USB Hub Integrating Embedded Super Speed Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing USB hubs face challenges in supporting both high speed and super speed devices while maintaining compatibility with previous USB standards, leading to inefficiencies in power and size due to the need for multiple speed layers, and time-to-market issues with untested super speed hub IP.
Innovation Solution
A USB hub apparatus that integrates a high speed hub with an embedded super speed device, allowing the hub to operate at both speeds and switch between them based on host device capabilities, battery level, and data bandwidth, eliminating the need for a separate super speed hub and reducing power and size requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a USB hub includes both high speed and super speed hub functionality, then it can support multiple high speed devices and one super speed device, but the device complexity and size increase due to requiring multiple speed layers
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is divided into two functional segments: a high speed hub portion that manages multiple high speed devices, and an embedded super speed device that handles super speed communications. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific speed layer, reducing overall complexity while maintaining multi-speed support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The super speed functionality is merged directly into the hub device itself through an embedded super speed device, rather than requiring a separate super speed hub. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple independent hub components, reducing device complexity and size while preserving the ability to support both high speed and super speed devices simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a USB hub includes super speed hub functionality, then it can support super speed devices, but the power consumption increases due to maintaining multiple speed layers
Solution Approach 1:
The hub's power system is segmented such that the high speed hub portion and embedded super speed device can be independently powered or deactivated. When no super speed devices are connected, the super speed portion can be powered down, significantly reducing overall power consumption while maintaining the capability to support super speed devices when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub dynamically adjusts its operational state based on connected devices. The embedded super speed device can be activated or deactivated depending on whether super speed devices are detected, allowing the hub to optimize power consumption in real-time while maintaining adaptability to different device configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a separate super speed hub is used, then super speed devices are supported, but the time-to-market is delayed due to untested super speed hub IP
Solution Approach 1:
The super speed hub functionality is extracted and replaced with an embedded super speed device that can be independently tested and validated. This allows the super speed capability to be developed and tested separately from the hub's high speed infrastructure, significantly reducing development time and enabling faster time-to-market while maintaining full super speed support.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded super speed device can be pre-tested and validated independently before integration into the hub. This preliminary action allows the super speed functionality to be thoroughly tested in isolation, eliminating the need to test the entire hub system with untested super speed IP, thereby reducing development time and risk.
Data Source
AI summary
Hub apparatus that supports multiple high speed devices and a super speed device. The hub apparatus may include at least one upstream port for coupling to a host device and at least one downstream port for coupling to at least one downstream device. The hub apparatus may further include an embedded device as well as an internal hub coupled to the upstream port, the embedded device, and the at least one downstream port. The internal hub may be configured to provide a connection between the host device and the embedded device at a first speed (e.g., USB high speed). However, when supported by the host device, the embedded device may communicate with the host device at a higher speed than the first speed (e.g., USB super speed), e.g., without using the internal hub.