USB Hubs Take A Slice Out Of Automotive Manufacturing Costs

Microchip Technology expands its USB 2.0 Smart Hub IC family with two single-port devices, the USB4912 and the USB4712. Both are viable for adding a single port under the radio, in the center console, or alongside wireless charging implementations. Using the same patented methods as the multi-port family, the USB 2.0-compliant devices offer single-port ICs in smaller footprint packages.  

Using native USB drivers and mechanisms, the USB4912 and the USB4712 integrate seamlessly with infotainment head units. Each device integrates an embedded 32-bit microcontroller for the implementation of USB I/O bridging. Both devices support USB 2.0 Low Speed, Full Speed and Hi-Speed with a single USB 2.0 Hi-Speed upstream port for host connection, while the USB4912 allows connectivity to be extended to GPIO, I2C, SPI, and UART so that the USB Smart Hub becomes the center for system connectivity and control. 

The devices are offered in a 40-pin VQFN package, compliant with the USB 2.0 specification and have passed AEC-Q100, grade 3 testing. The USB4712 is available for $1.60 and the USB4912 is available for $1.89, each/10,000. For deeper details, checkout the USB4712 datasheet and the USB4912 datasheet.