Micronas Unveils World´s Smallest USB Headset Connector (0209)

Freiburg, Germany - March 7, 2002 - At CeBIT 2002, Micronas unveils the world's smallest USB-headset connector, designed small enough to fit into the palm of a hand. Fitting into a USB connector, it integrates a complete audio system enabling system manufacturers to develop a huge variety of new digital headsets, and free users of the restrictions and inconvenient handling of conventional analog headsets. Furthermore, with the new USB-headset connector, analog soundcards in the PC become unnecessary.

"Currently, we see many activities among the leading hardware and software companies worldwide aimed at incorporating voice communication into the consumer PC platform," said Kai Scheffer, director marketing multimedia of Micronas. "Thus, a high-quality, independent communication channel from the PC to the user is required. With its small USB-headset design, Micronas is the enabler bringing highest quality voice and audio for PC solutions to the market."

Possible applications cover high-quality voice transmission - based on standards like Voice over IP, and high-quality music and voice recognition solutions. This enables direct digital DSP enhanced headsets and brings Instant Messenger and voice applications closer together.

The new USB headset connector offers higher functionality, and compared to existing headsets, a more user-friendly solution. It comes with an additional voice channel designed to be plugged straight into any USB interface and does not need to connect to the soundcard, which is often inconveniently located somewhere on the PC. Previously, users had to deal with the intricate handling of analog headsets. First, one had to locate the interface of the soundcard of the PC. Then the application using the headset had to be configured manually.

"Leading providers worldwide have started to launch soundcards designed to attach externally to a PC," explained Scheffer. "However, by integrating the soundcard into the USB connector, Micronas drives this new trend even one step further. We allow the creation of application-specific solutions and provide voice applications for PCs with a jump-start."

The key feature of the new USB-headset connector is the integrated soundcard functionality, which allows it to attach directly to any USB port available on the PC. Moreover, the USB-headset connector requires neither an additional USB cable nor a bulky "dongle" to interface with the PC.

Due to the non-breakable architecture, PCs recognize the USB-headset connector without any user intervention. Next-generation PC operating systems will depend on voice communication in the consumer PC platform.

The USB headset is based on the USB audio IC family UAC355xB. The highly integrated one-chip solution includes a microcontroller with USB interface functionality and a DSP unit with a stereo DAC and ADC. The device is available in a space-saving PQFN 9 x 9 mm2 or in a PMQFP 64 pin package.

Optional general-purpose inputs and outputs connect the UAC355xB to peripheral hardware such as buttons, keyboards, LEDs etc. Via I2C, more complex peripherals like LCD displays can be controlled.

The ICs of the UAC355xB family are available now. The bill of materials required for realizing a complete USB Headset is below 10 US Dollar.