Seoul, June 3, 2015 – Microchip Technology (Korea Representative: Byung-Don Han), a global leader in microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog, and Flash-IP solutions, announced the launch of its first USB 3.0 Smart Hub products, the USB5734 and USB5744, at Computex Taipei. This new product family enables swapping between host and device ports, I/O bridging, and various other serial communication interfaces.

The USB5734 and USB5744 feature a microcontroller, providing new capabilities as USB hubs and reducing overall BOM costs and software complexity. The USB5734/44 family is USB-IF logo certified (TID 330000058) and offers best-in-class signal integrity, enabling more robust PCB designs and reducing sensitivity to changes in cables, connectors, and layout.

A Smart Hub is a USB hub that integrates system-level functions associated with a separate MCU or processor. Microchip's new USB 3.0 Smart Hub provides performance beyond a USB connection by enabling communication with various types of external peripherals to an upstream host controller through direct bridging of USB and I2C™, SPI, UART, and GPIO interfaces. This integration eliminates the need for additional external microcontrollers and provides enhanced control capabilities for USB host hardware, significantly reducing the complexity of system design.

FlexConnect technology, patented by Microchip, provides the USB5734 Smart Hub with the unique capability of dynamic swapping between a USB host and a USB device via hardware and/or software system commands, enabling a new USB host to access downstream resources. Additionally, FlexConnect technology can switch common downstream resources between two different USB hosts. Since class drivers and application software maintain local state for the device-turned-host, integrating FlexConnect into the system simplifies the overall software requirements of the primary host.

System developers can easily configure ports and select application settings using low-cost resistor bootstraps. If more advanced features are required, the USB5734/44 can be configured and programmed using Microchip's configuration tool, ProTouch2.

USB5734 and USB5744 USB 3.0 controller hubs are used in a wide range of applications in the computing, embedded, medical, industrial, and networking markets. Applicable end applications include HDTVs, tablets, laptops, e-readers, cameras, docking stations, monitors, handheld devices, POS equipment, ATM machines, set-top boxes, breakout boxes (BOBs), and motion sensors. The USB5744 comes in a 56-pin 7 x 7mm package and is the industry's smallest USB 3.0 hub suitable for applications where board space is critical.

Mitch Obolsky, Vice President of Microchip’s USB and Networking Group, said, “Microchip’s new Smart Hub is built upon three generations of successful USB 3.0 hubs and integrates advanced features through additional communication interfaces. It also features Microchip’s proprietary FlexConnect technology, adding host port swapping and switching capabilities.” He added, “The USB5734 and USB5744 not only simplify system design and reduce board area but also deliver proven interoperability for Microchip’s USB hubs through USB-IF logo certification.”

More detailed information about Microchip's USB5734 and USB5744 can be found on the Microchip website (http://www.microchip.com/USB5734-Page-060215a). A brief introduction to the products can be found on the Microchip website (http://www.microchip.com/USB5734-USB5744-Press-Presentation-060215a).