Smaller USB 2.0 On-The-Go Is A Go For PCs, Portables

March 31, 2005

Considered a third-generation implementation, the I-PHY USB 2.0 On-The-Go (OTG) physical layer (PHY) is available as a block of intellectual property from Innovative Semiconductors. It targets low-power USB connections with PCs and portable electronics devices, including digital still cameras, digital video cameras, MP3 and personal media players, mass storage devices, and thumb drives.

The ISI-210 I-PHY is about 30% smaller and consumes about 30% less power than the company's second-generation PHY. Despite the reductions, it retains all of the features of the second-generation core, including support for the UTMI+ OTG specification and integrated board components to reduce overall component count. Most competing USB 2.0 products are, at best, comparable in area and power to Innovative's second-generation cores.

The USB 2.0 OTG PHY is available for licensing. Fees vary from $200,000 to $400,000 based on the process technology.

Innovative Semiconductors Inc.www.innovative-semi.com

About the Author

Dave Bursky

Technologist

Dave Bursky, the founder of New Ideas in Communications, a publication website featuring the blog column Chipnastics – the Art and Science of Chip Design. He is also president of PRN Engineering, a technical writing and market consulting company. Prior to these organizations, he spent about a dozen years as a contributing editor to Chip Design magazine. Concurrent with Chip Design, he was also the technical editorial manager at Maxim Integrated Products, and prior to Maxim, Dave spent over 35 years working as an engineer for the U.S. Army Electronics Command and an editor with Electronic Design Magazine.