Along with Artilux's existing IC solutions for all-optical and hybrid optical/electrical HDMI and DisplayPort applications, the announcement of a USB4 active-optical-cable IC solution further positions Artilux's Connect Series product line as a comprehensive offering in high-speed optical communications solutions for mainstream consumer markets.
As the USB-C market becomes increasingly mainstream, USB4 is highly anticipated to be the future standard for transferring data, audio and video, charging and connecting between various electronic devices due to its high-speed and stable transmission characteristics. Artilux's USB4 active-optical-cable IC solution is highly compatible with Thunderbolt and DisplayPort video/audio standards, and is backward-compatible with USB 3.2 and earlier versions. It can deliver up to 40Gbps bidirectional data transfer, and drive an 8K resolution display at 60Hz including HDR without compression. In addition, compared to passive copper cables, the diameter of optical cables is smaller, and the cable length can be significantly longer to support more real-world applications.
With Apple now accelerating its transition to USB-C connectors with the iPhone 15 featuring a universal USB 3.2 port, capable of charging, data and audio and video transmission with a data rate of 10 Gbps, and Intel announcing the upcoming release of Thunderbolt 5, a new generation of high-speed transmission protocol supporting up to 80Gbps bidirectional transmission, in 2024, the importance of a USB-C interface solution supporting longer distances than standard copper cables has never been greater.
From the perspective of market development and user growth, it is undeniable that USB-C cables will be the future mainstream for charging, data transmission, and connection cables for professional audio-visual and consumer electronic products, especially with the rising popularity of high-resolution 4K and 8K displays, increasing data capacity, and more demand for high-speed transmission. Therefore, compared with USB 3.2 supporting 5Gbps to 20Gbps bidirectional transmission, USB4 which supports doubling the speed at 40Gbps bidirectional transmission is certain to become a prevalent interface choice.
Currently, in the USB industry, most chip-design companies focus on developing IC products for host, hub, and device controllers that operate in the electrical domain. Unlike these companies, Artilux has developed the innovative USB4 driver IC product for enabling USB4 data to be transmitted over the optical domain via optical cables. Artilux helps product designers and manufacturers to gain an edge in the USB4 marketplace by providing a mass-production-ready USB4 active-optical-cable IC solution.
This will be a solution that will appeal greatly to users who want to connect to a large-size screen for sharing presentations, films, video games, augmented reality experiences, or even for applications in smart vehicles and require more than the maximum length up to 2 meters of today's active USB4 copper cables. In contrast, USB4 optical cables can break through the length limitation of copper cables, significantly reducing the diameter, and creating thinner and lighter high-speed cable products. And the price for USB4 optical cables is competitive with USB4 active copper cables, all which makes USB4 optical cables as an optimal selection with performance for consumers more widely applicable and well positioned in the consumer electronics market.
"The USB4 optical cable IC solution launched by Artilux is here to help our customers to immediately ramp up the mass production of USB4 optical-cable products. Our solution features a novel and patent-pending design, and has been verified for high compatibility with Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, and full backward compatibility with USB 3.2 specification after rigorous testing with various existing USB host controllers, hubs, and devices. Artilux is the 1st company to deliver a total optical IC solution for consumer markets in high-speed transmission, and this product is also the industry's first optical communication chip with USB4's complete functionality, including data transmission, audio and video transmission, and charging capabilities," says Dr. Jeff Liang, VP of Engineering at Artilux.
Artilux' Connect Series is the only IC solution portfolio that can provide both high-speed and low-speed fiber transmission with CMOS-based technology, while meeting the needs of hybrid optical and all-optical transmission. Artilux leverages its experience in optoelectronic engineering technology, IC design strength, CMOS-based mass production and a global patent strategy to offer high-speed optical communication solutions in home entertainment, smart car, smart medical, data centers, metaverse and other fields. Artilux is empowering the development of fiber transmission and continues to turn over the milestones of optical communications.
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