Synopsys announced its acquisition of Cascade Semiconductor Solutions, doing business as Cascade IP, on October 18, 2004; the deal was completed that month. Cascade brought PCI Express digital port IP—Root, Dual Mode, and Switch Port capabilities—that Synopsys said would complement its existing Endpoint, PHY, and verification offerings.
What Synopsys acquired
Cascade IP supplied digital PCI Express port capabilities that expanded the roles Synopsys could support in a system-on-chip design. Synopsys described the portfolio addition as:
- Root Port capability;
- Dual Mode capability, supporting Endpoint or Root operation; and
- Switch Port capability.
Those functions joined Synopsys’s existing PCI Express Endpoint solution. The company also described Cascade’s digital IP as complementary to its PCI Express PHY and Verification IP. The announcement framed the combination as a broader set of PCI Express building blocks for SoC designers. Synopsys’s October 18, 2004 announcement
Why Synopsys said it made the deal
Synopsys presented the acquisition as a way to offer more of the PCI Express design stack from one supplier. John Chilton, then senior vice president and general manager of Synopsys Solutions Group, said: “Designers want a complete solution available from one supplier to help reduce design risk and lower the total costs of implementing PCI Express on an SoC.” That was the company’s stated rationale, not an independently measured result.
#1 Best Overall
- 【7-Ports Expansion Card】Fanblack PCI-E expansion card provides 7 external USB 3.2 Gen 2 Ports (4 USB Type-A and 3 USB Type-C Ports) for your computer. You can connect a keyboard, mouse, external hard drives, CD/DVD drives, webcams, USB printers, scanners, game controllers, USB VR, digital cameras, etc
- 【10Gbps Transmission Rate】One USB Type-C port and three USB Type-A ports share 10Gbps bandwidth, and the rest three ports share another 10Gbps bandwidth, with a total bandwidth of up to 20Gbps. Each port supports transmitting data at a rate of up to 10Gbps when used solely. Note: The USB expansion card only supports data transfer， Not PD fast charging and video signal transfer (DP, HDMI, VGA display conversion) and USB-C Thunderbolt protocol
- 【Widely Compatibility】The card is compatible with Windows 7/8/10/11 (32/64 bit) and Mac OS 10.8.2 and above. Perfect for HP windows 11 desktop,Dell 8950,MacPro 4.1/5.1,Lenovo P520. Note: Windows XP/Vista/7, Server, requires driver installation, Windows 10/11 and Mac OS and Linux don't need drivers. If your computer can not be recognized by windows 11 or Mac os with any driver, Please contact us anytime
- 【Stable and Easy to Use】The internal USB card is provided from the motherboard through the PCI Express slot to ensure a stable connection and improve data transmission speed. Will not lose the connection problem like an external USB Hub. Quick and easy installation, a simple solution for connecting to and using USB 3.2 devices on your standard desktop
- 【No External Power Adapter】 Users do not need to plug any additional power cable on from powersource and get 5V/12A max power supply for high-power consuming device ( NOT support BC 1.2 charging or Power Delivery) , Support device only, Like HDD/SSD enclosure, VR sensor etc
Cascade president and chief executive officer Jing-Fan Zhang called the transaction “a significant event in the PCI Express community.” Both comments appeared in the acquisition announcement and reflect the executives’ views at the time. Synopsys, October 18, 2004
What the deal cost
Contemporaneous EE Times coverage said the purchase price was undisclosed when Synopsys announced the deal. Synopsys later reported in its fiscal 2004 annual report that it paid $15.8 million upfront, with up to $10.0 million more contingent on performance milestones during the following three years. EE Times also reported that Cascade’s ten employees would join Synopsys’s DesignWare IP group. EE Times coverage · Synopsys fiscal 2004 annual report
Rank #2
- 【USB3.2 8 Interface】 Type-A + Type-C USB3 dual interface, can run two devices at the same time, compatible with the existing USB peripheral products. In order to make the power supply of each interface stable, the capacitor adopts the solid state patch type that can withstand the high temperature of 250 degrees.
- 【 High Quality Chip】 USB 3.2 expansion card adopts new high quality NEC720210+NEC720201 main control chip and advanced low voltage power supply process, the maximum usb3.2 Gen2 supports 10gbs(theoretical value).
- 【Security & Reliability】 When the external USB device is broken down or the current is too large, immediately cut off the power to protect the peripheral and personal computer. After the fault is rectified, the system automatically recovers. Each port is equipped with independent capacitors that do not require an external power supply, ensuring a more stable power supply. The two interfaces can operate independently and do not interfere with each other, so the operation is more stable.
