Key Facts:

  • Enables simplified in-car mobile as well as Wi-Fi® connectivity and modern head-unit design for MOST® infotainment networks
  • Allows the latest multi-core consumer Systems-on-a-Chip (SoCs) to be connected to in-vehicle MOST networks
  • Integrates interfaces for USB 2.0 high-speed device, optical physical layer (oPHY) and coaxial physical layer (cPHY)

Microchip announces the OS81118, the first MOST150 Intelligent Network Interface Controller (INIC) with a USB 2.0 high-speed device port and an integrated coax transceiver.

The MOST150 technology was successfully deployed in the first car models in 2012. Now, Microchip announces the latest member of its MOST150 INIC family to continue the success story of MOST® in the future.

With its USB 2.0 port, including USB PHY and High-Speed Inter-Chip interface (HSIC), the OS81118 allows designers to create in-car mobile and Wi-Fi® connectivity applications on the MOST150 network by connecting a standard Wi-Fi/3G/LTE module via USB. This simple solution reflects today’s market demands for consumer applications within the automotive environment, such as Internet access, e-mail, social networking and local services. Furthermore, the OS81118 enables automotive engineers to connect the most up-to-date multi-core consumer Systems-on-a-Chip (SoCs) to in-vehicle MOST networks.

Besides the optical physical layer (oPHY) interface, the OS81118 integrates a coax transceiver, which opens a cost-reduction path on the MOST physical layer. Additionally, this coaxial physical layer (cPHY) could be used for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

The OS81118 supports the trend in the infotainment market to use high-end SoCs, developed for consumer and mobile devices, within automotive applications. However, those SoCs have no automotive-specific interfaces, such as CAN, LIN, MediaLB® or MOST. The high-speed USB port on the OS81118 makes it easy to connect SoCs to any MOST150 automotive network, with the added flexibility provided by the coax transceiver.

MOST multimedia networking technology enables the interconnection of feature-rich infotainment systems in automobiles by providing the means to distribute multimedia entertainment functions among the various control devices inside the car. For example, CD or DVD changer, radio, GPS-navigation, mobile-telephone and digital-media interfaces can supply signals to this efficient network. The signals are sent digitally and static-free to the amplifier and monitors.

To further enable development and speed time to market, Microchip is also announcing the Physical+ Interface Board OS81118. This board encapsulates the entire physical hardware interface of a MOST network. The Physical+ Interface Board OS81118 comes with a USB 2.0 interface supporting optical and coaxial physical layers, and is expected to be available in Q3/2013.

The OS81118 is offered in a 72-pin QFN package and is expected to be available for volume production in January 2014. Early adopters can apply for samples today and sampling production is expected to start in Q3/2013.

For more information visit Microchip’s Web site at http://www.microchip.com/get/472T