Industry Expert Blogs

Synopsys earned the first ever certification of a USB 3.1 Host IP Solution.

Most likely this is the first and only in the universe.

First again…after first with certified:

• USB 3.1 Device IP Solution
• USB 3.0 Host IP Solution
• USB 3.0 Device IP Solution
• USB 2.0 Host IP Solution
• USB 2.0 Device IP Solution
• And the first certified USB Phys in maybe 100 process nodes for the last 13-15 years for USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1 PHYs. Each node, each PHY has it’s own challenges.

The USB-IF makes Host certification the most challenging with the following groups of tests

• Gold Tree Interoperability testing (solution /system testing)
• Electrical testing (PHY testing)
• USBCV testing (protocol/controller testing)
• xHCI compliance testing (takes weeks) (protocol/controller testing)
• More interoperability testing (solution/system testing)

The toughest thing about selling USB to new customers, to new engineering managers, to purchasing managers is to understand the complexity of USB.

What comes after certification is harder. It’s where Synopsys adds value.

“USB is easy because USB is hard”

Some call Synopsys arrogant.

The truth is we believe our team of engineers is about the same level of intelligence as most engineers. (Sorry team)

Our engineers, our PHY and Controller engineers around the world work nights and weekends to make to build and verify our USB IP. The support engineers work to make our customer’s products successful. It’s the hard work that makes our engineers better. It’s the hard work that makes our products better. Our products are not perfect. When they aren’t we fix them. I like to think with our experience and hard work we can do it faster than most others because it’s all we do. (Well in addition to PCIe, DDR, Security IP, Embedded Vision Processors, ARC processors, librarys (or libraries if properly spelled) so yeah that stuff too)

Maybe a USB certification is boring. For me, it’s always exciting because it’s another achievement by our engineering team, my friends, working together to make something that works. It makes advocating for our products easier.

Even better, our USB engineers work in multiple countries on all continents bringing a range of experience and viewpoints, all with the unified work ethic.

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