NewsCAST Partners Evatronix and JMicron Achieve USB-IF Certification for USB OTG Controller

Controller core and PHY IP are silicon-proven for multiple ASIC technologies

Woodcliff Lake, NJ, September 21, 2006 — Semiconductor intellectual property (IP) provider CAST, Inc. today announced that an implementation of its USB On-The-Go (OTG) controller core has passed the certification testing of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). The certification was achieved through a joint effort of partners Evatronix SA in Poland — who developed the IP core — and JMicron Technology Corp. in Taiwan — who developed the analog-to-digital physical layer or PHY.

The CAST USBHS-OTG-SD-S core implements a hi-speed “dual-role” USB controller that satisfies the OTG Supplement to the USB 2.0 specification. This means a device using the core can act as either a USB host or as a USB device. A digital camera, for example, might act as a host when connected to a printer or as a device when connected to a computer for photo uploading. Certification by the USB-IF shows that the core and PHY combination work as specified, satisfying the objective criteria of this trade association and warranting display of the USB logo.

The core provides point-to-point communication with a single USB function, and is user-configurable for up to 15 IN and 15 OUT endpoints. It supports an external DMA controller, provides industry-standard system and transceiver interfaces, and requires just 23,000 gates in a typical ASIC process. CAST partner Evatronix SA (http://www.evatronix.pl) developed the core; see more technical details at http://www.cast-inc.com/cores/usbhs-otg-sd.

JMicron worked closely with Evatronix to produce the Physical Layer (PHY) IP that works with the controller core in an electronic system. The PHY is dependent on which fabrication technology is used, and core/PHY combinations were tested and certified for 90 nm, 130 nm, and 180 nm UMC ASIC process technologies. The PHY should also work with other controller cores, and is available directly from JMicron (http://www.jmicron.com) and through semiconductor foundry partner UMC (http://www.umc.com) as products JMI198, JMI133, and JMI127.

About Evatronix SA

Evatronix SA develops IP cores for microprocessors, interfaces, and other functions, and provides electronic design services for embedded systems using ASICs or FPGAs. Operating since 1991, the company’s main design office is in Gliwice, Poland, providing ready access to the talented pool of graduates from the Silesian University of Technology. Learn more at http://www.evatronix.pl.

About JMicron Technology Corporation

Founded in 2001, JMicron Technology Corp. is a fabless IC company focusing its significant R&D efforts on high-speed serial interface technology. JMicron develops products for Serial ATA, PCI Express, USB, and related technologies, and is a partner of UMC and participant in their highest-level, production-verified, Gold-IP Program. The company has a head office in Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan, and a research center in Irvine, California. See http://www.jmicron.com for more information.

About CAST, Inc.

CAST provides over 100 popular and standards-based IP cores for ASICs and FPGAs. The company is headquartered near New York City, partners with IP developers around the world, and works with select sales consultants and distributors throughout Europe and Asia. Learn more at http://www.cast-inc.com.

 

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