1999-12-06 , S/IC-2094/34
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

Solution reduces electromagnetic interference, electrostatic discharge

Philips Semiconductors today introduced a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub integrated with a keyboard controller in a single chip. By combining the USB hub and keyboard controller in a single device, Philips Semiconductors gives keyboard manufacturers a cost-effective alternative to the more expensive two-chip solutions currently on the market.

The  ISP1130 combines a microcontroller and a USB hub IC in one chip and minimizes the common problem of electromagnetic interference (EMI). The device also provides high internal electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.

"It is more convenient to connect USB devices such as scanners, printers, or digital cameras to a USB hub in the keyboard than to the back of the computer," said K.K. Tan, technical marketing manager for Philips Semiconductors. "By minimizing EMI and providing high internal ESD protection, the ISP1130 avoids problems common to single-chip hub and keyboard controllers."

The ISP1130 features an industry-standard, integrated  80C51 microcontroller core with 8 kbytes of read only memory (ROM) and 256 bytes of random access memory (RAM). The hub controller is fully implemented in hardware, ensuring a fast response to host requests. It offers two bus-powered downstream ports with automatic speed detection, and three non-removable embedded functions, one dedicated for the keyboard application and the other two left up to the manufacturer to define.

The new device complies with the USB Specification Rev. 1.1 and the device class definition for Human Interface Devices (HID) Version 1.1., Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI™), OnNow™ and USB power management requirements. An 8x18 scan-line matrix is provided for HID-compliant keyboard applications.

The ISP1130 also includes utility software called CoolStroke™, developed by Philips Semiconductors, which will let users configure their keyboards for multimedia functions. CoolStroke™ provides several features for manufacturers to choose from, such as audio functions, power management, security and Internet access.

To facilitate development, Philips Semiconductors also offers a one time programmable (OTP) version of this product, the ISP1132, which will be available in January 2000. Samples of the masked ROM, the ISP1130, in SDIP56 and SSOP56 packages, will be available in March 2000.

Philips Semiconductors is the eighth largest semiconductor supplier in the world according to Dataquest's 1998 market share report. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video and mobile technology place the company in a leadership position in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. As a global company, offices in 40 countries serve major markets. Philips Semiconductors, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is a division of Royal Philips Electronics. Please join us at the Philips Semiconductors website: http://www.semiconductors.philips.com for further information.