Synopsys Delivers USB4 Subsystem Verification Solution, VIP, and Test Suite for High-performance USB Architecture

Synopsys announced the availability of its Subsystem Verification Solution, Verification IP (VIP), and UVM source code test suite to support the latest USB4 specification. USB4 includes two-lane operation using the existing USB Type-C connector that can carry up to 40Gbps data over new certified cables. USB4 also supports Thunderbolt 3 and expands USB functionality to include new display capabilities.

During the Thunderbolt 3 Developer Conference & Plugfest that took place in Taipei, Taiwan on March 5, Teledyne LeCroy, a leading company in USB protocol test solutions, announced and demonstrated the first protocol analyzer platform for testing next-generation USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 systems. The new Voyager M4x Protocol Analyzer underscores the company’s technical expertise and leadership in the USB ecosystem.

Cadence Design Systems announced the availability of the industry’s first Verification IP (VIP) in support of the recently announced USB4 standard. The Cadence VIP for USB4 enables engineers to develop standard-compliant system-on-chip (SoC) designs, completing functional verification of the design with less effort and greater assurance that the SoC will operate as expected, enabling early adoption of the next-generation USB standard protocol.

In a surprising announcement, the USB Promoter Group announced the pending release of the USB4 specification, a major update to deliver the next generation USB architecture that compliments and builds on the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. The USB4 architecture is based on the Thunderbolt protocol specification contributed by Intel Corporation. It doubles the bandwidth of USB and enables multiple simultaneous data and display protocols, increasing compatibility among USB Type-C connector-based products.