Simplify Tablet Design With Texas Instruments Interface ICs

1st May 2013

Nat Bowers

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Texas Instruments announce two new devices to simplify design and speed time-to-market for tablet designers. The first device introduced is the TCA8424. The TCA8424 is the industry’s first human interface device over I2C, 128-key keyboard controller. It eliminates the need to program the device at production, simplifying design and speeding time-to-market. The keyboard controller provides a cost-effective and seamless way to interface keyboards with Windows 8-based systems.

The second new product introduction for tablet designers is the SN65DSI85. The SN65DSI85 is a digital serial interface to FlatLink interface IC that makes it easier and more cost-effective for designers to connect graphics processors to LCD panels. The SN65DSI85 supports screen resolutions up to 2560 by 1600p in tablets, netbooks, and mobile internet devices.

Key features and benefits of the TCA8424:

•Extended keyboard support: Up to 128 (8 by 16) key scan supports standard keyboard plus additional custom keys, such as volume control, brightness control and forward/back/stop/reload/home. Competing keyboard controllers support only 80 keys.

•Unique simultaneous key press detection: Fixed-length, eight-byte input report, only available from TI, can detect up to 14 simultaneous key presses, including modifiers, allowing the end equipment to be used in applications like gaming.

•Hardware-coded HID and REPORT descriptors: Provides easy software integration into the system to ease design and speed time-to-market.

Key features and benefits of the SN65DSI85:

•Optimized MIPI DSI interface: Dual 4-lane MIPI DSI port to dual link 18/24-bpp FlatLink is compatible with a wide range of graphics processors up to WQXGA (2500 by 1600p) resolution at 60 frames per second.

•Smallest package size: The 5-mm by 5-mm PBGA package is 20-percent smaller than competitive devices, saving PCB area in space-constrained mobile applications.

•Higher video bandwidth support: LVDS pixel clock operates up to 154 MHz, which is 20-percent higher than the competition. Each DSI lane runs at 1 Gbps, offering a maximum input bandwidth of 8 Gbps for industry-leading data throughput.

Tools and support

The TCA8424EVM showcases the capabilities and benefits of the TCA8424 in keyboard scanner applications. It can be ordered today for US$49. An IBIS model and user’s guide are also available.

A variety of tools and support are also available to speed development with the SN65DSI85, including IBIS and HSPICE models, DSI tuner software, a hardware implementation guide and the video configuration guide and configuration tool software user’s manual.

Availability, packaging and pricing

The TCA8424 is available in a 6-mm by 6-mm by 1-mm 40-pin VQFN package. Suggested retail pricing is US$0.80 in 1,000-unit quantities. The SN65DSI85 is available in a 5-mm by 5-mm by 1-mm, 64-ball PBGA package. Suggested retail pricing is US$3.90 in 1,000-unit quantities.