industry news
Subscribe Now

USB Smart Hub ICs Enable Smartphone-Connected Automotive Infotainment

New Devices from Microchip Provide Unparalleled Flexibility to Fit Customers’ Designs

CHANDLER, Ariz., Oct. 30, 2017 — With the rise in in-vehicle infotainment systems, car manufacturers need to provide a reliable, intelligent connection between the car’s display and one or more smartphones or tablets. Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), the industry leader in supplying the integrated circuits (ICs) that enable these connections, provides unrivaled options with its five new USB 2.0 smart hub ICs. These devices, available in a variety of architectures, offer greatly increased flexibility to fit car manufacturers’ design needs and meet consumer demand for easy-to-use, intuitive systems. To learn more about the new devices visit: www.microchip.com/USB4914.

The five new devices enable multiple architectures so manufacturers can implement their design of choice to easily interface with all major smartphone operating systems. These systems allow the graphical user interface of the phone or tablet to be displayed on the vehicle’s screen and enable integration with voice commands inside the car, all while simultaneously charging the mobile devices. They also enable driver assistance applications on mobile handsets to be integrated with an automobile’s infotainment system.

Microchip’s new smart hub ICs enable cascading of the hubs to the second- and third-row seats with simultaneous data and charging in all ports. For example, if there are dual USB ports, one port can connect the phone or tablet to the head unit, leaving the other port free to charge and upload/download data. With Microchip’s new USB4914, USB4916, USB4925, and USB4927 smart hub ICs, car makers can customize solutions to meet their design needs. As the car becomes more of an entertainment environment, manufacturers can create solutions that allow consumers, for example, to use one phone for navigation and another for music or video.

“Microchip is the leader in USB hub ICs for the automotive industry,” said Mitch Obolsky, vice president of Microchip’s USB and Networking Group. “Our long-term investment delivers patented technology that provides unique host/device bus configurations for handset connectivity into vehicles to allow better access to information and safer driver assistance and communication.”

Microchip’s new USB4715, USB4914, USB4916, USB4925 and USB4927 USB 2.0 smart hub ICs provide unique USB configurations including single- and dual-bus implementations for optimal connection to infotainment systems. All devices operate with standard USB drivers present in most automotive head units for faster development, system validation and field updates. Each device also contains an integrated 32-bit microcontroller for advanced bridging, audio application support and USB Power Delivery (USB PD).

Development Support

A demonstration application board and evaluation board are available for each of the new USB 2.0 smart hub ICs. The demonstration application board emulates a system that a tier one supplier or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) would use in their actual application. Microchip also provides a USB Power Delivery application showing charging for the USB PD 3.0 specification.

Pricing and Availability

The USB4715, USB4914 and USB4925 are offered in a 48-pin QFN package. The USB4916 and USB4927 come in a 64-pin QFN package. Devices are available today in volume production starting at $3.25 each in 10,000 unit quantities.

For additional information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip’s website. To purchase products mentioned in this press release, go to Microchip’s easy-to-use sales channel microchipDIRECT or contact one of Microchip’s authorized distribution partners.

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Mar 29, 2024
By Mark Williams, Sr Software Engineering Group Director Translator: Masaru Yasukawa 差動アンプはã1つの入力信号ではなく2つの入力信号間の差にゲインをé...
Mar 26, 2024
Learn how GPU acceleration impacts digital chip design implementation, expanding beyond chip simulation to fulfill compute demands of the RTL-to-GDSII process.The post Can GPUs Accelerate Digital Design Implementation? appeared first on Chip Design....
Mar 21, 2024
The awesome thing about these machines is that you are limited only by your imagination, and I've got a GREAT imagination....

featured video

We are Altera. We are for the innovators.

Sponsored by Intel

Today we embark on an exciting journey as we transition to Altera, an Intel Company. In a world of endless opportunities and challenges, we are here to provide the flexibility needed by our ecosystem of customers and partners to pioneer and accelerate innovation. As we leap into the future, we are committed to providing easy-to-design and deploy leadership programmable solutions to innovators to unlock extraordinary possibilities for everyone on the planet.

To learn more about Altera visit: http://intel.com/altera

featured chalk talk

Portable Medical Devices and Connected Health
Decentralized healthcare is moving from hospitals and doctors’ offices to the patients’ home and office and in the form of personal, wearable, and connected devices. In this episode of Chalk Talk, Amelia Dalton and Roger Bohannan from Littelfuse examine the components, functions and standards for a variety of portable connected medical devices. They investigate how Littelfuse can help you navigate the development of your next portable connected medical design.
Jun 26, 2023
31,496 views