Pericom Enables High Speed Serial Connectivity for latest CPU Chipsets

The latest generation of computing and server chipsets are incorporating the newest high speed serial protocols such as USB 3.0 (5.0 Gbps), Display Port 1.2 (5.4 Gbps), and PCIe 3.0 (8.0 Gbps). These new protocols will bring end user benefits such as DP 1.2 enabling 3840x2160 graphics resolution, USB 3.0 providing connectivity speeds over 10 times faster than existing USB 2.0, and the PCI Express 3.0 specification, almost doubling the bandwidth of key chipset I/O.

Maintaining proper signal integrity of these high speed serial signals across the platform and/or external cables is difficult and signal switching must be done cleanly and without any interference. Top-tier computing and server/storage companies designing with these high speed serial protocols are relying on advanced, cost effective products from Pericom that can provide the signal integrity and switching solutions to support their designs. On many of these platforms, these support products enable the high speed signals to operate and provide the required functionality and connectivity.

In this latest of a continuing series of product releases supporting the newest chipsets, Pericom is announcing the production launches of its USB 3.0 ReDriverTM signal integrity family of 4 products, a new DisplayPort 1.2 ReDriverTM, and a 2 product family of PCI Express 3.0 signal switches. In addition, for this latest multi-product launch, Pericom will be demonstrating and displaying these IC solutions at booth # 521 in the Technology Showcase as part of IDF Moscone West Convention Center, San Francisco, CA, September 13 to 15, 2011.

This latest announcement builds on Pericom's previously introduced PCIe 3.0, SATA3/SAS3, and HDMI timing, connectivity, and signal conditioning solutions across DT/NB/TAB, server/storage, and networking market segments.

Pericom is pleased to see early and growing adoption of our USB 3.0, DP 1.2, and PCIe 3.0 products by our top tier customers now in design with the latest CPU chipsets,” said Alex Hui, Pericom co-founder, president and CEO. “Our value add is bringing unique and cost effective switching, timing, and signal conditioning of these high speed serial signals to our end customers – presently rolling out support for DT/NB/TAB platforms, and later for data center platforms (server, storage, and networking) and embedded systems. We work closely with all major chipset vendors to align our new product roadmaps and technology to support our customer needs.

We are pleased that Pericom's PCIe 3.0 products are being adopted into next-generation computing platforms, said Al Yanes, president of PCI-SIG®, the governing standards body for the PCI Expess specification. As a PCI-SIG member and PCIe Express multi-product family vendor, Pericom is helping to enable products based on the PCIe 3.0 technology.

The combined DT/NB/NetB/TAB market is forecasted to grow 22% to 519 million units by 2013, according to a Feb, 2011 IDC report, with over 50% of this volume capable of being addressed by Pericom's new multi-product USB 3.0, DP 1.2, and PCIe 3.0 signal switch families.

The 4 USB 3.0 ReDriver products include single and dual port, and single channel versions offering compliance to USB-IF standards in normal operating mode, and industry lowest power in active, standby, slumber, and unplug modes. No external clock source is required, and they all offer versatile user programmable EQ, emphasis, and output swing. The single channel product offers industry smallest footprint at 3x3mm TQFN for consumer as well as computing applications.

The new DP 1.2 ReDriver product supports up to 5.4Gbps across 4 lanes for a total bandwidth of 17.28Gbps, offers automatic power management including auto power down for unused lanes, auto EQ adjustment, auto data-rate selection (1.62Gbps, 2.7Gbps, 5.4Gbps), full support for Aux link training, and is offered in a space saving 7x7mm TQFN package.

The 2 product PCIe 3.0 8Gbps signal switch family offers 2 lane (4 channel) 2:1 mux/demux capability in both flow-through and foldback pinouts for optimizing PCB layout, extremely low loss and lane skew, and are offered in space saving 3.5x9mm TQFN packages.