We recently returned from Nuremberg, Germany where the Embedded World 2020 conference was held.  While the show attendance we considerably lighter than past years due to concerns about the coronavirus, we still were able to meet many existing Total Phase customers from throughout Europe.  We had many customers stop by to say hello or show their preferred tool to their colleagues.

The Embedded World conference featured lots of hand sanitizer, fist bumps, and waves from a distance.  Also unique to this year’s conference was a very high level of interest in USB Type-C and Power Delivery technologies.  With the recent decision in the EU to require a single common phone charger, there is an expectation that Type-C tools will become increasingly required.  If all phones move to a Type-C connector, the ecosystem will have to adapt also.  It won’t only be chargers that are redesigned, but also accessories such as docks, headphones, and other accessories.  Many visitors to our booth asked about our USB Power Delivery Analyzer and wanted to see the data it captures.

The USB Power Delivery Analyzer is a real-time PD sniffer.  It captures all Power Delivery protocol traffic from the CC1 and CC2 lines while passing through any USB or Alt Mode data.  The tool also graphically displays current and voltage measurements from VBUS and VCONN with one-click correlation to the PD protocol data.

There was also related concern around Type-C cables.  Our booth also featured the Advanced Cable Tester v2 designed specifically for testing USB Type-C cables for safety and quality.   With phone charging moving to Type-C, which is already common among Android phones, ensuring the power carried over the cable will be safely delivered is vital.

We also had the opportunity to meet with many of our European and Asian distributors who were also in attendance.   It is also a great opportunity to get updated on the latest product news and learn about business in their individual geographies.  If this information is exchanged over plates of schnitzel and pints of beer, it’s even better!

All in all, despite the lower turnout, it was a great week.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2021 – and perhaps with some new products to share…