Silicon Labs Mixed-Signal MCUs Simplify Full-Speed USB Connectivity

With more than two billion USB devices sold each year, the demand for easy-to-deploy USB solutions continues to rise. Adding this universal but complex interface to space-constrained, cost-sensitive embedded products can be challenging for developers lacking USB software expertise. A leading supplier of USB MCUs and smart interface ICs, Silicon Labs developed the new USB MCU families to simplify the addition of USB connectivity to embedded designs. The families, which include 22 products with flash and one-time-programmable (OTP) options, feature a full-speed USB 2.0 interface engine, outstanding processing performance and USB throughput, best-in-class precision analog functionality, and an innovative clock recovery capability to enable crystal-less USB operation for reduced component count and BOM cost.

The C8051F38x MCU family's enhanced analog/mixed-signal capabilities enable developers to implement high-performance USB connectivity without the extra cost of using a high-end MCU. The flash-based F38x devices are pin- and code-compatible with Silicon Labs' existing C8051F34x USB MCUs for easy migration while offering an additional I2C interface, a higher performance analog-to-digital converter (ADC), lower power consumption and additional timers.

The C8051T62x/32x OTP MCUs are ideal for cost-sensitive USB applications without sacrificing performance and features. The scalable T62x/32x family enables developers to select the most convenient set of digital and analog peripherals optimized for their application needs and cost targets. The OTP-based USB MCUs provide many of the same peripherals and similar functionality available from Silicon Labs' flash-based devices but at a reduced cost.

The F38x and T62x/32x families include USB MCUs featuring a high-performance ADC that enables high precision measurements, eliminating the cost of using external ADCs. The on-chip ADC and high-speed comparators perform up to five times faster than competitive offerings, easing development of analog-intensive applications such as sensor data loggers, weigh scales, gaming controls and blood pressure monitors.

We continue to see strong demand for our USB solutions because we enable easy, cost-effective USB connectivity better than any other MCU supplier, said Mark Thompson, vice president of Silicon Labs' Embedded Mixed-Signal products. The combination of our high-performance processing cores, crystal-less operation and precision analog functionality simplifies embedded designs and reduces component count and BOM cost without sacrificing performance.

Comprehensive USB MCU development support
Silicon Labs' comprehensive USB MCU development ecosystem includes USBXpress® software, code examples and USB development kits that reduce cost and development time. The C8051F380DK development kit enables real-time code development and evaluation of the C8051F38x family. The C8051T620DK and C8051T622DK kits enable real-time code development and evaluation of the C8051T62x/32x family. The TOOLSTICK381DC daughter card provides a simple, economical development tool that allows designers to develop and debug application firmware directly on a target USB MCU.