USB Insight Hub: 3-Port USB 3.0 Hub with Microchip PA1943, ESP32-S2, and Renesas uPD720210

10 August, 2024

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The USB Insight Hub from David Santana of Aereo Solutions SAS is a three-port USB 3.0 hub with power monitoring using a Microchip PA1943 IC and a device monitoring display using the ESP32-S2 microcontroller. Each of the three downstream ports features a 1.3-inch 240×240 TFT display to show real-time data about power consumption and USB device information, such as drive letters, mount points, and COM (USB CDC) port identifiers. The hub supports individual power management of USB data cables and power a available on each port.

A companion application running on the host PC extracts USB information from the operating system and sends it to the USB Insight Hub. This architecture allows the displays to provide detailed and useful metadata about connected devices. The hub’s design includes a Renesas uPD720210 hub controller, PAC1943 power meter, and an STMicroelectronics STM8 acting as an IO expander, all within a compact and open-source enclosure.

Previously, we wrote about the Programmable USB Hub, a CircuitPython-based development board with 4-port high-speed USB, USB Hub I2C, UART, and GPIO. Feel free to check it out if you are interested in this product.

USB Insight Hub Specification:

MCU:
- ESP32-S2 SoC for managing displays and metadata.
- Renesas UPD720210 hub controller.
- STMicroelectronics STM8S003K3 as an IO expander.
- PAC1943 power meter and channel control blocks.
Display:
- Powered by an ESP32-S2 microcontroller.
- Three 1.3-inch 240 x 240 pixel IPS TFT displays with a wide 170° viewing angle.
- Displays clear and detailed information about connected USB devices.
- Displays show device metadata like drive letters, mount points, and COM (USB CDC) port identifiers.
USB:
- Renesas uPD720210 hub controller for USB 3.0 functionality.
- Three USB 3.0 downstream ports support high-speed data transfer.
- One USB 3.0 Type-C upstream port for data and power.
- Supports USB 2.0 (Low, Full, Hi-Speed) and USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) lines.
Host Computer Compatibility:
- USB property extraction for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Operating system drivers are available for the USB Hub and ESP32-S2 microcontroller.
Power Measurement and Protection:
- Monitors voltage, current, and power consumption for each USB port.
- Provides interrupt signals for over/under voltage and over/under current conditions.
- Microchip PA1943 IC for power monitoring on the +5V rail.
- User-programmable limits for over/under voltage and over/under current.
- Individual D+/D- switches for each downstream port to force enumeration.
- Individual AP22653 switches for power delivery to each downstream port with configurable current limits(0.5 A, 1.0 A, 1.5 A, 2.0 A) and protections.
- PAC1943 power and energy monitor with 1 mA current and 1 mV voltage resolutions.
- TPS259470 eFuses for power muxing with low series resistance and inrush current control.
- Proper ESD protection for all inputs and outputs (data and power).
Additional Features:
- STEMMA QT connector for expanding functionality.
- Programming headers for the main and auxiliary microcontrollers.
- Latching switch for turning the hub on/off.
- Additional setup/configuration button.
- Mechanical push buttons for power control (short press) and USB 2.0 data switching (long press).
Power supply: Dedicated USB Type-C connector for auxiliary power (up to 5 A@5 V).

The USB Insight Hub’s open-source nature allows for future enhancements, with hardware schematics and firmware to be released before the crowdfunding campaign. Despite the inclusion of an ESP32-S2 SoC, it does not use Wi-Fi; dimensions are not provided on the product page.

The open-source design of the USB Insight Hub makes it possible to add future improvements, with the introduction of hardware schematics and firmware to be released before the crowdfunding campaign. The product comes along with an ESP32-S2 SoC, yet, no Wi-Fi communication happens; also, no product dimensions are displayed on the web page. To learn more, visit the USB Insight Hub product page on Crowd Supply. There, you can sign up for notifications when the pre-sales campaign begins.

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