Flash memory reader and USB hub come together

A novel industry-first solution combines two USB device controllers - Flash media and hub - onto one chip.

Getting the right set of digital photography connections to the front panel of a television, PC, or printer can be a difficult mechanical design challenge for equipment manufacturers.

Now designers have a simple, cost-effective alternative to using multiple devices when adding the digital photography connections that consumers require.

SMSC has unveiled its USB2602 Hi-Speed USB hub and 15-in-1 Flash media compound device controller.

This industry-first solution combines two USB device controllers - Flash media and hub - onto one chip.

As the device is USB based and serial cable length can reach 5m, design engineers have more flexibility to physically place digital photography connections where they are easy to access and convenient to use.

Designers of products that interface with digital cameras are faced with several possible photograph transfer methods.

By providing single-chip Flash memory reader and USB hub port support, SMSC allows designers to use a single USB host port to open the gateway for digital photographs.

As digital cameras move to 8.0Mpixel and beyond, Hi-Speed USB Flash card readers and Hi-Speed USB hub ports can enhance the user experience by increasing photo transfer speeds by a factor of 1.5x to 5x, depending on Flash media type.

By significantly reducing the cost of implementing a USB Flash card reader and hub, these valuable interfaces can be offered in lower cost, high-volume products.

The three USB hub ports can be used for connections to Flash drives, photo CD drives, USB-based wireless connections or PictBridge, which provides a direct connection between any two devices that support the protocol, such as digital cameras and photo printers.

As both interfaces are offered at a much lower cost, the end user benefits from a more useful product.

"The expansion of USB into the consumer device market has driven this integration", said Steve Nelson, Vice President of Marketing - Connectivity Solutions at SMSC.

"Many customers already use multiple USB device controllers attached to hubs to address the need for rapid feature additions with low software integration risk".

"Designers' stringent cost, standardisation and ease-of-use requirements are driving a need for an integrated product design and SMSC is uniquely positioned with its breadth of Hi-Speed USB capabilities to provide this solution to customers today".

"By continually expanding the options designers have to add connections for digital photography, we are enabling our customers to design products more rapidly while they gain all of the benefits of higher levels of integration".

The integration of two USB controllers delivers a reduction in board space and cost.

A board space reduction of 100mm2 is realised from the elimination of the second device package alone.

Additional board space used by the support components for two USB connections is also eliminated.

By using the USB2602 instead of the multichip solution, component count is reduced by 30% and the total bill of materials cost is reduced by 20% based on reference designs done by SMSC.

As redundant USB connections are eliminated, the total power consumption is also reduced by 360mW.

The on-chip ROM code for the USB2602 contains all of the latest configuration features, Flash specification updates and robust card compatibility that come from the experience SMSC has gained through supporting over 8 million Flash media reader units in the marketplace.

Samples of the USB2602 are available now with production quantities available later in June.

Pricing will be $5.80 per unit (US list price) in 10,000-unit quantities.

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