- 【Stability & Heat Dissipation】 The use of alloy materials with high thermal conductivity can effectively heat dissipation, so that the expansion card is always at room temperature and the work is more stable.
How to read the historical design-win figures
Synopsys’s 2004 acquisition release said it and Cascade had achieved PCI Express design wins at more than 25 companies at the time. This was a company-reported historical figure, not a current customer count. In a June 2024 PCIe 7.0 announcement, Synopsys described its PCIe IP as having more than two decades of experience and more than 3,000 design wins. That, too, is a Synopsys claim, dated 2024; it does not establish that the Cascade acquisition caused those later wins. Synopsys, 2004 · Synopsys, June 3, 2024
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the acquisition means in today’s PCIe context
Synopsys’s current PCI Express portfolio page describes controller, PHY, IDE security, and verification IP, and lists markets including AI, high-performance computing, networking, storage, mobile, and automotive SoCs. The page offers context for how broad a modern PCIe IP portfolio can be, but it does not show which specific Cascade blocks remain in use today. Synopsys PCI Express IP
Rank #3
- 【7 ports PCIe USB card】 There is a 2-phase independent power supply module, which can feed one interface per output port to escape power shortage. Can operate without an external or auxiliary power supply; the seven interfaces operate independently and do not affect each other. Seven USB 3.0 Type A ports can be added externally to the PC case. Note: Not compatible with PS3/PS4.
- 【High Speed Transmission】USB3.0 theoretical speed up to 5Gbps, provides 10 times faster transmission speed than USB2.0. This usb expansion card enables quick access to files and transfer of HD movies, photos, music, etc.
- 【Stable power supply】The usb pcie card adopt NEC720201&NEC720210 chip. The USB interface can supply 5V2A power to external devices. Solid capacitors with good performance are used for low impedance, low temperature stability, and high temperature wave resistance.
- 【7 independent solid capacitors】Each interface has a stable voltage solid capacitor to ensure a stable power supply. The dielectric material of the solid capacitors is made of conductive polymer material, which has the advantages of high stability, long life, and low ESR (faster charging and discharging speed).
- 【Wide compatibility】 PCI-E X1 X4 X8 X16 compatible. Note: Not compatible with older PCI, backward compatible with USB 2.0 / 1.1, 64-bit and 32-bit Windows 11 / 10 / 8 / 7 / XP / Linux, not Mac compatible. Note: WIN8 and WIN10/11 users do not need to install the drive; XP and WIN7 users can download, unzip, install, and complete. (The corresponding installation directory for CD is DRIVERSǐ201R30230.EXE.)
As a later example of the business’s evolution, Synopsys announced a PCIe 7.0 solution in June 2024 that included controller, IDE security, PHY, and verification IP. The company said its x16 configuration could deliver up to 512 GB/s bidirectional. That is a vendor claim about its 2024 offering, not a specification for the 2004 Cascade products. Synopsys, June 3, 2024
Quick Recap
Best Value
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE USB CARD: Upgrade or expand a desktop/server's USB connectivity by adding four external USB Type-C 10Gbps ports and one internal USB Type-A 10Gbps port via a single PCI Express x4 connection
- FAST DATA TRANSFER: ASM3142 controller supports USB 3.2 transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps; Ideal for transferring large files or editing high-resolution photos/videos on external storage devices
- OPTIONAL POWER: USB PCIe expansion card with SATA power supplies additional power to the USB ports (when motherboard power is insufficient), providing up to 5V 3A (15W) per USB Type-C port and 5V 1.5A (7.5W) on the USB Type-A port
- COMPATIBILITY: Drivers auto-install in most OS's including Windows 8 & up, macOS, and Linux; Works with all hardware platforms such as Intel, AMD, and Apple Silicon that have a PCI Express x4/x8/x16 slot; Does not support DP-Alt Mode/USB Power Delivery
- THE IT PRO'S CHOICE: Designed and built for IT Professionals, this 5-port USB-C PCIe Card is backed for 2-years, including free lifetime 24/5 multi-lingual technical assistance
Rank #4
- Supports 4 NVMe M. 2 (2242/2260/2280/22110) up to 256 Gbps in one card by utilizing PCIe 4. 0 bandwidth
- PCIE 4. 0 X16 Interface with server-grade (low loss) PCB material, compatible with PCI express x8 and x16 slots
- Supports 14W power consumption SSDs for next gen latest drives
- Stylish heatsink and integrated blower style fan prevent M. 2 throttling
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