Universal Scientific Industrial

On August 9th, USI was honored to participate in the "D Forum – MCU Innovative Design & Application" hosted by Digitimes. This prestigious event brought together leading technology companies, including NXP, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, and Infineon, to discuss the potential for future development of microcontrollers. At the forum, Mr. Fang, Chief Technology Officer of USI, engaged in a conversation with the host of IC Voice, C.Y. Yao, delving into the momentum and opportunities surrounding microcontrollers from the perspective of system-in-package.

The microcontroller (MCU) industry has seen a significant surge in market demand, especially during the pandemic. As technology matures, the specifications for many of the products that utilize microcontrollers have increased as well. Not only for consumer IoT products, but also for medical devices, smart factories, and the automotive industry. Microcontrollers, which integrate various IC components, are essentially a form of system integration. Microcontrollers can be regarded as a kind of system integration due to the integration of various IC components. As such, USI, with our system-in-package capability, is well-positioned to enter the market with modular design and manufacturing processes to provide customers with what they need.
 
Mr. Fang remarked, "In recent years, IoT development has increasingly integrated with AI and AIoT technologies. The demand for compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient product modules has risen sharply. By incorporating the MCU process concept, SiP modules can advance IoT products from basic sensing and actuation functionalities to data fusion and intelligent reasoning capabilities. These advancements, which can be regarded as micro-edge computing, allow for the synthesis of vast amounts of data into concise information. This not only optimizes the bandwidth efficiency of IoT networks but also significantly reduces cloud storage burdens, enhancing the user experience during network outages."

USI keeps focusing on "wireless connectivity products" and "circuit micro-modules" leveraging our core competencies in SiP and miniaturization module design. Through Joint Design Manufacturing (JDM), USI can deliver low-power, energy-efficient products such as smart wearable devices and smart glasses.

During the conference, the challenges in MCU module design were a key topic of discussion. Mr. Fang noted that one of the primary challenges is the diverse range of SKUs that customers require for their products across different AIoT fields. Developing modules that meet varying requirements for module sizes, antenna bands, and memory capacities is a complex and resource-intensive process. 
 
"USI has concentrated on supporting customers through modular design, integrating multiple components that can be utilized in a “modular” way to accelerate product development and streamline material management," said Mr. Fang. "Throughout the manufacturing process, whether dealing with traditional PCBA iron cap modules or compact SiP modules in package form, we are capable of assisting our customers in selecting the most suitable wireless connectivity module solutions, taking into account factors such as product size, cost, and time constraints.

Furthermore, as signal transmission speeds continue to increase, issues such as cavity noise and interference between 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz and RF signals have become more prevalent. USI’s solution involves using “isolation techniques”, such as antenna ground structures (Ground Plane), to reduce electromagnetic interference. This enhances RF antenna reception sensitivity, thereby improving both reception quality and transmission rates.

USI has extensive experience in the development of SiP technology, ranging from Kernel Driver and WLAN/WWAN at the network level to API/AT Command at the application level. This expertise enables USI to address a wide array of challenges in module design. Additionally, USI offers comprehensive services including certification tools, RF test utility development, and third-party software management, all tailored to meet diverse customer requirements through the JDM mode.

Mr. Fang emphasized, "As a low-power computing unit, MCUs offer exceptional flexibility and can be applied across a wide range of products. The miniaturization advantage of SiP allows for the integration of customized functions in consumer electronics, providing both size and performance benefits. A modular design that considers commonality also supports the diverse ecosystem of IoT products, helping customers save development time, manpower, and material management, ultimately speeding up time-to-market. We believe that modular design integrated SiP and MCU will become the preferred solution for future consumer product innovations."
 
The forum concluded with enthusiastic discussions and vibrant exchanges. Participating companies, including NXP, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, and Infineon, shared their insights and expressed strong confidence in the future development of MCUs. All the participants also voiced our optimism about achieving significant breakthroughs in the competitive market ahead.