Beefing up Non-memory Lineup
Samsung Electronics has been releasing new non-memory products one after another since it declared its plan to grow into the world's No. 1 maker of system semiconductors by 2030.
On May 28, Samsung Electronics took the wraps off power delivery controller semiconductors, MM101 and SE8A, which support the latest high-speed charging standard of USB-PD 3.0. SE8A is the industry's first product that combines a power transmission controller semiconductor and a security chip.
Power delivery controller semiconductors ensure optimum power supply from chargers to electronic devices, including smartphones, notebook PCs and TVs. They figure out whether a charger is a certified one or not and select the right charging mode based on the type of the charger and the charging status.
When a charger and an electronic device are connected to each other, the two power delivery controller semiconductors charge the electronic device at a high speed after confirming that the charger is a genuine USB-PD 3.0 standard-certified product. Samsung Electronics enhanced their safety by blocking charging when there is moisture or a foreign matter on connected spots.
Samsung Electronics explained that the two products can supply up to 100 W, more than six times higher than typical smartphone fast chargers. Both products have built-in flash memories that allow charger manufacturers to update the latest USB charging specifications with software without hardware replacement, whenever needed.
In particular, the SE8A model blocks data transmission paths as soon as an unauthorized cable is connected in order to prevent an electronic device from being hacked and its data from being damaged or stolen due to a malicious code. The chip has a built-in hardware security module which allows it to be used for the exclusive distribution of content in connection with chargers.
Samsung Electronics is currently mass-producing SE8A, with MM101 samples being provided to customers.
Samsung Electronics has unveiled a series of non-memory products since it announced Semiconductor Vision 2030 on April 24. On May 2, the company decided to cooperate with professor Yoshua Bengio at the University of Montreal who is a distinguished scholar in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, on May 9, the company unveiled the industry's highest pixel image sensor and received certification that the product complies with the international automobile semiconductor standard.