
USB3.0 Superspeed hub chip reduces board space by 20%
The μPD720210 is aimed at hubs that enable connection of multiple devices supporting the USB 3.0 standard, such as PC peripherals and digital TVs. It builds on the experience gained from the last 10 years for connectivity and power efficiency, and it incorporates USB 3.0 technology developed for the previous µPD72020x series of USB 3.0 host controllers to provide connection compatibility. This ensures high performance that preserves the SuperSpeed throughput of the host and a high level of reliability.
The new μPD720210 received Windows 8 Hardware Certification by Microsoft with its high performance and reliability. In addition, Renesas intends to receive USB-IF Certification, when a USB 3.0 hub certification program is available by USB-IF.
In addition to technology implemented on Renesas’ existing products that reduces power consumption when all the ports are in an unconnected state, the new hub controller has an improved circuit design that dramatically lowers current leakage when a connected peripheral device is in low-power mode. As a result, the μPD720210 achieves very low power consumption of 5mW in power saving mode, which makes it easier for system designers to develop systems that are qualified as stringent power efficiency standards such as Energy Star. Also the μPD720210 achieves industry leading 350mW as the power consumption even in USB 3.0 active mode.
Renesas has chosen a compact 9 x 9 millimeter (mm) quad flat no-lead (QFN) package to reduce the mounting area by 20 percent from the previous devices. The μPD720210 hub controller also integrates on-chip peripherals such as step-down regulators that lower the 5 V power supply voltage to the 3.3 V and 1.05 V and charging support functionality conforming to battery charging standards.
The resulting size improvements, an industry-leading small total mounting area (the total mounting area including the peripheral components required by the system), allows system designers to design more compact systems.
These key features make it easy and inexpensive to add ports allowing SuperSpeed data transfer via a USB 3.0 interface to products such as monitors, docking stations (function extension units that connect to notebook PCs), and TVs. In addition, the μPD720210 hub controller offers substantially reduced power consumption when devices are in standby mode or not in use, which is an important consideration in view of environmental regulations in many countries. Finally, the Renesas Electronics host controller driver stack for Microsoft Windows and device drivers supported by Linux may be used free of charge with the μPD720210.
The μPD720210 hub controller also makes it possible to build mobile docking stations that would not previously have been possible due to constraints on power or mounting area. It also adds USB universal charging functionality at no additional cost, which was previously quite expensive to implement.
Samples of Renesas’ µPD720210 hub controller are available now.
www.renesas.com
