A standard universal serial bus or USB connection is the industry mainstream way of transmitting data between two devices. The extensive addition of electronic components in applications in the automotive, industrial, and consumer industries has stimulated the demand for long-distance USB cabling products. In order to provide the market with a long-distance and reliable USB solution, Microchip Technology Inc. today announced the launch of two new clock restorers/signal repeaters. EQCO510 for automobiles and EQCO5X31 for industrial use clock restorer/signal repeater devices can expand the USB coverage to 15 meters to achieve maximum coverage, and are compatible with the first generation ultra high-speed protocol of USB 3.2.

EQCO510 and EQCO5X31 are USB clock restorer/signal repeater devices, which can send high-speed data signals with a bidirectional speed of 5 Gbps. The clock recovery function includes a super level clock data recovery (CDR) to recover signal timing and prevent jitter accumulation. The relay function can restore the signal level and shape transmitted to the next section (such as cable or printed circuit board (PCB) routing), thereby compensating for signal attenuation caused by cable degradation.

Our customers now have the ability to achieve fast, reliable, and long-distance USB connectivity solutions, supporting up to 15 meters, extending the 3-meter standard five times. These devices also provide customers with a more comprehensive choice, reducing the footprint of the circuit board due to the use of on-chip clocks and small form factors, "said Matthias Kaestner, Vice President of the Microchip Automotive Information and Entertainment Systems Business Unit.

These USB devices are equipped with EyeOpen on the receiver ™ Cable compensation can automatically adjust the frequency loss in the cable and adjust the signal strength in units of 1 decibel between 0 and 24 decibels. These devices also have MarginLink ™ The signal integrity testing function enables real-time evaluation of the integrity of the entire signal path.

The EQCO510 and EQCO5X31 integrated circuits support shielded twisted pair and coaxial cables. These two devices include an integrated crystal free CDR, which reduces the need for additional components and overall circuit board space. Both USB devices use a 20 pin, 4mm QFN wettable wing package. The EQCO510 used in automobiles meets the automotive reliability standard AEC-Q100 Level 2, with a working temperature range of -40 ℃ to 105 ℃.

Microchip's USB devices can be used in a wide range of automotive applications, such as infotainment systems, data communication modules, and real-time video systems. Other use cases in industrial applications and consumer products include machine vision, game accessories, and smart cables.

Development tool

EQCO5X31 is supported by two evaluation boards, including EVB-EQCO5X31 USB Type-C ® Cable extender and EVB-EQCO5X31 USB Type-C cable repeater. These two evaluation boards support the use of longer cables.