Some of the challenges faced by designers to provide USB connectivity to UART devices are listed on this slide. As previously discussed, new PCs no longer have UART ports, therefore legacy devices with UART interfaces cannot be connected to new PCs. How can this problem be remedied? These legacy devices require bridging hardware and a software driver that runs on the PC to make the connection. Integrating a USB connectivity solution into these devices can be expensive because it typically requires hardware redesign. This process is time consuming and error-prone, and requires a significant amount of time to test the solution for robustness. Another problem is that a reliable supplier is needed for the bridging solution. Cypress’ current competitive suppliers have problems with software driver and device configurability, for instance, the VID/PID programming. They don’t provide the flexibility. The Cypress USB-to-UART bridge controller, CY7C65213, is a solution to these problems. It provides seamless PC connectivity for UART devices and can be implemented in an active cable solution which can be used to retrofit existing solutions, eliminating the need for an equipment redesign of any kind. Cypress provides a stable software driver connecting to the CDC device class to enable the communication with the PC application. Cypress also provides a Software Configuration Utility that runs on the Windows Operating System that enables the user to change the bridge controller parameters like VID, PID, power management, and the power required by the chip to function. The Cypress USB-to-UART bridge controller is a plug-and-play solution from a market leader for USB.