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USB 2.0 Host controller chip for Linux

Hi,

I have some confusion over the degree of SW/HW interaction in USB Host controllers.

I have an FPGA design which runs Windriver Linux. I would like to add to the PCB a USB 2.0 host controller chip whose sole purpose in life is to perform everything required to get from the PHY to EHCI. I would then like to map the EHCI registers to the Linux kernel; so that I should not have to write a device driver. Linux should handle the majority of the USB protocol's signalling and the chip the majority of the physical layer stuff.

Is the above valid?

It seems, however, that whenever I try and search for such a chip, I either get 1) monolithic peripheral/device chip (that I do not want)

2) Host chips with a PCI interface (which are okay, but I would like one specifically designed with a host interface), 3) Some intermediate chip, either a USB host but without the EHCI interface, or a large and costly microcontroller.

The question I have therefore is that, given my understanding of the problem and assuming it is correct, what chip can I get to fit this role?

Kind regards,

Stephen

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Steve
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There is a lot of both.

Seems reasonable.

Obviously, most USB Host controllers are aimed at the PC market... but then the software stack for a USB host is ... large. Even without the individual class/peripheral drivers.

Unless you want to write a *lot* of driver software, you definitely want to have a host controller with an ECHI compliant interface. (Or OHCI for USB 1.1)

If a PCI interface is OK, then use that ... that will let you take advantage of the PC market and keep the costs down, although I image that ECHI host controllers are being built into the supporting chip sets these days.

good luck, mike

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Michael N. Moran

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