Nuvoton Technology Corporation
1 Kotari-yakemachi, Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto 617-8520, Japan

November 15th ,2022

Media Contact:
Corporate Strategy OfficeNuvoton Technology Corporation Japan
NTCJ_PR@nuvoton.com

Starting Mass Production of Re-Timer IC for USB4® Devices
Kyoto, Japan – Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan(”NTCJ”) will start mass production of Re-Timer ICs thatincorporate the world's first e-Marker and comply with thelatest USB4®,USB 3.2, Thunderbolt™ 3, DisplayPort™ 2.0
DisplayPort™ Alt Mode standards.

World's first* built-ine-Marker*According to our research as of Nov 15th, 2022

Benefit1. The industry's top-class high-performance equalizer function [1] and emphasis function [2]realize USB4-equipped devices with interconnectivity (“interoperability”) between variousdevices.
2. Proprietary cable thinning transmission technology [3] eases strict constraints on cable design
and manufacturing, making it easy to create thin, long, and flexible USB4 cables.
3. The world's first built-in e-Marker [4] eliminates the need to develop e-Marker control software.
4. Through the above, it contributes to the cost reduction of the entire value chain [5] covering
the development, manufacturing, and maintenance of USB4 cables.
・Please check here for product details：
https://www.nuvoton.com/products/high-speed-interface/usb4-re-timer/
Market background and issues
１: Signal deterioration due to speed up
With the rapid development of the IoT society, the amount of data to be handled is increasing, andthe communication technology required for data transfer is required to be even faster.
USB4 has a maximum communication speed of 40 Gbps, which is double that of the conventional
USB 3.2. However, higher communication speeds result in lower signal quality due to increasedtransmission loss due to board wiring and cable impedance.
Conventionally, to address this problem, waveform shapers such as Re-Driver IC [6] and Re-TimerIC [7] have been installed in equipment and cables to improve signal quality. However, with USB4,
it is difficult to match design conditions with conventional waveform shapers, making development
and manufacturing more difficult, and manufacturing yields are expected to deteriorate due toinsufficient signal margins.
２: Increased software development costs due to speed up
In order to safely perform rapid power supply, which has been in high demand in recent years,
USB cables (Type-C® cables compatible with USB 3.1 or higher) are registered with information

such as current carrying capacity and manufacturer information called e-Marker. An integrated IC
is mounted to ensure the safety and reliability of power supply. USB4 also requires e-Marker
implementation, but with faster USB4, new software development is required for the linked
operation of e-Marker and Re-Timer IC, which lengthens the development period. The problem ofcost increase is expected.
What this product solves
Our Re-Timer IC is equipped with a high-performance equalizer and emphasis function based on
the low-noise, high-speed transmission/reception analog technology of high-speed interface ICs
that we have cultivated for over 20 years, enabling interoperability between various devices.
Re-Timer ICs for cables use our unique cable thinning transmission technology to improve
manufacturing yields by relaxing strict constraints on cable design and manufacturing, andrealize cables that achieve both high connection quality and ease of use. In addition, the world's
first built-in e-Marker that stores cable identification information, etc., can reduce BOM,
manufacturing, and procurement costs and shorten the software development period.
We also have a development environment such as an evaluation board, a firmware rewriting
tool, and a reference paddle card [8] that shorten the customer's development and support
period, so we will contribute to the reduction of the total development cost through innovative
improvements in the entire value chain covering customer development, manufacturing,procurement and maintenance.
Technological Features
Re-Timer IC has the following features.
1. Supports USB4 Type-C bi-directional multi-protocol, realizing high interoperability thatenables transmission and reception of up to 40 Gbps.
2. Supports USB4 backward compatibility and peripheral standards.
USB4, USB 3.2, Thunderbolt3, DisplayPort 2.0 and DisplayPort Alt Mode
3. Equalizer that compensates for signal loss of up to 35dB on the receiving side and anemphasis circuit that compensates for up to 15dB on the transmitting side make it possible tocompensate for signal attenuation due to substrates and cables and restore the signal.
4. Restrictions on Intra-Pair Skew [9] required at the input end of Re-Timer can be greatly
relaxed*.
*only KM864742

Part number

USB4 Re-Timer IC (KM86474X series)
KM864741/KM864742

Applications

KM864741：PC, Tablet Monitor, Smartphone, Game, Dongle
KM864742：USB4 cableSpecNumber

KM864741

KM864742

USB4（Gen2, Gen3）/
Supported standards

USB 3.2 (Gen1x1,Gen1x2, Gen2x1, Gen2x2)/Thunderbolt3/ DisplayPort 2.0（UHBR20）/DisplayPort
Alt mode

Equalizer function

35dB

Emphasis function

15dB

e-Marker
Power supplyPackage-Built-in
0.9V/3.3V
VFBGA-81pin 0.5mm pitch（5mm x 5mm）

Mass production start time January, 2023
Press contact
Shigenori Matsumoto,PR and Communication, Corporate Strategy Office, Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan
NTCJ_PR@nuvoton.com
Technical contact
Masato Yoshida, Marketing Dept., IoT with Security Business Group,
Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan
yoshida.masato@nuvoton.com

Definition of Terms[1] Equalizer function：
Compensates for frequency components lost due to the low-pass filter characteristics of thetransmission line by amplifying them on the receiving side[2] Emphasis function：
A function that adjusts the transmission waveform in advance considering the attenuation in
the transmission line on the transmission side[3] Cable thinning technology：
Technology that realizes thinning by applying a unique transmission method inside the cable(patent pending)[4] e-Marker：
The IC chip built into the USB Type-C cable that supports USB 3.1 or higher registers thecurrent carrying capacity and manufacturer information.
[5]Value chain:
A series of steps that create value when a manufacturer commercializes a product(Planning, development, manufacturing, procurement, production control, maintenance)[6] Re-Driver IC:
Wave shaper that performs equalizer function and noise removal in analog circuit.
[7] Re-Timer IC:
In addition to the equalizer function, a wave shaper that performs digital filtering, gain
adjustment, and clock recovery.
[8] Paddle card
A small circuit board built into the cable.
[9] Intra-Pair Skew
Transmission time difference between differential signal lanes.

About Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan
Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan (“NTCJ”) joined Nuvoton Group in 2020. As a global
manufacturer specializing in semiconductors, NTCJ provides technology and various productsthat have been cultivated over more than 60 years since its establishment, as well as spatialsensing solutions and battery application solutions that optimally combine them. By valuing ourrelationships with our customers and partners and providing added value that exceeds
expectations, we are acting as a global solution company that solves various problems in society,industry, and people's lives.
For more information, please visit https://www.nuvoton.co.jp/en/.
* Organization names, company names, product or service names mentioned in this press release
are registered trademarks or trademarks of each company or organization.