development kit offers an easy path to begin exploring a wide variety of motor drive topologies, as well as easy expansion to develop with real-time Ethernet communications and functional safety topologies, enabling more comprehensive, integrated system solutions.
DesignDRIVE is supported by TI’s C2000 controlSUITE™ package and includes specific examples of vector control of motors, incorporating current, speed and position loops, to help developers jumpstart their evaluation and development.
In addition, users can download TI’s Code Composer Studio™ integrated development environment (IDE), providing code generation and debugging capabilities.
For Model-Based Design, TI’s C2000 F28379D and F28379S MCUs are compatible with F28377D and F28377S, which are now supported by Mathworks’ MATLAB®, Simulink® and Embedded Coder®.
Users can download reference interface and power supply designs for motor drives to either use immediately or modify to their specific needs.

In addition to using C2000 MCUs and DesignDRIVE technology, developers can integrate TI’s new ISO5852Sfamily of reinforced isolated gate drivers when developing industrial drive power stages. This family delivers the industry’s highest working voltages of up to 1.5 kVrms, the industry’s highest common mode transient immunity (CMTI) of 100 kV/μs minimum, and precision timing to efficiently drive high-voltage and fast switching insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and silicon carbide (SiC) power switches. Pricing for the new family starts atUS$2.15 in 1,000-unit quantities (1ku).

Pricing and availability
The TMS320F28379D and TMS320F28379S MCUs are available for immediate sampling starting at $17.20 USD per 1 ku. Begin evaluating a diverse range of industrial drive designs today with TI’s DesignDRIVE Kit (TMDXIDDK379D), which includes both the hardware and software for $999 and are available via the TI Store and authorized distributors. To further ease development, customers can download the Position Managertechnology from the DesignDRIVE page on TI.com.

TI
www.ti.com

New Cypress Power Management ICs Enable Automotive Electronic Control Units

November 20, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: CY) announced a new series of the industry’s most compact, highly integrated power management ICs (PMICs) that regulate power supply voltage from a vehicle’s battery for automotive applications including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), body control modules and instrument cluster systems. The Cypress S6BP20x series of automotive PMICs leverages a unique one-channel, buck-boost DC/DC converter to enable Electronic Control Unit (ECU) power management solutions to safely manage extreme battery voltage fluctuations. The PMICs enable small form factor ECU power management solutions that use only one tiny ceramic capacitor instead of the two bulky, expensive electrolytic capacitors required by competitive PMICs.

Cypress also added the S6BP50x PMIC series for automotive instrument cluster systems to its portfolio. The 3-channel output PMICs integrate a buck controller, a buck converter and a boost converter, along with a Spread Spectrum Clock Generator (SSCG), all in a single chip. Both new primary PMIC series complement Cypress’s secondary power source S6BP40x series, as well as Cypress’s Traveo™ automotive microcontroller (MCU) family. The Cypress automotive PMICs carry AEC-Q100 automotive qualification.

“Cypress continues to add innovative products such as these new power management ICs to strengthen our broad portfolio for automotive applications,” said Kiyoe Nagaya, vice president of the Analog Business Unit at Cypress. “Our automotive products adhere to the most stringent standards and offer proven reliability, with more than 60 million automotive PMIC units shipped already.”

The ECUs of today’s vehicles must be small, low power and able to support system safety functions under all operating conditions, including during cold-cranking—when the automobile engine starter draws an excessive amount of current due to starting the engine in cold temperatures—or load dump—a power surge that occurs when an automobile battery is disconnected while the alternator is supplying current during engine operation. Cypress’s S6BP20x automotive PMICs require only nine external components, providing a small PCB layout and reducing the system’s bill of materials. The PMICs consume only 20 uA of quiescent current, extending battery life, and they feature an input voltage range of 2.5-42 V that encompasses both cold cranking and load dump conditions. Additionally, Cypress offers the Easy DesignSim™ verification tool and evaluation kits to accelerate automotive electronics design.

Product Availability

The new S6BP20x and S6BP50x automotive PMIC series are currently sampling, with production expected in the first half of 2016. The S6BP20x PMICs are available in a 16-pin HTSSOP package. The series includes:

S6BP201A with an output current of 1.0 A and a 5.0 to 5.2 V output voltage range; ideal for body control modules
S6BP202A with an output current of 2.4 A and a 5.0 to 5.2 V output voltage range; ideal for instrument clusters and ADAS
S6BP203A with an output current of 2.4 A and a 3.3 V output voltage; ideal for high-end ADAS.

