Switches Meet MIPI Testing Standards

Parallel data interfaces continue to be used by designers in many newer mobile phone and mobile internet device (MID) designs simply because they are the only interface available from the application processor. However, with unyielding end-market pressure demanding lower power, higher data transfer rates and reduced PCB footprints in new designs, cost effective alternatives are becoming viable options.

To provide designers with an alternative to legacy parallel data interfaces, the industry is now trending toward the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) standard serial interface. However, a single MIPI port in the processor does not allow the phone to use multiple MIPI peripherals. Fairchild Semiconductor recently developed the FSA642, a low power, dual data pair 2:1, high-speed MIPI switch that passed the MIPI UNH-IOL interoperability testing for the data rate of 700Mbps.

Unlike existing solutions using a parallel data interface, the FSA642 is optimized for switching between two MIPI devices, such as cameras or LCD displays and on-board Multimedia Application Processors (MAP). This allows designers to differentiate and customize their designs, while providing more flexibility.

The FSA642, part of an expanding portfolio of MIPI switches, also features high bandwidth (>720MHz) in order to meet the higher data rates required by most mobile phone designs. It is ideal for dual camera and dual LCD applications in cell phones, digital camera displays and view finders.

Superior channel-to-channel crosstalk immunity minimizes interference and allows the transmission of high-speed differential signals and single-ended signals as described by the MIPI specification. Available in a 24-lead UMLP (2.5x3.4mm package), the FSA642 also features low on capacitance (7pF typical), low on resistance (7Ω typical), an 8kV HBM ESD rating and a >16kV power/GND HBM ESD rating.

Fairchild Semiconductor