Mentor Graphics Introduces its High-Speed USB-Certified PHY

Mentor Graphics Corporation, a leader in standards-based semiconductor intellectual property (IP), and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation today announced the development and adoption of the Mentor Graphics® High-Speed Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 physical layer (PHY) in the SMIC 0.13um process.

The PHY can be integrated with a USB controller, serving as a bridge between the digital and modular parts of the design. Mentor's USB PHY (MUSBPHY) provides very low power consumption and minimal die area, making it an ideal solution for consumer products, such as digital cameras, game consoles, set-top boxes, mobile devices, digital printers and scanners.

This "proven-in-silicon" USB 2.0 PHY implements a UTMI+ Level3 USB Transceiver Macrocell Interface, and offers support for device, host, embedded host and OTG USB controllers. The MUSBPHY provides an optional integrated charge pump to reduce cost and board space requirements. The MUSBPHY complements Mentor's USB 2.0 Controller portfolio and USB Software stack and, together, provides a complete and fully integrated USB solution that enables significant time savings and risk reduction for chip designers.

"We selected Mentor for the development of the USB High-Speed OTG PHY based on our strong relationship with Mentor and Mentor's silicon-proven history of standards-compliant IP," stated Paul Ouyang, vice president of design services at SMIC. "Mentor provides a high level of cooperation rarely seen with other IP vendors, including its ability to provide our customers with fully compliant and highly integrated IP solutions, so we anticipate great success with this development."

"Mentor continues to provide complete, pre-certified, standards-based digital and mixed signal IP solutions for USB and other key applications," stated Bill Martin, Mentor Graphics IP division general manager. "Our collaboration with SMIC serves to minimize the risk of PHY and other IP by providing a total, integrated solution for USB applications. Together, we believe we provide huge productivity gains for companies focused on delivering innovative consumer products with minimized risk."

By Mentor Graphics