The S6BP50x PMICs are available in a 32-pin side-wettable QFN package. The series includes:

S6BP501A with a maximum output current of 1.4 A at 1.0 to 1.3 V output voltage, 1.6 A at 3.2 to 3.4 V output voltage and 1.3 A at 5.0 to 5.2 V output voltage; optimized for low-end hybrid instrument cluster systems with Cypress’s Traveo™ family of 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-R5 core based automotive microcontrollers (MCUs)
S6BP502A with a maximum output current of 2.0 A at 1.0 to 1.3 V output voltage, 1.9 A at 3.2 to 3.4 V output voltage and 1.3 A at 5.0 to 5.2 V output voltage; optimized for mid-range hybrid instrument cluster systems with the Traveo automotive MCU family.

Cypress
www.cypress.com

Zilog Announces New ZNEO32! 32-bit Microcontroller Family

November 19, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Zilog®, an IXYS Company (NASDAQ: “IXYS”), focusing on application specific solutions with microcontrollers (MCUs), introduced its ZNEO32! family of 32-bit Cortex M3 microcontrollers, thereby expanding its line of microcontroller products.

The new Cortex M3 microcontrollers are special-purpose MCUs for first class motor applications that offer cost effective, high performance 32-bit computing capabilities. This family of MCUs provides 3-phase PWM generator units which are suitable for inverter motor drive systems. Most of the MCUs within the ZNEO32! family offer two built-in channels for the generators to control two individual inverter motors simultaneously. They have up to three 12-bit high speed ADC units with 16-channel analog multiplexed inputs to gather information from the motor; additionally, some of these MCUs include both operational amplifiers and comparators.

The ZNEO32! family of products includes MCUs that are well suited for a variety of applications that require highly deterministic real-time applications, automotive systems, industrial control systems, wireless networking and sensors, and low power applications.

“Zilog has created special motor control technologies for advanced motor control needs that now complement this 32-bit series of Cortex M3 MCUs. As part of the World of IXYS of power and mixed signal ICs, we offer the complete line of products to support our worldwide customers, especially in the industrial, medical, power management, consumer, power management and IoT markets,” remarked Steve Darrough, Zilog’s VP of Marketing.

Key Features:

High performance, low power Cortex-M3 Core, operating at up to 80 MHz
Up to 384 KB flash memory options
Up to 16 KB SRAM options
Up to two 3-phase motor PWM with ADC triggering function
Up to three 16-channel 1.5 Msps high-speed ADC with burst conversion function
20 MHz precision internal oscillator clock
Six general purpose timers with quadrature encoder counter
External communication ports: as many as 4 UARTs, 2 I2Cs, 2 SPIs
Package options include LQFP-32, LQFP-48, LQFP-64, LQFP-80, LQFP-100

Zilog’s ZNEO32! family of products and development kits are currently in production and available to ship to customers that place orders through distributors.

Zilog
www.zilog.com

SDIO Host Interface converts to USB using IC

September 18, 2015 By Jennifer Calhoon Leave a Comment

Saelig Company, Inc.’s VUB300 is a unique IC that converts a USB interface into an SDIO Host Interface, suited to SD or microSD cards. The VUB300 is a single-chip USB-to-SDIO hardware bridge that allows SDIO- and SD-compliant devices to be connected to any host PC via its USB port. The VUB300 is the ideal solution when a target system has no spare SDIO ports but does have available USB ports. The capability and intelligence for handle both the USB and SDIO protocols is all in hardware, allowing the IC to seemless translate data between the two formats.

A unique and important user benefit of VUB300 is its universal support for any SDIO device, allowing it to run with any manufacturer’s existing driver and application software without the need for any modification – drivers integrate into the standard operating system SD/SDIO driver stack. The SDIO Host function conforms to the SDIO Host specification with a generic USB “wrapped” interface to extend SDIO host controller support to the USB bus. Key features of the device include low power, small package size and high data throughput. With a USB2.0 Hi-Speed connection, transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps are possible, but the VUB300 is also backward-compatible with Full-Speed USB2.0 and USB1.1 ports.

The VUB300’s SDIO interface supports 1bit or 4bit SDIO and SD Interrupt with automatic card detection. It is also suitable for bus-powered applications, requiring < 450mW from a 3.3V supply. RoHS-compliant VUB300 is instantly live on power-up and includes an integrated USB 2.0 Hi-Speed PHY. The VUB300 is supplied as a 36-pin 6 x 6mm QFN device with industrial temperature range (-40 to +85degC).

The VUB300 was designed in Europe by Elan Digital Systems, and will find applications in PC motherboards, Express cards, USB Dongles, embedded PCs, ultra-mobile PCs, smart phones, portable internet devices, etc. Supported operating systems include Windows, Linux, and Mac.