IC design house Fresco Logic's FL1000 1-port USB 3.0 host controller chip has received USB Implementer Forum (USB-IF) certification, and its FL1009 2-port USB 3.0 host chip is expected to be certified at the end of the first quarter of 2011, according to the company.
Fresco Logic, a subsidiary of Faraday Technology, has actually begun small volume shipments of the FL1009 USB 3.0 host controller chips since December 2010 and expects its total shipments of USB 3.0 chips to top 10 million units in 2011 with 2-port parts accounting for the majority of shipments. Shipments of 1-port FL1000 chips totaled one million units in 2010, the company noted.
Though Intel is expected to also integrate USB 3.0 host controller chip into its chipset solutions, the discrete USB 3.0 host parts will continue to enjoy a life cycle of 3-5 years for applications in the video, LCD TV, smartphone and other segments, said Fresco Logic.
Fellow Taiwan-based IC design houses Etron Technology, VIA Labs and ASMedia are also applying for USB-IF certification, according to industry sources.
Shipments of USB 3.0 host controller chips are expected to top 120 million units in 2011, with a penetration rate of over 40%, Digitimes Research has estimated.