Quellan (www.quellan.com) has unveiled Q:Active MediaInterconnect, and has demonstrated the chips delivering 10.2 Gbits/sec full bandwidth DisplayPort over 40-gauge copper interconnects that are thinner than a human hair. Quellan says its technology enables a new class of micro-miniature rich media connections for consumer devices.
Unlike conventional interconnects that use connectors and thick copper cable to propagate signals at high speeds, Quellan says its devices are embedded inside the cable connector where they are designed to significantly improve interconnect performance by removing impairments such as skew, attenuation, group delay, and crosstalk. Electronic removal of these impairments inside the connector allows for the use of tiny connectors and less expensive ultra-thin gauge cable. Miniaturization is possible because the devices are entirely analog and implemented in CMOS process technology.
According to the company, HDMI and DisplayPort interconnects, along with new miniaturized variants, can run up to 5 meters on “active” copper cabling that is 10 times thinner in cross-sectional area than conventional passive cables. SuperSpeed USB (USB3.0) users, Quellan claims, will be able to reach 10 meters on new active interconnects measuring 2 mm in diameter.
“Dramatic increases in display resolution and storage density are driving up bandwidth between consumer devices to unsurpassed levels, making the connections to displays, HDTVs, and disk drives bulky, expensive and lacking in consumer appeal,” says Tony Stelliga, CEO of Quellan, Inc. “Our Media Interconnect chips embed inside the cable connector to enableactive microHDMI, miniDisplayPort, and USB cables that are ultra-thin with a consumer look and feel for the rapidly expanding consumer media marketplace.”
“Quellan’s technology is a major breakthrough at a time when thin copper interconnects are becoming extremely critical in the consumer market,” says Ken Fleck of FleckResearch, and veteran of theinterconnect industry. “Their approach will yield thinner, longer more flexible copper connections–to the delight of consumers, retailers and OEM’s.”
- The QLx4270-DP offers 10.4Gbits/sec DisplayPort connectivity in a 4x7-mm package, and is currently available in production quantities.
- The QLx3300-16B offers HDMI for active cables and media switch devices in a 4x7-mm package, and is sampling this quarter. The device supports current and legacy versions of HDMI and is designed to exceed the bandwidth requirements of HDMI 1.3 by more than 100%, supporting future 4K2K and 3DTV industry efforts.
- The QLx1600 is designed for SuperSpeed USB (USB3.0) in a 3x3-mm package, and is available in sample and limited production quantities. Reference designs and manufacturing kits are also available. CS
