USB under control – Genesys Logic solutions for modern electronics

USB under control – Genesys Logic solutions for modern electronics

USB – the common language of modern electronics

For years, USB has remained one of the most widely used communication standards in consumer electronics, computers, and industrial devices. Its popularity is primarily due to its versatility – a single interface enables communication with a wide range of devices, from mass storage devices and card readers, through keyboards and mice, to cameras, printers, and peripherals. Ease of integration, broad compatibility, and the ability to power connected devices through the same interface are also important advantages.

However, such widespread use of USB means that different devices require different functions and communication handling methods. A multi-port USB hub needs different solutions than a high-speed memory card reader, while yet another type of solution is required for a device using USB as an interface for mass storage. This is why a specialized controller responsible for implementing a specific function is often hidden behind what appears to be a simple USB connector.

A properly selected controller not only enables communication with the host, but can also optimize the design of the entire device – in terms of data transfer speed, number of supported ports, compatibility, power consumption, and PCB footprint.

Genesys Logic – technologies for modern interfaces

Genesys Logic is a Taiwanese company specializing in the design of integrated circuits for high-speed communication interfaces such as USB, SD, and PCIe. Its portfolio includes a wide range of controllers designed for consumer, computer, and peripheral devices. These include solutions for memory card readers and USB hubs – from compact and cost-effective USB 2.0 devices to controllers using the USB 3.x interface.

An important part of the company's strategy is the development of specialized ICs offering high added value. Genesys Logic focuses not only on supporting the latest standards, but also on differentiating its products in terms of functionality, quality, and implementation possibilities. This makes it possible to address the requirements of specific market segments and provide designers with solutions tailored to the characteristics of their devices.

Genesys Logic – USB controllers tailored to the requirements of modern devices

USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 memory card reader controllers

GL823 is a basic controller for a single-slot USB 2.0 memory card reader. It supports, among others, SD, SDHC, SDXC, miniSD, microSD, and various versions of MMC, while communication with the computer takes place via the USB 2.0 High-Speed standard (with throughput of up to 480 Mb/s). A major advantage of the GL823 is its high level of integration. The IC includes, among other things, an 8051 microcontroller, a hardware data transfer engine, 5 V → 3.3 V and 3.3 V → 1.8 V voltage regulators, and card power supply circuits. In addition, the use of OCCS (On-Chip Clock Source) eliminates the need for an external 12 MHz crystal oscillator, making it possible to reduce the component count and simplify the PCB design.

GL835 offers a very similar level of integration, but is intended for designs where performance on the memory card side becomes more important. The controller supports SD 3.0 and UHS-I in SDR25 and SDR50 modes, as well as SDXC cards with capacities of up to 2 TB. At the same time, it retains the USB 2.0 High-Speed interface, so its advantage is not an increase in the bandwidth of the connection to the computer, but rather the ability to work more efficiently with modern SD cards. The GL827L controller, on the other hand, focuses primarily on broad compatibility. In addition to SD and MMC, it supports the entire Memory Stick family – including MS, MS Duo, MS PRO, MS PRO Duo, MS PRO-HG, and Memory Stick Micro. It also supports SDHC and older SD/MMC standards.

For more demanding memory card readers, Genesys Logic offers the GL3223, GL3224, and GL3233 controllers, which use the USB 3.0 interface and provide SuperSpeed data transfer of up to 5 Gb/s. All three ICs combine a high-speed USB interface with support for modern memory cards, including SDXC and SD 3.0 UHS-I, while the integrated 8051 microcontroller, hardware DMA engine, and power supply circuits help reduce the number of external components.

The differences between the individual models make it possible to match the controller to a specific design. GL3223 is the most advanced solution of the three – it supports up to 5 LUNs and a wide range of formats, including CompactFlash, SD, Memory Stick, and xD, making it suitable as the basis for a multi-format card reader. GL3224 offers greater configuration flexibility – it can operate as a Single-LUN or Dual-LUN controller and additionally supports eMMC. GL3233, in turn, combines support for a wide range of cards with a Single-LUN configuration, making it an interesting alternative to GL3223 in designs that do not require support for multiple independent memory units.

USB hubs tailored to different requirements

Genesys Logic's portfolio also includes controllers for 4-port USB 2.0 hubs, allowing a single host port to be expanded with several additional USB interfaces. GL850G is an economical solution based on a Single Transaction Translator (STT) architecture, in which shared TT logic serves all ports. This approach helps reduce circuit complexity and implementation costs while maintaining USB 2.0 compliance and a high level of integration.

For more demanding applications, Genesys Logic offers GL852G, which uses a Multiple Transaction Translator (MTT) architecture. Each downstream port has its own TT logic, providing better handling of situations in which several Full-Speed devices generate high traffic simultaneously. As a result, GL852G is particularly interesting for devices where efficient, parallel operation of multiple peripherals is important.

GL3510 and GL3520 represent the next generation of USB 3.x hub controllers, offering SuperSpeed throughput of up to 5 Gb/s as well as backward compatibility with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1.

GL3510 stands out with its extensive fast-charging capabilities compliant with USB Battery Charging 1.2. It enables charging of Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices, as well as other BC 1.2/1.1-compliant devices, with current of up to 1.5 A. Importantly, charging can also be performed in sleep mode or when the system is powered off.

GL3520 offers similar charging capabilities and additionally uses a Multiple Transaction Translator (MTT) architecture, providing a separate translator for each port. This makes it possible to maintain adequate bandwidth while simultaneously handling multiple Full-Speed devices generating high traffic.

USB bridge for mass storage

GL830 serves as a USB 2.0–SATA bridge controller, allowing a device equipped with a SATA interface to be connected to a system via a USB port. The IC integrates both a USB 2.0 transceiver and a SATA physical layer, allowing the bridge to be implemented using a single integrated circuit. GL830 complies with the USB 2.0 and SATA 2.6 standards and supports the USB Mass Storage Class with the Bulk-Only Transport protocol. As a result, it can be used, among other applications, in external enclosures for SATA drives and devices using SATA drives, providing a simple way to integrate mass storage with a USB interface. The IC also supports SATA hot-plug and power management functions.

Summary:

The wide range of Genesys Logic controllers demonstrates how diverse the requirements placed on the USB interface can be. For memory card readers, designers can choose between cost-effective USB 2.0 solutions, controllers supporting a wide range of card formats, and USB 3.x ICs designed for high-speed storage media. Similarly, the USB hub portfolio includes both proven and economical USB 2.0 controllers and SuperSpeed solutions offering throughput of up to 5 Gb/s.

The ability to adapt the IC to design constraints is also important. Different package options, levels of integration, power management methods, and supported standards make it possible to select a controller not only according to the required functionality, but also to the available PCB space and the requirements of the entire device.

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