Tech firm expands abilities of USB port

A Long Island tech company is helping expand the capabilities of the USB port on the electronic devices you buy in the future.

SMSC, a semiconductor developer headquartered in Hauppauge, is introducing the industry's first programmable USB power controller.

The controller is an electronic component that will extend the USB port's ability to charge portable devices such as cell phones, MP3 players and iPads, said Mitch Polonsky, director of product marketing for analog products and technology for the company.

Currently, there are limits on using the USB port on electronic devices -- such as laptops, monitors, docking stations and printers -- to charge certain items, Polonsky said.

For example, a cell phone plugged into a laptop will only charge if the computer is running. SMSC's USB power controller will allow a consumer to charge devices with a dormant laptop's battery, providing an alternative source of power in cases where a portable device may need to be charged immediately.

The controller, incorporated into new computers and other devices by manufacturers, will also address compatibility issues certain portable devices have with USB ports.

"One of the features of our device is charger emulation . . . what that means is we are creating a device that allows your USB port to be compatible with a larger range of products," Polonsky said.

He noted that iPads do not charge if they are plugged into a PC computer -- but that issue will not exist if SMSC's USB controller is installed in the laptop.

In addition to being installed in electronics with USB ports, the control can also go into a USB wall adapter, enabling it to charge more devices. It "gets us one step closer to a wall charger that can service everything we own," Polonsky said.

The controller was developed in SMSC's offices in Arizona. The company also has locations across the world in Asia and Europe.